Melanie Snow, that’s what. “It’s all I listen to these days,” says the mother of four and 2009 IMSA GT3 Challenge by Yokohama winner. With four children ranging in age from 6 to 16 years, it’s easy to see why Snow is as well-versed in the setup of a Porsche as she is in the music of Hannah Montana, carpools, team sports and — of course — racing.
the video above, featuring Melanie, was created by Porsche after at this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hour race.
Carpools, testing and coaching: It’s all in a day’s work for Melanie Snow
After taking a break in the 2010 season, 2009 champion Melanie Snow returned to the IMSA GT3 Challenge by Yokohama in 2011 along with her son, Madison. They participate in the Platinum and Gold Cup divisions, fielding the two Snow Racing Porsches.
Pink Porsche Not the Wisest Choice?
For this season, as has been the case since 2007, Melanie’s Porsche sports the pink livery that has become her signature. How did she come to drive a pink Porsche?
“Pink has been my favorite color since I was a little girl. It stands out on the track so it works for me,” explains Melanie. She requested pink livery in 2007, while running with Aasco. The crew chief thought the color wasn’t the wisest choice, as it could make the car a target on track. “I made him a deal,” says Melanie: “I said, wait and see how I come up to speed and then we can decide on the color.” When the car arrived, Melanie was “quite slow the first couple sessions,” but by the afternoon she had become the fastest of the testing group. “I didn’t know my times but when I pulled into the pits, my crew chief came up to me and said, ‘alright you earned it, pink it is.’” And pink it has been, ever since.
For the Snows, motorsport is a family activity.
While Mom and big brother race, the rest of the Snows will focus on school and karting. “My eldest, [Madison], is very talented – I figured he would go into racing,” says Melanie. “My 8-yr-old daughter probably won’t, but the little one has been asking us for quite a while if she, too, can kart with her siblings.”
Putting family first is what caused Melanie to take a break from racing in 2010. It’s not the first time she has taken time off to be a mom. “I took a break after our third child was born. [Husband] Martin was still racing and his last race was in 2002. And then we had one more [child] that was born in ’05.” By 2007, “[the kids] were kind of older and I thought, well let’s try it. I got back into it in 2007 and Martin just came and supported me. But then in 2008 he knew he couldn’t be at the track and not race again so he jumped in.”
For the Snows, family and racing have always been deeply intertwined. Melanie grew up in California, under the wing of her grandfather, an active Porsche lover and PCA member. “My Dad died when I was very young,” Melanie tells us, “so I went everywhere with my Grandpa.” Cars and driving were a big part of her family, with uncles and cousins involved in various aspects of all things automotive. Her first track event was at age 18, and she shared a car with her grandfather. The car–a 1970s Porsche 911—was a very pure way for Melanie to learn performance driving.
It was at a PCA event that she met Martin Snow, who became her husband and introduced her to racing. “Martin bought me my first race car,” says Melanie, adding, “racing has always been a family passion for us. It is something we enjoy doing together. When I did get my own car, I was always going up against [Martin] so he’d be first and I’d be second,” she laughs, “which was fine!”
The transition between PCA track weekends and racing came at Martin’s urging.
“It was obviously our passion together because we met at the race track,” says Melanie. However, Martin was “crazy,” she adds. “When he was club racing he traveled all over and did every single PCA race there was to do. It got to where it was insane because he was winning every time, which was nice and great. But [when that happens] you don’t push yourself and you don’t go faster, and he knew he needed to step it up and get into the pro circuit. When you go pro, you know you’re not going to win, but you’re going to improve your driving and you’re going to have a little more competition out there.” The idea to go pro came from Martin, and Melanie—who certainly comes across as easy-going—said, “sure, I’ll do it with you.”
The decision turned out to be a good one: the Snows soon started winning races. Does Melanie remember her first win?
“Hmm, I don’t think I remember my first win, but my first big win was Sebring (2009)—my first pro win,” she says. That is a pretty big win, we say. “Yeah, that was huge,” admits Melanie, adding humbly, “you know, it’s half luck and half skill and endurance and everything…that was definitely a good one.” (Melanie and Martin are the only husband-and-wife duo to have ever won the 12 Hours of Sebring twice, in 1999 and 2009). The more we talk to Melanie, the more we become aware there is no pretense there. Her love of driving is very pure, rather than driven by trophies. When we ask her to list her accomplishments behind the wheel she admits, “I don’t really keep a list…just kinda remember the wins.”
Much is made of how challenging it is to have spouses sharing a canoe or a tandem bike — but a race car?
Sharing the spotlight in racing has to be difficult. “There are times when one of us is frustrated over an issue with the car, and we know to let the other cool off,” admits Melanie, but adds, “otherwise, we really enjoy our time on track.”
Has there ever been contact between the two?
“No, no,” laughs Melanie. But the Snows on-track antics are “a big joke around the house,” she says. “We were at Mosport [and Martin] made a mistake and I passed him going onto the back straight. I was ahead of him for a lap then and we had pressure in front of us. There was a guy we were trying to get past and it was really hard to get by him, so Martin tried for awhile and then made a mistake. We could talk to each other on the radio. My competitor was catching up behind me so we were kind of stuck…those cars are so equal, it’s really hard to pass. So I was behind Martin and he tried to pass and made the mistake. I came out of the turn faster, so I passed him and he was behind me for a lap and then the next lap he comes on the radio and says, “I’m going down deep inside of you” and I said, “well then you better be there at the apex or it’s mine!” Melanie has us laughing again. She continues: “I see white smoke flying everywhere and he’s locking it up and I get on the radio saying, just kidding! I wasn’t really cutting you off!”
For the Snows, racing is a way of life, but family always comes first.
“We kind of have fun with each other, you know I mean? Sometimes it’s a challenge. This year I bought two separate computers. We’ll fight over the computers to go over data because you get out of your car and you want to look over data and [Martin] always hogged it. So I went down and bought myself a new one and he said, why do we need a new computer? And I said, ‘cause you’re always hogging it! Stuff like that. We just bond when we’re there, but you know there’s times where you get out of the car and you’re not happy and I know to stay away from him and he knows not to come and talk to me. We just kind of cool down for a minute because you didn’t drive the best you could. But for the most part we just love doing it and having each other by our side while we’re doing it.”
Melanie Talks Racing
To date, the races, adventures (and wins) behind the wheel have been many for the Snows. Melanie and Martin have participated in World Challenge racing, although (true to character) Melanie isn’t sure of the dates.
“Yeah, my husband won the championship and I was third; we were competing against each other and that was my big step into the pro stuff single driving. That was that was a fun series and very competitive.”
We ask Melanie to compare the IMSA Challenge to the World Challenge in terms the competition and driving level.
“The competition is pretty much the same,” she says. “I actually think it’s harder driving in the IMSA series and Patron Challenge because the cars are so equal and to make a pass, it’s just not like you’re going to draft and pull out and go by. You really have to get that run on the corner [or] you really have to out-brake them.”
Equal cars mean Melanie has to sharpen her skills to win, and she is not shy about doing her homework.
“I did a bunch of testing in 2009 with Patrick Long out at Miller. [We] put an old set of tires on and we just worked on going in deep and blocking the tires up and flat spotting them, but knowing where you could go in.”
We ask her to tell us more about her 2009 Sebring win, specifically about partnering with Patrick Huisman, winner of 4 Porsche SuperCup Championships.
“Porsche Motorsports hooked us up with [Patrick],” says Melanie. “They knew we had been doing the pro stuff for awhile, and they knew we were dedicated, so they asked if we wanted to work with a driver that would get us a better chance at winning.”
Patrick, says Melanie,
“was an amazing guy—so much fun, great in the pits. But on the track it was really funny. The first couple of sessions he’d go out and he’d turn a lap and then the next lap would be like 3 seconds slower and the next lap would be 4 seconds faster and me and my husband we’re just kind of looking at each other and thinking, gee he’s like kind of inconsistent, you know.”
We all laugh, knowing what’s coming.
“We’re all saying, that’s kind of weird … but he was just getting used to the track and trying different things here and there. Then when it came to race time, Patrick was within a couple of tenths of every single lap, I mean he was amazing!”
In 2009, Melanie won the 2009 IMSA GT3 Gold Cup Challenge.
Within a memorable race season, was there a particular race that sticks out in her mind? “I think my biggest race this past year was at Chicago. Brian Wong [and I] had a battle! I was on the inside of him in one turn and he was on the inside of me in another and we battled and battled. We came to lap traffic, there was a Platinum car in front of us that was slower, and I was trying to get by [Brian]. I was able to make the move and get by and [our battle] went on lap after lap. I finally had him, coming to the last turn before the start/finish. This was it—he was going to do anything, so he tried to go around the outside of me and ended up driving off and I ended up taking the win. It was just one of the funnest races because we went back and forth, side by side and never once touched, we didn’t block each other, it was just true driving and it was so much fun to drive like that and enjoy it.”
