Bob Wollek
Bob Wollek | |
---|---|
Nationality | French |
Born | Strasbourg, France | November 4, 1943
Died | March 16, 2001 Sebring, Florida, U.S. | (aged 57)
Wins | 76 |
Robert Jean Wollek[1] (4 November 1943 – 16 March 2001), nicknamed "Brilliant Bob", was a race car driver from Strasbourg, France. He won a total of 76 races in his career, 71 in Porsche cars, including four editions of the 24 Hours of Daytona and one edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring. He died in a road accident in Florida while riding a bicycle back to his accommodation after the day's practice sessions for the following day's race, the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Skiing career
Medal record | ||
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Men's Skiing | ||
Representing France | ||
Winter Universiade
| ||
1966 Sestriere | Men's downhill | |
1966 Sestriere | Men's giant slalom | |
1966 Sestriere | Men's combined | |
1966 Sestriere | Men's slalom | |
1968 Innsbruck | Men's combined |
Prior to his racing days as a university student, Wollek was also a member of the French National Skiing Team between 1966 and 1968 competing in the Winter
His skiing career came to an end when he was injured during preparations for the
Early racing career
Prior to a skiing accident which ended his skiing career, Wollek began racing cars when he entered the Mont-Blanc Rally in 1967 driving a
In 1969, Wollek made his debut in single seater racing competing in Formula France before graduating to the French Formula Three Championship.
During a round at Rouen-Les-Essarts, Wollek was involved in a fatal accident which killed Jean-Luc Salomon,[4] when the pair plus Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, Richard Scott and Mike Beuttler were all fighting for the lead at Scierie, where the track is a two-lane road.
In 1971, Wollek switched to
Sportscar racing
During his three decades of sports car racing, almost exclusively in Porsches, he won the 24 Hours of Daytona four times (1983, 1985, 1989, 1991) and the DRM in 1982 and 1983, with the Porsche 936 and Porsche 956 entered by the Joest Racing team. In the mid-1970s, he raced a Porsche 935K2 improved and entered by the Kremer Racing team from Cologne.
For many years, Monsieur Porsche challenged the factory team with privately entered cars, but was also hired to become part of the official Porsche Le Mans team in 1978, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1996, 1997, and 1998. In 1981, he even raced a Group C-spec Kremer-built Porsche 917, about a decade after these cars were retired initially.
Wollek never won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall, despite coming close in a few of his thirty attempts. In 1997, his leading factory-entered Porsche 911 GT1 suffered damage in a minor incident, so the car had to be retired. In 1998, Porsche scored a 1–2 win, but Bob was once again on the less-lucky runner-up car.
After the 1998 season, Porsche retired its GT1 cars from the Mercedes-dominated
Typical of many other racing drivers, Bob ran a car dealership for
Death
On Friday 16 March 2001, while leaving Sebring International Raceway following practice for the 12 Hours of Sebring, Wollek continued a tradition of cycling between the circuit and his accommodation, which took him west on Highway 98. While he had been riding close to the edge of the pavement, he was struck from behind by a van driven by an elderly driver from Okeechobee, Florida at approximately 4:30 p.m.[9][10] He was transported to Highlands Regional Medical Center in Sebring and was pronounced dead on arrival. Wollek was due to start in the Petersen Motorsports Porsche 996 GT3-RS with Johnny Mowlem and Michael Petersen,[10] however out of respect the car was withdrawn from the race.[11] On race day, the organizers held a one-minute silence in memory of Wollek. Prior to his death, he announced he would retire from racing to serve as an ambassador for Porsche, and was due to sign this agreement upon returning home after Sebring.
Racing record
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
References
- ^ "Daily Sports Car - Sportscar Racing's Internet Magazine". Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ HickokSports.com - History - World University Games Alpine Skiing Medalists
- ^ a b c Top 100 [dead link]
- ^ 8W - Where? - Rouen-les-Essarts
- ^ "OldRacingCars.info » Brabham BT36". Archived from the original on 17 March 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
- ^ Formula 2 1971 – Championship Tables
- ^ Formula 2 1972 – Final Tables Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Aysedasi
- ^ Sunday Telegraph, 18 March 2001
- ^ a b Bob Wollek, racing driver, 56 Archived 2007-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Elsewhere in Racing: Updates from the Rest of the Racing World
External links
- Motorsport.com tribute at the Wayback Machine (archived 22 August 2006)
- Dick Barbour Racing statistics at the Wayback Machine (archived 24 June 2007)
- FIA GT Championship statistics at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 March 2007)
- Bob Wollek at 24 Hours of Le Mans (in French)