For 2009’s Grand-Am Rolex 24 at Daytona champion Joerg Bergmeister, the love affair with motorsports began early. “Motorsport was a family thing,” Bergmeister tells us. “My grandfather was a motorcycle racer and my dad was a very successful driver.” Indeed, Joerg’s grandfather was a Sachs factory motorcycle driver, and his father raced touring cars. “My brother and myself were involved in racing from very early in our childhood,” continues Bergmeister—brother Tim is also a professional sports car driver today.

Like many racing greats before him, Bergmeister’s career started when he was aged three, with a Kart under the Christmas tree. “It is my earliest memory of [anything related to] racing,” he tells us. In 1993, fourteen years after he first sat in that kart, he raced and won the Formula Koenig series. The Formula Koenig, which ran from 1988 to 2003, was an entry level single seat series also notably won by Michael Schumacher in 1988.

Bergmeister didn’t rest on his laurels long. When asked if he remembers what the prize was for the Formula Koenig victory, he responds, “there was a little bit of prize money, but that went straight in the budget for the next year.” This focus and commitment served him well as he climbed higher and higher up the racing ladder, collecting impressive victories along the way.

As Bergmeister garnered more attention, he moved quickly through the ranks of racing, landing at the prestigious Porsche SuperCup (the international racing series supporting the FIA Formula One World Championship) organized by Porsche AG. The SuperCup, where drivers compete in identical GT3 Cup cars, is considered by many a true test of driver ability. For Bergmeister, who won the SuperCup in 2001, the transition from open wheel racing to the 996 was a natural one. “It definitely took a little bit getting used to the cars,” he tells us, “but at the end you can transfer a lot from karting to open wheel and from there to sportscars.” Some observers have noted that there seems to be more contact in the SuperCup (vs. Formula One, for example), but Joerg disagrees. “Actually, there is not too much contact in [the] SuperCup, as the 911 has the radiators right in the front bumper, and it is a pretty big risk to push someone else,” since without radiators the race is over. That said, in a race of equals, every little bit counts, and sometimes a little contact can happen. Continues Bergmeister, “in general, my rule is if [during a race] someone closes the door twice, the 3rd time there will be contact,” adding, “but it depends on the situation as well. For example, if you are in the running for a championship you take less chances.” If used strategically, Bergmeister affirms a little pushing can be beneficial: “[pushing] is always fun at Hockenheim, on the long straights. After the start on the first long straight it is normal to push or be pushed down the straight. It is the best way to pass other cars!”

ON BEING A PORSCHE FACTORY DRIVER

After his 2001 SuperCup victory, Bergmeister got an invitation many young drivers only dream about: the chance to test for a Porsche Factory Driver position. I ask him how this incredible opportunity came about, and he says, “after I won the SuperCup, Porsche asked me to race in the 24 hrs of Daytona as a test.” In his usual humble demeanor, he adds, “I was lucky enough to win that race and then was offered a contract.” Talent, not luck, probably had far more to do with it. In fact, he not only won the GT class in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2002, but also earned one victory, six podium finishes and one pole position in the ALMS GT class that year.

The job of Porsche Factory Driver includes racing for the Porsche marque and contributing to the development of Porsche race cars, plus, says Joerg, “everything that comes along with that.” Perhaps he is referring to the demanding travel schedule and the required Porsche Fitness Camps used to keep drivers in exceptional physical shape. Recently, at a ten day intensive camp on a Spanish island, drivers including Joerg worked hard on their power and endurance under the direction of a sport medicine specialist. Because physical fitness is such an inherent part of motorsport, it is not unusual to see Joerg update his Facebook status with, “Joerg Bergmeister is going to boot camp!”

In his capacity as a Factory Driver for Porsche, Bergmeister’s first assignment was to compete in ALMS under the Alex Job Racing team.

While he has proven his mettle in the American LeMans (ALMS) circuit plenty of times, Bergmeister is a diverse driver who excels in the GrandAm Rolex Series as well. I asked him what the greatest challenge of a race like Daytona or Sebring is, and Bergmeister replies, “the biggest thing is to concentrate,” adding that it is key to “stay focused and make no mistakes even though you are exhausted.” As for another legendary endurance race he has won – the 24 Heures du LeMans–“the biggest difference is that you are only allowed 3 drivers … so it means much more seat time for every driver, which I enjoy.”

Moving on to the subject of American vs. European racing. Bergmeister says there are few, if any, significant differences in racing between continents. “The competition in Europe and the U.S.A. is pretty equal, so it takes the same amount of preparation,” he says. Likewise, Bergmeister does not think there is a general difference between American and European drivers; “there are just differences between each and every driver.” However, says Bergmeister, there is a little difference between American and European racetracks: “most of the tracks in the U.S. are a little more physical due to bumps.”

