1986 : Al Holbert last title, part 2
The next race was scheduled for Road Atlanta. For the first time, Porsche would not make the headlines as the home-made products proved to be not only fast but reliable too. This sudden rebirth brought a burst of oxygen to the IMSA series. The Goodwrench Chevrolet Corvette GTP, driven by Sarel van der Merwe, proved out of reach for everyone. Al Holbert managed to grab second place in practice, and John Paul Jr was expected to give him a run for his money. Unfortunately, he was given an unproper suspension set-up, so he had to settle for fifth. The race was looking exciting as it was by no means the usual Porsche domination with five makes running for an eventual win. The race started without one major contender as Bob Wollek destroyed his car in the morning warm-up session. The race was set with one BMW GTP catching fire in the very first lap of the race. Al Holbert took the lead of the race, which he kept for ten laps. John Paul was second, with Sarel van der Merwe in third place. Then John Paul Jr took the lead, with Al Holbert closely followed by Sarel van der Merwe. John Paul Jr could stretch away from his pursuers, and after twenty five laps, had a ten seconds margin over Al Holbert, then came Sarel van der Merwe, Pete Halsmer and Klaus Ludwig on the Ford Probes, and Chip Robinson on the Jaguar XJR5. Then John Kalagian would spin, bringing a full course caution period, and Sarel van der Merwe was the first to pit for fuel, Doc Bundy stepped into the Corvette.
The Road Atlanta race was quite exciting, with four makes fighting for the win.
Copyright Dave Kutz
While many other drivers would pit, Jochen Mass and Klaus Ludwig remained in their respective cars. Al Holbert kept the lead until lap forty six, but lost time when he lost his radio. Doc Bundy then inherited the lead. Then the pair was able to secure his position, while John Paul Jr and Whitney Ganz were now in second place, but the gap went increasing, and Sarel van der Merwe had lapped Al Holbert. The race, however, was breath taking, with a late pit stop for the leading car, and a very scant advantage at the chequered over the Conte Racing March 85G Buick. It was a very interesting race, and the very first victory for the Chevrolet Corvette GTP. The Lights class saw the debut of the new Spice Fiero driven by Bob Earl, who shattered the opposition in practice by dominating Lights champ Jim Downing.The race was another story with Bob Earl leading for the first thirty laps, then being sidelined with electrical problems. Then Jim Downing took the class lead, although he lost it when he pitted for fuel under the yellow, when he checked an alternator problem. Mike Brockman and Steve Durst finished second, one lap down after suffering from a slow puncture in the closing laps.
Sarel van der Merwe took a well deserved win in his Hendrick Racing Chevrolet Corvette GTP.
Copyright Dave Kutz
The next race was to be held at Riverside, for the traditional LA Times 6 Hour race. Once again, it seemed that IMSA's top notch category was undergoing tremendous changes, with Porsche being challenged in practice. John Paul Jr set a new track record with 1m32s103, just ahead of Geoff Brabham, whose Nissan GTP ZX Turbo appeared much improved. Third was Klaus Ludwig, on the Ford Probe and only fourth came Al Holbert, on his Löwenbrau Porsche 962. The race could boast for a nice fifty six car field, with a wide variety of entries. The beginning of the race seemed to confirm the earlier impression that Porsche would have a hard time in Riverside, with John Paul Jr jumping in the lead. He was followed by Klaus Ludwig, Geoff Brabham and Pete Halsmer, on the second Ford Probe. Bob Lobenberg would then climb up to second place, driving the second Hawk Buick. John Paul Jr, whose car was smoking from the beginning, retired on lap fifteen with a turbo failure. Then the Nissan pitted on lap nineteen with engine vibrations, the car lost seven minutes, then hit the wall on lap thirty, bringing a first caution period. Many cars pitted for fuel during that period, and Al Holbert took the lead. Then on lap thirty six, a crash took place in turn one. Chip Robinson, Doc Bundy and Lyn St James. Chip Robinson spun and flipped violently, while Doc Bundy's Chevrolet Corvette GTP hit the guard rail. The Ford Probe driven by Lyn St James shot into the air. None of the drivers were seriously hurt, but this accident remains probably as the most memorable in IMSA history. A very long caution followed, then, at the restart, it was Bob Wollek in the lead, but he lost a wheel on the track. Then Klaus Ludwig and Tom Gloy were the new leaders, but Price Cobb, driving the Dyson Racing Porsche 962, overtook the Ford. However, Al Holbert was running strong and soon passed Price Cobb. A final race accident took place when Jeff Kline's Alba Buick tangled with Les Delano's Chevrolet Camaro. The Chevrolet went into the spectator fencing and two spectators were hurt. After this final caution period, four cars were still able to win.
