From the story Tony told me, MotorAge Magazine sponsored the Trans Am series in 1968. There was no official "driver's" championship, just a championship for manufactures. Mark Donohue won 8 races in the Sunoco Camaro in the over 2 liter class, while Tony Adamowicz won 8 races in the under 2 liter class (in the Milestone Racing Porsche 911). Instead of a "driver's championship," the SCCA presented one driver with the "driver of the year" award. When Tony went to the year-end banquet, he fully expected Mark Donohue to take the honors (we was driving for Penske, after all). To his surprise, Tony won the "driver of the year" award, which is the Autavia being discussed. Mac Tilton, his crew chief, was awarded the "crew chief of the year" and a similar watch. To my knowledge, these are the only two that exist. Mac still has his, and when I spoke to him last year, he wasn't interested in parting with it. This watch became Tony's daily watch (both in and out of the car) for the rest of his career. It is the watch he is shown wearing while jumping into the Ferrari at Daytona.

Tony also won a 3446 Autavia GMT, for setting the fastest lap in the 9-hours of Kyalami in 1970, driving a Porsche 917. I also have that watch.

A month ago, it got even better! Tony called me to tell me that he found the original red checkered flag box for the GMT. Not only the (mint) box, but the cardboard outer sleeve, the instruction manual, the original sticker off of the back and even the original foam that sat atop the watch when it was new. Now, that watch is complete! Thanks, Tony!

BTW, I do still let him wear these watches whenever he wants.

More about Tony and his Heuers:

http://a2zracer.com/page12.html

http://a2zracer.com/page61.html

: Hi Guys (Arno and Jeff in particular)

: During my history search on the Shelby, I came across an Italian
: website (http://gianvittorioheuer.blogspot.com) describing Tony
: Adamowicz's Autavia, which was presented to him for being SCCA
: driver of the year in 1968.

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:

: My question is, does anyone know what Motor/Age is, and why they
: are awarding the watch to Tony for driver of the year on behalf
: of the SCCA? Furthermore, as my Shelby is tied into the 66/67
: SCCA Trans Am championship, do I perhaps start looking for who
: was awarded driver of the year for those years, which Shelby
: being the winning team for that year would have awarded? The
: hunt continues...but it’s so tantalisingly close!!! if only
: mine was engraved as well it would make it so much easier!

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