THE FLYING LIZARDS

In 2007, Bergmeister joined the illustrious Flying Lizard Motorsport team. “I was re-assigned by Porsche and they placed me at the Lizards, which I was really happy about,” he says. The Sonoma, California racing team was founded in 2003 by team principal (and driver of the No. 44 Porsche) Seth Neiman. The team is based in Sonoma, California at Infineon Raceway. Since 2004, its first year competing, the team has finished in the top three spots in the ALMS GT2 team and drivers’ championships. In 2008, with Joerg and Wolf Henzler piloting the no.45 car, the team won both the ALMS GT2 drivers’ and team championships.

I ask about the challenge of balancing his own ambitions with those of his team as a whole?
Although Bergmeister and Long clearly enjoy working with one another, they are physically different—Bergmeister is quite tall at over six feet tall—and this requires compromise in car setup. To Bergmeister, compromise is an inherent part of teamwork. “Balancing one’s ambitions is a key point, especially on set-up. It helps to find a compromise and not just the best setup for yourself.” Always the consummate team player, Bergmeister doesn’t think long when asked to name a favorite teammate. “I have been teamed with so many great guys that it is hard to pick a single name,” adding that he prefers to stay focused on doing his job as part of a team. “The goal is to beat everyone else,” he asserts, “[then] we have done our job.”

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES

Over the last decade, Bergmeister has been behind the wheel of many different cars including the Rolex GT spec GT3 Cup, various Daytona Prototypes (DP) and the Porsche 911GT3 RSR. All experiences have been enjoyable and challenging, Bergmeister tells us. “The cars are different, but it usually takes only a couple of laps to get used to the other car again.” In fact, “the driving style for both the DP and RSR cars is fairly similar. The [Daytona Prototype] has more downforce and the RSR has more mechanical grip.”

While victory has certainly not been elusive for Joerg Bergmeister, one year in particular stands out. “2006 was a special year for me,” he says; “winning 2 championships in one year is something that does not happen too often!” He is, of course, referring to the Daytona Prototype championship (with victories at Watkins Glen, Daytona and Barber), where he never finished lower than 9th in 14 races. Add to that the ALMS GT2 championship, and you can see why ’06 stands out in Bergmeister’s mind.

In 2009, the sixth consecutive ALMS season for the Flying Lizards, Bergmeister will be teaming up with American Patrick Long. He and Long have worked together before, winning the GT2 category at the prestigious 24 Heures of LeMans (along with Sascha Maasen) in 2004. The 2009 ALMS season spans 10 races throughout North America. The season kicks off in March with the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and concludes with the season finale at Laguna Seca on October.

As he embarks on another promising year behind the wheel, Joerg’s family – wife Danielle and their little girl Lucy – stand behind him. I ask him how he would feel if his daughter were to show interest in racing, and he responds, “if she wants, we will start go-karting like her cousin already does,” adding, “then we will see what happens.” If she’s anything like her Dad, keep your eyes open for yet another Bergmeister on the podiums around 2030!

We would like to thank Joerg for taking the time to speak with PorschePurist.com’s Valerie Roedenbeck and for working with us while we prepared this interview. In addition, special thanks to Bob Chapman of AutoSportImage.com for use of his photos.

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Stuck Father and Son team Join Bergmeister and Henzler at Sebring in a run for the Checkered Flag
Porsche and the American Le Mans Series
Porsche to Field Five 911 GT3 RSRs at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring
Porsche Wins 12 Hours of Sebring
911 GT3 RSR Winter Testing at Sebring

A lot can happen in a month’s time. If you’re not able to keep up with each Porsche Motorsport post here on PorschePurist.com and would prefer a brief synopsis of what’s happening in the world of Porsche Motorsport, there is no better way to stay in touch than by reviewing the monthly Porsche Motorsport Newsletter. Filled with interesting facts and figures about past and upcoming races, along with changes to team and crew, the Porsche Motorsport Newsletter is an easy way to keep up-to-date on this year’s racing activities.

American Le Mans Series, USA: Season opens with marathon and sprint

Test of strength to start the season: On March 21st at 10.30am local time, the American Le Mans Series takes off into the racing season with the 57th edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring. The 5.9 kilometer circuit in Florida is known for the extreme demands it places on man and machine. Five works drivers support two customer teams in the GT2 class for near-standard race cars. Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), his compatriot Marc Lieb and the American Patrick Long pilot a ca. 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports. Wolf Henzler (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) team up with Germany’s Dirk Werner to drive the GT3 RSR of Farnbacher Loles. With a total of five 911 GT3 RSR, Porsche customers represent the strongest contingent in the class amongst the 15 starters.

The 12 hour classic has opened the ALMS season since 1999. In the decade to 2008, Porsche customers have claimed eight class victories with various versions of the GT3 R, the most recent of which went to Joerg Bergmeister and Wolf Henzler with their colleague Marc Lieb at the wheel of a Flying Lizard GT3 RSR.