Klaus Ludwig dropped from the possible winners with a broken driveshaft, while Paolo Barilla had a throttle linkage repaired. Derek Bell and Rob Dyson fought for the win. However, it was to be Rob's day as Derek Bell's car had a ring and pinion wore out. Rob Dyson and Price Cobb took the win with a brand new car. The Lights class saw Joe Varde lead the first thirty laps, then it was Bob Earl's Spice Pontiac who took the lead but a lengthy pit stop dropped the car. Once again, it was Jim Downing who outlasted his opponents, and he took the win over Ron and Kelly Marsh similar car. The GTO class saw a long battle between the Ford Mustang driven by Scott Pruett and Bruce Jenner and the Chevrolet Camaro driven by Jack Baldwin and Jim Miller. The two cars traded the lead throughout the race, but the Ford Mustang had to spend a long time in the pits for repairs, and the Chevrolet Camaro inherited the lead. The GTU class displayed a fantastic duel between Mazda and Pontiac. Bob Earl led for a while but lost the race because of a slipping clutch. Terry Visger and Roger Mandeville then had a long battle but the Mazda finally outraced the Pontiac.
At Laguna Seca, the Ford team finally found its way through victory with the Probe, a car which had been introduced one year earlier. A twenty car field took the green, headed by the Ford Probe driven by Klaus Ludwig. Al Holbert was second on the grid, followed by Elliot Forbes Robinson and John Paul Jr. Again it was four different makes in the top four spots. That looked a pretty promising race. It was all Klaus Ludwig, leading the race from start to finish. Al Holbert could not do better than fourth, while Chip Robinson and Hurley Haywood took a very encouraging second place overall, beating the Porsche 962s in the process. Price Cobb drove the Dyson Racing Porsche to third. Elliot Forbes Robinson had pulled his Nissan ZX T GTP out of the race after twenty three laps. The Lights class was taken by Bob Earl, whose Spice Fiero won over Jim Downing and Don Bell, who drove an Argo JM16 Buick.
Rob Dyson and Price Cobb took a well deserved victory at Charlotte.
Copyright Dwight Deal
The next race was to take place on the high banks of Charlotte Motor Speedway. A huge crowd of 43000 fans watched this seventh round of the 1986 IMSA round. The race was split in two separate races, featuring the GTP-Lights and the GTO-GTU in two events. Klaus Ludwig once again set the fastest lap in practice and would start on the pole, with Hans Stuck alongside him. Al Holbert was third with Drake Olson on the second row. On tenth place on the grid was the very fast Spice Fiero entered by Entech driven by Bob Earl, fastest Lights qualifyer. Twenty three cars took the green. At the start, Klaus Ludwig took the lead of the race, and he quickly pulled ahead of everybody. He managed to earn a twenty two second lead on his closest pursuer, but he burnt a piston on lap twenty eight. Drake Olson, who was in second place, inherited the lead, followed by Al Holbert and Sarel van der Merwe. Then Al Leon, driving a March Chevrolet, spun on the track, bringing a full caution period. The three leaders then came into the pits for a refueling session, and Hans Stuck took the lead of the race. Then, and for the first time since long, Al Holbert charged hard for the lead, but he burnt a piston on lap thirty nine, and retired. Drake Olson then was the new leader, stretching his lead on Doc Bundy, who had taken the wheel of the Chevrolet Corvette GTP to twenty one seconds.
Sarel van der Merwe and Doc Bi-undy could have won, but they had some trouble finishing the race at Charlotte.Copyright Dwight Deal
The local Hendrick Racing car would experience some trouble while refueling on lap fifty nine. The car had to be push started, which warned the team of the trouble ahead. Behind the two leaders, Bob Akin was overtaken by Whitney Ganz, willing to surrender his car to Hans Stuck on lap seventy nine,but he missed his pit, and had to run for a new ten laps period. The race positions seemed to settle after a new refueling session, with Whitney Ganz, always in third place, soon to lose some ground with fading brakes. Sarel van der Merwe was now in third place, but he lost his boost. Hans Stuck could overtake the Chevrolet Corvette GTP three laps from the finish, and Whitney Ganz nipped the Goodwrench car on the very last lap. The race had been very entertaining, with a second race win for the Dyson Racing team.
