One to Buy: ex-Rick Bye 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup
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Following in the footsteps of Renault-Alpine which had organised its own ‘one-make’ racing series for several years, 1986 saw Porsche join the fray with its 944 Turbo Cup Championship.
The idea of customers being able to buy a lightly prepared 944 Turbo Cup from the factory and race against a field of identical cars proved extremely popular. During the years that followed, championships were held in the United States and Canada as well as throughout Europe.
In addition to optimised engines with bigger turbochargers, each 944 Turbo Cup was stiffened up and stripped of all superfluous luxury equipment. Remarkably, in excess of 200kg was cut despite a full complement of safety gear having been fitted to include an eight-point rollcage.
One of the most popular regions for Porsche one-make series was Canada and set to go under the hammer at Broad Arrow Auctions’ Las Vegas sale on October 31st is arguably the most recognisable 944 Turbo Cup to have raced in that part of the world: chassis ‘165082’.
Purchased through Agincourt Autohaus Leasing by Cooke Motorsports of Toronto, Ontario, chassis ‘165082’ was raced in spectacular Reebok colours by Rick Bye.
Bye placed tenth in the final standings of Canada’s Rothmans Porsche Turbo Cup Championship in 1988. He then went one better in 1989 having secured victory in that July’s Mont-Tremblant round.
Chassis ‘165082’ was subsequently sold to Ian Goggin who raced it in the IMSA Firestone Firehawk series.
Rick Bye, by now working for Porsche, then went on to purchase chassis ‘165082’ in 1994 and during his more than 25 year ownership the car was restored back to its original colour scheme.