Two weeks after the marathon on the airfield circuit, the second round in St. Peters-burg (4th April) provides competitors with a totally different challenge. The race on the short and twisty 2.8 kilometer track lasts only one hour and 55 minutes through the streets of St. Petersburg on the west coast of Florida.

Le Mans Series: Test festival in Paul Ricard, Porsche teams yield top times

In front of sold-out grandstands, the Le Mans Series test days on the Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France on 8-9 March turned into real thriller. Works driver Emmanuel Collard (France) and Denmark’s Casper Elgaard convincingly topped the time sheets in the class two for Le Mans Prototypes on day one with the Porsche RS Spyder of the Danish Essex team. Their strong performance was halted on the morning of the second day when Elgaard slid into the barriers. Still, Essex was satisfied: Second in the time sheets for Class Two Prototypes.

Satisfaction, as well, amongst the Porsche teams contesting the LM GT2 class for slightly modified sports cars. Works driver Marc Lieb (Germany) set the second quickest time in the Felbermayr Proton team’s 911 GT3 RSR – with a mere tenth of a second gap. The French factory pilot Patrick Pilet secured the third fastest time for his IMSA Performance Matmut squad.

The first of five 1,000 kilometer races of the LMS takes off on 5th April on the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. The 4.6 kilometer circuit, with its five left and eight right hand corners, is regarded as highly demanding on aerodynamics and suspension. Here in 2008, Lieb narrowly missed out on victory when he was shunted off the track and finished second. Works driver Richard Lietz (Austria) brought home third place with his team mate Raymond Narac (France).

Campionato Italiano GT: Porsche represented in all classes

On 29th March in Vallelunga, the Campionato Italiano GT launches into the new season. Porsche customers are represented in all classes. In the top GT2 category, Francisco Cruz-Martin makes another attempt to snatch the title at the wheel of his Autorlando Sport 911 GT3 RSR. The Portuguese shares the cockpit with works driver Wolf Henzler (Germany). In 2008 he narrowly missed out on clinching the championship with works pilot Richard Lietz. Manning the second GT3 RSR fielded by Autorlando Sport are Italians Saverio Castellaneta and Luca Formilli Fendi.

Several teams are expected to contest the GT3 Championship with the 911 GT3 Cup S. In the Trofeo Nazionale CSAI GT Cup, Porsche customers are represented with their GT3 Cup racers.

Japanese Super GT Series: Taisan fastest of the Porsche teams

On March 22nd the Japanese Super GT Championship heads into the new season with a 300 kilometer race on the Okayama circuit. Of the 23 starters, five Porsche race cars line up to contest the GT300 class. At the official test day during the second weekend in March – also held in Okayama – the 911 GT3 RS of the UP Start Taisan team with Haruki Kurosawa and Tsubasa Abe posted the fastest time amongst Porsche. Kurosawa/Abe were only 0.8 seconds shy of the quickest time.

SCCA Pro Racing Speed GT, USA: Inaugural GT3 Cup shootout

The American “Speed GT”, one of the most popular championships for near-standard race cars, roars into the 2009 season with a 50-minute sprint as part of the 12 Hours of Sebring weekend. Strong representation again from Porsche teams who won the drivers’ and the manufacturers’ classifications here in 2007 and 2008 for Porsche. Held for the first time in 2009 is the “GT3 Cup Shootout”, a new classification specifically for the 911 GT3 Cup. The top five results out of ten races in 2009 are counted.

Race notes: Grand Touring and Prototype racing

On the Twin Ring Motegi circuit on 28-29 March, the first round of the Japanese Super Taikyu Championship takes place.

On April 4th on the Nürburgring-Norschleife, the first of ten rounds of the BF Goodrich Long Distance Championship is run. The 56th ADAC Westfalenfahrt is contested over four hours. Many Porsche teams compete with the Porsche models GT3 RSR, GT3 Cup S and GT3 Cup.

The RS Spyder returns to Le Mans. The Japanese NAVI Team Goh and the Essex squad from Denmark each field one of the 440 hp sports prototypes at the 24 hour race on 13-14 June. Works drivers Sascha Maassen and Emmanuel Collard join forces with the customer teams.

One Make Race Series

Around the world, Porsche organizes a total of 13 brand trophy series in 2009. While the fight for the title has drawn to an end for the New Zealand GT3 Cup Challenge, rounds in Europe and America are warming up their engines for the first races.

Carrera Cup Sweden: Vision for ice race

At the earliest in time for the 2010 season, the vision of the Carrera Cup Sweden organizers could become reality: A race on ice as the season highlight. At the first tests in northern Sweden, the 420 hp Porsche GT3 Cup already underlined its potential as an ice racer. Only the ride height and suspension set-up must be changed for the unusual surface and studded tyres must be fitted.

