CANADA’S COUNTERPOINT TO PETER “PERFECT” HAD THE GALL TO TAKE HIS APPEAL OVER A MAJOR AMERICAN SANCTIONING BODY’S DECISION ALL THE WAY TO FRANCE STORY BY DAN PROUDFOOT —AND WON. LEAD PHOTO WILLIAM GREEN MOTOR RACING LIBRARY PHOTO COURTESY ROAD AMERICA PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY ROAD AMERICA PHOTO COURTESY Ludwig The Loud 96 PANORAMA SEPTEMBER 2014 SEPTEMBER 2014 PANORAMA 97 AMONG PORSCHE DRIVERS, Heim- Dan Gurney, his sunny Californian [with Gregg]…couldn’t stand that rath was the master of Mosport, counterpart in Porsche racing. Heim- arrogant personality.” eclipsing American aces Bob Hol- rath considered him a friend. If arrogance were like aikido, a bert and Herb Swan in RS 60s and RS Heimrath told me to get lost the martial art, Gregg and Heimrath ap- 61s in the track’s early international first time we met, in 1963. I’d turned peared to be tenth-degree black belts. If Peter Gregg is remembered events. Smooth and fearless, Heim- up at his shop unannounced, a fan They started even in many ways. rath drove into corners faster than taking a day off from J-school hop- Porsche sent ten 934.5s to North most. He exited faster as well. ing to hang out and witness the mag- America for 1977. Gregg bought the Was beating touring Yanks really ic going into his Porsches. At 19, I second, serial number 930 770 0952. in racing circles as Peter Perfect, a big deal? Well, yes it was. Did Amer- hadn’t stopped to think that Heim- Heimrath’s 934.5 was 930 770 0958. icans not go bonkers after topping rath worked every day on customer Significantly, Gregg also bought a 935. Canada and Russia in Olympic hock- cars, every night on his race car, and Each owned fabled Porsche dealer- ey in 1980, the Miracle on Ice? Chests not at all on public relations. ships, Gregg’s in Jacksonville, Flori- Ludwig Heimrath is known as do swell whenever underdogs top- “Ludwig was absolutely single- da and Heimrath’s in Toronto, On- ple overdogs, and American racing minded,” says Ruth Bartels, a stal- tario. Each had contributed greatly loomed as the big league as the Ca- wart of Toronto’s Deutscher Automo- to the ascent of Porsche in their re- nadian sport evolved from airport bil Club from the early 1960s. “He just spective countries by taking cham- Ludwig The Loud. circuits like Harewood Acres. didn’t have time for anything other pionships, Gregg in 911s, Heimrath in Whatever their alliterative personas, they didn’t like each other. In fact, mutual distaste and singular determination fueled their epic 1977 Trans-Am confrontation, which ended with each claiming to have won the championship. Heimrath won the ❖ Pivotally, Ludwig seized on one of Peter’s 1961 Canadian imperfections, believing modifications to his championship in the Eglinton-Cale- 934.5 made it too much of a 935, and he donia RS 60 (left), earning a seat in wouldn’t let go. Heimrath told the world, loud- a factory 718/2 in ly, that Gregg was a cheat. ❖ Such was Gregg’s a non-points Formula 1 race at stature as North America’s foremost Porsche Pau, France, in April 1962 (below). entrant and driver that Heimrath’s modest profile gained a hot neon glow for having the Heimrath believed he could beat than his racing and his business. He temerity, impertinence, and tenacity to refuse anybody. And for a time, it seemed was a DAC member, yes, but he didn’t he might. Four years after beginning come out to meetings or events. Ev- to accept losing to him. If American racing in a Volkswagen Beetle, he was in eryone referred to him as ‘Heim- buffs of a certain age remember Heimrath as he Formula 1, racing a Porsche 718/2 rath,’ never ‘Ludwig.’ He already was at Pau, France, as his reward for an icon, never one of the gang.” turns 80, this is likely the reason why. ❖ winning the 1961 Canadian champi- onship. He was both legend and na- “THERE WERE NO AIRS about Lud- We Canadians remember more. Heimrath raced tional standard for generations of wig,” reflects Hurley Haywood when COLLECTION HEIMRATH PHOTOS COURTESY for 19 years before 1977, and 23 more after- Canadian drivers up to and includ- asked about the Heimrath he met in ing Scott Goodyear and Paul Tracy. the 1970s. “He was never afraid or ward. That Trans-Am season is but a small part None of that made him easy to shy to give you his views on life. He like. Combative to the point of hos- hated Peter, but he liked me. We of- of his story, albeit the centerpiece. tility, focused beyond sociability, and ten had dinner and talked about possessing a hair-trigger temper, he business and racing. He