Her recounting of the story engages the entire PorschePurist team (we watched and enjoyed the duel between Snow and Wong). We tell her it was great to see and we could definitely see why that would be her favorite. We tell her we remember watching Brian trying to make that move and saying, no way—to which Melanie replies, “yeah, I concur: no way!”
So who is more competitive: Melanie or Martin?
“Umm, I would have to say Martin” Melanie says. “I mean, I’m very competitive, but Martin gets on the track and he just has blinders on and he is going for one thing and one thing only, and that’s the win. That’s what makes him a great driver, especially in that IMSA series. He’s a little more aggressive, so he can go out there and make those risky low percentage moves. I’ll kind of wait and stick back, and in my mind I’m thinking wow, is it worth it to have first or to have second or to not finish at all? He is like, this is it and this is what I’m going for. But that’s how he does so well, you know!”
The Family that Races Together…
Leading by example, the Snows are passing along the passion and enjoyment of motorsport to their four children. Madison is now a mainstay at the track, but all the kids often accompany their parents to the track when Melanie and Martin race, and all four drive karts. Melanie lights up when she speaks of the kids. “My youngest just started this year, but she has been begging us [to drive] since she was two. Every birthday she’d have it would be, I had my birthday can I race now, I had my birthday, can I race?” Her sister, who is eight, is not as enthusiastic: “she watched her brother flip in the cart and ever since then she’s real cautious,” says Melanie, adding, “we’re not going to force her to drive, of course!
The two older boys both drive competitively.
“My [twelve]-year-old, he actually got great. He goes out after we make a change to his cart and he can tell you, oh, the cart doesn’t turn in—just one simple change and he can tell you in one lap like what the cart’s doing. However, he gets blinders on and he’s not quite aware of everything that goes around him on the track that’s why he’s flipped twice—the kid’s wild! Now he hasn’t flipped in about a year so that’s a good thing you know,” laughs Melanie.
Madison, the oldest Snow, is extremely fast.
“He is like his dad, it’s just natural. He doesn’t come in–if the car is bad and set up wrong, he’s going to drive it anyway and he’s going to make it do what it needs to do.” All parents enjoy seeing familiar traits in their children, and the Snows are no exception. Says Melanie, “While I get in the car and I need my rear sway bar adjusted and I can tell you about the feel of the car, [Madison] is just like Martin: he’ll just make the cart do whatever it needs to do and that’s it!” Madison had his first race car experience when Melanie escorted him around Miller two years ago, and this year joined Mom in the race circuit. Emphasizes Melanie, “we’ll just keep saying we’ll give them the opportunity and let them decide!”
Finding balance between work and family is a challenge many Moms face.
We ask Melanie to tell us how she balances her passion and her family. “It’s very challenging, a lot of weight on your shoulders and that’s probably one of the reasons we [did not] race in 2010,” she admits. The school year is in full swing and it is obvious she is very involved in her kids’ lives, on and off the race track. The four children participate in various activities, and she does not feel like it is fair to say no so she can go racing. “We chose to have the kids, so we need to raise them. With them being in karting and gymnastics and dance and soccer–I’m very scheduled. I have a calendar that is color-coded for each kid so we know when the activities are.” She also volunteers at the kids’ school, coaching soccer teams.
Although at first the time commitment to do the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge series may seem like “only 7 weekends,” the time commitment is much deeper. Melanie explains: “it’s just 7 weekends but if you want do well and you want to win you have to test, and so when Miller wasn’t open we’re traveling, and when Miller’s open then we’re out there a couple times a week. So it takes up more time than just your 7 weekends! That’s the hard part…”
In spite of a very full schedule, in 2011, the Snows have once again found a way for the family to race: Melanie and their eldest son, Madison, are taking part in the IMSA GT3 Challenge by Yokohama. What makes it all worth it? “We have fun out there,” says Melanie. And, doubtlessly, race fans will continue to have fun watching generations of Snows compete – and win.
More About Melanie Snow
Favorite Track: “I think Miller is my favorite. Road America used to be my favorite because I love the elevation changes and the going through the trees and the big sweeper. But Miller is challenging to me because every time I go out I always pick a corner where I’m going to do better in. I just find it’s so challenging. They’re all fun tracks.”
Training Regimen: “I go to the gym every morning. It depends, I’ll lift weights, I do a lot of yoga and I started just recently doing cross fit, which I love. I do a bunch of classes.”
Music on her iPod: “I don’t listen to music before I race. I used to but I don’t anymore. I’m too busy talking to everyone, I’m always out chatting, you know! My kids have been playing with my iPod, so right now it’s all Hannah Montana and Chris Daughtry!”
Her daily driver: “I have a big SUV because I have to haul my kids and their friends around. I think it’s a Lexus 570 or 5 or LX 570…is that what they call it? I don’t know, my husband bought it for me!”
We first met David Donohue at Barber Motorsport Park in Birmingham, Alabama for a Porsche press event called the “PDK Push”. This fun filled, two day trip paired members of the press with driving greats such as Patrick Long, Hurley Haywood and last year’s Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winner David Donohue (just to name a few). The idea behind the trip was to show just how capable the PDK transmission is both on and off the track (you can read more about it in “Is the Porsche Boxster a Girl’s Car?“). We were fortunate enough to be paired with David and were immediately impressed by both his driving skills and his warm and likable personality.
In fact, the first thing that strikes you about David Donohue is that he is a truly nice guy. When his call for our interview [requested at the press event] comes in four minutes late, he apologizes profusely, instantly putting the Porsche Purist team at ease. And then he compliments our craft, making us officially love the guy: “I had to write a little thing for [a car magazine] and it took me forever,” he laughs, adding “it was just little, I don’t know, eighteen hundred words, not even eighteen hundred, I can’t remember what it was for, some small segment and they were all laughing at me because it was almost too short.” For a driver that has so many accomplishments to his name, interviewing him still feels like holding a conversation with a friend.
David Donohue has participated and excelled in a wide variety of auto racing series and classes, including NASCAR. In 1998 he won the GT2 class running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. More importantly and perhaps his most heartwarming win to date, Donohue won the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona in 2009 almost 40 years to the day his father had won the same event. Donohue, who started from pole position, attained victory with a 0.167-second margin over Juan Pablo Montoya (the closest win in the race’s history by over a minute, and the closest finish in the history of major international 24-hour motorsports events).
David Donohue on Winning The Rolex 24 in 2009
Donohue, who currently drives the #58 Brumos Riley-Porsche with teammate Darren Law (the other entry, #59, was driven in 2009 by Antonio García and Buddy Rice) for Brumos Porsche, had a great year in 2009. Our Motorsport Editor Christian Maloof, traveled to Daytona with the PorschePurist team and witnessed David and the Brumos team win the Rolex. We congratulate him on the win and he says, “Thanks. Did you notice much panic before the race?” We tell him no, not before or during. However, toward the end of the race nobody and everybody wanted to watch the monitors, and at one point David’s co-drivers actually went and stood behind them. The motorsport tension was palpable: Under the Brumos tent various people wanted to talk to Hurley Haywood, the drivers or take pictures. In the meantime, David and Juan Pablo Montoya were going toe to toe. And not much talking was going on.
We ask David to tell us what it was like for him on-track. “Everyone kept saying, so what was it like out there…you know with him all over behind you,” says Donohue, “all I could say was, well better that he’s behind me than in front of me! Isn’t that kind of the point?” He smiles and continues his story. “I got in the car for the last hour and I was like, ahh, finally, this is nice. There was far more anxiety in the pits!” For Donohue, the car is a definite comfort zone. “Not so much that I can relax, but you know, at least I can do something about it.”
Although David and the rest of the Brumos crew appeared calm, race spectators did not know the car had experienced electrical problems before the race. “Although we were fast in the race, right before we’d had no dash,” said Donohue, adding “even when we qualified, I didn’t have a dashboard. I don’t remember if I had shift lights or not, but we had a lot of electronic glitches leading up to the race and really it wasn’t until the start of the race that we knew we had gotten them fixed.”
On Handling Adversity
We ask David how he handles challenges such as the above. Does he just rise above it, go out and go to work? Loss of a dash on a prototype is, admittedly, a big challenge. Does he rely on his knowledge of the car and focus on hitting his marks?
“Well, it mostly has to do with shift points,” says Donohue. He goes on to explain: “we’re so, so sensitive to RPMs. Fortunately, we had done a lot of testing–about thirty-eight hundred miles of testing just for the twenty-four hour for the Rolex twenty-four. So you kind of know when and where to shift. I had done sticker runs before, so you sort of know what you can get away with and you’re basically going by instinct. If you hit the rev limiter it really is like throwing out an anchor!”
There was another concern in the back of the Brumos team’s minds, too. Says Donohue, “everyone was on the edge of their seats is because…we’ve lost it in the last fifty yards before.”