Carrera Cup Great Britain: Vice-champion with new top team

Ten weekends with 20 races make up the calendar of the Carrera Cup Great Britain. On 4th and 5th April the first two championship rounds take place on the time-honored circuit of Brands Hatch (Indy). Many top drivers have again signed on, including vice-champion Tony Gilham who almost beat Nigel Rice in the race for the 2008 title. This season, Gilham competes for Red Line Racing, one of the top teams. Two junior drivers, Tom Bradshaw and Lewis Hopkins, make their debut after winning a CCGB Scholarship from Porsche Cars Great Britain as part of its support programme.

Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, USA: Faieta chases the hat-trick

The US counterpart to the Porsche one-make series runs the first two championship rounds, each over 30 minutes, as support to the 12 Hours of Sebring. Twenty-nine starters line up on the grid, including the reigning champion Bob Faieta, who aims to claim a title hat-trick in the Platinum Class for the latest model of the GT3 Cup cars. Melanie Snow, who narrowly missed out on claiming the 2008 Gold Category title (for GT3 Cup of previous model years) is back for more.

GT3 Cup Challenge Australia: Porsche party with 42 starters

Tony Quinn (VIP Petfoods) returned from the first race weekend on the 6.2 kilometer Mount Panorama (Bathurst) circuit, 210 km west of Sydney, as points’ leader. Bill Pye and reigning champion Sven Burchartz rank second and third after round one. A total of 42 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (996) and 944 made up the grid. Enhancing the field was the newer GT3 Cup (997) which competed in its own class.

GT3 Cup Challenge New Zealand: Craig Baird is the Super Champ

No other driver has been as successful in Porsche’s brand trophy series as the New Zealander Craig Baird (38). On 14th and 15th March, Baird won the final three points races of the GT3 Cup Challenge New Zealand on the Pukekohe circuit to secure his fifth straight championship title. On the way to this success the Australian-resident won twelve of the 18 races in the 2008/2009 season. Baird, who is also the reigning champion in the Carrera Cup Australia, won more than 90 races in the two makes cups.

Vice-champion honours went to Australia’s David Reynolds ahead of Daniel Gaunt from Auckland. The overall win in the class for older GT3 Cup (996) went to Hugh Gardiner from Auckland.

GT3 Cup Challenge Brazil: Perfect weekend for Constantino Junior

Pole position, victory and points’ lead: that’s the balance of Constantino Junior after the first two championship rounds of the GT3 Cup Challenge Brazil in Curitiba on 7th and 8th March. Race one saw Miguel Paludo and Tom Valle secure second and third, with Valle turning the fastest lap. In the second race, Valle and Paludo swapped posi-tions on the podium, whilst Constantino set the lap record on his way to victory. In the drivers’ classification, Constantino Junior leads ahead of Paludo and Valle sharing the same points tally in second.

Carrera Cup Italia: Testing in Misano

Porsche Italia organizes a shakedown for all Carrera Cup Italia teams on 17th-18th March in Misano. The first of eight race weekends, each with two races, takes place on 18th-19th April in Imola.

Related Posts
Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 1
Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 3

[Source: PCNA]

Things are heating up as we get closer to Saturday’s big race in Sebring. Porsche just announced that three (3) time Champion Han Stuck will be racing with his son Johannes for VICI racing in a quest for the win against rival Porsche factory drivers Bermeister and Henzler. The race starts at 10:30 AM this coming saturday and will air live on SPEED TV. Don’t forget that PorschePurist.com will be covering the race and has a pre-race interview with Joerg Bergmeister publishing this coming Friday. See Porsche’s full release below for more information.

The race, which takes the green flag on Saturday, March 21, at 10:30 AM EDT, will be telecast live on SPEED TV, with the pre-race show starting at 10:00 AM. The network will stay live until noon, and then come back on the air at 2:00 PM EDT through the checkered flag, and finish at 11:00 PM after the victory circle ceremony. Live scoring and American Le Mans Radio are available at www.americanlemans.com for the entire race.

Hans Stuck (Germany), who won this race in 1975, 1986 and 1988 (the ‘80s races were in a Porsche 962), will run in the VICI Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with his son Johannes. Stuck, now a corporate consultant at Volkswagen, is delighted to back at Sebring, and anxious to help his son develop his racing skills.

“Racing at Sebring again after winning for the first time in 1975 means a lot to me, especially when it comes to the fact that I can compete in the 2009 race with my son Johannes and further to that it will be my first race with Porsche since my last race for the factory in Laguna Seca 11 years ago in 1997. The other highlight is the fact that I’m racing for my old friend Ronnie Meixner – the VICI team owner – who I was team mate with in the times with Joest Racing when we raced Porsche 962.”

The Porsche competition for the top step on the podium in GT2, however, will rest with the two main combatants from last year – Flying Lizard Motorsports (Sonoma, California) and Farnbacher Loles Racing (Braselton, Georgia). They will face stiff competition from new entries by Ferrari and BMW, and later in the season, from the factory Corvette team.

