Born: Philadelphia PA, USA
Lives: San Carlos, California USA
Status: Married to Jeanie
Occupation: Engineer at IBM
Hobbies: Following racing, cycling, wine tasting, reading
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. These teams included Bob Akin, Bayside Racing, Jochen Dauer, Kremer (Le Mans), Brun (Le Mans), Schuppan (Le Mans), Gunnar Racing, and Alpha Racing Team Japan. 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. More recently I have been helping out from time-to-time as a spotter for IMSA in the Ferrari Challenge series.
Highlights of racing success on teams I have been associated with:
3 time winner Daytona 24 hours
7 time winner Sebring 12 hours
11 times at Le Mans – 3 x class winner – ACO ESCRA prize winner 1998
1980 IMSA championship/Porsche Cup – Porsche 935
1981 World Endurance Championship – Porsche 935
1983 IMSA GTO Championship – Porsche 934
1984 IMSA Firehawk Championship – Porsche 944
1985 SCCA Showroom stock championship class winner – Porsche 944
1987 Porsche Team Cup USA
1990 First Japanese team to ever finish on the podium at Le Mans
1994, 1996, 1997 – Runner up IMSA championship
2002 Grand Am Championship
I have now retired from IBM after 40 years, and I am trying to take time to enjoy some of the racing events I have always wanted to attend but never had time for. These include: The Isle Of Man, Goodwood, Le Mans Historics, Monaco Grand Prix Historics, Reno Air Races, and the Bristol Nascar Race. I also enjoy wine tasting, reading and cycling.
