1995 to today · Built in the USA · raced in New Zealand and AustraliaThe RocketSports Camaro
Chassis RS17, the purpose-built Trans-Am Camaro Bruce Jenner had made in America for New Zealand's TraNZam series. A separate car from the 1985 Pontiac that became the Jenner Camaro, it has been owned by Paul Williams since around 2000.
#10 in red ENZED / Noel Leeming colours, with Pacifica Transport, Parker and Mobile World on the nose. Photo: an1images.com
Built for Bruce Jenner Racing
After his years in the American SCCA Trans-Am Series, Bruce went back to the source for a new car: RocketSports Racing, a front-running US Trans-Am team, built chassis RS17 for Bruce Jenner Racing, which appears as the original owner on its Australian Certificate of Description. It arrived in New Zealand in late 1995, and Bruce brought Chris Kneifel, who had raced his Pontiac and Porsches in America and his Porsche at Wigram in 1993, back to give it its first races.
Its drivers
- Chris Kneifel, the car's first driver, late 1995. His story with the Jenner team →
- Steven "Junior" Johnson raced it in Australia in early 1996 in the ThunderSports support races at the Gold Coast IndyCarnival and the Lakeside ATCC round, then in the 1996/97 TraNZam with ENZED backing, winning several races. He was leading the series when a brake failure in warm-up at Manfeild sent him into a tyre wall at around 180 km/h, breaking both collarbones.
- Dick Johnson, the five-time Australian Touring Car Champion, stood in for his son at the Pukekohe finale: sixth on the grid, then fourth and fifth in the early races before a spin in the last, his final race in a General Motors car.
- Heather Spurle drove it twice for Bruce in the TraNZam series, both times at the end of a season: first when Chris Kneifel had to return to the USA early, then again a season later, each time jumping in against drivers who were race-fit and up to speed.
- Ian Spurle, Heather's younger brother, also drove it for Bruce in TraNZam.
- The late Mark Porter drove it for Bruce in TraNZam.
- Bernie Gillan is named in the car's history in its 2026 sale listing (as "Gillon"); he also raced the original Jenner Camaro in its AC Delco colours.
- Paul Williams, long-term owner from around 2000, also the 2000 OSCA champion in the original Jenner Camaro. His profile →
It raced at Pukekohe, Manfeild, Ruapuna, Teretonga and Levels (Timaru) in New Zealand, and in ThunderSports in Australia.
Drivers in New Zealand TraNZam for Bruce, as listed by Heather Spurle (October 2026): Chris Kneifel, Steve Johnson, Dick Johnson (one meeting, while Steve was injured), the late Mark Porter, Ian Spurle and Heather herself.
Colours
Apart from paint and a later rear-wing update, the car is described as largely original.
How it's built
- RocketSports steel space-frame chassis with lightweight Kevlar / carbon composite bodywork
- 6.0-litre Chevrolet Trans-Am V8, alloy heads, titanium valves, dry sump, Holley four-barrel, MSD ignition (a 5.0-litre spare engine is listed too)
- Hewland five-speed gearbox with drop-change gearsets; Ford 9-inch rear end with Detroit Locker
- Double-wishbone front and four-link rear suspension; power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering
- Alcon brakes and BBS centre-lock wheels
It still carries its Motorsport NZ Certificate of Description and log book, and its Australian CAMS ThunderSports papers.
For sale, 2026
In mid-2026 RS17 was listed for sale from Christchurch as a "Genuine 1995 RocketSports Chevrolet Camaro RS17, Ex Bruce Jenner Racing", with period photos, magazine articles and an extensive spares package.
Sources: my105.com listing · V8 Sleuth, June 2026. More history, photos and results are being gathered with Paul Williams. If you raced against this car or have photos, please get in touch.