“We’re heading into the new season feeling very confident. Our customer teams tested intensively in Sebring in January and the cars immediately ran very well,” says Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport. Due to changes in the technical regulations, which stipulate that the 911 GT3 RSR features a smaller air inlet restrictor and five millimeters more ride height, the teams virtually have to start from zero with their suspension set-up, but have made quick progress. “We found a good basic set-up that we can build on for the race.”

Five of the 450 hp 911 GT3 RSR contest the GT2 class at the season-opener of the race series showcasing the world’s fastest sports cars. Racing for the Flying Lizard Motorsports team, Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister and Marc Lieb (both Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) hold good
winning chances in Sebring. In 2005, Bergmeister/Long won here for Porsche and secured the class championship title. With two Sebring victories to his credit (2005, 2008), as well as three championship titles (2005, 2006, 2008) with Porsche, Joerg Bergmeister is one of the most successful drivers in the American Le Mans Series.

“Sebring is the toughest race of the season and one of my favorites. The bumpy circuit is very demanding and hard to drive,” says Joerg Bergmeister.

Like Patrick Long, he is thrilled with the further developed 911 GT3 RSR. After initial tests he said: “The new car handles better than the old one, and that was already very good.” For both Bergmeister and Long, the 2009 racing season kicked off with a class win at the Daytona 24 hour race as part of the Grand-Am Series in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racer.

Sharing driving duties in the second Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3 RSR are Americans Darren Law, Seth Neiman and Johannes van Overbeek. Last year he won in Sebring with his team mate Joerg Bergmeister and went on to claim the title – this season, Porsche factory driver Wolf Henzler (Germany) shares the 911 GT3 RSR of Farnbacher Loles Racing with his fellow countryman Dirk Werner in the American Le Mans Series. In Sebring they will join forces with Porsche works driver Richard Lietz (Austria).

“We’ve made a noticeable step forward with our new car, which we already saw at our winter tests,” says Wolf Henzler. “We are well prepared and figure we have good chances to win the championship.”

VICI Racing also plans to race two 911 GT3 RSRs. Besides the two Stuck family members, Dutch driver Nicky Pastorelli will be the third driver in one car, while Lance David Arnold, Marc Basseng (both Germany), and Richard Westbrook (UK) will share the other VICI Porsche.

PORSCHE SEBRING FACTS (updated March 17, 2008)

• Overall Wins: 18 (13-Year Winning Streak – overall, 1976-1988)
• 1960 – Hans Hermann/Oliver Gendebien Porsche RS60
• 1968 – Hans Hermann/Jo Siffert – Porsche 907
• 1971 – Vic Elford/Gerald LaLarrousse – Porsche 917
• 1973 – Hurley Haywood/Peter Gregg/Dave Helmick – Porsche Carrera
• 1976 – Al Holbert/Michael Keyser – Porsche Carrera
• 1977 – George Dyer/Brad Frisselle – Porsche Carrera
• 1978 – Brian Redman/Charles Mendez/Bob Garretson – Porsche 935
• 1979 – Bob Akin/Roy Woods/Rob McFarlin – Porsche 935
• 1980 – Dick Barbour/John Fitzpatrick – Porsche 935 K3
• 1981 – Hurley Haywood/Al Holbert/Bruce Leven – Porsche 935
• 1982 – John Paul, Sr./John Paul, Jr. – Porsche 935
• 1983 – Kees Nierop/Wayne Baker/Jim Mullen – Porsche 934
• 1984 – Stefan Johansson/Mauricio DeNarvaez/Hans Heyer – Porsche 935
• 1985 – A.J. Foyt/Bob Wollek – Porsche 962
• 1986 – Hans Stuck/Bob Akin/Jo Gartner – Porsche 962
• 1987 – Bobby Rahal/Jochen Mass – Porsche 962
• 1988 – Klaus Ludwig/Hans Stuck – Porsche 962
• 2008 – Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard, Emmanuel Collard – Porsche RS Spyder
• Most top ten overall finishes – 201
• Class Wins: 65 (a manufacturer record)
• Fastest race lap: 130.707 mph (by Derek Bell in a Porsche 962 – 1986)
• Porsche 911 Wins: 29 Overall and Class Victories
• GT Class Wins: 26 (since 1979)
• At least one Porsche has competed at Sebring every year since 1953 – 54 straight races (there was no race in 1974). No other manufacturer is close to that record.

Related Posts
Porsche and the American Le Mans Series
Porsche to Field Five 911 GT3 RSRs at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring
Porsche Wins 12 Hours of Sebring
911 GT3 RSR Winter Testing at Sebring
Porsche Reveals New GT3 RSR Racecar
Differences Between the Porsche 911 GT3 and the 911 GT3 RS

[Source: PCNA]

The 2009 American Le Mans Series gets ready to kick things off this weekend in Sebring, Florida with the classic 12 hour race on Saturday March, 21st. Nine other races round out the season between now and the end of the season in October at Laguna Seca.

