Driver, constructor, builder

The Detroiter was determined to prove that Americans could take on the world and win — and did just that. He shocked many when he captured the 1970 and ’71 SCCA A Production national championships and won the GT+2.5 class (7^th overall) at the 1971 Sebring 12 Hours in his trademark star-spangled Corvettes. He continued to collect victories the following two years despite competing on BFGoodrich street radials, including an IMSA GTO triumph at the 1972 Mid-Ohio 6 Hours. In 1974, Greenwood debuted his revolutionary widebody Corvette that the press dubbed “The Batmobile.” Its big tires and high-downforce bodywork made it one of the fastest cars in IMSA and SCCA, scoring multiple wins. After capturing the 1975 SCCA Trans-Am title and the IMSA GT season finale at Daytona, John put a customer’s Greenwood Corvette on the IMSA Class pole at the 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans and recorded the fastest trap speed (215.6 mph). But raising money had become a grind and Greenwood retired from racing to focus on selling his widebody street cars.