# 1972 Trans-American Sedan Championship

The 1972 Trans-American Championship was the seventh running of the Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am Series. The first seven rounds used split classes, while the last four rounds had the Under 2500cc class only. Milt Minter brought Pontiac its first win, at Mid-Ohio. George Follmer and American Motors won the over 2.5L division, while John Morton led Datsun to the championship title of the "Two-Five Challenge".
1972 is considered to be the end of the series' "golden era". From 1973 onward, Trans Am would evolve into a lesser clone of the rival IMSA GT Championship, with similarly modified cars, but with a more conventional focus with vehicles such as the Chevrolet Beretta being used. IMSA GT's focus on exotic cars such as Ferraris and Porsches provided a more adaptable format, in comparison to Trans Am's reliance on domestic performance sedans.

## Schedule

| Rnd | Date | Circuit | Distance | Over 2.5 Winning Car | Under 2.5 Winning Car |
| Rnd | Date | Circuit | Distance | Over 2.5 Winning Driver(s) | Under 2.5 Winning Driver(s) |
| 1 | May 6 | Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut | 130.05 mi (209.30 km) (U2L) 200.43 mi (322.56 km) (O2L) | AMC Javelin | Datsun 510 |
| 1 | May 6 | Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut | 130.05 mi (209.30 km) (U2L) 200.43 mi (322.56 km) (O2L) | George Follmer | Bob Sharp |
| 2 | May 29 | Bryar Motorsports Park, Loudon, New Hampshire | 112 mi (180 km) (U2L) 152 mi (245 km) (O2L) | AMC Javelin | Datsun 510 |
| 2 | May 29 | Bryar Motorsports Park, Loudon, New Hampshire | 112 mi (180 km) (U2L) 152 mi (245 km) (O2L) | George Follmer | John Morton |
| 3 | June 4 | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio | 120 mi (190 km) (U2L) 180 mi (290 km) (O2L) | Pontiac Firebird | Datsun 510 |
| 3 | June 4 | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio | 120 mi (190 km) (U2L) 180 mi (290 km) (O2L) | Milt Minter | Peter Gregg |
| 4 | June 17 | Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York | 114.818 mi (184.782 km) (U2L) 192.489 mi (309.781 km) (O2L) | AMC Javelin | Datsun 510 |
| 4 | June 17 | Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York | 114.818 mi (184.782 km) (U2L) 192.489 mi (309.781 km) (O2L) | George Follmer | Peter Gregg |
| 5 | July 2 July 4 | Donnybrooke International Speedway, Brainerd, Minnesota | 150 mi (240 km) (U2L) 210 mi (340 km) (O2L) | AMC Javelin | Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 5 | July 2 July 4 | Donnybrooke International Speedway, Brainerd, Minnesota | 150 mi (240 km) (U2L) 210 mi (340 km) (O2L) | George Follmer | Horst Kwech |
| 6 | July 16 | Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin | 108 mi (174 km) (U2L) 200 mi (320 km) (O2L) | Ford Mustang | Datsun 510 |
| 6 | July 16 | Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin | 108 mi (174 km) (U2L) 200 mi (320 km) (O2L) | Warren Tope | John Morton |
| 7 | July 30 | Sanair Super Speedway, Saint-Pie, Quebec | 104 mi (167 km) (U2L) 169 mi (272 km) (O2L) | Ford Mustang | Alfa Romeo GTA |
| 7 | July 30 | Sanair Super Speedway, Saint-Pie, Quebec | 104 mi (167 km) (U2L) 169 mi (272 km) (O2L) | Warren Tope | Bert Everett |
| 8 | August 19 | Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia | 126 mi (203 km) | not contested | Datsun 510 |
| 8 | August 19 | Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia | 126 mi (203 km) | not contested | John Morton |
| 9 | September 17 | Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon | 105.325 mi (169.504 km) | not contested | Datsun 510 |
| 9 | September 17 | Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon | 105.325 mi (169.504 km) | not contested | John Morton |
| 10 | October 15 | Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, California | 102.5 mi (165.0 km) | not contested | Datsun 510 |
| 10 | October 15 | Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, California | 102.5 mi (165.0 km) | not contested | John Morton |
| 11 | October 28 | Riverside International Raceway, Riverside, California | 127.5 mi (205.2 km) | not contested | Datsun 510 |
| 11 | October 28 | Riverside International Raceway, Riverside, California | 127.5 mi (205.2 km) | not contested | John Morton |

## Championships
### Drivers' championships

The points system was as follows:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
| 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |

#### Over 2.5L

| Pos | Driver | Car | LRP | BRY | MDO | WGL | DON | ELK | SAN | Pts |
| 1 | George Follmer | AMC Javelin | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 25 | | 95 |
| 2 | Milt Minter | Pontiac Firebird | | 2 | 1 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 60 |
| 3 | Warren Tope | Ford Mustang | 5 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 56 |
| 4 | Warren Agor | Chevrolet Camaro | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 27 | 6 | 51 |
| 5 | Bill Collins | AMC Javelin | 7 | | 4 | 29 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 45 |
| 6 | Paul Nichter | Chevrolet Camaro | 6 | 4 | | 4 | 20 | 6 | 3 | 44 |
| 7 | Roy Woods | AMC Javelin | 4 | | 5 | 3 | 3 | 11 | | 42 |
| 8 | Jerry Thompson | Ford Mustang | | | 28 | 2 | 2 | 41 | | 30 |
| 9 | Carl Shafer | Chevrolet Camaro | | | 11 | | 8 | 7 | 4 | 17 |
| 10 | Dick Brown | Chevrolet Camaro | | | | 6 | | 5 | 16 | 14 |
| 11 | Gene Harrington | Chevrolet Camaro | 8 | | 35 | | | 4 | 21 | 13 |
| 12 | Tony DeLorenzo | Pontiac Firebird | 3 | | | | 21 | | | 12 |
| 13 | John Gimbel | Ford Mustang | 21 | 11 | 25 | 5 | 27 | 31 | 8 | 11 |
| 14 | Kent Fellows | Chevrolet Camaro | 26 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 38 | 15 | 10 |
| 15= | J. Marshall Robbins | Ford Mustang | | 5 | | | | | | 8 |
| 15= | Alfred Ruys de Perez | Chevrolet Camaro | 17 | 8 | 29 | 9 | 26 | 8 | 14 | 8 |
| 15= | Steve Bradley | Chevrolet Camaro | | | | | 5 | 21 | | 8 |
| 15= | Dick Hoffman | Chevrolet Camaro | | | 21 | | | 40 | 5 | 8 |
| 19= | Walter Parkins | Chevrolet Camaro | | 9 | 9 | 14 | 30 | 12 | 27 | 4 |
| 19= | Bob Bienerth | Chevrolet Camaro | 14 | 13 | 13 | 18 | | 17 | 7 | 4 |
| 21= | Dan Moore | Ford Mustang | | | 8 | 13 | | | | 3 |
| 21= | Martin Shook | Chevrolet Camaro | 23 | 27 | 23 | 8 | | 23 | | 3 |
| 21= | Jerry Petersen | Chevrolet Camaro | | | 31 | 10 | 9 | 30 | | 3 |
| 24= | Jean-Guy Roy | Chevrolet Camaro | 9 | 22 | | 23 | | | 13 | 2 |
| 24= | Warren Fairbanks | Chevrolet Camaro | | | | | | 9 | | 2 |
| 24= | David Hoselton | Ford Mustang | | | | | | 15 | 9 | 2 |
| 24= | Steve Ross | Chevrolet Camaro | 20 | 10 | 12 | | | | 10 | 2 |
| 28= | Fred Kashkork | Ford Mustang | 10 | | | | | | | 1 |
| 28= | Ed Hinchcliff | Ford Mustang | 11 | 17 | 10 | 16 | 19 | | | 1 |
| 28= | Joe Chamberlain | Chevrolet Camaro | | | | | 10 | 33 | | 1 |
| 28= | J. A. Lagod | Chevrolet Camaro | | | | | | 10 | | 1 |
| Color | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | 2nd place |
| Bronze | 3rd place |
| Green | 4th & 5th place |
| Light Blue | 6th–10th place |
| Dark Blue | Finished (Outside Top 10) |
| Purple | Did not finish |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| Blank | Did not participate (DNP) |
| Blank | Not competing |

