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“Gee Karin, you’ve got enough material for a book not just an article,” Randy told me when we finished up a recent phone interview. I guess he figured all the questions I fired at him via phone, email and in person over the past couple months added up.
“I’m lucky if I have enough for 2,500 words,” I replied.
Think perhaps Randy was right. I have lots of scoop on him. So much stuff, it was hard for me to decide what to put in this profile. Let’s see. Randy on racing, religion, relationships – on and off the track, romance, responsibility, food, fans, family, environment, Oprah … Where do I start? Maybe this will have to be a series. Maybe I’ll just have to write that book.

September 4, 2006 — “My mom always said I was born with a toy car in my hands,” says Tri-Point Mazda’s Randy Pobst with a laugh. “I’ve always liked cars and mechanical things.”

It was a simple advertisement, however, Randy spotted almost 30 years ago that piqued his interest in racing and sealed his fate. The ad promoted an Indian River Sports Car Club autocross event to be held at a local mall in his hometown of Melbourne, Florida. Race your own car - $5!

Curious, Randy, then a college sophomore, went and watched the first two events. By the third event, he was ready to race. Behind the wheel of his trusty Datsun 510, Randy raced and won, beating the class champion his first time on the track.

It was then; as Randy likes to say, that he felt a great gorilla beast walk up, grab him by the throat, and say, “You must race!”

“Something about it just touched me deep inside. It’s a small course, but you’re going as fast as you can, pushing right to the limit the whole time. There’s a feeling of great satisfaction that comes from trying to make a car go as fast as it can go.”

That moment ignited a passion within Randy that’s driven him for three decades and still consumes him today. Speed. Competition. Victory. A mere $5-a-ride gig launched the career of one of the top American sports car drivers – a career that includes seven championships, over 70 professional wins and factory rides with Audi, Porsche and Mazda.

At age 49, Randy’s still on top of the game and shows no sign of slowing down. He was part of the 2006 TPC-Racing effort that captured the coveted GT championship in the prestigious Grand Am Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. The SPEED World Challenge Touring Car championship is still within reach for the driver of the No. 73 Tri-Point Motorsports/Mazdaspeed Mazda 6.

“I was talking with friends recently about the 1996 North American Touring Car Championship I won with Honda and TC Kline Racing. I was 39 years old at the time, and I remember thinking: hey, this could be the peak of my career.” Randy chuckles. “I was so wrong! I’ve had so many, many career highs since then.”

What Randy values most in his career are his factory-sponsored driving relationships. He considers these experiences “an honor” because they’ve enabled him to drive for some of the finest teams in the business.

The 2006 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona ranks as one of Randy’s biggest single professional wins. With over ten hours in the cockpit, Randy found satisfaction in playing such a pivotal role in the team’s victory.

Randy’s most memorable race occurred when he ran his own team back in 1987-89. This family effort endured two years of close calls but no wins, and Randy’s budding career stalled. During this particularly rainy endurance race at Mid-Ohio in 1989, Randy hydroplaned into the wall at turn one. He thought his race was over, but the SCCA corner crew pushed him back on track. Without knowledge of where he was, Randy forged ahead and soon found himself challenging for the lead on the last lap. Forced off the track once again, he slid across the grass and ended up right behind the leading driver. A few turns later, Randy surprised him on the inside, took the lead and won.

“Part of what made it so [great] was the surprise of doing well,” says Randy. “Normally I fully expect to win and am disappointed if it does not happen.

“This was a real cool, fun, up-and-down race,” recalls Randy. “Winning on the last lap was really great. It still brings a tear to my eye talking about it after all these years.”

A tear? How can that be? Isn’t this the guy other drivers describe as “one of the fiercest competitors”? Could this tough guy on track have a soft, sensitive side? Turns out the tough persona only appears when Randy puts on his helmet. When it’s time to race, this gregarious, friendly and approachable guy becomes callous and cold. Winning is all that matters now.

“When racing, I’m not friendly,” says Pobst. “I play the game as hard as possible, but always within the framework of the rules. I push those rules as far as I can, but I won’t hit someone below the belt.