David Donohue’s Racing Pedigree
As many versed in Motorsport history know, David Donohue has an enviable pedigree. David’s father, Mark Neary Donohue, Jr. was known for his ability to set up his own race car and drive it “consistently on the absolute limit.” Donohue drove the 1500 hp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30. The cars he drove and wins he collected are far too many to list here, but suffice it to say the man did not lack talent or ambition.
David, however, did not hone his skills by karting at the age of four, as many other driver’s sons did. In fact, he never even went to a race track until he was in college. His father’s death when he was 8 years old meant his mom isolated his brother and he from the racing community, both on and off the track. “We grew up very far away from racing, but of course we knew who my father was,” says David, adding “but as far as having the desire to pursue his career or pursue that kind of path, [that] wasn’t handed out to us as a realistic objective.”
His Mom taught him to drive (“I remember one of my first days behind the wheel, I couldn’t believe how fast thirty-five was!”) and he says he was “always a car person and always dreamed of owning a nine-eleven.”
So how did David come to find racing? Smiles David, “I couldn’t find a real job because I graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in finance [during] the last huge financial recession.” He had purchased a 1979 Porsche 911 SC and, like many of us, was participating in Porsche Club of America events (autocross and DEs). After all the track preparation and modifications David had submitted the 911SC to, the Porsche had become “not a joy at all to drive on the street. Says David, “I think I got three tickets in a matter of two days after I did an engine and differential ring!” David decided he could not drive the Porsche on the street anymore, and thus it became a track-dedicated car.
Not surprisingly, he was quite good on track, and people in those circles kept asking him what his racing plans were. “I befriended a lot of, I guess, the right people who helped me in my early days,” says David, tongue-in-cheek. Specifically, he befriended Gordon Nagel, who suggested they go super car racing. “I did end up in the super car series with another PCA guy named Ed Arnold, in BMW’s,” says David. His beginnings at the club level endeared David to grass-roots drivers, both in the Porsche and BMW clubs.
Donohue’s first exposure to the racing world and his father’s peers (Johnny Rutherford, A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, etc.) was when his Dad was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The drivers, legends in David’s mind, took him into their fold, talking to him like he was part of their family. Being embraced by drivers, says David, “gave me the motivation and the desire to pursue [racing] further.” He sold the 911 and got a Porsche 944 Turbo Cup Car (“I totally over-extended myself buying one!” he admits) and did some EMRA (Eastern Motor Racing Association) races, securing a few wins.
Earning his Stripes
Additionally, David earned his stripes working at a shop. “I was managing an independent shop, Don Galbraith Motoring—that’s when I really learned to appreciate the skills of the technicians. I struck a deal with my boss: I’d just take [the Porsche] to work and park it on the trailer behind the shop. When we got slow the guys would go through the car [and] have it ready for the next race.” The result? “I totally out-classed the rest of the field in preparation alone!”
Well sorted equipment, good preparation and solid knowledge of the tracks, which he had acquired through PCA events, combined to grant David success on-track. Donohue’s first race was at Bridgehampton (which isn’t around anymore). It was also where he first made contact with another car. “Funny enough, the first person I ever had car-to-car contact with was Bob Grossman, who had raced with my dad,” smiles Donohue, adding, “I was absolutely terrified. It was one of those deals where I got alongside of him in really fast sweepers and there was a Corvette all over me. I was on the inside and it was going to be really, really bad for him if we got together. When we got to the center of the corner and I tried to withdraw and I couldn’t get far enough and my right front hit his left rear. He went sailing anyway.” Grossman later approached him and said, “the last person to do that to me was your old man,” embracing Donohue.
The accident did not sideline him, however: ”I banged out the bodywork with a hammer and put black duct tape on it and I went through traffic for the rest of the year like a hot knife through butter–everyone saw the black duct tape and got out of my way!”
After the win-filled year, Donohue participated in the IMSA’s Bridgestone Supercar Championship, racing against Andy Pilgrim and Shane Lewis, among others. There, he met Bob Snodgrass and Hurley Haywood. “Bob Snodgrass promised I’d drive for Brumos someday—and Bob is a man of his words!”
We ask Donohue how long he’s known his current co-driver, Darren Law. “We raced against each other in Super Touring in ’96 and ’97” says David, adding, “I was still sort of new to everything and not so comfortable with who my father was and what his role and influence were and who he knew.” Darren immediately put him at ease by saying, “hey, you know, I spent some time with living with you back when we were babies” The two wound up teammates in ’04, and have been since. Says Donohue, “it’s not hard to get along with Darren!”
In our race coverage in 2009, The Porsche Purist team has enjoyed hanging out in the pits and we’ve witnessed interaction between the drivers, pit chiefs and crews. We tell David he and Darren seem like nice guys—focused yet approachable—even during highly charged race weekends. Donohue chuckles. “Darren is a lot more normal and approachable than I am. I can be a real jerk sometimes. I’m the loose cannon and he’s the guy that’s the captain nice of the team!”
Talking About Le Mans
We turn our focus to Donohue’s career again, asking him to tell us a little bit about his GT victory at Le Mans. “Le Mans in the Viper was truly the team’s win,” says Donohue. “All the drivers did was not throw it off in the race, kept it on the pavement. We had a very reasonable pace, a slow pace that frankly, had us all kind of upset when we were told what we were going to run, because each car had a specific pace we were going to run, at least for the first part of the race and ours was the snail. You know, we were the tortoise. And we weren’t at all happy about that!” But as in the fable, the tortoise won the race. Continues Donohue, “we followed orders and three to four hours into it, we were leading and not by a small margin and everybody else kept breaking trying to catch us. So, it was really the team’s preparation, the team’s execution of the pit stop. We never shifted it over 5500 RPM, if you can believe that!” The team was so well prepared, there was only one unscheduled pit stop to put slicks back on David’s car when it dried out. The team finished a spectacular one-two and were up by nearly five laps – no small feat at Le Mans!”
Was this his proudest win? “Oddly enough, I felt more ownership and pride in the 2000 Le Mans 24 Hour,” responds Donohue. The team won again, I think in the twenty-first hour. By that time I’d spent a year with the team, but I felt a lot more ownership in this than I did in my own victory in ’98 because [this victory] was mine. I just kind of showed up, drove, stayed on the pavement and collected a victory.
Saying Hello on The Track
Like many professional drivers, David has seen his share of contact on track. He shares a few stories of contact over his years in racing, so we take the opportunity to ask him how he feels about it in general.
“That’s a tough one to answer,” smiles Donohue. “I was a real instigator in 2003 and ’04 and maybe even into ’05, mostly because I was getting knocked around a bit by a particular driver and I wasn’t having any of it. And so, I started saying hello back because, in my opinion, Mark Raffauf [Grand-Am Director of Competition] was now having this series be self-regulating.” Adds David, “If he wasn’t going to stop hitting me I was going to have to make him not want to hit me anymore!”
We ask him to elaborate, as stories of on-track adventures are always enjoyable. “His hits on me were pretty subtle for the most part, but my hits on him were just blatant! After the race, Mark asked me what happened? and I said, “well, I hit him—I hit him hard. I wanted to take him out of the race.” So he said, “well, why are you telling me this?” and I answered, “because you’re not doing anything about it!” Continues Donohue, “you know we really butted heads together …but funny enough ever since then, we’ve raced wheel to wheel, cleanly from there on out.”
David tells us thereafter he made a pledge to Mark that he was “done with hitting,” and left it up to him to control race contact and make some judgments. We should be able to race clean with everybody,” says Donohue, adding, “the problem is we’ve all got big egos and we all want to one-up the next guy!”
In NASCAR, where crashes are de rigueur, it is an almost unspoken truth that contact is a big part of fan entertainment. We ask David whether he believes contact entertains race fans. “I think despite what some may say, I think the fans actually don’t want to see that,” he asserts, adding, “[maybe] they like to see some, you know–one team having a good battle with another and a rivalry building but once it gets to the crashing part…I think that’s why our [fans] watch road racing versus other racing!”
Pre-Race Rituals, David’s Thoughts on the Panamera and other Daily Drivers
Unlike other drivers, Donohue has no pre-race rituals (when we ask him he answers, no, its bad luck to be superstitious, and waits to see if we get it. We eventually do.)
Since David’s on-track career started with a Porsche 911, we ask him if he drives one now. “No, I don’t actually…I really want to get an old one again. I love the new cars, I [got to] drive around in a Panamera, which is just a wonderful car.
We ask him to elaborate on Porsche’s newest addition, which he genuinely seems to like. “All you do is sit in it, shut the door and it’s already really nice—let alone when you start driving it,” he starts. “We had them on the track at Laguna and, and on the road all around Carmel, Monterey. I guess I didn’t know what to expect, [but] it certainly exceeded anything I could have expected!”
