1966 Riverside SCCA Trans Am Race 0001-4541

This official archive photograph captures the grid forming before the 1966 Trans-Am race at Riverside International Raceway, with a white Ford Mustang hardtop at the front of a staggered line of Mustangs and Shelby GT350s. Riverside hosted the finale of the inaugural 1966 Trans-Am season on 18 September, won by Jerry Titus in a Mustang built by Carroll Shelby.

What Is Happening in This Photograph?

The grid is forming in staggered rows with the cars angled across the track. The white Mustang hardtop nearest the camera carries the number 1 on its door, Goodyear lettering on the flank and Goodyear-branded tyres on five-spoke wheels, with a competition number also on the rear side glass.

Behind it stretch further Mustangs and striped Shelby GT350s, with drivers, crew and officials standing among the cars. The dry California hills fill the horizon and a DEPENDABLE CHAMPION SPARK PLUGS billboard stands at the right of the frame.

Why Was the 1966 Season So Important?

The Trans-American Sedan Championship was created in 1966 by SCCA president John Bishop and opened at Sebring on 25 March. It became the most important production-based racing series in America.

Riverside hosted the season finale on 18 September 1966, where Jerry Titus — then editor of Sports Car Graphic — won in a brand-new Mustang built by Carroll Shelby, on his first Trans-Am start. The Mustang's early strength in the series is the direct ancestor of the Boss 302 programme.

What Does a Grid Photograph Show That Action Cannot?

Why this composition works as wall art:

• Multiple cars, liveries and numbers in a single frame
• Mustang hardtops and striped Shelby GT350s together as raced
• Drivers, crew and officials in period clothing among the cars
• Riverside's distinctive hill backdrop and period billboards
• The pre-race atmosphere of the inaugural Trans-Am season

Who Is This Print For?

This Riverside print suits Mustang owners, Shelby GT350 collectors, Trans-Am historians, restoration shops, offices, garages and dealership showrooms. As vintage Ford racing wall art a full grid gives a room far more to look at than a single car. Choose framed, canvas, metal or Giclée formats for a home office, study, museum display or Ford wall decor programme.

Photograph Details

• Event: SCCA Trans-Am, final round of the inaugural season
• Date: 18 September 1966
• Location: Riverside International Raceway, California
• Cars: Ford Mustang hardtops and Shelby GT350s
• Result: Won by Jerry Titus in a Mustang prepared by Carroll Shelby
• Archive reference: 0001-4541

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.