Birth of a Racer (or two). A Successful First Year! - by Tony Kopacz

The HSR West 2.0 liter series was created as a take off of the successful HSR series that had been running on the east coast. Ed Swart had worked for Joe Pendegrass, who heads up the HSR East series, and had created a similar series on the West coast.

Wayne Baker approached Ed in September, 2000 to create a 2.0 liter Porsche Challenge race group to be part of the HSR West series. Ed asked Wayne to find sponsors for the group, provide track support and find participants. Because of Wayne’s relationship with Yves Junne, who co-piloted Stanley Gold’s Porsche 910 at the prestigious Tour Auto in 2000, Motul Lubricants became the prime sponsor. Yves is head of World Marketing for the company.

Wayne Baker racing an RSK

The next step was to find drivers. One of the first to step up to the plate was Tony Kopacz, a Navy Captain. Since 1975, Tony had owned a 1970 Porsche 911T, which had been maintained strictly as a street car by Personalized Autohaus (Wayne’s Porsche service shop) for the previous 25 years. Tony had been contemplating doing something with the car, and was debating between concouring and racing.

Tony and his wife, Ann, attended the 1999 Coronado Speed Festival, where Wayne was driving the same Porsche 910. This was the first auto race that Tony and Ann had ever attended. They were so impressed, not only by the cars, but by the people involved, that they started giving serious consideration to taking up the sport. It was at this event that Tony and Wayne negotiated a trade. One airplane ride to and from the U.S.S. John C. Stennis for a ride in the Porsche 910. Tony and Ann fulfilled their part of the bargain with a COD flight to the aircraft carrier that Fall, as was reported in the January, 2000 Windblown Witness.

Wayne’s part was covered on a test day at Willow Springs International Raceway soon after the Stennis trip. After that day on the track, they were sold on racing. A trip to Bondurant and some suspension mods, and Tony was ready for time trialing at Qualcomm Stadium. Shortly after this race career began came a transfer to Washington, D.C. This move made the racing career a little more complicated, and ended up being a “fly and drive” program.

In 2001, Tony started a 7-race series with HSR West, starting with a March event at WSIR. Ann was being very supportive about Tony’s new “career,” but he wanted her to be involved as a driver as well. Tony could not get out of D.C. for the next series event at Thunderhill. Ann was scheduled to attend the Bondurant school and, four days after graduating, she was piloting the 911 at the Thunderhill Sprint and Enduro races.

Since then Tony has gone from the primary driver, to secondary driver, to backup driver, to grease monkey… to looking for another car! Oh well!!!

Tony Kopacz in his burgundy 911

Early on, Annie figured out that trying to keep the 911 a “streetable” resulted in a car that was not competitive. She asked how they could increase performance, and the next thing you knew the passenger seat and anything else easily removed was gone (about 80 pounds). That marked the beginning of the end of the street car.

Wayne provided the organization, car preparation, track support, driver training and mentoring that created the framework that allowed these novice drivers to develop their driving skills in a controlled, safe (and rapid) manner. The progress made by all ten drivers in this program was phenomenal. Not only did the group provide competition for each other, the camaraderie that grew and the social aspect of the team became as significant as the driving experience.

After forty years in the Navy, Tony decided to retire and get a civilian job to help support this new hobby, which turned into a racing career about half way through that first year. The off-season is being used to bring the original stock 2.0 liter (200,000 mile) motor to true competitive status. We still haven’t found that second racer, but one step at a time.

"In the pit" at HSR West

We can’t imagine a better first year, a better group of people to be with, or a better team to support this ten car field. The HSR West 2.0 liter Porsche Series has attracted about thirty-five cars in its first year, and the future looks bright.

Anyone out there who thinks this might be the place to progress from autocrossing or time trialing should contact Ed Swart at HSR West, or one of the many local shops that can build and support cars for this vintage program. Venues have or will include WSIR, Thunderhill, Phoenix (PIR), Las Vegas, Road America, Laguna Seca, Buttonwillow and the California Speedway. The series is open to all Porsche 911s (’71 and older), 914s, 914-6s and 356s with 2.0 liter motors. Not only does HSR West give trophies, but there are end of season cash prizes as well. Does that make us professionals? Where’s my tax guy?

Back row: Wayne Baker, Stanley Gold, Rich Banks, Eric Whelms, Christie Eastridge, Leslie Shirley, Nancy Baker, Nancy Baker, Tom, Melissa Leonesio, Frank Leonesio, Naomi Gauthier, Scott Gauthier, Ann Kopacz

Front row: Mrs. Dick Banks, Dick Fowler, Rover the dog, Brant Parsons, Skip Shirley