Although these Prototype “Horses” ran far faster
than Seabiscuit…
Having tuned into nearly 15 hours of this
year’s Rolex 24. I’m reminded of how far IMSA has come from it’s initial GTP
era. Which I suppose you could say that Dan Gurney’s All conquering Eagle MKIII
“Four-banger” prototype killed…
Following reading Laura Hillenbrand’s most
excellent book Seabiscuit: An American Legacy last December, which I chronicled
in the following No Fender tome.
http://www.nofenders.net/2025/01/when-horse-outweighed-horsepower.html
This shot me down another Wabbit’ Hole
regarding my one and only visit to Del Mar’s 1.6-mile temporary “Stadium” race
course. Which I only have two vague memories of now. That being those Jaguar
XJR-10’s turbo chirpiness! And taking a picture of that beautiful looking gold
and white Miller Highlife Busby Racing BFGoodrich Porsche 962.
Comparing ‘n contrasting the 1989 Del Mar race
held in the Fairgrounds parking lot vs. the upcoming 12 Hours of Sebring’s IMSA
GTP field sees virtually the same number of GTP entries; 14 vs. 13 Also being a
split of normally aspirated and turbocharged motors. With eight Camel Lights
vs. a dozen or less LMP2 entrants.
Yet I suppose you could say the stakes are
higher today, with virtually no privateer entries. Just the lone $2.9m Proton
Competition customer Porsche 963 vs. six customer entries Wayback’ when…
Camel
Grand Prix of Southern California
IMSA GT Championship
Date: October 22, 1989
Duration: 2 Hours
Round 20 of 20
Entrants
Porsche 962C; (4) Spice SE89P; (4) Jaguar
XJR-10; (2) Nissan GTP ZX-T; (2) 1 All American Racers Eagle HF89 (1) and one unheard of ALBA AR9 Buick = 14 total
GTP entries, with a further eight Lights Prototypes in the “mix” = 22 total
entries
Race Highlights
The race was broadcast on ESPN with Bruce
Flanders and John Morton in the Booth. Whilst it was funny hearing Chris Economaki
trying to make something out of nothing over the young Wayne Taylor’s “Shock”
pole position during the pre-race preamble. As Economaki couldn’t get Geoff
Brabham to bite, with the Aussie’ saying He wasn’t surprised at all by the
Spice’s being on the front row…
(Chris Economaki and Ralph Sheheen were the Pit
reporters)
Taylor, then 33yrs old, claimed pole with His Spice
SE89P Pontiac Firebird 5.4-litre V-8. While Bob Earl aboard a Spice SE89P with a
6.0-litre Chevrolet V-8 lined up alongside Taylor, seeing Spice lock-out the
front row.
Spice Engineering ran two of it’s Factory SE89P
Pontiac Firebird racecars for the aforementioned Wayne Taylor, in the No. 34.
Who was apparently paired with Scott Atchison, albeit no idea if the latter
actually raced? As Taylor led from the “Get go” for the first 22-laps? Before
Earl passed Him for the lead. Before Taylor’s Pontiac Done Blown Up! As ‘Ol
Hobbo’, nee HobsCapp’, aka David Hobbs would say…
The Seester’ #33 Spice Engineering entry was
driven by Costas Los, Say Who? Retiring on lap-69 due to an accident.
Jeff Kline drove a “Ex Works” Koll Motorsports
privateer Spice Pontiac entry, finishing an unheralded P16.
Whilst the best of the Spice entries was Bob
Earl, who started second, led for awhile before ultimately finishing third
overall, driving for Jim Miller Racing.
Electramotive Engineering’s All conquering
Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo’s had already ended Porsche’s reign by winning the 1989
IMSA GT Manufacturers Championship with ten wins; six for its No. 83 and four
for its NO. 84. With the driver title up for grabs between Geoff Brabham and
Nissan teammate Chip Robinson.
As Brabham and Robinson had scored six W’s
together, with Brabham netting a further three solo vs. robinson’s one win.
With Robinson leading the points battel 219 to 215 entering Del Mar.
Brabham started third and led late into the
race before erring on the side of caution over a braking issue, finishing
runner-up and claiming the Drivers title. While Robinson’s race had gone up in
“smoke!” Chasing Brabham all race long after starting sixth. Robinson snapped a
driveshaft on lap-59, ending His championship hopes.
Four privateer Porsche 962C’s contested the
race, with a brace of Joest Racing cars entered for Jean-Lous Ricci and Henri
Pescarolo in the #0, and Frank Jelinski in the “Double buckshot”. (#00)
Whilst my Home town Bayside Racing’s No. 86
Panzerwagen with Jochen Mass at its keyboard was the highest finisher in fifth,
one place ahead of the #0 Joest.
The No. 67 Busby Racing Porsche 962C that won
that year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, saw Bob Wollek and John Andretti finishing a
quiet P13. Whilst the “Double Zero” Joest Panzerwagen finished a lowly 20th due
to an accident.
Willy t. Ribbs drove the lone All American
Racers (AAR) Eagle HF89, the team’s and Toyota’s first GTP chassis to a fourth
place finish after starting P4.
Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) ran two Castrol
liveried Jaguar XJR-10’s for Jan Lammers (#60) and Price cobb. (#61)
Lammers who started seventh, quietly worked His
way forwards, before pouncing upon Brabham at Turn-1, the course’s 10/11 turns
best passing opportunity on a late race restart, and with Brabham locking up,
Lammers motored to the chequered flag!
Meanwhile, Cobb, who’d started ahead of Lammers quietly soldiered home in seventh. While the “Mach 5: (#5) totally unknown of DeBlasi Racing’s ALBA AR9 Buick turbo machine finished eighth. Which I’ll try chronicling in another of my countless No Fenders stories…
