HSR celebrated the golden era of Street Stock series road racing in North America at last month’s 47th Running of the HSR Mitty presented by Hagerty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and no one enjoyed it more than regular HSR competitor Ramsey Potts. Driving his sharp looking 1987 No. 58 Porsche 944, Potts truly celebrated his racing roots at The Mitty in not only Saturday’s Street Stock Feature race but also with his first Sasco Sports International/American Challenge presented by Hoosier race win Friday afternoon.
“When I was a young man growing up, IMSA Firestone Firehawk was my favorite race series,” Potts said. “It was always fun to go to the IMSA races and see all the great GTP and Camel Lights cars, but those were prototypes and the Firehawk cars were real cars, something you could go to the dealership and buy. And I did. I bought an Oldsmobile Achieva SCX because of the Firehawk series.”
The red No. 58 Porsche that Potts drives is part of a full arsenal of similar-era 944s run by Colin Dougherty’s competitive DAS Sport team. The 944s are always among the most popular cars on any given HSR race weekend and have some friends in the paddock too. The entire operation, with Potts and teammate Ray Shaffer accepting the honors, was presented with the coveted “Pilot’s Choice Award” as voted by the attending pilots as the best cars at the 2022 HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour presented by Mission Foods.
A trio of DAS 944s were in action at The Mitty, including Potts’ Firehawk tribute car and a pair of authentic and period correct Canadian Rothman’s Turbo Cup cars. The Rothman’s cars are nearly identical in appearance to the Firehawk-specification 944s but packed a high-output turbocharger for the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and other goodies like magnesium intake manifolds and oil sumps, a smaller and lighter alternator, limited-slip differential and a close-ratio transmission.
“These were very active cars in the Rothman’s series,” Potts said. “Colin bought the No. 77 at an auction where I work, Hagerty and Broad Arrow, and later purchased the No. 86 car privately as part of a collection of Turbo Cup cars.”
Potts fits right in with his 944, which has been raced in competition only in its historic and vintage era.
“My car is a 1987 Porsche 944, naturally aspirated, so unlike the turbo cars, this is the standard 2.5 -liter four-cylinder, two valve engine. I purchased it back in 2021 and then had DAS strip it down to the unibody and then build it up as a tribute in every way, the roll cage, the engine, everything, exactly as it would have been run in the 1987 to ‘89 era IMSA Firestone Firehawk seasons.”
Potts truly relives his youth every time he straps into his 944 at an HSR event.
“I raced in the Grand-Am Cup series,” Potts said, “but built the 944 to be just like a Brumos Firehawk car.
“This is the era of car that represented the best part of my youth.”
Next up for HSR is the Watkins Glen Classic 6 Hour presented by Mission Foods, June 11 – 14, at Watkins Glen International.