couldn’t seemed the north polar opposite to even stand being in the same room 98 PANORAMA SEPTEMBER 2014 SEPTEMBER 2014 PANORAMA 99 PHOTO DON MARKLE PHOTO BRENT MARTIN PHOTO KEVIN HUGHEY COLLECTION AT THE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR RACING RESEARCH CENTER THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTO KEVIN HUGHEY COLLECTION AT an RS 60. Both were well connected that his move from IMSA Camel GT had refused to fill his order for cer- 934.5 and finally Follmer’s. Heim- lose. It would change everything. Gregg was fastest “Gregg’s is the in Zuffenhausen and Weissach. to SCCA Trans-Am competition for tain engine and drivetrain parts that rath’s tires came into question, which As the teams set up for practice, by far in successive They came from different planets, the 1977 season was a major coup Gregg was believed to be running, only fed his budding paranoia that Heimrath’s son, Ludwig Jr., viewed weekends at though. Gregg was a Harvard gradu- for the SCCA as it attempted to re- citing their illegality. But John Tima- the SCCA was against him. the Brumos Porsche 934.5 with its Seattle and ate (English) and former Navy intel- boot interest in its pro road-racing nus, the SCCA’s technical director, “Goodyear only had rain tires for wheels off. “I was a goofy kid, just Westwood, B.C. most illegal car ligence officer. Heimrath picked his series. Heimrath’s calling card? His told reporters that the Brumos 934.5 Peter Gregg, so we ended up with a hanging around,” he says, speaking (above, left), but English up with a master’s degree in first Trans-Am victory, at Mosport in “complies with the rules.” mix of Goodyears and Firestones,” today from his All-Composite Inc. Heimrath won the four-letter inflection in the shop at 1976, ahead of Al Holbert and George Gregg reveled in the fuss. relates Auguste Lecourt, Heimrath’s firm in Spanaway, Washington. “But Seattle season I’ve ever seen,” Volkswagen Canada after immigrat- Follmer. The Henninger Carrera RSR “I think George has gone down- mechanic that day. “The series want- I knew what I was looking at.” opener. Hurley ing from Germany. Gregg was pol- he drove that day was recently on hill as a driver,” said Gregg of the ed to disqualify us—until Goodyear “I drooled when I saw the axle Haywood, seen ished. Aggravating that, he seemed display at the Porsche Museum. one-time F1 racer. “He doesn’t race stepped up and said they couldn’t shafts on Peter’s car. Big titanium here chatting with privileged. Only 25 years old when he enough to keep up his skills. It may provide us with a full set.” chunks…awesome. They were 917 Heimrath (above, remarked Heimrath purchased the well-established Brun- THE MOOD WAS SOUR in the pad- be a question of age. What is George, style, off the 935,” continues Heim- middle), took the dage Motors, his ambitions were well dock even before a wheel turned at in his mid-forties?” Follmer had BY LATE SUMMER, Gregg had three rath Jr., a 20-year-old engineering T-A category of funded. Heimrath progressed from the 1977 Trans-Am season opener at turned 43 that past January. Gregg, wins, Heimrath one. The Brumos student at the time but a driver des- the Watkins Glen to a reporter... foreman at VW Canada’s engine re- Seattle International Raceway. Peter himself 37, routinely played mind driver was fastest by far, qualifying tined to race in the Indianapolis 500. six hours. At building department to running his Gregg’s 934.5 was the issue. Every- games with his fastest rivals. on the pole in eight of his ten starts. “The problem was you couldn’t run Mosport’s six own shop, which was authorized for one knew IMSA officials had sent “I was his biggest enemy from Even so, Heimrath led in points and these driveshafts on a 934.5. It re- hours, the David Porsche warranty work. Gregg home from Road Atlanta a day one,” says Heimrath today. “He’d grit. Sure that the SCCA was against quired taking a torch and cutting an Hobbs/Ronnie Gregg reveled Gregg bought a 904 GTS a year month earlier because his Porsche’s walk down the pit lane saying crazy him, unsure of Porsche’s support, arc out of the car’s understructure. Peterson BMW after getting his start in a Corvette, forward bodywork had been altered. things. I laughed at him. He couldn’t paranoia fed his resolve. We pointed it out to our guys. The leads Shelton, and co-drove a Ferrari 250 at Se- Word was SCCA officials told him touch me. I was no nobody.” “Ludwig was always a bit jealous reaction was, ‘Are they forfeiting the Heimrath (above, in the fuss.