So is the Panamera his daily driver? No, a Mercedes. “I tend to buy from my boss!” David smiles (Hurley Haywood owns and oversees the Brumos dealership in Florida, which also sells Mercedes). “I’m pretty sedate right now,” admits Donohue, adding “I want to get either a late ‘70’s or early ‘80’s Porsche 911 turbo or even a regular 911!”
Like many of us, David’s attachment to the Porsche brand is emotional: “that’s what I started out on, a seventy-eight [911] SC, that was the wide body, you know, turbo look kind of thing. It’s just a sentimental attachment!”
Oh yeah…we know. All of us smile wide.
Having already been so successful, is there a race David would still like to win? “I’d be a fool to not say the Indy 500,” he answers without much pause, adding, “I’m not so sure that’s in the cards.” All in all, it seems like when David Donohue got the hand he was dealt, he did very well with it. “After racing with Brumos for a bunch of years,” he says, “I’m happy where I am.”
We wish him luck for the weekend and he responds, “well, thanks—we just need to make sure we don’t run out of gas fifty feet from the line!” They most certainly don’t.
As we prepare this interview for publication we are only days away from the start of the 2010 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Once again, David was kind enough to take a few minutes of an incredibly demanding preparation to reflect on the 2009 season for us, “After Daytona last year we were faced with some difficult changes beyond our control. It seemed we were trying to compensate for a different package at each race for the first half of the season, and we just failed to figure it out quick enough if it was even possible. In ‘08 we had establish a very good baseline with solid performance all year, and a string of good finishes. The ‘08 season was hampered with off-the-wall mechanicals, like the ring and pinion failing at VIR. For ‘09, this baseline was pretty much thrown out the window because of these changes. The ‘09 season finale was at Homestead, and Daytona and Homestead are our two best tracks without a doubt. We were hopeful to finish well there. The 58 did OK, but the 59 win was just fantastic for all of us… especially Hurley of course.”
The Porsche Purist team sat down with Farnbacher Loles driver Dirk Werner last summer at Mid-Ohio, one of the foremost race tracks in the Midwest (and, arguably, the U.S.) It was a hot day, yet Werner was still fresh after coming off his practice session in the #87 Farnbacher Loles Porsche.
We had first met Dirk informally at Watkins Glen, where we had run into him at the media center, introduced ourselves and shown interest in interviewing him. We were impressed with the young German driver’s approachability and confidence; he was happy to pause to say hello to our team and gladly agreed to a future interview. (He and co-driver Leh Keen later went on to win the GT Rolex race for FarnbacherLoles at the Glen).
We made our way to the Farnbacher Loles transporter to meet Dirk. The Farnbacher team [was] always hospitable and welcoming, and this time was no exception. We met [then] manager Frank Resciniti, who (re)introduced us to Dirk. After congratulating Dirk on his win at Watkins Glen, we ask him to tell us more about the race from his own perspective.
“With the changes Grand-Am allowed us to make for the Glen, especially with the tire fans, and also with the wider rear track, the Porsche was pretty competitive,” began Werner. Whereas Werner felt like in the previous race they had “struggled a little but still managed to keep the race pace,” at Watkins Glen “the car was really good from the beginning.”
Changing the Porsche’s Set-up
The Farnbacher Loles team made changes to the #87 Porsche, Dirk tells us, and “by quali we were perfect.” Race strategy at the Glen was “to save the car and drive carefully.” We ask Dirk to elaborate on this strategy. “Well, we didn’t take a lot of curbs in the beginning and I think that helped us to regulate the tire temps a little bit better,” explains Dirk. When other cars didn’t avoid curbs, thus using tires more aggressively, “you can see that they dropped off—like the [Pontian GXP] #57 car. He was really giving everything in the beginning and after half the stint he dropped back.” Keen and Werner maintained their strategy until the end of the race, only pushing to 100% “if we felt the pressure of another car.”
Not only was this strategy in place, said Werner, but the team “made no mistakes at all – the drivers and the team were perfect; the pit stops were perfect. There was only one situation where we dropped by a little because we did not get a wave-by, but everything else was perfect!”
We asked him about the contact co-driver Leh Keen had with a prototype earlier in the race. “The little contact Leh had with the prototype, where the one car drove into him while lapping him, did not damage the car,” said Werner. However, after that it was smooth sailing, save for the challenge of racing with no cautions for the remaining 2 hours. “The last two hours were hard,” affirmed Werner, adding, “we were in second and we really had to push hard by the end of the race. It really was two hours of giving a lot.”
Earlier in the season, we’d spent some time with Roger Garbow, FarnbacherLoles’ affable marketing director, discussing the challenges Porsches generally face during races. The subject of rear tire wear had been the focus of our conversation. Given the 997’s rear-engine configuration / 40-60 weight distribution, rear tires tend to wear much faster than on other cars competing in Grand-Am. We ask Dirk, did he feel the rears falling off at the Glen?
“Watkins Glen was not a big problem because the outside temps were not too hot,” answers Werner, adding that cooler temperatures hand Porsche drivers a clear advantage. However, in a place like VIR (Virginia International Raceway), where it can get really warm, “the tires [can] drop off really fast.” At MidOhio, Grand-Am allowed the use of tire fans in the FarnbacherLoles Porsche, lowering tire temperatures by 10-15 degrees and extending their life. The difference, Dirk tells us, is “huge,” but if temperatures rise “we still struggle.”
Dirk Werner’s Background
Werner’s character seems altogether calm and focused yet jovial and positive, all impressive characteristics in a young driver. He was born in Hannover, Germany, and grew up in Kissenbruck. Although his family was by no means one of racers, he came to the sport early.
“Nobody in my family was into racing,” tells us Dirk, calling his meeting with fate “more of an incident.” His Father and he joined friends on a trip to the local kart track, and young Dirk “drove around and really loved it.” The track hosted a local karting club which hosted slaloms (autocross) and races. Werner joined the club and in his first two years there won the local championships twice. At this point, he and his dad “got more excited” and his Dad bought him his first race kart. Altogether, Werner raced karts for 7 years, and he considers this time great “for learning the basics.” And learn the basics he did, making the move to formula cars.
“I was lucky to make the move into formula cars,” says Werner, delving into the story. “I participated in [the ADAC] formula school. They had two groups at the school, and one driver out of every group [was eligible to] win a full season in a Formula BMW car. I won, so I was able to race for free in the first year. So that was easy…” easy? Perhaps for someone with Werner’s talent!
However, the road through the European formulas – usually the grooming grounds for Formula 1 drivers, was challenging even for Dirk. “It got more difficult,” Werner tells us. “I moved into another formula series and had sponsors in the first year, but it is really difficult to find sponsors, so my Dad supported me a little bit.” In his second year, he placed 2nd and considered moving into a higher class (like Formula Renault). The series was popular, but it was also too expensive for Werner. “You needed about 200,000 Euros for a seat,” said Werner.
Although young Dirk “wasn’t really a fan of a driver [in particular],I really had respect for all the good drivers because even though I couldn’t imagine driving an F1 car, I understood driving a fast car at a high level required really good abilities.” When asked if he ever dreamed of becoming a Formula 1 driver, Werner replies, “as a kid I definitely had a dream of being an F1 driver. I think everybody who starts in racing has this dream! Once you recognize that you can’t move on in the formula series, then you know [this particular] dream is over.”
After the Formula Renault Series proved too expensive, Werner transitioned to the Ford Puma Cup. Werner knew the team already, but found it very competitive. “It was a very different type of driving, but it was very competitive,” he affirms, adding, “the teams do not consist of a lot of young drivers that make the move into these classes. There are older, more seasoned drivers that really stay with their series…they are really good in their car, so I was able to learn a lot.”
The fact that this was a spec series meant Werner – who was only able to make only minor adjustments to the car—had to rely exclusively on his skill set. “Everyone was going to the max,” smiles Werner, adding, “and you couldn’t do a whole lot to the cars.” The primarily German series raced in several big tracks, including the Nürburgring Nordschleife, and Hockenheim.
Werner’s Experience at the Nürburgring
Upon mention of the venerable Nürburgring, we ask Dirk to tell us about his experiences at the ‘Ring’. He has completed the 24 hours of the Nürburgring most recently this year, where he and his teammates came in third overall. At the helm of a BMW M3 , “It was pretty good,” smiles Werner, adding, “it was the best result for me so far.” Before this year, Werner had participated in the race piloting “smaller cars (like the Ford Fiesta). The whole experience is different because if you are in a slower car you have to watch your mirrors constantly!” Laughs Werner, “you can never really drive your line, and you always have to let people pass.”
Werner recalls the Nurburgring fondly, adding, “you have to overtake a whole lot of cars in one lap, and you have to be really aggressive because it is easy to lose a lot of time in traffic, and if you are too careful other drivers will drive away.” And in the middle of all this, you have to keep the car clean: “All this without hitting anybody! And if you have watched the races in the Nordschleife, at every race a car crashes!”
