VIN: the Joest Racing Porsche 956 chassis 104
History of chassis 104
Porsche 956 chassis 104 was one of the twelve examples built for customer teams in 1983.
1983 was the first year the Group C challenger was sold to independent teams.
Since emerging in 1978, Reinhold Joest’s team had proven to be among the best Porsche operations in Europe. Chassis 104 was supplied to Joest Racing GmbH along with a sister car (chassis 105).
The Joest cars would run a mixed 1983 season that comprised World and European championship events plus a Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft campaign (DRM). There would also be the odd Interserie race.
Bob Wollek drove chassis 104 in all of its 1983 races and was often joined by Stefan Johansson for the endurance events.
104 usually ran in Marlboro-livery at international level in 1983. On these occasions, the car was campaigned by Joest but under a Sorga SA entry to reflect backing from the Geneva-based investment group.
For domestic events like the DRM, chassis 104 featured a white and gold Warsteiner-livery.
At the end-of-season Kyalami 1000km it ran in the Lindsay Saker Porsche dealership colours.
In 1983, chassis 104 won the 1000 kilometre races at Monza and Mugello, scored an Interserie win at Hockenheim and scooped four DRM victories to ensure Wollek was champion for the second year in a row.
For 1984, Joest retained 104 and, at most events, the team switched to a new yellow black and white livery with backing from the French fashion chain, New Man.
104 was joined by a fresh sister car (117). Chassis 105 was sold on.
Chassis 104’s season delivered a best finish of second at the Silverstone 1000km.
At the Nurburgring 1000km, it was notably co-driven by Ayrton Senna (and finished eighth).
Keke Rosberg also drove it for one weekend at the Norisring when it was sponsored by Lui magazine and appeared in a white and blue livery.
Despite no wins for 104, it was still a great year for Joest as the team’s new sister car (chassis 117) took a famous victory at Le Mans.
Both chassis 104 and 117 were retained by Joest for the 1985 season.
Most events saw Joest run in the same yellow, black and white livery with New Man retained as title sponsor. There was the odd exception such as a white and blue Sachs damper livery for the Norisring weekend and a tie up with the Ardennes pork producer, R. Billen, for the Spa 1000km.
Although no longer a front-running car, 104 still managed top six World Championship finishes at the Silverstone and Spa 1000 kilometre events. Remarkably, Joest won the Le Mans 24 Hours with chassis 117 for a second year in a row.
1986 was the last year that the 956 was permitted to race on safety grounds. By this time, the Porsche 962 had long since taken over production.
As in 1985, Louis Krages did the majority of races with chassis 104. It appeared in the existing yellow, black and white livery but now with backing from Japanese fashion retailer, Taka-Q.
104 was also frequently seen in the white and blue colours of Sachs dampers.
For the Le Mans 24 Hour race, the car ran a one-off stars and stripes Spirit of America livery.
104’s final appearance came at Kyalami with backing from the 4TV network.
Chassis 104 was subsequently retained for the Joest Racing collection.
Notable History
Reinhold Joest (Joest Racing)
1983 season: Marlboro, Warsteiner and Lindsay Saker Porsche liveries
20/03/1983 DRM Zolder (B. Wollek) 1st oa (#1)
10/04/1983 WSC Monza 1000km (B. Wollek / T. Boutsen) 1st oa (#11)
01/05/1983 DRM Avus (B. Wollek) 1st oa (#1)
08/05/1983 WSC Silverstone 1000km (B. Wollek / S. Johansson) 2nd oa (#8) Sorga SA
15/05/1983 DRM Mainz-Finthen (B. Wollek) 1st oa (#1)
29/05/1983 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (B. Wollek / S. Johansson) 2nd oa (#8)
19/06/1983 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (B. Wollek / S. Johansson / K. Ludwig) 6th oa (#8) Sorga SA
