Dick Barbour Racing Profile

The Early Years The name Dick Barbour is legendary in the world of endurance racing. The native Californian has piloted or been the moving force behind cars and teams that have won every major race and award in endurance racing history. Dick Barbour Racing has been a magnet for some of the world's best and most popular drivers including Brian Redman, Rolf Stommelen, John Fitzpatrick, Rick Mears, and Johnny Rutherford. Foremost on Dick Barbour's long list of racing Le Mans IMSA Class Winning 935 - 1978accomplishments are his team's 3 consecutive overall or class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring that ended in 1980. That year his teams with Dick behind the wheel posted 14 victories; The 12 Hours of Sebring, The Road Atlanta Grand Prix (2), The Riverside Grand Prix, The 24 Hours of Le Mans, The 1000K's of Nurburgring, The Norrisring Grand Prix, The Mosport 1000K's, Daytona, The Sears Point Grand Prix, The Grand Prix of Laguna Seca, The Portland Grand Prix and The Road Atlanta Grand Prix (2) again. To cap off this incredibly successful season Dick Barbour Racing also walked away with the Overall IMSA Championship and was the first American Team to be awarded the coveted Porsche Cup in what turned out to be a farewell year that could only be called magical. 1978 Le Mans IMSA Class winners Celebrate (l - r Brian Redman, John Paul, Sr., Dick Barbour)The STATS Le Mans Class Victories – 1978, '79, '80 12 Hours of Sebring Overall Victory - 1980 31 – SCCA Regional and National Victories 3 – SCCA National Championships The Return – Another Championship Season After twenty years pursuing other business interests Barbour recreated and repositioned Dick Barbour Racing as the ultimate sportscar racing team for the new millennium. "I've been planning to return to my passion for many years, but I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity - that perfect opportunity is the ALMS, said Barbour. With my love of Le Mans and victories at the three tracks owned by Don Panoz (Road Atlanta, Mosport and Sebring), all signs pointed to the creation of this new series as the perfect time to return. On top of this, Porsche has introduced the beautiful new 911GT3R, and having enjoyed my greatest success with the 911 Series, this also added tremendously to the magic." The nearly unbeatable DBR Porsche 911 GT3-R Only Hollywood could have imagined a script where Barbour's team would meet if not surpass his accomplishments of two decades before. From the team's headquarters in a newly designed and completed state-of the-art 8000 sq. ft. facility at Turn One at Road Atlanta. Fully equipped with the newest and most technologically advanced racing equipment available it was the base for an assault on the American Le Mans Series GT championship and a Hollywood scriptwriter's dream come true. Dick Barbour Racing using the fleet Porsche 911 GT3R captured the 2000 ALMS GT Championship in dominating fashion. The teams Porsches claimed victory in nine of the series twelve races. The team lead Porsche's runaway win in the GT Manufacturer's Championship, while the team's four drivers finished first through fourth in GT drivers points – with team member Dirk Muller walking away with the GT Drivers Championship. Before that incredible return season Barbour said, "It has always been important to me that my return to sportscar racing would be as strong as when I left. The opportunity to return with the world's best race car - Porsche, riding on the world's best tires - Michelin, with four of the world's best drivers – Dirk Muller, Lucas Luhr, Bob Wollek and Sascha Maassen is tremendous! I fully realize that to be successful with all of these incredible elements will still take hard work and dedication from the entire team. The 2000 STATS ALMS Victories - 9 ALMS GT Teams Champion Drivers Champion – Dirk Muller Barbour Drivers claim top four Championship positions (2nd Maassen, 3rd Wollek, 4th Luhr) Information Courtesy of Dick Barbour Racing