14 years in Pro Sports Car Racing.

[blacksheep-1]

Trying to put together the greatest hits. please don't respond until I'm finished, thanks.


It all started 10 days after I retired from SPFD, I went to Daytona to hangout with a friend who was driving for Phoenix with the factory Subi program.

 

[blacksheep-1]

pics from Grand Am and PWC

 

[blacksheep-1]

One of my favosite races, Kansas Speedway. After being DQ'd in the quallie we had to start last, 4 laps in we were running 4th. Two drunks were leaning over the retaining wall rooting us on, they later scrouged some tires from us and had AJ and Kurt signe them Finished P2 at night.

 

[blacksheep-1]

We pulled the plug on the Grand Am program and started running Pirelli World Challenge, Phoenix won the Team, manufacturers, and just missed the driver's championship.
The best was yet to come, in 2017 with the advent of the GT4 program the old Boss was pulled out of retirement and put the spanking new Camaro Gt4 on the trailer...twice.
Then PWC lowered the BoP boom, and that was the end of that.
AJ Aquilante, Kurt Rezzatano were both rockets, and could tune from the driver's seat. We would make suspension changes of less that 25 pounds of spring rate.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I crewed on cars other than mustangs, Porsches, Audis and Aston Martins

 

[blacksheep-1]

In 2020 I went to work at Kohr, while I also worked at Phoenix, those folks that know all the parties can appreciate how I walked that tightrope, but in the end both teams were awesome to work for.

 

[blacksheep-1]

It wasn't always perfect...
and the bank at Homestead always made me sweat bullets, worst track on tires, ever

 

[blacksheep-1]

in 2020 Kohr won the IMSA GS championship with the Aston Martin.
The Suzarooney decal was for a friend of mine named Sue Deitz. She had terminal cancer. She always followed us, her husband showed her the pic of the car, we finished 3rd at Sebring sealing the deal. She was aware of it, when she passed 5 hours later.
Nate Stacey and Kyle Marcelli were the drivers.

 

[blacksheep-1]

After 2022 things settled down, Kyle Marcelli drove, so did Nate Stacey, Billy Johnson, maybe a couple of others, we just barely missed winning Daytona when we passed a lapped car in the bus stop, the car kicked up a bolt that went right through the oil cooler, while leading at about 15 minutes to go.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Back issues continued to be a huge problem for me, I was sucked into "1 more year" with the new S650 platform and some kid named Luca Mars.
The end result was the driver, team and mfg championship in the VP fuels sprint series. In GS, it went away, we had to splash n go at Daytone with 2 laps remaining, while leading (IMSA had just taken away 2 liters of fuel capacity) We were speard by an errant BMW at Sebring and had to take 5 laps to replace a lower control arm..if it wasn't one thing it was another... We did have a few podiums but the new car with its narrow front track, and newly developed, smaller front tire caused a multitude of issues, finally, we started to figure it out, too little, too late.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I got to meet some awesome individuals. The Aquilantes, Kurt, Nate Stacey and his parents, Billy Johnson, Kyle Marcelli, Dean and Amy at Kohr.
Crew guys like John Sandy, Benny "the jet" front tire changer, engineers like Stephan Pfiefer, Jeff F, Taylor, and Jeff from Michelin, Big John from Hoosier and Bruce Foss among others. I know there are some I have forgotten, there are guys I've met from this website like Chris, Bill Tee Law and others at the races. Plus this crazy Italian guy that wanted to race at Daytona.
It's been a great ride, and although it's officially over. I'll still be around. Thanks for all the support from TMO as well.

 

[blacksheep-1]

 

[blacksheep-1]

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Hard to believe, 10 years with Phoenix Performance....

Pretty incredible time, I was retired (From FD) about 10 days before I started my new career.. Little did I know when I went to the ROAR in 2011 to watch friend Bret Spaude run the Subaru that I would be here. I'm not one to sit around so when I saw that they needed some help I pitched in (they...

trackmustangsonline.com

 

[blacksheep-1]

It's been a great ride..I tried to bring as many of you along as I could.

 

[JP X]

Dang, thanks Rob! What a great opportunity you had, and I for one appreciate your contribution to the community.

 

[blacksheep-1]

More stuff..

 

[blacksheep-1]

 

[Sjohnson1800]

What a great career! Enjoy the retirement my kids liked meeting up with you these last couple of years at road America and would cheer harder knowing “they knew a guy” on the teams. Thanks for always posting and updating from the track I’ll miss those. Now enjoy some nice long drives in the super beater!

 

[flyhalf]

I mean yeah not bad but.....
You forgot the MOST IMPORTANT ONE OF YOUR CAREER
me! Lol
THANKS FOR EVERY SINGLE ADVICE YOU GAVE AND GIVE ME.
That victory was also yours.

Daytona NASA nationals 2021
TT2 championship.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Heh, Rob, now you can just enjoy going to track events with your TMO buds to help them with choices, info ,etc. and you will likely now be paid in Buds.................or Coronas, or Modelo, or Coors, or...............

What a great, fun career at the track and it is always fun when your job is also your hobby. Your love affair is not over , you need to get the beater Mustang and trailer out there and chart a path around the Country running with all of us!