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Martin Raffauf
JoinedSeptember 19, 2021
Articles48
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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. 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.
Book Reviews

Porsche at Le Mans—70 Years by Glen Smale

The 24 hours of Le Mans is arguably the world’s greatest race. It started in 1923. Porsche first entered the race shortly after the second World war in 1951, as a fledgling manufacturer. They have an unbroken run of competing for seventy years. When Porsche started—having just been producing the... Read More
PRRPorsche News

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2019

Warmup in front of Bruce Canepa’s compound. (From L-R): 962-102, an IMSA AAR Toyota HF89, 962-F01 Wynn’s car, and Bruce’s Schuppan chassis It may have taken place just over a week ago, but the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2019 was another top-drawer event that should be celebrated for the manner... Read More
Motorsport & RacingPRR

Autobau – the hidden gem

The front door of Autobau, which is built inside a turn of the 20th century alcohol storage facility There is a collection of cars that every racing and car enthusiast should see. It is at the Autobau, located in Romanshorn, Switzerland. On the southern shore of Lake Constance, the Autobau... Read More
Motorsport & RacingPRRYesteryear

Early 1980 IMSA GT Championship

John Fitzpatrick during practice for the Sebring 12-hour race in 1980
Bob Garretson in #009 00030 during practice for the 1980 Daytona 24 hours. This is the original 1979 factory configuration on this car By the time that we reached the IMSA Riverside Los Angeles Times Grand Prix in April, the Dick Barbour Racing team’s IMSA GT championship season had been... Read More
Motorsport & RacingPRRYesteryear

Porsche at Norisring 1980

The #8 Kremer K3 Porsche 935 entered by Dick Barbour and driven by John Fitzpatrick, in the pit lane ahead of the 1980 Norisring race. The author, Martin Raffauf, is at the car’s right front wheel The Race for the Pork Cutlets… The end of June 1980 was a busy... Read More
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