The oddest car Werner has driven on the Nürburgring? His own Volkswagen. “I learned the track in my VW Polo,” smiles Dirk, adding, “it was too hard for the car…all the doors were shaking and material was getting loose because I took the curves hard. It was not good! It was ten years old…” It has since been replaced with Dirk’s current daily driver, a VW Golf [now updated to a Porsche GT3 as a result of his recent award from Porsche].
Dirk Werner Joins Porsche
So, after participating in two spec series, how did Werner come to drive a Porsche? “I tested with Horst Farnbacher [in Germany],” says Werner, “and joined his SuperCup team in 2003. For 2004, I was brought in to drive the SuperCup with him. Horst had a 3-car team: Wolf [Henzler], who was winning the championship, and Dominik and I. I guess this was the perfect consolation for me!” Werner speaks highly of Henzler: “I learned lots from him. He was established already – 6 seasons I think – in a Porsche, [both] in the SuperCup and Carrera Cup, so he really knew everything about the car.” Another added bonus of the partnership? “Being able to compare data with him – I talked to him and he was one of the few drivers who was really honest and told me the truth about where to break, etc. So that was really important for me.”
Henzler and Werner’s friendship endures, and it is evident Werner holds Henzler in extremely high regard. “I am really confident in my co-drivers this year. In the ALMS, Wolf is a really good co-driver! He analyzes everything after practice, qualifying and race, and he works with the data perfectly.” Smiles Dirk, “If you manage to be close to or faster than Wolf, you know you’ve done a good job!”
Since joining Farnbacher, Dirk tells us, “I built a strong connection to the Porsche, and I really feel connected with the whole Porsche brand. I love the car. I am open to driving other cars too, but I would love to go on driving Porsches!”
Werner comes to the US
It was Horst Farnbacher who encouraged Werner to come to the U.S. in 2007. He had won the German Carrera Cup in 2006, just as Horst Farnbacher was planning to run an entire Grand-Am season joining forces in the U.S. as Farnbacher Loles. Says Werner, “He had won the 24 hour race in 2005 I think, and in 2006 he did it again. For 2007 I came to the 24 Hrs of Daytona and met with Bryce [Miller], and we decided that we would be a good combination to run the whole season. It really was the connection to Horst Farnbacher that helped me come over to the States and get to know this team.”
The over-achiever Werner managed to compete in both the European Le Mans series and in the Grand Am series at the same time in 2007. “I did most of the European Le Mans Series races–I just missed one,” adds Werner demurely. “We were driving a Porsche [in the European Le Mans Series]. I was driving with two gentleman drivers. So we didn’t really have a chance. I qualified the car most of the times, so we had good qualifiers and one pole and one podium, but it was difficult to compete against the cars that had two professionals.”
Still, says Werner, “it was good for me to learn to drive the RSR [Porsche] as preparation for the ALMS series. I did Sebring in 2008 for the first time, and only did one European Le Mans series at Silverstone that year.”
Spec Series Racing vs. Grand-Am
Since Werner participated in several spec series before coming to the U.S. for Grand-Am/ALMS, we asked him what he believes are the differences between racing in a spec series vs. racing in Grand-Am. “It is definitely more fun if you know that there are different makes involved and if you know that you can develop the car,” answers Werner excitedly. “In the spec series you can’t change the car, [whereas in the] series with different manufacturers every manufacturer brings their factory driver. [The spec circuits ] all [feature] really good drivers and close competition, but in Grand-Am the drivers are matched to their respective cars.” An added bonus to Grand-Am? The odds change “from track to track–which car is in the better position—[as does] the strategy if you know you can’t win because another car is better.” Then there is the added challenge: “sometimes you have to fight for 3rd as hard as you fight for the win on another track. While in the spec series there [can be] one driver or one team who dominates in ALMS or Grand-Am, the changes from track to track mean you still have a chance to win a race. [For example,] Porsches are good in Daytona every year, and Mazda is good at Laguna.”
Comparing Race Tracks in the US vs. Europe
As a driver who not only has driven tracks in both the USA and Europe, but has also driven the circuits simultaneously, we ask Dirk to compare the tracks/series/drivers for Porsche Purist.
Comparing the European Le Mans Series and ALMS, “I think the level of drivers is the same. Drivers easily go between series. The teams are on very high level – they are the same quality I would say.” Where Werner sees a difference is in the field. “In Europe they have a whole lot of LMP1 and LMP2 cars – this year there are 40 cars! – so the format is different, which probably makes it easier for gentleman drivers to enter the season. [There are] only 5 races, so you don’t need to travel so often and all year round.”
As far as the tracks are concerned, “[the European Series] have awesome tracks like Spa or the Nürburgring. [In Europe]a lot of the tracks are the modern F1 tracks, so you have a lot of runoff areas after asphalt. If you make a little mistake it doesn’t hurt the car immediately—you can just run wide. It is easier to find the limit. You know if you miss the turn you won’t trash the car. The American tracks are a little more different. Here it’s a little more like racing in the old times, track wise [i.e., more narrow, less room]. [But] I do like the tracks here – there are awesome tracks here, like Road America or VIR. And all tracks have their special character.”
Wants to Win Le Mans
Our conversation turns to racing itself. If there was one race Dirk Werner would want to win, which would it be? Werner considers the question for a little while and answers, “Le Mans is the biggest race. I don’t know if it is really the hardest – that is a personal feeling or whatever – [but] I think the race is still the biggest there is, so for a driver or a team it holds a lot of prestige.”
And, as far as pre-race preparation, Werner is a minimalist, but one focused on strategy. “I am not superstitious,” he tells us, adding “I just try to be focused and concentrated. I think it is important to take your time before you get in the car and think about the important things and probably talk to the driver at the driver change. Just being focused is the most important thing.” He elaborates, “[I] try to think about the situations: for [FarnbacherLoles car #87] it is important to get points in every race. There is no need to do a full attack from the beginning, or even in the end of the race. If you are 3rd or 4th and the guy in front of you is fighting really hard or blocking, there is not need to risk anything. All that is more important then wearing the same socks or whatever, I think!”
The Importance of Qualifying Well
Indeed, Dirk Werner has proven to be a very strong qualifier. Qualifying well requires the ability to “turn it on” right away, as there is often very little time to land in a top spot. Werner feels that he sharpened those skills whilst working with Farnbacher in Europe. “When we did the SuperCup it was really important to have a really good quali spot, because the races were 30-35 minutes. You knew that if you were 8th or 7th you would never drive to the podium because all the drivers were close [in ability]. It was very difficult to overtake. So when we tested, we practiced qualifying too.” Werner feels that a key issue in qualifying well is tire management: “you kind of develop a feeling of how you can raise up the speed with new tires. But you have to have a feeling, because you normally have only one lap to get a good quali lap, so you can’t practice or raise up the speed over a few laps. You have to have the feeling that you can give more with new tires”. Tires and, of course, the car itself. “It is also really important that the car is good. Most of the times we have a really good car, and the guys that work on the cars do a really good job. This is the most important thing: that the car is really fast. You can’t drive off the wheels if the car is not fast! And then to be focused in the one lap; you can’t make any mistakes or the lap is done.”
While racing, Werner studied mechanical engineering. We ask him if he believes his degree in any way helps him communicate with the mechanics at Farnbacher Loles. “Well, the job of the driver is to tell the engineers how the feels, but I definitely think knowing how the car works is important. If you have oversteer it can be influenced by different things – springs, rollbar, whatever…my engineering background helps me understand how different parts of the car work together.” But Werner does not believe his knowledge of mechanical engineering makes him more adept at communicating. “All the top drivers know how cars work,” he says, “all the [Porsche] factory drivers know how to set up a car, because they do it for a long time and work with some of the best engineers.” What is more crucial for on-track success is “a good engineer who knows what he is doing, and we have good engineers in both series – both of whom drove in earlier times, which I think helps.”
Since completing his mechanical engineering degree last year, Dirk Werner finds himself with a little more time on his hands, which almost sounds comedic when one considers just how hard this driver works. “Right now I am in a pretty good situation I think,” he smiles, assessing his current year. “I still do a lot of racing; I have a lot of races in the States and I do a few races in Germany. I did the 24 hrs of the ‘Ring last weekend, and next weekend I have anther race on the ’Ring. But in between races I still have time to meet up with friends or spend time with my girlfriend. Last year I was still going to school, and every time I came back from the races I had to go to school immediately, and that was pretty tough by the end. This year I am not feeling stressed. Traveling doesn’t bother me anymore!”
