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Great Rivalries: Chevrolet Camaro vs Ford Mustang
Forty years ago, during the heyday of the Trans-Am series, Parnelli Jones and Mark Donohue--the fathers of the drivers we're lapping with today--raced previous editions of the Mustang and the Camaro against each other in one of the most contentious rivalries in motorsports history. Donohue was killed during practice for the Austrian Grand Prix in 1975, but Jones is still around, and he hasn't forgotten or forgiven the hostilities of 1969. When PJ told him that he'd be testing a Mustang against a Camaro driven by Donohue's son, Parnelli said, "Make sure you kick his ass."
Mustang versus Camaro has been the most volcanic battle in the Ford-versus-Chevy war that's defined the American automotive landscape for much of the past century. The Mustang arrived first, staking out the pony car high ground in 1964 and earning boatloads of easy money during the two and a half years it took General Motors to respond. When the Camaro finally debuted, it inevitably was cast as Avis to Mustang's Hertz, and it's tried harder ever since with hotter engines, snazzier styling, and a host of other touches. more
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