2009 calendar of the American Le Mans Series

• 21.03. Sebring/Florida
• 04.04. St. Petersburg/Florida
• 18.04. Long Beach/California
• 17.05. Salt Lake City/Utah
• 18.06. Lime Rock/Connecticut
• 08.08. Mid-Ohio/Ohio
• 16.08. Road America/Wisconsin
• 30.08. Mosport/Canada
• 26.09. Road Atlanta/Georgia
• 10.10. Laguna Seca/California

Facts and Figures of the American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series was created in 1999 and offers fans exciting sports car racing. The regulations correspond to those of the Le Mans 24 hour race. Ten races in the USA and Canada make up this year’s calendar. Traditional highlights are the Sebring 12 hour race and the 1,000 mile Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Most races run over 2:45 hours. The ALMS is the American counterpart to the Le Mans Series (LMS) in Europe.

The starter field is made up of two different race car categories: Sports prototypes and standard sports cars. These are divided into four classes:

• LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 700 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms. Power to weight ratio: ca. 1.3 kg/hp.
• LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with around 445 hp (normally aspirated engine) and an 850 kilogram minimum weight. Power to weight ratio: ca. 1.9 kg/hp.
• GT1 class: Heavily modified standard sports cars with up to 650 hp and a minimum weight of 1,125 to 1,325 kilograms.
• GT2 class: Slightly modified standard sports cars with approx. 450 hp and a minimum weight of 1,145 – 1,345 kilograms. The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR competes in this class.

All race cars start together but are classified separately. This system ensures varied and exciting racing with tough fights for positions and many overtaking maneuvers. Points are awarded only for placings in each class.

After 2006 and 2007, Porsche again won the championship titles in the LMP2 class last year for Drivers (Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas) as well as for Chassis and Engine Manufacturer and for Teams (Penske Racing) with the RS Spyder. In the GT2 class, Porsche secured the championship titles for Drivers (Joerg Bergmeister/Wolf Henzler) as well as for Manufacturers and Teams (Flying Lizard Motorsports).

Don’t forget to check back on Friday for our comprehensive interview with Joerg Bermeister of Flying Lizard Motorsport and Porsche.

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Porsche to Field Five 911 GT3 RSRs at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring
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911 GT3 RSR Winter Testing at Sebring
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Differences Between the Porsche 911 GT3 and the 911 GT3 RS

[Source: PCNA]

The Classic 12 Hours of Sebring is the traditional start to the American Le Man Series. This upcoming weekend’s race (running for the 57th time on Saturday) is the oldest in the US and will field five (5) Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs in a hunt for the title.

Five of the 450 hp 911 GT3 RSR contest the GT2 class at the season-opener of the race series showcasing the world’s fastest sports cars. Racing for the Flying Lizard Motorsports team, Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) hold good winning chances in Sebring. In 2005 they won here for Porsche and secured the championship title. With two Sebring victories to his credit (2005, 2008), as well as three championship titles (2005, 2006, 2008) with Porsche, Joerg Bergmeister is one of the most successful drivers in the American Le Mans Series. Stay tuned on Friday for Porsche Purist.com’s in-depth interview with Joerg on how he got his start, his transition from open wheel racing to driving Porsches and what it means to be a Porsche factory driver.

“Sebring is the toughest race of the season and one of my favorites. The bumpy circuit is very demanding and hard to drive,” says Joerg Bergmeister. Like Patrick Long, he is thrilled with the further developed 911 GT3 RSR. After initial tests he said: “The new car handles better than the old one, and that was already very good.” For the Porsche works driver, the 2009 racing season kicked off with a class win at the Daytona 24 hour race as part of the Grand-Am Series.

Sharing driving duties in the second Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3 RSR are Americans Darren Law, Seth Neimann and Johannes van Overbeek. VICI Racing also plan to race two 911 GT3 RSR. Their drivers have yet to be confirmed.

With 18 overall and 63 class victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the history of the 12 Hours of Sebring. The race starts on Saturday, March 21st, at 10.35 hours local time.

Sebring Facts and Figures

• Sebring International Raceway is a 3.7 mile, 17-turn circuit. It is the Oldest road course in North America, portions of which were originally a WWII B-17 training base.
• 3,360 cars have started the 12 Hours of Sebring, covering over 2.3 million miles on the famous circuit.
• 102 drivers have won the 12 Hours of Sebring. Thirty-nine drivers from the USA have won, more than any other country.
• Audi has won Sebring eight consecutive years.
• In 2008, the 57th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented By Fresh From Florida received 170,800 spectators.
• Steve McQueen, James Brolin, Gene Hackman, Craig T. Nelson, Paul Newman and Patrick Dempsey are among the many entertainers who have driven at Sebring

Related Posts
Porsche Wins 12 Hours of Sebring
911 GT3 RSR Winter Testing at Sebring
Porsche Reveals New GT3 RSR Racecar
Differences Between the Porsche 911 GT3 and the 911 GT3 RS

[Source: PCNA, Sebring International Raceway]
[Images: PCNA, Google Earth, autosportimage.com]

There is an old saw in the Porsche, and European auto as a whole, enthusiast circles that the most expensive Porsche/Ferrari/Lotus you can buy is a cheap one. The problem is, no one talks about the fact that this is only true if your goal is to own a perfectly restored, 100% stock Porsche. There are many reasons why a car can be inexpensive when benchmarked against a show car example. And not all of them bad. That is the goal of this guest post, to convince some of you that an inexpensive Porsche can be a great purchase.

