The 1971 AMC Penske Javelin that Mark Donohue drove to victory in the ‘71 Trans-Am series will be auctioned off at Russo and Steele’s Monterey sale next month.
The car has been restored to concours-level condition by MAECO Motorsport of Northridge, California, and won awards in its class at the Amelia Island Concours in 2008. The car was also featured in the Petersen Museum, on TV’s Top Gear and it appeared at the Kohler International Challenge at Road America as well as the Meadowbrook Concours in 2010.
Of course, the Javelin’s true triumphs were recorded with Donohue at the controls, winning a total of seven races and scoring 10 top five finishes in the 10-race 1971 season. Stuck carburetor floats caused a DNF at Bryar and a vacuum leak, that made Donohue’s power brakes falter, slowed the car to a second place finish at Mid Ohio. Interestingly, with his brakes on the fritz at Mid Ohio, Donohue had trouble slowing the car as he entered the pits and he struck Roger Penske, carrying Penske about 15 feet on the Javelin’s hood.
Though Donohue and Penske were always dominant in the series, one of the reasons that the Javelin fared so well in 1971 was that Ford dropped its factory backing, leaving Parnelli Jones, still driving the Bud Moore Mustang, at a disadvantage. Without Jones as a threat, the races were Donohue’s to lose. George Follmer proved to be Donohue’s staunchest rival that season.
A detailed photo documentary is included with the vehicle illustrating the restoration. There is also a lot of interesting information about the car on Russo and Steele’s site as well as a video with one of the most ridiculous soundtracks ever recorded for a race documentary.
Mecum’s Monterey Auction is scheduled for August 13-14 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa in Monterey, California. There’s a preview set for Thursday 12-5 p.m., and the auction begins Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m.