Werner Remains Balanced
It is clear that Werner manages to live a very full life maintaining good balance in and out of the Porsche. Indeed, he sounds all-around content and positive. When it comes to exercise, he tells us he runs but he doesn’t do weights. “I do so many races that I feel like in between …I just need time to relax. The racing itself is good training. Cardio is important because if you have to drive two hours it is important to keep the concentration, and that’s easy if you are in good shape. But you don’t need big muscles to drive these cars. It is good to be light, too, and the driver’s weight adds to the car’s weight. There are some drivers that are 100 lbs more than I am, and that is pretty good for me!”
When we ask him about the music he likes, tells us his iPod was recently stolen. “I really like a lot of music. It depends on the situation. If I go out, I like dance music or slow rock. I listen to rap sometimes. I don’t play an instrument – I would like to because I think it’s really fun to be able to play an instrument and make music, but I am really just too lazy I guess! It is too hard for me.” Lazy is the last word that comes to mind when we think of Dirk Werner.
After having enjoyed a half-hour talking with Dirk Werner, we wish him and co-driver Leh Keen good luck in the following day’s Grand-Am race at MidOhio. He then goes on to win this race and eventually Acxiom GT the driver’s championship, earning yet another notch in his stellar career to date.
Stay Tuned
One of the best things about publishing PorschePurist.com is the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the great Porsche pilots we all love to watch race. While Dirk Werner has moved on from Porsche, after the fall of Farnbacher Loles, he played a huge roll for Porsche in last year’s Grand-Am GT Class and will be sorely missed. For 2010 Dirk will be racing as a BMW factory driver in Europe. Our only consolation is that he should arrive to most of those races in his 2010 911 GT3, courtesy of Porsche, for being the most successful private Porsche pilot of the 2009 season.
Be sure to come back later in the week for our interview with last year’s Daytona winner, David Donohue, and be on the look-out for our interview with ALMS rising star Melanie Snow.
PorschePurist.com caught up with Porsche Factory Driver and Flying Lizard Patrick Long via phone shortly after the Lizards’ appearance at the ALMS race at Sebring. As most Porsche lovers know, Patrick is the only American Porsche Factory Driver. We remember reading about his induction into the Werks circle in Panorama and being so proud that we had him representing us in Stuttgart.
We start off by offering Patrick a long-term congratulation for his position at Porsche, and he humbly accepts. “Well, thanks,” he says, in his characteristic down to earth demeanor. “It’s been an awesome ride and obviously a dream come true,” says Patrick, adding that he is grateful for the opportunity. “Every day I realize how fortunate I am to have the opportunity, because as you guys know, that’s half the battle in motorsports: getting a shot at it and then trying to do the best job with the opportunity given you.” He goes on to affirm what we all know: “I still think it’s the surreal to represent a brand as prominent as Porsche!”
It is clear Patrick enjoys his work with Porsche. “They give me these opportunities and put me in such awesome positions to get results that I’ve been able to achieve.” And what an impressive list these achievements include the 24 hrs of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit LeMans, and the 24 Hours of LeMans, to name a few.
Patrick’s account of Sebring
Although we had intended to catch up with Patrick at Sebring, the time never materialized, so now we ask him to give us his account of the weekend from the other side of the pit wall.
“Everybody’s been…sympathetic in the outcome of the race, and I’ve been quick to correct them and actually let them know that my perspective is much different from what they might get,” starts Long. “I come out of Sebring completely inspired and with positive vibes for a few things. I know how [the Lizards] operate. It just was great to be in there with them and to really get immersed.”
Although the Lizards came in fourth, says Long “I think we showed, maybe not in the finishing order, but with the lap times that we were really … one of the cars to beat. So, that’s really, really positive for Sebring but extra positive looking toward the whole season which is all about winning a championship and as many races as we can.” Long sees the experience as positive. “With all of those factors, it was incredibly positive; to put points on the board is more than I could have hoped for after all the adversity we’ve faced and I know how important it is, especially in the first two or three races, to just put some points on the board.”
The PorschePurist team had watched Patrick and the Lizards at work at Sebring, and despite a few issues that put them a little bit back, we thought Patrick’s pace and the competitiveness of the car were fantastic. Long may be young but not short on wisdom: “I’ve understood through racing that you can no longer judge how your weekend went based on what the time sheets or the finishing order is because there’s too many outside variables that are outside of your control. So you basically look at different factors. From a personal level, [I ask myself,] just how was I as a racing driver behind the wheel? [You] grade yourself on that scale rather than on the finishing order.”
Credit Goes to the Lizard’s Team
Long feels like a great deal of credit for their 4th place finish, in spite of sustaining two hits, goes to the team preparedness. “For the car to sustain both of those hits—especially the second one—and still be running at the end, I just felt like we were incredibly fortunate and lucky. I have to give credit to Porsche and the Lizards because they obviously make a bullet proof car.” He nods his head and continues, “Man, that second hit Mark had with Ian—at that point I was pretty sure the car wasn’t going back even to pit row, let alone finish the rest of the race and be on pace. It was just unfathomable that we could go back out and still run 2.05 which was probably faster than 90% of the cars still running!”
Much of racing is about strategy and Long recognizes that. “I think that this might be really obvious to some, but with extra points being given out at Sebring, it’s so important not to turn in zero. Those first three guys, you know, get the extra points and they just have that much more of an advantage. This was so clear in my mind because last year, in our Spyder program, we didn’t make ever the 70% at Sebring and it basically put us in a position that we never recovered from.”
His assignment with the Lizards puts Patrick back in the car with fellow Porsche Werks driver Joerg Bergmeister. Long is quick to praise Bergmeister, with whom he enjoys a great working relationship. “The thing about Joerg is we know each other and we know what one another needs, not only during the race, but all through the week leading up and of course the all important five or six days you spend at Sebring, or three or four days you spend at St. Pete.”
He provides some interesting insight into driver relationships, saying there are “guys that are purely professional and …show up, do their job and go their separate ways at night. While it is true that you don’t have to like somebody to work well with them, I think if you can forge a personal relationship—or it comes naturally—it is such an advantage. The moments we’re spending away from the track, talking about how we’re doing things and getting to know each other means that we have such an advantage over others who may not have that relationship. Talent level aside, I think that the working relationship is number one.”
Wisdom Beyond His Years
For one so young, Patrick has been in motorsports long enough to acquire wisdom beyond his years. We ask him how it was that he came to be interested in motorsport – was his a motorsport family, as is often the case?
Patrick smiles. “Before I can remember making conscious decisions for myself I think I was already gearing toward anything with engines or wheels—not necessarily only race cars but you know, tractors, motorcycles, lawn mowers—whatever had wheels. I often hear stories of just naturally being drawn towards those things, but I do come from a family of racers,” he says, adding, “just to clarify, not really anybody in the professional ranks of motorsports, but spiritually. Two, three generations back on my dad’s side of the family all group around cars and racing, so I think that I was just naturally drawn to that.” As is the case with many current professional drivers, Patrick received a go-kart for Christmas one year, aged six, and it became “my bread and butter from the get go.” The memory is a good one: “I’d never seen anything or dreamt of anything as cool … it was the first time I had taken the pedals and the steering wheel of a moving vehicle and all by myself and that’s just what I did.” His dad, an hourly stair installer, put stairs in production homes in southern California and brought Patrick along. “I would be in the backyard on weekends … just driving around the backyard around two cones for hours on end.”
Patrick soon made the jump to racing. “In 1990, you had to be eight years old to race. The deal [with my parents] was I had to have a B+ average in school,” says Patrick, and “those grades were easily achievable with a go-cart on the end of that string! I started racing at a local level and that went from local to regional to state to national to international over the next ten years.” Patrick soon started going to Europe in the summers and, aged sixteen, got a paid ride to move to Europe full time and race for the Italians at CRG (one of the big three Kart manufacturers in the world).
From there, the transition was logical; Patrick moved into single seaters and formula cars, and spent six years living in Europe racing full-time.
As Patrick tells us about his formative years, we wonder: did he have an athlete he admired or wanted to emulate? He responds, “No, not one single guy actually … I never really was drawn to one specific athlete or persona[sic].” He seemed to be drawn to jacks-of-al trades: “I guess the guys that I liked had a bit of flair and flamboyance [and] they were quick in everything they raced,” he says, adding, “guys like Tony Stewart and Robbie Gordon.”
We ask, did he ever aspire to be part of Formula1? Patrick nods. “Yeah, Formula 1 to me was like the land so far off and so different, I would wake up early enough to see it live and watch it Sunday morning with my Dad.” It was the technique that amazed him: “When I watched the onboard shots of them driving, it looked closer to what I did as a go-cart kid than anything I could ever see on T.V. They way they used the curbs and the way they were quick with their hands, that’s what I was drawn to, it wasn’t the flair or the flash or the money or the girls, it was more about the parallel and that’s what attracted me that and I remember thinking that’s definitely what I would be best at.” This fascination continued when he moved to Europe and “Formula 1 was much more prominent on my radar … on Sunday if I wasn’t racing go-carts, I was at the little Italian restaurant/bar with my friends from the factory and we were watching MOTO GP and Formula 1 all day and that’s just what you did on a Sunday afternoon!”
