by Tim Comeau on Sun Aug 10, 2025 8:35 pm
Sad news.
John and I shared many PCA memories together since I met him when he was working for Volker Bruckmann in 1985. We shared my green 911S targa for years, which we raced in Mexico and the US. Tijuana, Tecate, Mexicali. Sometimes I drove and he was crew chief, sometimes we swapped roles. We almost always finished well. So many stories to make us smile. We also worked together at his house/shop in Leucadia, affectionately known as "The Torture Chamber" and we worked together at my house in Rolando when I was building 944 Spec race cars. John loved to share his passion for Porsches, whether it was just hanging out, sharing memorabilia, racing, or instructing at the PCA Performance Driving School.
Looking back, he weathered a life that was pretty tough at times. The loss of his father at a very early age, an unwelcome divorce, and a terrible accident where a drunk driver hit him while he was riding his bicycle home, nearly killing him. Through all this life-changing adversity, he found a way to not only pick up the pieces, but put them back together and SHINE. He had my respect and admiration.
We worked, played, laughed, and raced together. And we quarreled sometimes too, but that's what happens when you know another person so well and for so long. He was a good friend. He had a big heart. He was a valued old-school Porsche mechanic. I'll remember him fondly and share his stories for as long as I'm around.