Congrats Rob. You have certainly bought the most successful and storied race 928 in the world. And I think it is pretty clear you have the energy, connections, and resources to get it back on the track. Good job, and we will be staying tuned to hear how the White Zombie story goes on.

Not to side track, but I am wondering why Mark decided to sell. Not racing at all any more, or just not 928s? Just could not face building one more motor, or moved on to the 911s, or just been there, done that, or college tuition for kids, or family had enough? Not really my business, but Mark has been racing 928s as long as I have been driving them, and I was always inspired. Personally, any interest I had in racing 928s myself went away when I watched Mark's in car videos as I just 100% know I will never be anywhere close to as confident and aggressive in any car as he was in the Zombie.

 

Thanks for the very kind words Karl.
My interest level has been dropping over the years. Somewhat due to many of my friends no longer racing and partially because of the cost. For many years I was buying slightly used slicks for $75 each. At my home track I'd go through 8 in a weekend so still a large expense. My sources dried up and the only tires I could get were now $500 each. I stopped racing my 928 at tracks where the abrasion level was high and just ran at Laguna Seca and Fontana where I could make 1 set of tires last all weekend. At this point I had the cup car at my disposal and all the free tires I could store so it made racing the cup an easy choice most weekends. I also liked the challenge of learning to drive a new and totally different car. For years I had some competitors complain that I was faster only because I had more HP and more tire so driving a spec car like the cup eliminated that. When my 928 engine blew up I knew that it was time to call it quits in that car for me. I soon after took the cup car to a Pirelli cup race and the motor would not start because it hydraulic a cylinder that filled up with oil. The valve guides are really shot and my leak down was now over 25%. I was able to get it started after I drained the oil out of the cylinder and it ran fine all weekend. I went home with 2 first place trophies and even beat many of the 997 cups. I thought this may be a good time to call it quits.
I would never say this is it forever but after racing almost 10 weekends a year for over 20 years I think those days are over.
I'm sure I will be on the track here and there when the opportunity presents itself like co driving an endurance race or doing some instructing. Well that and when that fully funded ride presents itself

 

Mark, please document the history, best you can, even what might seem trivial.

At my house, me and visitors/family would work on our ratty 928 all day, then watch your and MK's track videos on the computer for inspiration. My 78 year old dad, never raced, never drove a porsche, wearing headphones, fist in air rooting for you in races that happened years ago is something I won't forget.

Congrats to Rob for making an impact, too, every time he posts here.
(Rob, I showed wife something you wrote, like, "behold the EZZRM..." and now I have my own set)

Even the little stuff matters more than you think sometimes.

 

I'm glad I could provide some intertainment. Nobody enjoyed it more than I did. I have great memories of traveling the country and meeting 928 fans and customers everywhere I went.
Trust me Rob has collected every bit of info I can put my hands on. Every reciept, dyno run, weight slip, race result, in car tape ect. The only thing he didn't get were my trophies and memories.

 

The spreadsheet of the chronology is currently at about 1100 lines. I've entered every receipt, every race (that I know about), every track day, the sticker configuration at a given event, every dyno run, etc....

Mark handed me a box of VHS and mini-DV tapes, literally 50 of them, all race footage. Working on digitizing them as time allows, plan is to upload all of it to Youtube. Anyone got an old miniDV camera with an analog out? I'd happily pay postage so I can offload video to hard drive.

Here's the first couple of lines, as a teaser:

 

I've got the camera I used to tape all of it but I'm not sure about the output. I'll bring it to work

 

The Zombie's history not just about the entertainment value, although that is huge. It is the single most clear and final answer to any question regarding the heritage and performance of the 928. I think its campaign history will continue to have long term impact on the interest in and value of these cars far into the future. It seems pretty clear that Rob understands this and will leave no stone unturned on the history while keeping the Zombie from collecting dust. He gets to be both torch bearer and fanboy!

 

Have a longtime friend who tows with one of those. Says he doesn't even notice the 21' boat on the back dragging up and over Cajon Pass to Laughlin in the summer. Torque is 'adequate'.

Does the TDI Cayene share the baby diesel used in the Q7? Tht's a lot less torque than the Toureg with V10 TDI.

 

So a few years ago, the local Toyota club wanted to do a 'show off', and volunteered to tow Rose Parade floats a few miles from down in the arroyo where the Rose Bowl lives. Most puked transmission oil in the first few hundred feet going up the hill out of the arroyo. Real trucks were used for the rest of the short journey. There's no substitute for the right tow vehicle.

That said, the Odyssey would be fine for the car on an open trailer, with a few hundred pounds of standard supplies in the minivan. You don't take anything you aren't able to fix in a couple hours at the track, so it's tires, fluids, a jack and stands, a mini compressor, and some common hand tools. Plus a tarp for the ground, a couple big Easy-Up shades, a cooler with lots of water and lunch, and some chairs with umbrellas.

 

The odyssey is the same platform as my wifes old MDX....I think it was rated for 5000lbs.... Buy a quality aluminum open trailer you should be well under 5000...

Of course another win-win is buy a "stronger" SUV for the other Dr Rob.....

 

Current tow rating is 3500# for 2WD models, and they require an accessory trans cooler and a power steering cooler. I'm shopping those pieces aftermarket now for a new Pilot acquisition that should show up in the next few days. Same platform as the Odyssey. Tow rating is slightly higher for 4WD models. The front comes off to install the trans cooler.

 

Bob, you will want to buy (or I can mail you my set) a pair of the K-D tools 45o offset body clip pliers, they're key to getting the front bumper cover off. Worth the $20 in avoided frustration/annoyance with those stupid plastic Honda body clip/pins.

 

I think you guys just want Rob to suffer as much at home as you do.

These things take time. "Significant others" need to be slowly "conditioned" to crazy toys.

It's way easier to "sell" a dual purpose car, at home, than a dedicated race car.

Then one day, when you get home really late, from waiting at the track for a tow truck to drag your broken "dual purpose vehicle" home, it can be your "significant other's" idea for you to get a trailer!

Way less pain. Uses up way less "husband" points.

 

Honestly, I'm still getting back up to zero husband points after having to call Mrs/Dr. Rob to pick me up the night I blew up the GTS at the top of the Grapevine, after having bought a 1-way plane ticket to go 'look' at it And that was after parlaying her 'ok' to buy the $8500 engineless GTS that Jim Morton ended up with, into the $22K GTS that ended up engineless....

Mark was there, on a Sunday night at 928Intl, when she arrived way after dark to pick me up, he's still in counseling after having seen the look on her face.

But I make really good coffee and am _amazing_ in bed, so it's all good.

 

Can I have the trophies?