“Some people carry that hard attitude into the paddock,” says Randy. “It can help you. It’s an intimidation factor. I, on the other hand, want people to like me. That need for people to like me might actually hurt me in racing.”

For a guy who’s all about winning, what’s it like when he’s not?

“My mood, especially, at a racetrack is closely related to how the last session went,” says Randy. “If I’m on top of the charts, I’m happy, friendly and confident. But if I’m 12th and getting creamed by my teammates, I don’t like that very much. I’m just not very happy.

“I work real hard not to spread that to other people, but I’m not as outgoing. I’m quieter. I worry, stress out about what I can do to fix whatever might be wrong, and things like that.” Laughing, he continues, “I tell myself to breathe deeply, and everything’s going to be alright.

“It’s frustrating, a bad feeling. It goes with the intensity, focus, and my desire to be doing my best. I love to win and beat everyone else. Be on top. Ego driven, I guess.”

While Randy relishes the excitement of driving as well as the celebrity that goes with being out front, many may not realize he’s also interested in the developmental aspect of racing as well.

“One of the best things about racing for me is making a car work,” says Randy. I really enjoy trying to figure out what it needs and what to adjust to make it handle for the track and conditions of the day or weekend.

“It’s a very mechanical thing and requires a lot of brain exercise to try to come up with solutions for these vexing problems. Car set-up is a very complex issue, and many different elements affect it. It’s always fun to try to figure out how to make it right and make it work. Succeeding at that is extremely satisfying.”

Racing is much different today for Randy than when he first began. Caution and calm have replaced fearlessness and unbridled aggression. He attributes the changes to the normal cycle of life.

“I’m definitely more mellow and even-tempered as a driver, because I have so much experience. To a certain extent having so much experience can be bad. You take fewer risks, because you know what can happen. Many times that can work out okay.

“When you’re young, aggressive and charging ahead, it’s not damn the torpedoes - you don’t even know there are torpedoes. It’s youthful bravery that comes partially from ignorance. After doing it all these years, you become more cautious. I’ve always had a tendency to push too hard and so caution always brought me down to the right level of aggression.

“Occasionally caution can hurt in terms of a result like right now in the battle. But in terms of the war, like the season or relationship with a team over several seasons or even a series, I think it’s a good place to be long term.”

Randy has accomplished much in his career, but he’s never raced in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. Is this great sports car race in his future?

“I would really like to run there but never have created any opportunity for that.”

While Randy’s not actively looking for a NASCAR ride, his agent’s pursuing the possibility of getting Randy out on a road course.

“I would enjoy that,” says Randy. “It’s definitely worth doing if the opportunity could be created.

“I’d be good at it, because the cars are very heavy, very powerful and they don’t have much grip. I’m used to driving cars that don’t have much grip.”

Although Randy tends to live one day at a time and doesn’t plan too far ahead, he’s starting to think about what’s going to come after professional racing. He’s become passionate about the environment and conservation and hopes he can parlay his talents in that direction.

“I’ve always been a car nut, a real enthusiast to the core, a little bit of a gearhead. I think I could use that knowledge to help understand the question of how to be more efficient in transportation,” says Randy.

“There are cars in this country right now that are fun to drive, and get far better gas mileage than what a lot of us are driving. It’s time to start driving them. Smaller cars, smaller engines, and cars that are more efficient.”

Randy’s already converted his diesel powered daily driver to run on recycled vegetable oil.

Widely known for his love of racing, many see Randy as a contender for years to come. Surprisingly, Randy didn’t share that same perspective when asked how much longer he’ll be racing.

“I don’t know, but I feel change is in the air.”

Tapping into three decades of experience, Randy offers new racers the following advice:

“Be smooth and look ahead. That applies to not only racing but all of life”

Karin Risko is a freelance writer residing in suburban Detroit. She’s also a commercial copywriter, fulfilling the writing needs for a wide variety of businesses. Contact her at: karinrisko@crystalbaycommunications.com