03/07/1983 DRM Norisring (B. Wollek) 1st oa (#1)
03/07/1983 IND Norisring Trophy (B. Wollek) 3rd oa (#1)
24/07/1983 DRM Diepholz (B. Wollek) 4th oa (#1)
04/09/1983 WSC Spa 1000km (B. Wollek / S. Johansson) DNF (#8) Sorga SA
18/09/1983 EEC Brands Hatch 1000km (B. Wollek / S. Johansson) 6th oa (#8) Sorga SA
16/10/1983 EEC Imola 1000km (B. Wollek / S. Johansson) 3rd oa (#8)
23/10/1983 EEC Mugello 1000km (B. Wollek / S. Johansson) 1st oa (#8)
29/10/1983 INT Hockenheim (B. Wollek) 1st oa (#1)
10/12/1983 EEC Kyalami 1000km (B. Wollek / S. Johansson / C. Serra) DNF (#8)
1984 season: New Man and Lui liveries
23/04/1984 WSC Monza 1000km (S. Johansson / K. Ludwig / H. Pescarolo) DNF (#7)
13/05/1984 WSC Silverstone 1000km (K. Ludwig / H. Pescarolo) 2nd oa (#7)
17/06/1984 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (S. Johansson / J.L. Schlesser / M. de Narvaez) DNF (#8)
01/07/1984 DRM Norisring (K. Rosberg) DNF (#8)
01/07/1984 IND Norisring Trophy (K. Rosberg) 4th oa (#8)
15/07/1984 WSC Nurburging 1000km (S. Johansson / H. Pescarolo / A. Senna) 8th oa (#7)
12/08/1984 INT Most (H. Pescarolo) 2nd oa (#1)
02/09/1984 WSC Spa 1000 km Spa (S. Johansson / H. Pescarolo / Heyer) DNF (#7)
30/09/1984 WSC Fuji 1000 km (S. Johansson / H. Pescarolo) 4th oa (#7)
07/10/1984 INT Nurburgring (H. Pescarolo) 3rd oa (#1)
02/12/1984 WSC Sandown Park 1000km (K. Ludwig / H. Pescarolo) 7th oa (#7)
1985 season: New Man, Sachs and R. Billen liveries
07/04/1985 INT Nurburgring (L. Krages) 7th oa (#8)
21/04/1985 INT Hockenheim (L. Krages) 5th oa (#8)
28/04/1985 WSC Monza 1000km (P. Barilla / H. Heyer) 9th oa (#7)
05/05/1985 INT Wunstorf (L. Krages) 6th oa (#8)
12/05/1985 WSC Silverstone 1000km (P. Barilla / K. Ludwig / J.P. Belmondo) 6th oa (#7)
26/05/1985 INT Zeltweg (L. Krages) 5th oa (#8)
09/06/1985 INT Erding (L. Krages) 7th oa (#8)
16/06/1985 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (M. de Narvaez / K. Miller / J.P. Belmondo) DNF (#8)
29/06/1985 DRM Norisring (L. Krages) 7th oa (#8)
30/06/1985 IND Norisring Trophy (L. Krages) DNF (#8)
14/07/1985 WSC Hockenheim 1000km (F. Konrad / L. Krages / V. Weidler) DNF (#8)
04/08/1985 INT Nurburgring (L. Krages) 11th oa (#8)
18/08/1985 INT Most (L. Krages) 3rd oa (#8)
01/09/1985 WSC Spa 1000km (L. Krages / M. Duez / V. Weidler) 6th oa (#8)
08/09/1985 INT Siegerland (L. Krages) DNF (#8)
22/09/1985 INT Nurburgring (L. Krages) 6th oa (#8)
06/10/1985 WSC Fuji 1000km (M. de Narvaez / J.P. Belmondo / L. Krages) DNF (#8)
01/12/1985 WSC Selangor 800km (L. Krages / P. Barilla) DNS (#8)
1986 season: Taka-Q, Sachs, Spirit of America and 4TV liveries
20/04/1986 WSC Monza 360km (L. Krages / M. Duez) DNF (#8)
27/04/1986 SUP Nurburgring (L. Krages) 7th oa (#8)
04/05/1986 WSC Silverstone 1000km (G. Follmer / J. Morton / P. Barilla) 6th oa (#7)
01/06/1986 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (G. Follmer / J. Morton / K. Miller) 3rd oa (#8)
08/06/1986 INT Wunstorf (L. Krages) 1st oa (#2)
15/06/1986 SUP Hockenheim (L. Krages) 6th oa (#8)
29/06/1986 IND Norisring 200 mile (L. Krages) 8th oa (#8)
13/07/1986 INT Zeltweg (L. Krages) 5th oa (#2)
20/07/1986 WSC Brands Hatch 1000km (L. Krages / K. Ludwig / P. Barilla) 5th oa (#8)
17/08/1986 INT Most (L. Krages) 1st oa (#2)
24/08/1986 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (L. Krages / K. Nissen / P. Ghinzani) DNF (#7)
31/08/1986 INT Siegerland (L. Krages) 6th oa (#2)
15/09/1986 WSC Spa 1000km (L. Krages / K. Nissen / V. Schuppan) 8th oa (#8)
21/09/1986 SUP Nurburgring (L. Krages) 9th oa (#8)
05/10/1986 WSC Fuji 1000km (L. Krages / K. Nissen / H. Grohs) 5th oa (#8)
12/10/1986 INT Zeltweg (L. Krages) 3rd oa (#2)
23/11/1986 IND Kyalami 500km (B. Wollek / S. van der Merwe) 2nd oa (#2)
Retained by Joest Racing
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
