In memoriam Tony Kopacz

Today we have lost our true and loyal friend Tony Kopacz, after he put up a brave fight battling cancer for the past 3 years.

 

He was a fierce friend and competitor in life and on the race track. He has been our Porsche customer at Personalized Autohaus since 1975 and been professionally racing with Wayne Baker Racing since 2000.

He got "the racing bug" when he saw Wayne racing at Coronado race at the base in 1999; he got into vintage racing in 2000 and his last race was at Coronado as well in September 2012.

In these years he had raced on some of the best tracks including: Sebring, Road America, Road Atlanta, Willow Springs, Daytona, Las Vegas, Phoenix, California Raceway, Laguna Seca, Sears Point, Miller Motorsports, Barber Motorsports, Mid Ohio, Watkins Glen and at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

He will always be in our memories and his spirit will always be with us. Tony, you will be dearly missed.

Wayne and Tony at Road America in 2012

Tony thumbs up, excited to race a 914/6 for the first time. At Road America in 2012...

Tony finishing with the white 914/6 at Road America in September, 2012

Tony racing his beloved bordeaux 1970 911 at Coronado 2012 - Photo credit to John Straub 

 Suiting up for race at Coronado Speed Fest 2012 (after Wayne test drove car)

Getting ready for the race at Sebring in 2006

Tony at Road Atlanta  in 2006

Tony at HSR West PIR in 2007 (getting ready for race with the help of Glenn Roberts)

At HSR Sears Point  (right to left)  Tony and Ann Kopacz, Wayne Baker and Mike Eisele

 Tony with the crew at Buttonwillow

Tony with the crew at California Speedway 2009

Tony and his great smile at Willow Springs

Tony at Road Atlanta in 2006

Tony at Rennsport Daytona in 2007

Good-bye Tony

Footnote: We have selected a few of the countless photos of Tony at all the races we did together. Anyone of interest should contact Personalized Autohaus for photos of specific events to celebrate Tony's life. Call (858) 586-7771 or email waynebaker@earthlink.net