In the ‘90s, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Pro-Racing Trans Am series was one of the hottest racing series. The classic Mustang magazines we all remember were almost evenly split between drag racing and road racing, with Trans Am being a top contender for corner-carving ‘stangs. The surge in popularity after 1993 likely stemmed from Ford finishing its third-generation Mustang run and fighting to regain its lead after a three-year drought, during which the bowtie company took the win in the SCCA Pro Racing Trans Am Manufacturer’s Championship repeatedly. This was Ford’s get back, arriving with the release of the SN95 Mustang.

Ford’s Trans Am Racing Campaign

Ford knew the reign of the fourth-generation Chevrolet Camaro in the Trans Am series had to end. With the release of a new Mustang body style, drastically different from the previous 14 years, Ford’s top priority was keeping Mustang fans loyal. To achieve this, they needed serious race talent — enter the Archer Brothers, Tommy and Bobby Archer. Ford successfully pulled the duo from their dominant Dodge Racing Team, a group that had achieved significant success and multiple championships across various racing series, signaling Ford’s commitment to reclaiming the top spot in Trans Am racing.

Ford gladly accepted the Archer Brothers Racing commitment, but the duo wasn’t the only ones Ford would employ. The automaker also sought out Tommy Kendall, Dorsey Schroeder, Ron Fellows, Boris Said, Jon Gooding, and Bill Saunders. The effort paid off, as Ford achieved its manufacturer’s championship goal from 1994 to 1997 in the Trans Am series. Where does all this fit in with the feature car? Well, this particular Riley and Scott Chassis, dubbed #TA93-022, helped the factory effort and finished its best and last race with a 3rd place podium with Bobby Archer piloting the car at the Dallas Grand Prix on September 14th, 1994. 

Chassis #TA93-022 claimed its biggest win at its final race, the Ford Grand Prix of Dallas, on September 18, 1994. Its third-place finish earned a purse of $11,650.

An Era Coming To An End

Chassis #TA93-022 was primarily raced in the #9 Highway Master livery, as evidenced by the original carbon fiber seat, which was marked on the underside with black Sharpie, showing where the team had carefully fitted and mounted it for Bobby Archer, with his name on it. However, when the car was retired, it was restored to Tommy Archer’s #3 livery, a detail later discovered by its current owner, Todd Covini who had a specific reason for the Shell livery. 

After its retirement from professional racing, a new owner bought the car to compete in a few GT1 races before selling it to John Baucom in 1999. Baucom continued to campaign the Mustang in the Trans Am series from 2000 to 2020, fitting it with as many as five different body styles. When Covini decided it was time to add this race-bred Mustang to his stable, negotiations began. Covini agreed to purchase the car “as is” without the modern body, because it wouldn’t need it for his purposes after its final race at VIR, even putting down a 10-percent deposit before the race. Thankfully, the Mustang performed flawlessly, with only a minor oil leak and a cracked header, securing its semi-smooth transition into Covini’s stable.

Going To A Good Home

Covini was far from just another wealthy collector with a sizable check looking to build an impressive lineup of race cars to admire. Instead the Bristol, Connecticut native waited two years to find the cars, another two to rebuild it and still has work that needs to be finished. 

Covini proudly stands next to chassis #TA93-022, a car he had followed for many years. Though the car is now retired from professional racing, the car still participates in open track days across America.

Covini developed his love for cars thanks to a childhood friend who introduced him to Matchbox cars, and his father’s 1965 Shelby Fastback. His passion grew from simply admiring vehicles to participating in drag racing and autocross during his high school years in Marshfield, Massachusetts after another family friend introduced him via a C3 Corvette to various motorsports. However, Covini’s hand-me-down 1973 Mercury Comet, even with its 302 cubic-inch engine, was far from the race cars Covini dreamed of.