Hans Stuck and Bob Akin had a great race of their own, and they took a well deserved second place overall at Charlotte.
Copyright Dwight Deal
Hans Stuck and Bob Akin took a well deserved second place overall but were two laps down at the finish. Jeff Kline, in an Argo Buick led early in the race in Lights, but his engine swallowed a valve. Then Jim Downing took the lead, but he was passed by Logan Blackburn, who drove Charles Morgan Tiga Buick, after the first caution period. The two cars would retire on lap sixty three and seventy five. Bob Earl, who had a bad start after spinning, went back to the lead on lap thirty two. He maintained this position until the chequered. Second were Jim Rothbarth and Mike Meyer, on the Sebring winning Royale RP40 Mazda, but they were five laps down.
At Lime Rock, twenty seven cars took the green. Drake Olson again was on the pole, as he was the previous year when he won his first ever race for Rob Dyson. Tom Gloy had a great practice session and put the Zakspeed Ford Probe in second place while Al Holbert was in fifth position on the grid. In the race, however, Al Holbert's strategy proved superior and he won the race solo, while Drake Olson and Price Cobb finished second, nineteen seconds down. Bob Wollek and Paolo Barilla were third on the Bayside Disposal Porsche 962. Sarel van der Merwe had a disappointing race, after starting tenth, he finished in seventh place. The Lights class saw a new winner, as David Loring dominated the race, beating up Steve Durst and Michael Brockman, who drove a Tiga GT286 Mazda. Bob Earl, who was the fastest qualifyer, ended up in third place in class.
Bob Tullius and Chip Robinson had a new 6,5L engine in their Jaguar XJR7. They had a very good race and finished second overall.Copyright Mark Windecker
The next race took place at Mid Ohio, one of Al Holbert's favorite tracks. Starting from the pole was Hans Stuck, on Bob Akin's Coke Porsche 962. The race looked promising, but Hans Stuck's race would not last more than three laps when electrics failed him. Al Holbert had jumped into the lead right from the start, and never relinquished it. In fact, the good news for the race was the newly invigorated Jaguar XJR7, which was now powered by a 6,5L engine. With forty more hp, the car could now rely on a better torque. In the race, Drake Olson was to pit early in the race, for shifter repairs, losing one lap. Then, the team appeared to run at the same pace as the leaders, but could never get closer. Chip Robinson would come close to Al Holbert when the latter would try to pass Brian Redman, who was a lap down. He would never be so close, as Al Holbert and Derek Bell pulled ahead. The Chevrolet Corvette GTP had a good race, but was somewhat smashed from the possible winners with a greater fuel consumption. Sarel van der Merwe and Doc Bundy finished third yet.
Michael Brockman and Steve Durst clearly dominated the Lights class at Mid Ohio, winning their class with a five lap advantage over their pursuers.Copyright Mark Windecker
The Lights class saw Steve Durst and Michael Brockman jump into the lead right from the start. The pair dominated the race thoroughly, and had a two lap advantage over Joe Varde and Tico Almeida, who drove an Alba AR6 Buick. Jim Downing and John Maffucci finished third, three laps down. "Just a perfect day" as Michael Brockman put it.
The next race was a new venue in the IMSA circuit. West Palm Beach was another street course with a race held in Florida. The Hendrick Team had a new car which driven by the usual Sarel van der Merwe and Doc Bundy. The car was put on the pole by Sarel van der Merwe, with Bob Tullius Jaguar XJR7 next to him. Oscar Larrauri was third, on the Brun Motosport Porsche 962, while Darin Brassfield and Jochen Mass were next. The race proved to be much disputed and the Chevrolet Corvette GTP won by less than half a second over the BF Goodrich Porsche 962 driven by Darin Brassfield. Doc Bundy was still second with less than half a mile to go! Four cars were on the same lap at the finish. A new winner could be seen in the Lights class.
The very fast Alba AR6 Ferrari driven by Ruggero Melgrati and Carlo Facetti took its first Lights win at West Palm Beach.Copyright Michael Crews
The Alba AR6 Ferrari driven by Ruggero Melgrati and Carlo Facetti earned its first ever victory. Don Bell and Jeff Kline were second on the AT &T Argo JM16 Buick while Jim Downing and John Maffucci did not enter the race. (to be continued)
