Murphy the Bear has learned that St. Barbara’s Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, Connecticut is the first religious institution to win a national racing championship. St. Barbara’s was honored today at the annual Porsche bun fight, known as “The Night of Champions,” at the Porsche Museum in the Zuffenhausen district of Stuttgart. Dr. Wolfgang Porsche himself presented the award.
We last heard from Dr. Porsche in May, when he declared, “Porsche AG will not be sold to Volkswagen.” At the time Wolfgang Porsche voiced support for a plan proposed by Porsche Chairman Wendelin Wiedeking in which Porsche and VW would be merged under a new holding company that Wiedeking would then run. That didn’t turn out so well.
According to today’s press release from Porsche AG, Dirk Werner (Germany), 2009 co-champion driver of the Rolex Grand-Am GT Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, has won the coveted Porsche Cup for the world’s most successful driver of privately-entered race cars. (There appears to be no separate award category for church-entered race cars. St. Barbara’s contributed over $1.5 million to Farnbacher Loles racing program in 2009.) In addition to the challenge cup, the German also received a Porsche 911 GT3 worth around 120,000 Euro ($176,400).
Over the course of this season, Dirk Werner won the drivers’ classification in the Grand-Am Series with Leh Keen at the wheel of the #87 Farnbacher Loles Racing 911 GT3 Cup. Thanks to their four victories, Porsche took home the manufacturers’ title, with Farnbacher Loles Racing claiming team honors.
The Bear can only conclude that the church, cognizant of the privacy of its members, asked it not be named at the ceremony. Murphy believes the trophy will be sent to Connecticut, however, along with the trophy for the Grand Am team championship. A trophy case will be built in the church’s narthex.
St. Barbara’s had planned an expansion with about $1.5 million raised so far, but decided instead to go racing with the money. “That’s a lot more fun than a new building,” said a member who requested anonymity. “We’ve got just enough left to build a case for our trophies, so it turned out well. You can’t doubt the value of such an achievement. We’re looking at moving up to NASCAR’s Truck Series next.”
Some at the church wonder if they’ll get title to the new Porsche won by Farnbacher Loles driver Dirk Werner. “We’re looking into that,” said a spokesperson, “but since Dirk won by racing on other teams, too, the may be his to keep. Besides, we’re aware we might be in line behind others for that.”
That last is a reference, the Bear thinks, to Pratt & Miller Engineering and Fabrication, Inc. who filed suit this past Tuesday in Michigan’s Eastern District Court against Farnbacher Loles Motorsports, LLC, Farnbacher Loles Racing, LLC, and Gregory Loles. (Case No. 2:2008cv14784) (Murphy previously reported that the Michigan constructor was building a tube-frame-based BMW for Mr. Loles; he doesn’t know if St. Barbara’s was a contributor to that plan for the 2010 Grand Am GT racing season.)
Don’t forget to enter Murphy’s quiz contest. As they say for the Bear’s local lottery, “You can’t win if you don’t enter.”
Tags: Dirk Werner, Farnbacher Loles, Grand Am, Greg Loles, Koni, Porsche, Pratt & Miller. BMW, St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, Stuttgart, Wolfgang Porsche, Zuffenhausen