My First Porsche

For those of you whose first Porsche was a shiny new one. Or a recent model that was Porsche Approved, then you do not know the joy of stretching to reach the marque. And in that stretching, only able to get a pinky finger on the lowest rung. When I bought my first Porsche, a 1967 912, I was just six months into my first salaried job as a copywriter. Hmmm. With regular money coming in, I could make a regular payment. This was how I got a short wheel base gem sight unseen from California and shipped to me in Connecticut. My wife and I went to collect it from a truck stop. It stalled. It was more dented than the pictures showed. Damn you white for hiding so many imperfections! I loved it.

I loved it when a brake caliper seized on my commute to Darien and shot me off towards the curb. I loved it when I went rummaging through a fire damaged 912 in a junkyard for some better interior trim bits. I loved when I went driving with a stripped out interior because I had no funds to replace what I removed. I loved working on it. I loved putting wrenches right on the paint.

You see, it was not perfect for concourse, but it was perfect for me. It was a Porsche but not a showpiece. It said to me, go ahead and learn to work on these cars. Set a beer on me. But overall, it said to me engage with me, I always need something to fiddle with. But with a change in career and a move to Denver I had to sell the car.

A few years Porscheless, a few more dollars in the bank. More responsibilities at work and the restoration of a house had me strapped for time. And with the money available I no longer needed to buy the cheap Porsche. I could buy one that was done. Perfect. Pristine. And I did, I went through 3 concourse 951s and picked up a ludicrously nice 1983 911SC original down to the radio and Monroney sticker. Like an Australian Shiraz, these cars perked you up right away but lacked depth. Except the SC. But that is more like a Grange you’re waiting to uncork at the right time.

So, all the 951s have been sold and replaced by a 1997 Boxster that I drive all the time. In all weather. It had a panel repainted and is only a 2.5L but it puts a smile on my face. A worry free smile. I replaced the brakes and rotors. I modified the heating flapper. I work on it without thinking if this is correct and proper. Only, is this going to make the car more enjoyable to me.

And I was having so much fun with this Boxster. I thought, why not pick up another Porsche? This time for only a few hundred dollars and a snowboard in trade. It is a 1983 944 with dodgy paint and solid mechanicals. I am turning it into a track car. I bundle up to go work on this car outside, in winter, in the driveway. It calls to me like my 912 did to engage with it. Fiddle with. Heck, I like just driving around the block in it listening to the gravel ping off the floor and reverberate around the stripped, soon-to-be-race-ready, interior. I make stuff to fix this car. I invite friends over to share in the fun. The creation.

Maybe a cheap Porsche is not everyone’s idea of fun. But you need to try it before you despise it. You need to build a relationship with a car. It seems the less I spend on a Porsche, the more I enjoy it.

Today’s post was written by Kevin Gosselin, author Hunt for 901 and Porsche Fanatic.

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I collect everything and all things Porsche related. My office is filled with books, artwork, models, dioramas, die-cast cars, calendars, RC toys, etc. etc. In fact, for a while there, I thought I had quite the collection going. Then I read about Henry Hammer and his Porsche memorabilia collection. Boy, is he in a league of his own. I recently had the chance to interview Henry about his obsession collection and here’s what he had to say.

1. You began collecting in 1968. What drew you to Porsche?

HSH (Henry S. Hammer):

I’m first generation American with both of my parents having been born in Germany – mom just outside Stuttgart and dad in Bavaria. Hence, I had a strong leaning to German things like German cars, German food [spaetzle (German noodles), sauerkraut, blaukraut], etc. Note the strong leaning to food. Having said that, my parents never owned a German car in America.

None-the-less, for whatever reason, I loved Mercedes and Porsche automobiles with Porsche winning over because of the competitive side of things – LeMans, etc. I was always a nut in whatever I did from an excellence perspective – and, of course, Porsche wreaks of excellence.

2. Do you collect other brands besides Porsche?

HSH:

I have a smattering of other marques in the collection. Most of them got their by accident, someone gave me a piece or my eye was caught by superb workmanship on a model. I also became very interested in the Schuco manufacturer, especially Schuco Piccolos whether or not they were Porsches. Hence, I’ve got a bunch of them.

