VIN: the Roger Penske / Al Holbert Porsche 911 2.8 / 3.0 Carrera RSR chassis 9113600307 R3
History of chassis 9113600307 R3
Chassis 9113600307, also known as R3, was one of Porsche tricked-out quasi-works Carrera RSRs allocated to the firm’s factory-supported satellite squads for the 1973 season.
Completed in January 1973, R3 was dispatched to Roger Penske in the USA whose renowned team were set to run the legendary 917/30 in that season’s Can-Am Challenge Cup.
Resplendent in the trademark blue and yellow colour scheme of Penske’s long-term sponsor, the Sun Oil Company (better known as Sunoco), R3 was sent across the Atlantic specifically to contest the season-opening Daytona 24 Hour World Sportscar Championship event which took place over the weekend of February 3rd and 4th.
In the hands of Mark Donohue and George Follmer, R3 qualified twelfth while sister car R4 (being run by Brumos) started eighth. As the 911 RSR had not yet been homologated into the Group 4 GT category, both cars ran in the Group 5 Prototype class where they would go up against Gulf-backed M6 Mirages, a lone Matra MS670, Scuderia Filipinetti’s Gitanes-backed Lola T282 and a couple of old Porsche 908s. Unfortunately, a lack of prize money meant Ferrari stayed at home with their latest iteration of the 312 PB.
With several of the front-running prototypes having dropped out before quarter distance, the two 911s found themselves in second (R4) and third (R3), twelve laps behind the Matra of Cevert / Beltoise.
When the Matra retired shortly after midnight, the 911s were first (R3) and second (R4), but shortly after 5am an ominous trail of smoke began to emerge from the Penske machine. R3 was quickly brought back into the pits where it was diagnosed with a holed piston and retired.
Meanwhile, R4 went on to take a historic win.
After its appearance at Daytona, R3 was freshend up and sold to Al Holbert whose family had opened their Porsche dealership in Warrington, Pennsylvania, back in 1954.
Holbert went on to contest the six-round Trans-Am series with R3 in 1973, during which his best result was a second place finish in the season-opener at Road Atlanta. Later on, Holbert drove R3 to a brace of thirds (at Lime Rock and Road America) and a pair of fourths (at Sanair and Edmonton).
Alongside John McComb, Holbert also contested the Watkins Glen 6 Hour World Sportscar Championship contest in mid July. However, R3’s race ended at two thirds distance with suspension trouble.
The other event for which Holbert enlisted the help of a co-driver that year was the Trans-Am season finale at Edmonton. However, although R3 was classified fourth in the final results, the car met a spectacular end when Milt Minter crashed it on the third turn of the final lap. R3 barrel rolled and landed on its roof in what was a major accident.
Fortunately, Minter was released after a few days in hospital with neck and back injuries.
The same could not be said of R3 which Al Holbert had to rebuild around the bodyshell of a 911 T for the 1974 season.
Holbert ultimately finished as runner up to Peter Gregg’s Brumos RSR in the 1973 Trans-Am standings with 49 points compared to 56.
Notable History
Roger Penske Racing, Philadelphia
04/02/1973 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (M. Donohue / G. Follmer) DNF (#6)
Sold to Al Holbert (Holbert's Porsche-Audi Inc.), Warrington, Pennsylvania
15/04/1973 TRA Road Atlanta (A. Holbert) 2nd oa (#14)
05/05/1973 TRA Lime Rock (A. Holbert) 3rd oa (#14)
16/06/1973 TRA Watkins Glen (A. Holbert / M. Donohue) 8th oa (#14)
15/07/1973 TRA Sanair (A. Holbert) 4th oa (#14)
21/07/1973 WSC Watkins Glen 6 Hours (A. Holbert / J. McComb) DNF (#14)
28/07/1973 TRA Road America (A. Holbert) 3rd oa (#14)
19/08/1973 TRA Edmonton (A. Holbert / M. Minter) 4th oa (#14)
Rebuilt around a 911 T bodyshell after Minter’s last lap crash at Edmonton
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