During a summer job at a local marina, Covini realized that working on boats could be far more lucrative than the local auto shop. This realization sparked his decision to pursue a career in the maritime industry, specifically focusing on ship engines, as a way to fund his passion for fast cars. The Maritime Academy became his launching pad, where he earned a BA in Marine Engineering. Even after acquiring multiple licenses and overseeing a fleet of Exxon tankers, his passion for cars never waned. Covini continued to seek seat time, including in his brand-new 1988 Mustang GT convertible, fresh off the showroom floor.

Racing Gets A Little More Serious

The car became a fixture at numerous events, ranging from drag races to autocross, and even participated in ten different Nevada Open Road races. Licensed drivers began encouraging the young Covini to take his skills to the open track. However, there was a challenge: in the California area where Covini lived, most track events were dominated by Audi club gatherings, which eventually evolved into what is now known as the National Auto Sport Association (NASA).

It wasn’t until Covini moved to Walnut Creek, California in 1996 that a small group of Camaro and Mustang drivers decided to take action. Although events like the SCCA A-Sedan class, Corvette Challenge, KONI Challenge, and even the Canadian Player’s Challenge Series existed, they were often too expensive for the average racer, especially for those early in their careers. That’s when a handful of enthusiasts, including Covini, created the Camaro-Mustang Challenge — a road racing series specifically designed for pony cars, offering an affordable entry point for passionate racers with the potential to make a name for themselves and maybe become a career racer. That same series continues to this day within NASA. 

Working And Racing

While Covini still had his sights set on a professional motorsports career in some form, ExxonMobil had other plans, bringing him to their Texas headquarters for marine logistics. Along with Covini came the Camaro-Mustang Challenge, now at a national level, including Texas, with the title of National American Iron Series Director added to his credentials.

Covini continued racing in American Iron, Camaro-Mustang Challenge, and NASA, while also starting a career officiating for NASA, Grand Am, FIA, and IMSA. During his time as an IMSA pit lane and tech official, Covini was granted up-close access to top-level professional race cars, deepening his connection to the racing world.

I tend to have emotional connections with my Ford vehicles. Like tattoos, each one has its own meaning. Careers, cars, and the oil majors have always been a significant part of my life in racing. -Todd Covini, #TA93-022 owner. 

At this point, Shell Chemical had hired Covini for marine logistics in North America. With Covini no longer racing or officiating, he felt the urge to own, work on, and occasionally drive a professional race car like the ones he had inspected for years. He also had a desire to own a former Exxon or Shell-sponsored race car, something that Thomas Historics would help him find. Lo and behold, the original Archer Brothers chassis was still racing in Trans Am for 2020 and ready to be retired and restored to its original state, funded by Ford and Shell sponsorships. An opportunity that Covini couldn’t pass up.

The Trans Am series evolved from 600 to 850 horsepower, with each previous racer pushing the limits until reaching the Roush Yates D3-based NASCAR engine. This marks an impressive leap from 1994, when they were powered by 306 or 358 cubic-inch engines producing around 600 horsepower.

In Good Hands

Chassis #TA93-022 is in good hands at 30 years of age, and good company. This year Covini added a 1997 Mobil 1 Trans Am Camaro that was campaigned from 1998 to 2002. This addition brings back the original Camaro Mustang Challenge feel in his garage. The bowtie remains outnumbered though by its blue oval garage mates, as Covini also owns an all-original 1995 SVT Lightning, a 2012 Boss 302 Laguna Seca with full World Challenge suspension, brakes, and transmission upgrades, and his Whipple-supercharged 2013 SVT Raptor, which serves as both a daily driver and a race car hauler.

Covini’s garage is reminiscent of the Camaro-Mustang Challenge series, where the Bow Tie versus Blue Oval rivalry was strong.

Not one to forget where he came from, Covini has commissioned Cortex Racing to build a track-ready 1972 Maverick Sprint in honor of his first original car, which is expected to be ready in 2025. With Covini still taking #TA93-022 to events and track days, one thing is for sure, is a race car really ever retired? For Covini, that answer is a simple “no.”