Lemans 1994 - Printable Version

Lemans 1994 - Printable Version

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Lemans 1994 - Renalicious - 05-27-2010

Recently I've noticed someone posting some Lemans videos on YouTube, saddly they've only posted short clips of the 1994 Lemans race: The years that GT1 and GT2 were brought in, and the only year that the yellow 968 Turbo RS actually participated.

Even though I may not have my 968 anymore [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif[/img] I'm still fond of this rare car, enough so that I seek out its presents at race events. Does anyone have, or knows someone who has, or knows a way to get copies of old LeMans broadcasts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKTGPqVPr4o This is a video of one of the Japanese NSX teams, and around the 8 second mark you see the yellow 968 slide into view before the camera cuts to a new scene. I'm curious what was said about it while it was still racing [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

Lemans 1994 - tom968 - 06-07-2010

Ren,

There were actually 2 968's in the 94 Le Mans. The Yellow 968
I believe was #58 Seikel Motorsport. 968 #66 had a trio of English
drivers.

#66 qualified 25th. Not bad. #58 qualified 39th out of 48 or so
entries.

You could look at Motorbooks.com to find a DVD re-cap of the race, but I
doubt there will be any mention of the 968's. I'd rather buy a back issue of
Excellence magazine covering the race.

Also, both cars did not finish or DNF. The #66 car on lap 34 due to engine.
The Seikel #58 car on lap 84 due to an accident.

Lemans 1994 - Fox944 - 06-07-2010

Tom which Turbo was this that raced in the '94 lemans? The Black car was entered in the '94 Lemans but never showed up. The Seikel Motorsport car did race with an RS converted OEM 968 Turbo S in the 1993 ADAC GT (Strahle Autosport's Car).

Lemans 1994 - tom968 - 06-09-2010

The info I have lists 2 968's in the entry list, qualifying, and
results.

Car #66 has lead driver Ray Belm(GB)/C.Rickett(GB)/H.Nuttall(GB).
The team name is Erik Henriksen. I don't know what color or
sponsorship the car had.

This was actually quite a race. F1 driver E. Irvine in a Toyota
edged out a Porsche-Stuck/Sullivan/Boutsen for 2nd place
by a couple of seconds.

The entry list was varied and included: Ferrari F40 & 348,
Dodge Viper, Honda NSX, Callaway Corvette, Nissan 300ZX,
amoung others.

Lemans 1994 - Eric_K - 06-09-2010

I don't think the Henriksen car ran LeMans. The racingsportscars site lists it as an entrant but it did not show.
http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Le_M...1994-06-19.html

The VIN lsted is the black "bubbles" car. No mention of LeMans with this car.
http://968turbo.homestead.com/Number3.html

You can find pictures of the yellow Seikel car at LeMans but no other 968 shots.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wannig/393395...57622286323411/

Lemans 1994 - Fox944 - 06-09-2010

Thats what i thought. 3 968 Turbo's ran at ADAC. Strahle Autosport (968 Turbo S), Seikel Motorsport (968 Turbo RS), & Weinnman Motorsport (968 Turbo S). I'm still trying to figure out the VIN for the Strahle Autosport ADAC GT car if anyone could help???

Lemans 1994 - tom968 - 06-10-2010

Eric, Fox,

Look at the site again. How could car #66 not show up when
it qualified 25th? The site gave the car a qualifying time of
4:25.76. That's about 7 seconds faster than the yellow
Seikal car. That's an eternity.

Also, the site states that car #66 did not finish-engine.
DNF means you didn't finish the race. It doesn't mean
you didn't show up.

My source says it completed 34 laps.

Lemans 1994 - Fox944 - 06-10-2010

tom,

From the sight

"Result: did not arrive (Not accepted)"

In Bubbles race history, no where does it say the car ran Lemans....

Lemans 1994 - Fox944 - 06-10-2010

And here is a short story from one of the cars drivers. Read the bold print, where he clearly states the car never made it to Lemans.

A weekend at Montlhery

By Bill Farmer with special thanks to Bruce Corwin

Little did I know that lending LJ911 to the club for the Bridgestone Champion exchange would lead to my driving possibly one of the best water pumpers that the Porsche race department has ever built. When I was called in the early hours of the morning some time in January 1994, I thought the question being put - "Do you want a drive at Le Mans?" was another invitation to the infamous Pukekohe relay races.

As I listened in disbelief I had been invited to team with Erik Hendriksen and Justine Bell in the latest factory-racing machine specially prepared for the event. One of only four 968 Turbo RS built. The arrangement was turn up at Montlhery, a track similar in style and vintage to Brooklands on the outskirts of Paris, complete the test (the Paris 1000kms) and, if you're good enough you're in the team. Seeing as I wasn't booked that afternoon, I graciously accepted.

As it was rolled out of the transporter I can vividly remember the impact of the styling. Sharper lines than the 928 but, softer than the 944. A Car that looked like it was doing 100 mph standing still. And everything brand new well 6oo odd km's on the clock. Tucked amongst the 3.6 RSR's and the F40's in the garages it certainly did not look out of place.