3. How many pieces are in your collection as of today?

HSH:

There are approximately 30,000 models listed in my database and probably another 4,000 models that have not been entered due to my time constraints. That does not include all the literature I have (factory pamphlets, brochures and books), factory posters and memorabilia like pins, etc. None of these items have been cataloged. All told, we’re probably looking at something in the neighborhood of 80,000 pieces. I stopped procuring new pieces simply because of finances (I’m now retired and on a fixed income in a bad economy), storage space, etc.

When I moved from Hawaii to San Antonio, it took three 40 foot Matson sea containers to move the collection. I built two homes here – one for us to live in and one for the cars to live in. The “car house” has a few models on display (maybe 5% of the collection) but mostly the pieces are in large boxes that were packed for shipping in 2000. It’s a matter of time and space for me to see the entire collection which I’ve never done – at least in one place.

I have three married daughters and none of them (or their husbands) are interested in having the collection. Hence, I’m piece-mealing them out on eBay………..a very time-consuming process. I had hoped to keep the collection together and their have been several people interested. However, the immenseness of the collection is a major deterrent. Over the past year and a half with the help of a young man I sing with, who is a computer type, I’ve sold about 750 pieces.

4. What is your most prized piece and why?

HSH:

My most prized piece is a Porsche 356 Coupe (ceramic) that was given to me by a young man who lived in Heidelberg (the son of a good friend). He received it from his grandmother who was a rally driver for the Porsche factory. This was one of five, according to folks at the factory, that was presented to the drivers in 1951. I know of only one other still in existence.

5. What is the most valuable piece in your collection?

HSH:

By valuable, I assume your talking about monetary value. It would probably be a Stanley Wanlass bronze sculpture of the James Dean 550 Spyder. Having said that, I also have a complete collection of Larry Braun’s bronze Porsche and Porsche related pieces and a large number of other rare large pieces that were presented by Hoffman Motors in the 60′s to dealer’s as rewards for outstanding sales.

6. With such a large collection are there still pieces available that you don’t own? If so, what is the one piece you would like, but do not currently have?

HSH:

That’s the interesting thing! I don’t know what’s out there but there are many, many pieces, I’m sure, that exist that I don’t know about………buried in someone’s closet or attic. I don’t have one piece that I’m looking for at this time……….especially since I’ve stopped the active phase of collecting in my life. I do know that there are some major Porsche collectors out there who watch my listings on eBay and when something rare comes up, they are in the middle of the hunt to bid on it.

I’ve resigned my self to parting out the collection – there’s nothing sacro-sanct about any part of the collection at this time. The hard part for me was making that decision. Once I resigned myself to the fact that anything goes, anything goes for the right price.

7. How have you financed the purchase of such a large collection?

HSH:

The entire collection was purchased item by item for the most part out of personal income. If it said “Porsche” on it or looked like a Porsche, I would attempt to obtain it. I always tried to find mint or mint/boxed items but with the old stuff, that’s not always possible.

8. How much physical space is required to store the collection?

HSH:

The “toy house” is two-story and 3200 square feet. No where near enough space to be able to lay out the entire collection. That’s been a great frustration for me. I know what I have but really don’t know where it is in the house. I open a box to sort through items and it’s like Christmas every day of the week.

9. Your site has a lot of models listed for sale. Are you divesting yourself of the collection, or is this part of your normal trading/culling process?

HSH:

I didn’t do much trading or selling until last year. That’s when I started on eBay. I simply made the decision to divest myself of as much of the collection as possible to not saddle my wife or family with dealing with the “monster” as some people call it.

10. Your site mentions you are looking for another “afficianado” to pass the reigns to. Could you elaborate on this? What exactly would be required? Is it a purchase of the collection or are you looking for someone to take over as curator?

HSH:

As I mentioned above, I’d love to find someone who would be interested in purchasing the entire collection. That is difficult because I have no room to “layout” all the pieces and no one is really interested in reviewing a database and not actually seeing the models. I currently have invested something just short of 2M in this hobby and would heavily discount the purchase price for the right person.

11. Some might say that this has moved beyond hobby and into the realm of obsession. How do you respond to that type of remark?

HSH:

I would totally agree that it has been a 40 year obsession for me. Considering I hardly ever sold or traded a piece, I never have been in a position where one would or could call me a dealer. I have given some pieces to individuals to stimulate an interest in the hobby. This has been a very personal thing for me. Because of eBay, my name is now more well known in Porsche and model circles but that has never been a goal of mine. I don’t think the Porsche (PCA) people here in Texas even know the collection exists under their noses.

12. Is there anything you would like to add that we haven’t covered in the questions above?

HSH:

I think I’ve given you a pretty good overview of my passion for the Porsche marque and the depth to which I addressed my collecting “obsession”. I still cherish opening a box and looking at individual pieces and admiring whatever it is I’m looking at.

If you want to learn even more about the collection you can view photos available here and if you’re interested in purchasing any portion of the collection, the store is on-line for your viewing and bidding pleasure. Personally, I would like to see the entire collection go to one person and put on display for Porsche fans everywhere to see and view. What do you think?

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