Al Holbert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Holbert
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| Born | 11 November 1946 |
| Died | 30 September 1988 (aged 41) |
Alvah Robert "Al" Holbert (born November 11, 1946 – died September 30, 1988) was a famous American race car driver. He won the IMSA Camel GT series five times. He was also the fifth driver to achieve the unofficial "Triple Crown" in endurance racing, which means winning the three biggest long-distance races: the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Al Holbert once held the record for the most wins in IMSA races, with 49 victories!
Contents
About Al Holbert's Life and Racing Career
Al Holbert was born in Abington, Pennsylvania. His father, Bob Holbert, was also a race car driver and owned one of the first Porsche dealerships in the USA. Al followed in his father's footsteps.
Early Racing Days
Al studied Mechanical Engineering at Lehigh University and graduated in 1968. While he was in college, he worked for a famous racing team owner, Roger Penske. Al started racing Porsches in amateur races. In 1971, he won his first race in a Porsche. By 1974, he decided to become a professional race car driver.
Becoming a Champion
Al won his first two IMSA championships in 1976 and 1977, driving a car called a Dekon Monza. Even though he was a big fan of Porsche, he let Porsche engineers study his Monza car. This helped Porsche create their own powerful turbocharged cars, which then dominated the racing series. Al soon joined the Porsche team.
From 1976 to 1979, Al also competed in 19 NASCAR races, finishing in the top ten four times. In 1983, he won another IMSA GTP title with a March 83G car, which used a Chevrolet and Porsche engine. He also won the Grand Prix of Miami that year.
Major Wins and Porsche Leadership
Al Holbert was incredibly successful in endurance races:
- He won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans three times (1983, 1986, and 1987).
- He won the 24 Hours of Daytona twice (1986 and 1987).
- He won the 12 Hours of Sebring twice (1976 and 1981).
In 1984, he finished fourth in the 1984 Indianapolis 500. Al became the head of Porsche North America's Motorsports Division and also ran his own racing team, called Holbert Racing. He won two more IMSA GTP championships in 1985 and 1986, driving a Porsche 962 car sponsored by Löwenbräu.
By 1988, Al realized that his successful Porsche 962 was getting old compared to newer cars like the Jaguar XJR-9 and the Electramotive's Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo. He had a plan to build a new open-top race car with a Porsche engine for other racing teams to use. Porsche later built a similar car, but it was not for customer teams as Al had hoped.
Al Holbert's Passing and Legacy
Sadly, on September 30, 1988, Al Holbert passed away in a plane crash near Columbus, Ohio, shortly after takeoff. After his passing, his racing team was closed down, and IMSA decided to retire his race number, 14, to honor him.
Al Holbert's legacy continued through his team. His former chief mechanic, Kevin Doran, became a well-known team owner. Al's son, Todd Holbert, also became a mechanic and now works with Toyota on their NASCAR vehicles.
Awards
Al Holbert's achievements were recognized with several awards:
- He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993.
- He was also inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1993.
Gallery
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Holbert's 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 on static display at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV
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Holbert driving a VDS in the 1982 Can-Am.
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Holbert in a March 83G-Porsche in 1983.
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Holbert drove a March 84C in the 1984 CART series.
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