Product Review

In the 1967 Trans Am season, Allan Mann’s win at the non-championship Watkins Glen Manufacturers Challenge in a privateer Mustang convinced Mercury, owned by Ford, competitions boss Fran Hernandez that he was capable against such drivers as Mark Donohue, Jerry Titus and Parnelli Jones. Allan successfully tested for Bud Moore Engineering who was contracted to run the Mercury race team. Team cars were painted red and silver, but in deference to Allan’s Aussie background, his Cougar was green and gold. Moffat competed in the Modesto, California, Mission Bell 250 at Riverside, Las Vegas 350 and the Kent 300 in Washington. The Cougars lost the title to Mustang. The Cougar racing effort was terminated and Bud Moore went back to fielding NASCARs. Not surprisingly, Ford didn’t like the idea of spending a lot of money trying to beat itself! Even so, the Mercury Cougar is a highly respected and loved American muscle car.