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