IN 1981 PONTIAC PRODUCED A SPECIAL EDITION (Y85) TURBO TRANS AM FOR NASCAR. THIS SPECIAL EDITION FIREBIRD TRANS AM PACED THE FIELD OF STOCK CARS AT THE 1981 DAYTONA 500, AS WELL AS VARIOUS NASCAR RACES THAT YEAR. 2,000 DAYTONA 500 TURBO TRANS AM SPECIAL EDITIONS WERE BUILT IN '81. THESE CARS DIFFERED SLIGHTLY FROM THE INDY PACE CARS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THEY RECEIVED AN OYSTER WHITE PAINT JOB & BLACK ACCENTS, RATHER THAN THE GRAY ONES FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. ON THE INSIDE, THESE CARS CAME WITH RECARO BUCKET SEATS WITH BLACK & RED CLOTH, WHICH WAS A SHARP CONTRAST TO THE WHITE & BLACK PAINT SCHEME ON THE EXTERIOR. Y85 TURBO SPECIAL EDITION PACKAGE: 4.9L (301CID) 4BBL TURBO ENGINE TURBO HOOD WITH TURBO GAUGES FISHER T-TOP HATCH ROOF AIR CRUISE TILT WHEEL POWER ANTENNA POWER DOOR LOCKS TWO-TONE PAINT(WHITE LOWER, BLACK UPPER) ACCENT STRIPES BLACK CLOTH RECARO BUCKET SEATS WITH RED CLOTH INSERTS RED CARPETING BLACK INSTRUMENT PANEL AND APPOINTMENTS BLACK DOOR PADS WITH RED LOWER CARPETING EMBROIDERED BIRD ON DOOR PANELS NASCAR EMBLEM ON FRONT FENDERS SPECIFIC HOOD DECAL DOOR HANDLE INSERT WITH RECARO NAME RED INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING ELECTRONICALLY TUNED DIGITAL DISPLAY AM/FM STEREO CASSETTE SPECIAL PERFORMANCE PACKAGE FRONT & REAR DISC BRAKES 225/70R15 WHITE LETTER TIRES 15X7.5 TURBO CAST ALUMINUM WHEELS LIMITED SLIP AXLE WS6 HANDLING PACKAGE: THE WS6 PACKAGE MADE IT'S PUBLIC INTRODUCTION WITH THE 1978 TRANS AM, SINCE THE T/A & FORMULA SHARED THE SAME CHASSIS SETUP IN '70 IT BECAME AVAILABLE ON THE FORMULA FIREBIRD. HERB ADAMS HAD BEEN WORKING FOR PONTIAC & HELPED DEVELOP THE TRANS AM, HE TOOK ON THE TASK OF TRYING TO CREATE A CAR(ACTUALLY A FEW) TO COMPETE IN THE S.C.C.A. TRANS AM ROAD RACES, THESE WERE DUBBED FireAms AND HE MARKETED SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH HIS OWN COMPANY VSE(VERY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT) SO THAT OTHER PONTIAC OWNERS COULD BUILD A FireAm OF THEIR OWN. SOME OF THE RESULTS OF HIS EFFORTS LATER FOUND THEIR WAY TO PRODUCTION CARS UNDER THE WS6 SPECIAL PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING PKG. MOST NOTABLY THE 15X8 RIMS AND THE REAR DISC BRAKES. WS6 IMPROVED THE HANDLING MEASURABLY OVER THE STANDARD T/A. ON BUILD SHEETS AND IN SERVICE MANUALS THE WS6 IS REFERRED TO AS "TRANS AM MARK IV". SPECIAL DAYTONA PACE CAR DECALS WERE SHIPPED INSIDE THE CARS FOR DEALER INSTALLATION, ONLY IF THE BUYER PREFERRED THE GRAPHICS. RELEASED AROUND FEBRUARY 1981 WITH A $12,244 BASE PRICE, IT LOOKED SIMILIAR TO THE 1980 INDY PACE CAR TRANS AM. HOWEVER IT HAD BLACK, INSTEAD OF CHARCOAL ACCENTS. THE NASCAR TRANS AM OF '81 FEATURED A RE-DESIGNED SCREAMING CHICKEN USED WITH THE TURBO HOOD. THE WHITE TURBO RIMS ACCENTED THE OVERALL DESIGN OF THE CAR. DESPITE THE LAGGING HORSEPOWER NUMBERS, THESE TA'S FEATURED THE BEST SUSPENSION & SOME OF THE NICER CREATURE COMFORTS OF ANY 2ND GEN.

DAYTONA 500 PACE CARS FACE OFF 18 YEARS LATER.

'81 & 99 DAYTONA 500 PACE CARS