Being the 'fluffy' I had to wait for Eric and Justin to put her through her paces before I got a turn. But was it worth waiting for!
The first impression was one of total confidence in the engineering. Weisach technicians had once again excelled themselves with the preparation of this racecar. You felt very safe to be strapped into the 'pilots' seat. Next the controls. Everything was so light to operate. No Heavy clutch. Power assisted steering. And then the gearbox! Precise, direct, smooth. To a predominantly 911 driver heaven!

The power of the car was remarkably smooth for a turbo. So much so in fact that it was almost unremarkable. That was until you realized you were closing in on Cup cars at significantly higher speeds than they were doing and, as you drove out of corners you literally left them for dead.

With the front engine the balance of the car was superb allowing you to carry much greater speed through the corners. Maneuverability was unbelievable. You felt that you could put this car anywhere on the race track changing lines with ease. Even the unbelievably rough surface of the aging Montlhery track didn't seem to effect the handling to anywhere near an extent for the 968 as it did the other cars.

The final thing was the braking. This car had real stopping power. So good in fact that it was difficult to find the limits. No doubt the balance and suspension were contributing factors to this but, as a driver it was difficult not to be impressed.

The race was truly one of the highlights of my life, and the Porsche Turbo RS certainly contributed monumentally to the experience. Unfortunately that Sunday we weren't to finish the torturous Montlhery oval finally beating the internals in the gearbox to pieces. Our particular car never made it to Le Mans although Erik and Justine did complete the majority of the 1994 BPR series.

I understand it is still being garaged in the UK and if the opportunity ever presented itself again I would be keen to add my name to the top of the list for a drive.

Lemans 1994 - Eric_K - 06-10-2010

The #66 is a 911 RSR. Henriksen entered that car as well.

Lemans 1994 - Fox944 - 06-10-2010

Here is another picture of the # 58 Car.

The only time more then one factory Turbo was raced in the same venue was in the ADAC GT. A coupel of 968 Turbo S cars ran there along with a Turbo RS. Same Turbo RS in this photo, albeit with diff. livery and under a diff team.

Lemans 1994 - rxter - 06-10-2010

Check out the camber on that beast. Looks like there's 2000 lbs under the hood.

Lemans 1994 - tom968 - 06-12-2010

My mistake.

I dug up my Autosport from 23 June 1994, and Fox and
Eric you are right. Henricksen ran a Carrera RSR 3.8t.
This explains the disparity in qualifying times.

So they originally planned to run a 968, and for whatever
reason did not, but the 968 was not deleted from
some entry lists that made their way on some publications.

Fox is that quote from a book? I would like to read more.

If anyone wants copies from this Autosport I'll mail them
to you. It's a good issue.

Also, Le Mans is tomorrow, and it's hard to get excited when
Porsche is just going for class wins not the overall win. I
remember that 1994 race well. I didn't own a 968 then,
and didn't even know it was in the field.

Lemans 1994 - Fox944 - 06-12-2010

Tom, the short story is copied from the link Eric posted;

http://968turbo.homestead.com/Number3.html

They do not cite a soucre unfortunatly.

According to that story, the 968 never ran because of mechanical issues.


Unfortunately that Sunday we weren't to finish the torturous Montlhery oval finally beating the internals in the gearbox to pieces. Our particular car never made it to Le Mans although Erik and Justine did complete the majority of the 1994 BPR series.

Lemans 1994 - Renalicious - 06-18-2010

Thanks for the info [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

I was bidding on a 1994 DVD on ebay, it started off at $0.99, and in the last day shot up to over $75 O_o

As for that picture of the race, wow, at first glance I almost though that it was from a racing game or something because of the depth of field and low angle, heh.

Lemans 1994 - ds968 - 06-14-2015

Porsche won LeMans for a record 17th time ! Impressive would be an understatement . Now if they could only build a car each for Formula1 , Indy, and NASCAR ...

Lemans 1994 - Bulti - 06-15-2015

Only the second year since '98 they give it a shot again, and bingo! Quite the achievement. No Toyota in the top-5. That must be painful...

Lemans 1994 - Tom030 - 06-15-2015

Quote:Porsche won LeMans for a record 17th time ! Impressive would be an understatement . Now if they could only build a car each for Formula1 , Indy, and NASCAR ...

No NASCAR but they built the T.A.G. Formula 1 engine used in the McLarens in the late 80s and an Indy car in the 90's powerd buy a 2.6 litre flat 6.

~tom

Lemans 1994 - ds968 - 06-16-2015

I remember the 90s Indy, had no idea though they built the engine for McLarens ..

Toyotas may have been in the top 5 but I heard that just before the race they had to recall the cars to replace the Takata airbags in them .. :-) :-)

Lemans 1994 - Tom030 - 06-16-2015

"......Takata air bags"

ROFLMAO..

~tom