Just Another Porsche Roadster / Dick Barbour at Riverside International Raceway

Speaking of Dick Barbour in the Monterey Can-Am post...thought I would run a photo of him in 1968. This shot was taken be me at Riverside Raceway while he was competing in a six-hour Enduro event on Memorial Day driving his Porsche Roadster. Proudly wearing silver paint, Dick had added blue to the front valance, up over the headlights and back to a tear drop on top of the fenders. I remember the car well, as I had a sister car to his. In the photo, new to the car he was running 6X15 inch rare and very cool American magnesium wheels. Unfortunately, the car was later damaged in the race with the drivers door caved in. As a side, during that event his co-driver was another San Diegan, Dennis Sherman.

Dick had purchased the Roadster from Dieter Vongehr who had actually rolled it at a Time Trial event at the same track some time before. When Dick retired the Roadster, he sold it to another San Diego racer, Donald Trueblood. At the time Dick was a partner in Automotion, a repair, preparation and accessories business in San Diego on Mission Gorge Road. After the Roadster came a 904 then a 908, later Dick went on to become one of the legends of endurance racing. Driving the renowned Porsche 935, Barbour and his co-drivers had three consecutive class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1978, 79, 80).


Here Dick was coming over the hill at turn seven in his Porsche Roadster, Riverside International Raceway. Image © John Straub

Related post: Dick Barbour's Automotion.

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