mark kibort

When Darrell Anderson, (current points leader in the Griggs Racing 750hp Mustang in the SCCA ITE class series), offered up a spare car so I could run in the last race at Laguna Seca, I was speechless. Unreal that a fellow competitor would offer one of his cars for me to run, and finish out the series after my loss of the Holbert 928. A great guy and good friend, Darrell has become, on and off the track. It was a little too much hassle, to drive up to thunderhill, borrow a trailer from another racer friend in Santa Cruz and get the car. But, I was getting pushed hard by Darrel. Then Scot offered up his car, saying what the heck, you want to run some Rx7 when you can drive a 928, keeping the 928 season with SCCA alive. I reluctantly agreed. Then when Scot went MIA for a few days and emailed me Thursday that nothing was done to fix the front end damage on the 928, and the blown power steering hose was not ordered, and it needed an Amsoil change, I realized the race was not going to happen. I called Darrell, who was at the track practicing for the race weekend, and told him that it was off. He pushed hard for me to "Just get the car! We have guys here that will fix it, you got to get back on that horse! " Scot was at the track working on the Rescue team, and Darrell hunted him down. Soon, the plan was in place to bring the car to the track. CT Automotive was also in on the plan. They heard that we needed to get a lot of work done, and only had 3 more hours on Friday, to get a part order and delivered by 8am Saturday morning to allow us to fix the car to just be able to open the hood, AND install the power steering hose and change the oil and tires. ON top of all this, i was screwing around in the garage with all the tires and damaged wheels from the crash of the Holbert car and while trying to remove the inner part of the rim from a destroyed rim and tire, I slipped off the tire, it fell toward me and I fell over it, ripping my hamstring tendon behind my knee. Well, now, in terrible pain and unable to walk, at least the decision was easy. Game over. Not so fast, CT Automotive's Chris Young was not accepting quitting this plan. He asked me to get in a car and see if I could operate a clutch with my bad left leg and I could. That was all he needed to hear, "We are racing! There is no quitting now! You need this! " So, without being able to pack up and drive over to the shop, he picked me up at 6:30am on Saturday, the day of the race, where the green flag was going to drop at near lunch time. In the mean time, Scot and CT’s Rylan had been doing some makeshift autobody work using posts and the lift in the shop. When I got there , the hood was opening and we were adjusting to be able to close it securely. Ryan and I fixed the hose , while chris and Scot went to the World Pac office where the part was delivered, and got some oil.
They got that car packed up with my gear and I was on my way by 9am. 10:30 I was at the track, unpacking and on pre grid 30min later. Meanwhile Darrell was filing paperwork to change my car number from 19 to 99 and the car transponder . He had guys there to help me get ready to go, and get in the car to race.
The race:
I was not able to qualify the day earlier, so I started at the back of the pack. Probably good since I didn’t have much time on the track with scots car and it had some problems that needed to be figured out. Transmission issues, mainly. Others with mechanicals were behind the pack with me. I got a good start, passing many of the back of the pack of 35+ cars and then at turn 8, the transmission locks me out. Its not in gear, but Its not in neutral . “PERFECT” I think to myself just as I approach the hot pit entrance, but just then, after moving the clutch in an out, and moving the gear lever, I find “real “ neutral. I put it in 2nd and take off . I now have to pass all those cars again. The transmission does that to me a few more times. I realize that I need to be very very gentle and it will go into gear easier and not bind. I end up 15th but learn how to shif the car. Precise engine speed matching and gentle shifting. Car rolls a lot, but no under steer. Brakes are VERY weak, but the pads are decent (Hawk HT-10s)
Qual went much better and clicked off a 1:44, but was hoping for faster as scot’s race times are usually 1:42-3s in most races. I ended up 13th.
Race 2, Sunday: The race went well and was a ton of fun, I rallied with a couple of the NW 911s and the local spec 911 B.Soonwalla, as well as Andre’ Harintano in the WC Touring RSx, and ended up 10th.
Race 3. Sunday: Good start, but the engine was misfiring at 5000rpm, but that lost me a few spots but got them back after another great battle with the 911s. Corner workers after the race, said it was the only close battle going on. I ended up passing the spec 911 in our battle and ended up in 6th place overall and running 1:42.7, a time almost exactly the same as I ran in my part euro 5 liter about 8 years earlier. (But on old toyos and scots crazy suspension set up)
The guys pulled this off and it was a great weekend. The workers, SCCA officials and most of the racers all stopped by saying how sorry they were for the crash of the Holbert 928 the prior race weekend. Unreal support, true friendships. Quite a weekend. They were all right. It was just what I needed.
Now, on to the rebuld and possibly one more race at Thunderhill for the double points regional to finish out he the season. Scot will drive his car, or what is left of it.  and I will be driving one of Darrell’s Rx7s .


pictures :

Scots 928 part euro 5 liter
The boys up at the crack of dawn to work on the car at CT Automovtive
Scot Chris and me in the car
Ryan and Scot
The Social at the track honoring the Driving Ambition race shop, with owner Chad, Darrel and Andre looking on as Rylans and Heths blown S2000, and Kips 750hp NSX sit in the background during the "meet the team" event.

Marine Blue

Glad you're back in the saddle Mark. Looks like you were able to keep many of the cars at bay even with the different setup.

Great friends btw and unbelievable support. That's what the sport is really all about.

FredR

Mark,

Saddened to read hear about your accident and the resulting loss- you must be gutted.

Hope you can find or build a suitable replacement.

Best wishes

Fred R

IcemanG17

Sweet......how many races are left?

S4ordie

Great story Mark. Love to see that racing can be good co-opetition as well as competition.

svp928

Way to go Mark! Hats off to Scot and Darrel and the fix-it crew..

Steve

86'928S MeteorGrey

Wow. Does it get any better than this?

mark kibort

Here is race 2 rear cam video with scots car!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jSL2Ljo3qU

HERE IS THE FRONT VIEW OF RACE 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNG9DSLhuPc

mark kibort

Here is the final RACE 3 out the front of the car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pWwbjsw0aE


RACE 2:

REAR CAM video with scots car in RACE 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jSL2Ljo3qU

HERE IS THE FRONT VIEW OF RACE 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNG9DSLhuPc

Race 1 was not worth watching. just a lot of transmission lock outs, and running around slower traffic and just getting used to the car. (no practice of qualifying before hand)

Drewster67

Thanks for posting - as always - GOOD STUFF!

shmark

Just watched all of race 3, that was fun. Nice drive!