Driven by Jerry Titus, this is the most famous Firebird to compete in the original Trans Am series.
Download Artilce on Jerry Titus from Sports Car September 1970
Prior to 1970 Jerry Titus’ team TG Racing had built Firebirds for customers in addition to their own two-car team. For 1970 the team decided to focus all their resources on a one-car effort with Titus as the driver. The team built three chassis that were used during the season.
Over the course of the season the team was constantly testing and updating the cars. Titus would choose the fastest for each race. This is one of the team cars and its lineage has been verified by the Titus family. This car and the BFG “ Tire Bird” are the only cars that still exist.
Titus’ partner Terry Godsall secured BF Goodrich sponsorship for the team at the end of the 1970 season. This car was raced once in Trans Am in 1971. It was primarily used as a show car and in photo shoots for BF Goodrich advertising. The car was sold in 1972 and used in local races.
In the late 1990’s the car underwent a full concours level cosmetic and mechanical restoration back to 1970 specification performed by Mark Mountanos and his team. The authenticity of the car was again confirmed by BF Goodrich team leader Douglas Innes as the Titus car. The car comes with a huge collection of period photographs, documentation, and a photo record of the restoration. The level of craftsmanship and attention to detail of all aspects of the car’s restoration including paint, interior, chassis, engine, hardware, and assembly is normally only seen on full concours show cars.
Today the car is in spectacular condition, fully sorted, and race ready. Owned by a prominent west coast collector and vintage racer it has always had top quality care and preparation. The car looks as if the restoration had been completed yesterday! Currently the car has competed in three events since its last full race prep including rebuilt engine and transmission, crack checking of all suspension components, and replacement of all fluids.
Since the restoration was completed in 1999 the car has competed in the Monterey Historic on five occasions and the Wine Country Classic three times.
The TG Racing 1970 Trans Am Record
Laguna Seca — Titus, 7th
Lime Rock — Titus, 11th
Mid-Ohio — Titus, 24th
Bridgehampton — Titus, 27th
Donnybrooke — Titus, 17th
Seattle — David Hobbs, 30th
BF Goodrich 1971 Trans Am Record
Bryar — Larry Dent, 16th
About Jerry Titus
In 1967, Jerry Titus was the Trans-Am Champion racing a Ford Mustang for Carroll Shelby. In 1968 and 1969, he was third in the Trans-Am series.
He had 43 career races with 4 wins in the 1967 race season. He had 5 poles, and 7 wins in his career as a driver or co-driver.
At the final 1968 Trans-Am race at Kent, the big news was that Jerry Titus was leaving Ford and moving to Pontiac. Terry Godsall, a young Canadian businessman, offered Jerry a chance to run a team of his own Pontiac Firebirds.
In going with Pontiac, Titus found that he was handicapped by the need of a great deal of developmental work, especially on the engine. Early on, Godsall pulled out of the Trans Am series, saying that the SCCA was inconsistent in its rule enforcement policies. Jerry then carried on the administrative responsibilities as well as driving for his team.
In 1970, Jerry Titus decided to stop building Firebirds for customers and concentrate on his own race cars. Three cars were built. This car and the BFG " Tire Bird" are the only cars that still exist.
The third Trans Am Firebird was severely wrecked in a crash and eventually destroyed.
The 1970 Season was Jerry's last season.
