GTO In the Pumpkin Run

 

Gran Turismo Omologato. That's what GTO stands for, "borrowed" from the famed Ferrari 250 GTO. It means grand touring homologated, a grand touring car that has met the requirements to race in the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile or English: International Automobile Federation, grand touring class. In the early 1960s the Tempest was Pontiac's entry level automobile. With muscle car mania sweeping the industry the powers that be, especially one John DeLorean, wanted to dip their toe in that performance pond and created a new trim for the Tempest. They called it the GTO. It premiered in 1963 as a 1964 option package. Pontiac wedged a 6.4L and even a 6.6L V8 into the Tempest. The GTO package was moved up to the LeMans mid size car.It sold so well that by 1966 the GTO was its own model. Despite taking a break in production from 1974 to 2003, the GTO saw five generations roll off the line. There were plenty of GTOs on hand for the 49th Annual Pumpkin Run Nationals where nearly 3000 vehicles, all from 1974 or before, filled the Clermont County Fair Grounds. Here are a few.