#### Under 2.5L

| Pos | Driver | Car | LRP | BRY | MDO | WGL | DON | ELK | SAN | ATL | POR | LAG | RIV | Pts |
| 1 | John Morton | Datsun 510 | DSQ | 1 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 135 |
| 2 | Bert Everett | Alfa Romeo GTA | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 11 | | 7 | 3 | 91 |
| 3 | Horst Kwech | Alfa Romeo GTV | 19 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 5 | | 15 | | 2 | 17 | 65 |
| 4 | Mike Downs | Datsun 510 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | | 2 | | | | | | 61 |
| 5 | Peter Gregg | Datsun 510 | | | 1 | 1 | 11 | | | | | | 2 | 55 |
| 6 | Bob Sharp | Datsun 510 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 35 |
| 7 | Ken Schley | Alfa Romeo GTA | | | | | DSQ | 6 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 28 | 11 | 32 |
| 8 | Ed Wachs | Alfa Romeo GTA | 5 | 9 | | | 4 | 7 | 19 | DNS | | 27 | 20 | 24 |
| 9 | John McCollister | Volkswagen Super Beetle | 21 | 8 | 6 | 14 | | 17 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 16 | 25 | 22 |
| 10 | Harry Theodorocopulous | Alfa Romeo GTV | 26 | 16 | 17 | 6 | 14 | 13 | 3 | | 9 | 10 | 28 | 21 |
| 11= | Lothar Stahlberg | Datsun 510 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 13 | | | | | | | | 20 |
| 11= | Richard Hull | Toyota 1600 | | | | | 5 | 3 | | 16 | | | | 20 |
| 11= | Walt Maas | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | | 3 | 5 | 14 | 20 |
| 11= | Lee Midgley | Alfa Romeo GTA Alfa Romeo GTV | | | | | | 4 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 4 | 12 | 20 |
| 15= | John Buffum | Ford Escort | 15 | 3 | 21 | 7 | | | | | | | | 16 |
| 15= | Vic Provenzano | Alfa Romeo GTA | | | | | | | | | 4 | 6 | 19 | 16 |
| 17= | Sam Posey | Datsun 510 | | | | | | 18 | | 2 | | | | 15 |
| 17= | Hershel McGriff | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | 15 |
| 17= | Corky Bell | Datsun 510 | | | | | 10 | 9 | | 5 | | | 7 | 15 |
| 20= | Jerry Thompson | Datsun 510 | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | 12 |
| 20= | Dave Madison | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | 3 | | | 22 | 12 |
| 20= | Bobby Allison | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 24 | 12 |
| 23 | Tony Rolfe | BMW 1600 | | | | 8 | 9 | 12 | | 6 | | | | 11 |
| 24= | Ron Shantz | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | 10 |
| 24= | Bob Stevens | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | | 15 | | 4 | 10 |
| 26 | Ole Anderson | Volvo 142 | | | | | | | | | 6 | 8 | | 9 |
| 27= | Wayne Sherer | Alfa Romeo GTA | | 5 | 15 | 20 | | | | | | | | 8 |
| 27= | Richard Gordon | Volvo 142 | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | 8 |
| 27= | Bob Burns | Alfa Romeo GTA | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 8 |
| 30= | Jim Lombard | Volkswagen Super Beetle | | | 12 | 10 | 6 | | 16 | | | | | 7 |
| 30= | Gary Witzenburg | Datsun 510 | 12 | | 7 | | 15 | 8 | | | | | | 7 |
| 32= | John Diamanti | Alfa Romeo GTV | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| 32= | Don Sobering | Austin Cooper | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | 6 |
| 32= | Carl Fredricks | BMW | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 6 |
| 32= | Ed Long | Datsun 510 | | | 9 | | | | | 7 | | | | 6 |
| 36 | Ted Straight | Toyota 1600 | | | | | 7 | 10 | | | | | | 5 |
| 37= | George Alderman | Datsun 510 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 15 | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 37= | Mickey Cohen | Ford Pinto | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 37= | Jacques Bienvenue | Ford Pinto | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | 4 |
| 37= | Douglas Sande | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | 4 |
| 41= | Ed Rogers | Alfa Romeo GTA | 8 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 41= | Bob Shafer | Datsun 510 | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 41= | Tom Cronin | Austin Cooper | | | | | 8 | 11 | | | | | | 3 |
| 41= | Monique Proulx | BMW 2002 | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | 3 |
| 41= | Vic Matthews | Toyota 1600 | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | 3 |
| 41= | Dave Redding | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 3 |
| 47= | John Meskauskas | Datsun 510 | 9 | 14 | 14 | | | 16 | | | | | | 2 |
| 47= | Stephen Sharkey | Volvo 122 | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 47= | Robert LaZebnik | BMW 1600 | | | 22 | 11 | | DNS | 9 | | | | | 2 |
| 47= | George Cheyne | Ford Pinto | | | | | | | | | DNS | 9 | 26 | 2 |
| 47= | Jim Ethridge | Alfa Romeo GTA | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | 2 |
| 52= | Paul Choiniere | Austin Cooper | 10 | | | | | | 12 | | | | | 1 |
| 52= | Art Mollin | Volvo 142 | 13 | 10 | | 19 | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 52= | A.L. Entwistle | BMW 2002 | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 52= | Werner Gudzus | BMW | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | 1 |
| 52= | Jim Fitzgerald | Datsun 510 | | | | | | | | 10 | | 14 | | 1 |
| 52= | Tex Guthrie | Lotus Cortina | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | 1 |
| Color | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | 2nd place |
| Bronze | 3rd place |
| Green | 4th & 5th place |
| Light Blue | 6th–10th place |
| Dark Blue | Finished (Outside Top 10) |
| Purple | Did not finish |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| Blank | Did not participate (DNP) |
| Blank | Not competing |

### Manufacturers' championships

Only the highest-finishing car scored points for the manufacturer. The points system was as follows:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |

#### Over 2.5L

Best 6 results count toward the championship.
| Pos | Manufacturer | LRP | BRY | MDO | WGL | DON | ELK | SAN | Pts |
| 1 | American Motors | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 48 (52) |
| 2 | Ford | 5 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 34 |
| 3 | Pontiac | 3 | 2 | 1 | | 4 | 2 | | 28 |
| 4 | Chevrolet | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 24 (26) |

#### Under 2.5L

Best 9 results count towards the championship.
| Pos | Manufacturer | LRP | BRY | MDO | WGL | DON | ELK | SAN | ATL | POR | LAG | RIV | Pts |
| 1 | Datsun | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 81 (88) |
| 2 | Alfa Romeo | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 40 (51) |
| 3 | Toyota | | | | | 5 | 3 | | | | | | 6 |
| 4 | Ford | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 5 | Volkswagen | | | 6 | | 6 | | 5 | | | | | 4 |
| 6 | Volvo | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | 2 |
| 7 | BMW | | | | | | | | 6 | | | 6 | 2 |
| 8 | Austin | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | 1 |