Don Yenko race history

[DarrylD]

Great stuff Joe! The reason I asked is because I've always found it interesting that he built Yenko Camaros that are popular in drag racing, but most of his own experience is Corvettes and road racing. Makes me wish he would have built some production Yenko Corvettes too! The DNF at VIR in 1957, is that Virginia? Otherwise it doesn't ring a bell.

[Rowdy Rat]

I was looking through some old issues of "Corvette News" last nignt and I can confirm the 1957 date as the "official" start date for Don Yenko's racing career. There was a paragraph or so in a 1969 issue that mentioned that Don was on his way back from a trip, passed by where the race was being held, and decided to enter. He didn't have a racing license, so he made up a license number and the rest is history...

Regards,

Stan Falenski

[JoeC]

VIR = Virgina International Raceway
I am looking for more info on DonÃs racing cars and career. He built the Yenko Stinger Corvairs and got it approved for SCCA but I have not found any info on him driving it in any races although he may have. As with the 427 cars, I think he was mainly interested in selling them. Don Yenko and Bill Hartly built and raced some rare Corvettes. He had one of the SR2 Corvettes that he raced around 1965. He had a 1966 L72 M22 that I have read was one of two made with a special engine code that was a predecessor to the L88. It was set up for racing for Mike Summers with best Photo sponsorship. Don also raced a few L88 Corvettes but I do not know if he actually owned the cars. There are more pics in my photopoint album that I use for posting at
albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1169942&a=8610132




[Edited by JoeC (01-25-2001 at 08:54 AM).]

[DarrylD]

I thought my Corvette books just started covering his career once he 'hit it big', but the way he kind of just exploded on the scene in '57, I really wasn't missing much of his racing history. Those early issues of "Corvette News" seem to be a great sorce for historical information.Thanks Stan & Joe!
Thanks for sharing your photopoint album with us Joe. I didn't have time to look at them, but I'll go back later. By the way, is it a Yenko Chevelle that you have? Or what? Is there a picture of it in the album or somewhere on the web?

[COPO]

Joe C,

What kind of racing do they do there?

quote: VIR = Virgina International Raceway


I guess the spell checker wouldn't have caught that one.

[Chevy454]

I doubt if any knows for sure how many races Don participated in, but I know the total would be in the 100's, with many wins, as he was a very successful as a racer. According to Don, he did not drive/race a Stinger becuase he did not want to compete against his own cars. He said that he would rather support others in their efforts. Don knew that the real money was in selling cars, not racing.
Don's first race was in 1957, at New Smyrna Beach near Daytona, FL. in a stock 3 speed Vette with modified exhaust. He was on vacation and saw a sign that read " Enter for Sports Car Racing Here", bluffed his way into racing by giving an imaginary competition driver's number to the girl at the gate and found himself driving between veterans Paul Goldsmith in a four speed Vette (Don had never seen one) Marvin Panch in a Thunderbird with a bellypan and GMC blower. Because of transmission problems, Don ran the entire race in second gear. He crossed the finish line in third place, with a 3-4 foot flame coming from the rear of his car. The modified exhaust on Don's car was aimed at the rearend hosuing and had set it on fire. Don had caught the racing bug and now was a "racer". His first full year of racing he blew up 5 engines at such courses as Cumberland, Dunkirk and Akron. In 1961 Don finished national runnerup and easily won the national championships in his Corvette in '62 and '63. In 1964 he won the Northeast Divisional championship and was runnerup in the same league in '65. By 1966 he was driving for Gulf Oil and just missed winning the national championship at Riverside because of an official error. He had numerous class wins at the 12 hour Sebring race and the grueling Daytona 24 hours (1971 4th overall and 1st in class) and even raced at LeMans. Don is best known for winning the Citrus 250 at Daytona in 1969, during what we now call "speed week". The race was similar to IROC, as there were drivers from several different racing bodies. Don, representing SCCA racing, was racing a 1969 Camaro against such drivers/cars as Parnelli Jones/'69 Mustang, Loyd Ruby/'69 Camaro, Joie Chitwood/'69 Camaro, and Bob Tullius/'69 Javelin. Don's first place plaque and related newspaper articles from Don's scrapbook were displayed at the last Supercar Reunion. Tom @ sYc

[JoeC]

It is difficult to find information on the Camaros Don Yenko raced. I believe the car he raced at Daytona in 1969 was a 1968 302 cu. in. Camaro white with two thin blue stripes wearing the number "11". (Tom what does your scrapbook show?). The 1969 Sebring records list Don as 10th place in a 1969 ZL1 Camaro with Bob Grossman as co-driver. The first time I read this I dismissed it as a misprint. I just read another article on Sebring 1969 and it also states that Yenko/Grossman beat all the Corvettes in a "sleeper" Camaro with a ZL1 engine. The car was part sponsored by Yenko Sports Cars. I wonder if it was a real ZL1 or L72 Camaro or just a fabricated race car. This is the first I ever read of anyone road racing a ZL1 Camaro. I will keep digging for info/pics on this car.

[copomusclecars]

Do you recall what edition of Corvette news that was in?