On Becoming a Factory Driver for Porsche
How then was it that Patrick went from karting to open wheel to becoming a factory driver for Porsche? “The offer with Porsche was a bit of a crossroad in my career,” he begins. “I had been chasing a dream of a career in motorsport. I didn’t have the family funding or the abundance of sponsorship to decide which series or what kind of driver I wanted to be—I just kind of went where people were willing to help me.” While competing in the Elf Campus Program (perhaps the most prestigious racing school in the world), Patrick lived at the university in Le Mans. There, he made contact with racing greats like Henri Pescarolo, an experience that no doubt played a huge role in his winning 24 of Le Mans.
After that experience, Long came home “flat broke and out of money after having begged and borrowed to make it to a Formula 3 level. Luckily, Red Bull brought forth a Formula 1 driver search program.” It was at the RedBull driver search that Long met Porsche representatives. “I wasn’t chosen for the final four that went on for the 2003 RedBull scholarship season, but I made it to the final six. Along the way I met the folks at Porsche.”
An otherwise disappointing loss turned into a win. Continues Patrick, “there I was the next morning after not being chosen, knowing that I was heading home to California, so I was pretty down, and Danny called me the next morning and said remember those guys at Porsche? They want to talk to you, so I called them up and within a month I was over at Weissach, saw the facility, saw the race cars and saw just how incredible that company was. They were looking for a new candidate to replace Mark Leib who had been promoted to the factory team and they needed someone to join Mike Rockenfelter and I got the nod based on the run I did with them.”
Porsche told Long that they knew he’d been steered in the direction of single seaters, and that they wanted to “groom [him] to be our next factory driver and a star in sport car racing,” with one caveat: they wanted him to be completely focused on sport car racing. So did Long accept on the spot? “As lame as it sounds, I wasn’t completely sold,” recalls Long, adding, “I went home and picked up the phone and called every adviser I had and anybody who was willing to answer my phone calls who had made it as a professional in the sport whether they were a team manager or a team owner, or star driver. They just all said one thing: sign with these guys, sign with Porsche because you’re twenty-one, they’re willing to put their name behind you, they’ve done nothing but be loyal and win in motor sport and you don’t find a better company than that.”
As for regrets, Long says, “I’ve never looked back and wondered what it would have been like to race in other types of categories or how much money Formula 1 drivers make or any of that. To me it’s been a dream come true for so many reasons.”
Challenge of Factory Driving
We know better than to think the job is all about perks, so we ask, what’s the most challenging aspect of being a factory driver? The biggest challenge is performing at 100% and maintaining that fine line between hero and zero,” answers Long, adding, “the line of being quick and focused and physically and mentally prepared, and really putting the car on that fine, fine edge, being able to do that is the same pressure and just not over step the boundary and not spill the car off the track and not lose your cool and not lose your physical conditioning through a long range.” Also important is not to become complacent; says Long, “I think that you’re only as good as your last race and you have to … never become complacent.”
Gratitude is a recurring theme when Long talks about racing. “The days on the road, or the travel, or waiting in the security lines—I hold my head high and smile when I’m standing in a God-awful line in Atlanta airport connecting through because I’m working for a living.” He adds, “There are so many talented drivers that deserve the opportunity that don’t get those days in the airport because there aren’t enough seats out there for everybody, so it’s pretty easy for me to know that there aren’t many bad days as a professional driver.”
We next ask Patrick about those fabled Porsche training camps we’ve all read about. Are they as grueling as they sound, taking the drivers to exotic Mediterranean islands to get buff? Long laughs. “Well, they’re definitely extremely challenging and tough, but survivable. If I don’t do my homework, then it’s pretty hard to take the test. But I’ve done seven or eight of them …” As far of what Long does to stay in shape in between camps, his regime includes cardio “but also sensory motor training, stability training, strength training and flexibility.
Avoidable Contact and Racecraft
Our conversation moves to racecraft and contact in the sport of racing. “I think that if you look back, there’s quite a lot of contact in the ’90′s and in the early 21st century,” says Long adding, “these days, the cars are expensive and the style of racing has changed and become more professional. [The Porsche Cup] has more contact than ALMS or Grand Am on an average front, but I think you see just as much contact especially in the GT class as you do in the Super Cup these days. Also, once we went to water cooled cars with the radiators up front, that deterred a lot of drivers from using their front bumpers to make passes.” That is not the case for the side panels, however. “The cars are built incredibly strong and the wheels are pretty well protected by carbon fiber, so you can get away with a lot of side to side contact.”
So how does Long decide whether contact happens or not? In the pro league, says Long, “there certainly times where [contact] has to happen. If a guy spins me or runs me wide off into the dirt, he kinda knows he’s got it coming back for him. Smiles Long, “it might not be in the next corner, in might not be in the next race but you know I definitely don’t forget,” adding, with his trademark sense of fairness, “I think that’s how racing should be: if you do something, you better expect it’s going to come back whether it’s good or bad.”
Long is one of the few drivers to have driven both the RSR and the RS Spyder. We ask him what it’s like to experience the Spyder—is it a complete assault on the senses? “Pretty amazing,” responds Long. “The first thought you have is just how cool it is to be driving such a technically advanced race car.” He continues telling us about the car: “the initial feeling of the torque, of the braking and stopping potential … and how much the down-force the car makes. It’s an ultimate race car!”
Porsche Purist Sidebar
PP: Do you actually listen to music before a race?
PL: You won’t find me listening to music in the car or on the grid or any of that. I don’t think that it would hurt; it’s just one of those things that I’ve never wanted to depend on to get myself in the right mindset. I never want to be dependent on anything other than what I have in my brain, which is the only thing you’re guaranteed to have at all times!
PP: Do you have any kind of pre-race ritual?
PL: Not really. Hydration, nutrition and rest are what gives me my peace of mind. I think there is no right or wrong way to prepare yourself for a race. I tell people to do whatever it takes for them to believe that they’re well-prepared.
PP: Do you have a win that was most memorable?
PL: You know, fresh in my mind is definitely the Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona this year. It helped me to get to that milestone of winning each one of the major sport car races. But, you know, Le Mans is still for me the race, from a sports car driver’s perspective, and I wouldn’t trade that win for anything.
Special thanks to Patrick for taking the time to sit down with the PorschePurist.com team and Jennifer Hart of Flying Lizard Motorsports for setting things up.
For the 12-Hrs of Sebring weekend, the track becomes its own nation: the paddock and surrounding areas are filled to the brim with race fans in the most festive of moods. RVs and a variety of vehicles cram the parking areas full, making transit in and out of the venue a slow and laborious process. Food and alcohol are readily available, air-horns are de rigueur, and the 12 hour race does not lack a passionate, alert and vocal audience, even toward the 11th hour. It is a great place to be, not just for the energy of the racing, but for people-watching.
PorschePurist.com’s Valerie Roedenbeck gets caught in a Sebring Stampede
It is impossible to walk a few yards without seeing someone related to the racing world, and this adds to the social atmosphere of the place. One moment we spied Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director and team principal of BMW Sauber F1, texting on his phone. Moments later, a lapis blue Bentley made its way past the crowds; at the wheel was driving legend Derek Bell chauffeuring a young child past us (we waved, but the kid promptly put the window up).
The PorschePurist.com team arrived at Sebring on Friday, the day before the 12-hour race, just in time for our scheduled interview with FarnbacherLoles driver Wolf Henzler. Our biggest challenge was to make it past the bridge leading to the paddock. There’s no walking across allowed, so we were forced to wait for a slow-moving trolley. We decided then and there we would rely on the kindness of motorsport strangers for future crossings, and the plan worked! We got rides back and forth from a variety of friendly people, from official-looking Porsche guys to Chip Herr’s golf kart, among others.
We meet Wolf in front of the FarnbacherLoles team transporter. We walk past one of Farnbacher’s Porsches up on a lift, and after admiring the various parts slated to complete the race car, we choose a quiet corner away from the concessions and the traffic of fans wondering around the Sebring paddock. Quiet, that is, until the Formula Atlantic practice laps begin and our interview is punctuated by the beautiful sound of engines at work. The engine noise does not bother Wolf at all – it has been the soundtrack of his life for quite a while.
Born in Germany, Henzler first made his mark at age 15 when he won the Junior German Kart Championship, quickly following this win with two poles and two wins in formula ADAC and being named 1992 rookie of year. Between 1995-98, Henzler continued to win a total of nine times in Formula Three, and made the jump to the Porsche SuperCup in 2000. His relationship with Porsche has grown since then, culminating in his appointment as a Porsche Factory Driver in 2008.
When the cars come by, Wolf gingerly points out that we have about 2 minutes to answer each question (the time it takes for the cars to lap), then he gets to work answering our questions. He tells us he’s looking forward to the 12-hour race, where he is scheduled to hop in the car second, after Dirk Werner.
