VIN: the Obermaier Racing Porsche 956 chassis 109
History of chassis 109
Chassis 109 was one of the dozen 956s built for customer teams in 1983.
109 was purchased by Hans Obermaier who ran Obermaier Racing, a Porsche motorsport workshop in Halsbach, Bavaria.
The team’s number one driver, Jurgen Lassig, debuted the car in a DRM race at Zolder where it appeared with plain white bodywork and backing from Akemi chemicals.
Obermaier then secured a two-year title sponsor package from Hugo Boss men’s fashion and chassis 109 was re-liveried a distinctive black and white pinstriped colour scheme.
Obermaier Racing contested a mixture of World and European Championship rounds over the next two seasons plus the occasional DRM appearance and outings at the annual Norisring Trophy.
Despite never making in onto the podium, 109 routinely finished in the top five throughout 1983 and also took seventh overall at Le Mans. Fourth place finishes in the World Championship events at Monza, Silverstone and the Nurburgring were season highlights.
For 1984, chassis 109’s colour scheme was switched to pinstriped white, blue and turquoise. Iit remained a frequent top six finisher although it failed to see the chequered flag at Le Mans. The best result for the Boss-backed car at World Championship level in 1984 was fifth at the Spa 1000km.
In 1985, Obermaier Racing ran a blue and white livery to reflect new sponsorship from Ducados cigarettes and Euro Hi-Fi. Long-term patron Terra-Rent construction machinery remained on board as well.
The team failed to finish in only one of the eight races they contested that season. Their best result was sixth in the World Championship race at Mugello. The car also contested its third Le Mans 24 Hours and finished a creditable eighth overall.
Chassis 109’s last year of competition was 1986 when it ran exclusively in the World Sportscar Championship. Now sporting a new white and blue livery with yellow flanks, sponsorship came from the Babycresci children’s clothing company and Bontempi musical instruments.
109 failed to finish only once (its final outing when the turbo blew). The car scored a brace of fourths at Jerez and the Nurburgring to illustrate just how competitive it still was. 1986 also saw chassis 109 have its best run at Le Mans where it finished fifth overall.
956s were banned on safety grounds from 1987 which forced 109 into retirement.
Obermaier Racing did later return to top flight racing with a 962C in 1989, but for the next couple of seasons, the Bavarian outfit focused on the Porsche 944 Turbo Cup with driver Harald Grohs.
Chassis 109 was sold to Lars Jonsson in Sweden.
Notable History
Han Obermaier (Obermaier Racing), Germany
White Akemi livery
20/03/1983 DRM Zolder (J. Lassig) ran (#10)
Black and white Boss livery
10/04/1983 WSC Monza 1000km (A. Plankenhorn / J. Barth / J. Lassig) 4th oa, 4th C class (#18)
01/05/1983 DRM Avus (J. Lassig) 4th oa, 4th C class (#10)
08/05/1983 WSC Silverstone 1000km (A. Plankenhorn / H. Grohs / J. Lassig) 4th oa, 4th C class (#18)
29/05/1983 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (A. Plankenhorn / H. Heyer / J. Lassig) 4th oa, 4th C class (#18)
19/06/1983 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (A. Plankenhorn / J. Lassig / D. Wilson) 7th oa, 7th C class (#18)
03/07/1983 DRM Norisring (J. Lassig) DNF (#122)
03/07/1983 IND Norisring Trophy (J. Lassig) DNS (#22)
04/09/1983 WSC Spa 1000km (A. Plankenhorn / J. Lassig / H. Regout) 5th oa, 5th C class (#18)
18/09/1983 EEC Brands Hatch 1000km (A. Plankenhorn / J. Lassig / H. Regout) 5th oa, 5th C class (#18)
16/10/1983 EEC Imola 1000km (J. Lassig / A. Plankenhorn / H. Regout) 5th oa, 5th C class (#18)
23/10/1983 EEC Mugello 1000km (J. Lassig / H. Regout / A. Plankenhorn) 5th oa, 5th C class (#18)
Blue, white & turquoise Boss livery
23/04/1984 WSC Monza 1000km (A. Plankenhorn / J. Lassig / G. Fouche) DNF (#47)
13/05/1984 WSC Silverstone 1000km (J. Lassig / G. Fouche / H. Regout) DNF (#18)
17/06/1984 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (J. Lassig / G. Fouche / J. Graham) DNF (#47)
01/07/1984 DRM Norisring (J. Lassig) 4th oa, 4th C1 class (#15)
01/07/1984 IND Norisring Trophy (H. Grohs) 6th oa, 6th C1 class (#15)
15/07/1984 WSC Nurburging 1000km (J. Lassig / D. Sutherland / M. Thackwell) 21st oa, 14th C1 class (#18)
02/09/1984 WSC Spa 1000 km Spa (H. Regout / J. Lassig / P. Martin) 5th oa, 5th C1 class (#18)
16/09/1984 WSC Imola 1000 km (J. Lassig / H. Grohs / H. Regout) 6th oa, 6th C1 class (#18)
White and blue Ducados livery
14/04/1985 WSC Mugello 1000km (M. Thackwell / H. Regout / J. Lassig) 6th oa, 6th C1 class (#26)
28/04/1985 WSC Monza 1000km (J. Lassig / H. Regout / J. Pareja) DNF (#26)
12/05/1985 WSC Silverstone 1000km (H. Regout / J. Lassig / J. Pareja) 7th oa, 7th C1 class (#26)
16/06/1985 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (J. Lassig / H. Regout / J. Pareja) 8th oa, 8th C1 class (#26)
29/06/1985 DRM Norisring (J. Lassig) 6th oa, 6th C1 class (#26)
30/06/1985 IND Norisring Trophy (J. Lassig) 8th oa, 8th C1 class (#26)
14/07/1985 WSC Hockenheim 1000km (H. Regout / J. Lassig / J. Pareja) 7th oa, 7th C1 class (#26)
01/09/1985 WSC Spa 1000km (K. Lassig / H. Regout / J. Pareja) 8th oa, 8th C1 class (#26)
White, blue and yellow Babycresci livery
20/04/1986 WSC Monza 360km (F. Ballabio / R. Hamann) 7th oa, 7th C1 class (#9)
04/05/1986 WSC Silverstone 1000km (J. Lassig / F. Ballabio / D. Wood) 12th oa, 12th C1 class (#9)
01/06/1986 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (J. Lassig / F. Ballabio / D. Wood) 5th oa, 5th C1 class (#9)
29/06/1986 WSC Norisring 200 mile (J. Lassig) 7th oa, 7th C1 class (#9) Hans Obermaier
20/07/1986 WSC Brands Hatch 1000km (J. Lassig / D. Wood / Ballabio) 8th oa, 7th C1 class (#9)
03/08/1986 WSC Jerez 360km (F. Ballabio / D. Wood / J. Lassig) 4th oa, 4th C1 class (#9)
24/08/1986 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (J. Lassig / H. Grohs / F. Ballabio) 4th oa, 4th C1 class (#9)
15/09/1986 WSC Spa 1000km (J. Lassig / H. Regout / D. Wood) DNF (#9)
Later sold to Lars Jonsson, Sweden
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
