Peter Gregg - VIR History
VIR REMEMBERS PETER GREGG - by Phil Allen
On April 27,1970 fans at Virginia
International Raceway endured a rain-soaked afternoon and were rewarded by one
of the most exciting production car races in the history of VIR. The feature
race of the afternoon was billed as a showdown pitting several of the nation’s
best C Production teams from both the East Coast and California. John Morton had
towed his BRE Datsun across the country to challenge local Datsun favorite Jim
Fitzgerald and Porsche Champion Peter Gregg. Having
won the SCCA B Sedan national title in 1969, Gregg was an obvious favorite in
his first appearance at VIR. He commented on the track the week before the race
”I’ve heard a lot of nice things about VIR from friends who have driven
there. Since it is one of the few remaining classic road-racing courses, I’m
looking forward to racing there.”
The race began as a runaway for the Datsun
driven by Fitzgerald who had just lapped the entire field in the previous D
Production contest and had memorized each puddle and wet spot on the 3.27 mile
course. However, he fell victim to the classic leader’s curse and was the
first on the scene of a back-marker’s oil slick. He quickly found himself axle
deep in the mud on the outside of turn 12. Gregg, Morton, and Bruce Jennings
battled for the lead during much of the remainder of the 15-lap sprint but spins
by Morton and Jennings allowed Gregg to lead a three-car sweep for Porsche.
His first trip to VIR’S victory circle set the stage for the Brumos
Porsche team leader’s return the following year in a totally new racing
series. In 1971 Gregg elected to contest a new series championship. John Bishop,
former Executive Director of the SCCA had formed the International Motor Sports
Association and he chose VIR as the site of his inaugural race. The format,
known as the IMSA GT Series called for a single endurance-type event for both
sedans and sports cars racing for the overall win and for class honors in under
and over 2.5 liter engine categories.
The
1971 race at VIR was billed by local
promoters as a classic dual between the brute horsepower of the American
Corvettes led by Dave Heinz of Tampa, Fla. and a host of nimble, more
maneuverable Porsches led by Gregg. Both
Gregg and Heinz came to VIR after surprising experts by strong finishes against
the factory prototypes at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March.
The race was no disappointment for either
fans or participants. Pole-sitter Heinz jumped to an early lead, showing the
advantage of the Corvette’s horsepower on VIR’s long straights. The Porsche
driven by Gregg never lost sight of the leader and remained in striking distance
by virtue of skillful use of the superior handling produced by German
engineering. The track was wet and slick causing Heinz to bend a clutch arm
during an off-course excursion resulting in a stop to make repairs. Gregg jumped
to take advantage and was able to hand off the Porsche to co-driver Hurley
Haywood with a comfortable margin over the Corvette. For the second year in a
row Gregg added a piece of VIR’s popular silver to his trophy collection.
The 1972 VIR 250 was promoted as a
rematch of both the Porsche-Corvette battle and the Heinz-Gregg rivalry. The
1971 contestants were joined by much larger entries from both marques. The
challengers were different, but the results were the same. On a rain-soaked
track the Corvettes of Heinz, Charlie Kemp, and Denny Long were able to jump to
an early lead but soon fell victim to a variety of mechanical problems. Once
again the team of Gregg and Haywood was always in position to move when their
rivals faltered and Gregg took home the silver for the third year in a row.
1972 was Peter Gregg’s final appearance at VIR
but his dominance at the Virginia track translated into a full career as an
almost unbeatable force in American endurance racing. He had been looking
forward to his first appearance in 1970 and the track was certainly rewarding to
him. From his early victories in
the first IMSA races at VIR, he went on to win 6 IMSA Championships including
three victories at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and a win at the Twelve Hours
of Sebring. During the same period he also scored two consecutive podium third
place finishes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. From his victory in IMSA’s
inaugural event he went on to become the dominant driver in the long-running
series. He also was SCCA Trans Am Champion for two years in a row in 1973 and
1974. He even found time to complete a season in the turbocharged Porsche 917-30
Can Am car.
While at VIR for a recent race, Gregg’s
teammate Hurley Haywood explained his success. “ His nickname was ‘Peter
Perfect’. He was a real detail-oriented person. Every single bit was planned
and practiced. Nothing was left to chance. He was better prepared than everybody
else. He had our crew practice pit stops to where when our car came into the
pits we beat everybody out. We had every single thing that could possibly break
in the race laid out and labeled so that they were ready if needed. His driving
talent coupled with his preparation was the key to his success.”
Haywood feels that Gregg’s talent for
organization would have led him to take a prominent position if he were alive
today. “ If he had lived he would be a Roger Penske type today. He was very
good with deals. He could work well with the factories . His attention to detail
would have continued to make him a success.”
A friend describes visiting with Peter in
his hometown. “He picked me up at the Jacksonville airport and we drove away
over the backroads in his Porsche. At each start he would run through the gears
singing from The Eagles ‘Take it to the limit one more time.”
After a short but rewarding life “at the
limit” Peter Gregg died in 1980 at the age of 42. VIR fans and the entire
racing world remember.