Like so many talented drivers before him, the love of cars ran in the Henzler family. “My dad raced, but not on a really professional level,” he tells us. Henzler, Sr. owned a BMW dealership and, as is the case with many young drivers, lacked the time and money to race professionally. Still, the passion was there: “after work, he would go in the workshop and prepare his racecar,” Wolf tells us, “and then on the weekend he would go racing.” Wolf also mentions his uncle Hermann, who (before Formula 1) raced in Formula 2 in the late seventies.
Surprisingly, it was neither his dad nor his uncle who ultimately steered Wolf toward a career in driving. “One year before I started racing, I did a trial race with a motorcycle.” He describes the test as one of driving control, where the rider climbs over hills or clears obstacles whilst riding. He continues to describe the event, adding, “you don’t go fast–it’s very slow but it’s all very technical.” Whilst participating in this event, Wolf noticed a kart track nearby and told his father about it when he got home.
“I came home and told my dad about the go-karts,” said Wolf, “and we found out when the go-karts had practice. We went [to the track] and my father recognized somebody who was there with his son.” The Henzlers charmed their way to borrow a kart, and the rest is history. Smiles Wolf, “yeah, [the kid] let me drive his kart a couple of laps and I enjoyed it. And then, that’s it, we bought a used go-cart and that’s how it started.”
His talent was immediately apparent, and by his second year racing he had won a championship and secured a sponsorship from ADAC (The German Automobile Association). “I got a formula BMW car from them, and this is how [I got] started in professional racing,” says Wolf.
We ask Wolf how he came to partner with Porsche? Was there always an affinity, or did opportunities that manifested themselves lead him toward Porsche? “Before I did a SuperCup or a German Carrera Cup, I raced in Formula 3. After racing in this circuit, I knew I would not have the luck of getting into Formula 1, so I looked [to see] what opportunities I had. I saw the Porsche Super Cup and I decided [it was] a good series.”
Porsche clearly grew on him, and several wins (Porsche SuperCup rookie of year in 2000, plus an impressive list of accomplishments in both the SuperCup and Carrera Cup in 2003 and being named SuperCup champion in 2004) probably helped his fondness for the brand. “I [drove] the Super Cup for a couple of years. And I really enjoyed driving a Porsche more and more. Finally, I made a step over to the US with Farnbacher Loles Racing Speed World Challenge racing and Rolex Series racing. Affirms Wolf, “Since then I’m driving a Porsche and I’m not missing anything–I enjoy driving a Porsche!” He surely enjoyed driving the Porsche in 2006, when he once again won the Porsche Cup.
For the last two years, Wolf has held the coveted position of Porsche Factory Driver. For Wolf, a long relationship with Porsche led to the post. “I always had a good relationship [with] them, and then in ’07 we got closer and they started to talk about [a Factory Driver position] and finally they offered me a contract.” In his calm, humble demeanor, Wolf adds, “I say, ok, yeah that’s fine, that’s what I want to do.”
Aside from all the driving, Porsche Factory Drivers are expected to meet physical fitness standards. We ask Wolf about this detail, and he nods. “Yeah, they do a fitness camp for ten days in January or February. Two times a year, we go to Porsche doctors for a fitness check and they do quite a lot for your fitness. They help you, give you a plan–a schedule–on how you should train. I think that’s really good,” He affirms. While Wolf always kept in shape (he’s an avid mountain biker) he finds the plan provided by Porsche trainers “helps a lot.” The exercise is all well, but we want to know about diet. Are there restrictions? Wolf smiles again, “we had a meeting about foods but it’s not that we cannot eat some french fries or go to McDonalds –but we shouldn’t do [it] all day or everyday!”
European vs. American Race Circuits
We’re always curious about differences between the European and American race circuits, so we ask Wolf to give us his perspective. Although we mean for him to compare driving styles, Wolf offers up very interesting insight into American vs. European personalities.
“My first experience was when I came here [U.S.] and did my first race,” he begins. “All the drivers were new to me. I was surprised [to see that] before the race, we were joking and we were having fun…,” he smiles as he remembers, a bit wiser now. “The drivers [made me feel as if] I was welcome and we talked.” He thought to himself, “they are funny and it should be a good race.” The easygoing American style disarmed Henzler, who was relaxed by the time he got behind the wheel.
But Wolf quickly came to find out in the U.S., business and pleasure are two very distinct things. “In the race all of a sudden [things] changed and [the drivers] were very aggressive–not unfair–but really fighting,” he smiles. “And, yeah, I was really surprised about that, before the race they were easy [going], and then in the race, fighting,” which is not the case in Europe.
We ask him to elaborate. Are European drivers more business-like when they are not in the cars? Wolf nods. “Yeah–they’re easy, but not as easy-going and they don’t joke [around] as much as here.”
We move on to technical differences between Europe and the U.S. Like so many of his European counterparts, Wolf affirms circuits are “very bumpy like–like Sebring, for example!” he chuckles. He elaborates, “in Europe the circuits are really smooth [because] they resurface them, I don’t know, every three years or whatever and they are very nice. But [that] doesn’t mean that the circuits here in US are not good! Every circuit here is special. Because of the bumps it’s always challenging to find a set up for the car. It’s very difficult here in Sebring, for example.”
Also, Wolf tells us, he is more likely to find similarities between tracks in Europe than he is between American track. “The circuits here in the US they are all, to me, really different,” he says. “In Europe … I say ok, this part of the circuit is similar to another, [whereas] here in the US I don’t have the feeling they are similar, they all different.”
Porsche SuperCup
In 2004, Wolf was Porsche SuperCup champion and followed the victory with podiums at Petit Le Mans in the GT and Speed World Challenge categories, and winning the GT category at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, effectively making the’04-’05 a very good, strong season for the German. Wolf agrees. “Yeah, that was really good,” he smiles, “it was good winning the Super Cup in ’04 and then [having] two wins here in the U.S. Then we came over in ’05 and we won Daytona.” Such strong and consistent delivery helped cement Wolf’s reputation abroad, he affirms: “for sure it really helped me … because many people recognized me later in the season, they knew that I won Daytona, and that I won two Speed World Challenge races in ’04.”
In his career, Wolf has driven a wide variety of cars from the Porsche RSR to the SuperCup to the Grand-Am spec GT3 Cup. “Between the RSR from Porsche, the biggest difference to a Cup car or the Grand-Am car is the aero; the GT has a better aero with more downforce and it’s wider, with different tires.”
So, is downforce the biggest difference then? Wolf elaborates. “Yeah, more downforce…and, ok, more horsepower, but the tires are also different from Grand-Am… but it’s hard to compare the Michelins,” says Wolf, because a prototype, for example “needs something different than a Cup car.”
Does he have any interest in any prototype driving, whether it be a Daytona prototype or an LMP prototype? Ever the Porsche man, Wolf responds, “well, I’ve never done it–driven in a prototype—[I’ve just driven] Formula cars, but right now if there is a chance to drive for a prototype as long as it has a Porsche engine I wouldn’t say no!”
Wolf Henzler, The Personal Side
Here at PorschePurist.com, we like to learn more about the social side of the very talented drivers we’re lucky enough to interview. We put our questions to Wolf.
The Ride…For starters, what car does he drive off the track?
“I drive a Porsche Cayenne S,” he tells us, adding “I love this car. It’s [got] good handling, even [though] it’s a bigger car… and it has a big trunk to put my mountain bike in the car!” (Mr. Henzler is an avid mountain biker and soccer player).
iPod or no iPod? Does he listen to music before a race, or does he have any sort of pre-race ritual?
He nods his head no. “No, not before the race…no listening.”
No pre-race rituals, either. We ask why not?
“I didn’t want to get used to it because if I have something special and I have no time to do it or I forget to do it or whatever, and I’m sitting inside the race car and maybe–I don’t know–maybe start thinking about it and darnit I didn’t do it… so that’s why I say ok, I take it how it comes and nothing special.”
Schumi or no Schumi? We ask about his youth racing influences. Was he a Schumacher fan, for example?
“Yeah, for sure, I supported Michael Schumacher, when I was driving go-karts or later Formula cars. I mean I watched Formula 1 races, and if he won it was ok, but I was–how you say–I was not only for Michael Schumacher…”
Which one is left? Is there a race he’d like to win? Perhaps one that he has not yet entered, or one that has eluded him?
“I would like to win them all,” Wolf smiles, adding, “I raced here last year and I think this would be a race that I would really like to win.”
Best win…Which was your most memorable win?
“I think when we won in 2005, the Rolex 24 in Daytona, the GT class…I think that one.”
Special thanks to Wolf for taking the time to sit down with the PorschePurist.com team, Roger Garbow of FarnbacherLoles for setting things up and Bob Chapman of AutosportImage.com for the great images (the bad ones are soley my fault)
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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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.
