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Martin Raffauf
JoinedSeptember 19, 2021
Articles53
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I attended my first race in 1967, an USAC Indy car event at Trenton Speedway, and the race was won by AJ Foyt. I subsequently attended my first sports car races at Daytona and Sebring in 1971 as a spectator while I was still in college. Both of these races were won by the great Porsche 917. Later I joined the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) and became a tech inspector at the local races. This then led to volunteer work as a Tech Inspector with IMSA when they first started, my first races with IMSA were in the 1973 season. After college I worked as an engineer with Bechtel building power plants. Further college studies ensued, resulting in an MBA which has led to a long career at IBM as a Systems Engineer…with time off for racing of course. I worked on and off as a Technical Inspector for IMSA through 1977, and then in 1978 I started with Dick Barbour racing (Garretson Enterprises) in Mountain View, California, as it was just a half mile from my house. Typically, I spent my days working at IBM, and the nights at the race shop. This continued through until 1984, working with Bob Garretson and Wayne Baker. This was followed by working with various teams racing a 962, sometimes for a whole season, or sometimes just for a few races as required. In 1991, I took a one year leave of absence from IBM and worked full time at Alpha in Japan in the Japanese Group C championship. Notable sidelights in 1984-86 seasons included working on the Carlsen Porsche team running 944s and 944 turbo cars in the IMSA Firehawk and SCCA showroom stock championships. Further racing efforts followed through the 1990s and on into 2015 with Kevin Doran and Doran Racing, supporting Gianpierro Moretti and Fredy Lienhard Ferrari 333 projects, Dallara’s, Grand Am Prototypes, as well as various vintage racing activities.
Notable Chassis

Porsche 936-004 AKA (908-80)

“908-80” at it’s first race, Le Mans 1980
936 Beginnings The Porsche 936 was an odd car for Porsche. It was the result of an almost overnight decision by Porsche Managing Director Ernst Fuhrmann in the mid 1975 time- frame.  Porsche had spent the past years since 1973 developing cars for the upcoming World Championship of Makes rules...
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Featured Content & Premium Editorials

Porsche 963 – An Overview

THE HISTORY The Porsche 963 follows on from a long line of successful cars and racing successes. Porsche 963 , #7 at Daytona during the ROAR test session entering Daytona Turn 6. Photo: Copyright Martin Raffauf Ferdinand Porsche started the company bearing his name in 1949. Almost immediately they started...
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Book Reviews

Porsche at Le Mans—70 Years by Glen Smale

The 24 hours of Le Mans is arguably the world’s greatest race. It started in 1923. Porsche first entered the race shortly after the second World war in 1951, as a fledgling manufacturer. They have an unbroken run of competing for seventy years. When Porsche started—having just been producing the...
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Events

The “26 Hours” of Daytona Classic 24 – 2020

Yes, you might think the title is a mis- print, but it is not. HSR (Historic Sportscar Racing) put on their now annual Historic 24-hour race for vintage cars at Daytona International Speedway from 4-8 November. This event is run in a similar fashion to the Le Mans 24 historic...
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Events

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2019

It may have taken place just over a week ago, but the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2019 was another top-drawer event that should be celebrated for the manner in which it has lifted the profile of yesterday’s great race cars. The growth in historic race reunions, revivals, festivals and the...
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Events

The Hillsborough (California) Concours d’ Elegance

The Hillsborough (California) Concours d’ Elegance, on 21 July 2019, has been held for 63 years. It started in 1956 and is reportedly the longest running consecutive (in years) Concours in existence. It is held in Hillsborough California, a well-to-do suburb south of San Francisco. It’s well supported by local...
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Events

Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI – Laguna Seca 2018

It’s hard to know where to begin when writing a report on Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI. It was both an emotional and a sensory overload! A reunion with people not seen for a while, and the historical impact of all the rare cars. This was the sixth iteration put on...
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Motorsport & RacingPRR

Autobau – the hidden gem

The front door of Autobau, which is built inside a turn of the 20th century alcohol storage facility There is a collection of cars that every racing and car enthusiast should see. It is at the Autobau, located in Romanshorn, Switzerland. On the southern shore of Lake Constance, the Autobau...
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Yesteryear

The ANDIAL 935-L ‘Moby Dick’

Side view of the ANDIAL 935-L ‘Moby Dick’ in the Riverside pit lane 1982 The ANDIAL 935-L ‘Moby Dick’ race car was a one-off creation that raced between 1982-1985. Without any help from the factory, the small team of dedicated professionals at ANDIAL with significant help from Glen Blakely, this...
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Notable Chassis

Porsche 935 009 00030 – The Old Warhorse

Porsche 935 chassis no. 009 00030, the Old Warhorse speeds up the hill at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed with Brian Redman at the helm This is a story of the incredible career of Porsche 935 009 00030, one of the most amazing race cars ever, or as someone...
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Motorsport & RacingPRRYesteryear

Early 1980 IMSA GT Championship

John Fitzpatrick during practice for the Sebring 12-hour race in 1980
Bob Garretson in #009 00030 during practice for the 1980 Daytona 24 hours. This is the original 1979 factory configuration on this car By the time that we reached the IMSA Riverside Los Angeles Times Grand Prix in April, the Dick Barbour Racing team’s IMSA GT championship season had been...
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Yesteryear

1983 Sebring 12 Hour – David and Goliath

Bob Akin’s 935, one of the major protagonists in the 1983 Sebring 12 Hour race. It was driven by Bob Akin, John O’Steen and Dale Whittington and finished second overall. (©Brian Cleary) The 1983 Sebring 12 Hour was an epic event. Back then the race was run on the ‘old...
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PRR

The 934/5 – Porsche’s answer to IMSA in 1977

This is the Peter Gregg car (chassis #930 770 0952) as shown at the Porsche Rennsport 2015. In early 1977, the Peter Gregg car sent home from the Atlanta IMSA race due to ‘illegal modifications.’ This photo shows the car restored with 935 fenders as it was run later in...
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Yesteryear

Porsche at Norisring 1980

The #8 Kremer K3 Porsche 935 entered by Dick Barbour and driven by John Fitzpatrick, in the pit lane ahead of the 1980 Norisring race. The author, Martin Raffauf, is at the car’s right front wheel The Race for the Pork Cutlets… The end of June 1980 was a busy...
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Yesteryear

Batting .750 (3 for 4) – Le Mans 1979

All four of the Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 935s line up in the pits ahead of the 1979 Le Mans race, each with the Stars and Stripes draped over the rear wing. From left to right: #73 935/77 (934½) – John Hotchkiss, Bob Kirby and Bob Harmon; #72 935/77 –...
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