Sportscar legend Dick Barbour will return to Le Mans to compete for the first time in twenty years. Dick Barbour Racing will enter one Porsche 911 GT3R - the number 83 car, driven by Dirk Muller, Lucas Luhr and Bob Wollek. At the Le Mans Practice Session on April 30 the Dick Barbour Racing Porsche scored the fastest lap and broke the track record in the GT class. This will be Barbour's first visit to Le Mans since returning to sportscar racing with this year's American Le Mans Series. This competition will mark almost 20 years to the day since Barbour won his third straight 24 Hours of Le Mans. Barbour won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three years in a row - 1978, 1979 and 1980. Each of the three victories were in a Porsche 935 Twin Turbo. In 1978 Barbour, John Paul and Brian Redman drove their #90 Porsche 935/77 #930 890 0024 to 1st in IMSA and 5th overall.

In 1979,Barbour entered a four car team at La Sarthe. Barbour, Paul Newman and Rolf Stommelin placed 1st in IMSA 2nd overall in the #70 entry.
Photo Courtesy of Speedvison

In 1980, Barbour came back with a stable of three cars. Barbour, John Fitzpatrick and Brian Redman qualified the #70 Barbour Porsche 935 K3/80 #000 00023 second overall and went on to finish 1st in IMSA and 5th Overall.
"When I arrived at Le Mans for the first practice session, after an absence of nearly twenty years, it was as though I had never left," said Barbour. "All of my past memories came flooding back to mind - the sheer magnitude and overwhelming importance of Le Mans. The history, the ambience, the challenge and the significance of Le Mans to a racer such as myself are staggering. I have so many incredible memories of the fans, the competition, and the camaraderie. Words are simply not enough to describe how happy and excited I am to be back," he added. Dick Barbour Racing has demonstrated an extremely strong competitive ability for a new team by capturing wins at all of the ALMS races to date - The 12 Hours of Sebring, The Grand Prix of Charlotte and The Silverstone USA 500 Challenge. At each of these three races Dick Barbour Racing also scored the pole position, broke the track record and had the fastest lap. The team is currently first in points and its drivers Bob Wollek and Sascha Maassen are tied for first with Dirk Muller in third place and Lucas Luhr in fourth. "l'm extremely proud of my new team and I'm very grateful for the support given to us by Porsche, Michelin and Mobil 1. My team consistently strives to maintain the highest standard of excellence that our sponsors are known for worldwide. We've been very fortunate to achieve some great victories so far this year, and I consider it not only a personal challenge, but also an obligation to my team, my sponsors and our fans to triumph at Le Mans. The challenge is enormous and intense - and I welcome it - its all part of the magic that is, and has always been, Le Mans," said Barbour.

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Last updated June 1,2000