Derek Bell, Westin Fengler (on Derek’s knee), and Ken Fengler at a Derek Bell Motorsports event Perhaps one of the most interesting and fun events undertaken by Ken was his participation in the creation of the Stuttgart Cup and Mission Foods GT3 Cup. In particular, the Stuttgart Cup was conceived as a spec racing event using the highly successful Formula Vee and Spec Miata programs. It was a time of late-model Porsche racing under the name HSR (“Historic Sportscar Racing”), including the Cayman Interseries at Sebring, Road America, Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta, and Daytona. A Chicago, Illinois dealer, Napleton Porsche, sold roughly 70 Cayman race cars. Interestingly, it was decided to provide each car with a specific historical Porsche livery (such as the Pink Pig, Momo, Shell Racing, Coca-Cola, etc.), and of course all graphically designed/ redesigned by our friend David Schnorr. The year was 2009 and David had long since perfected “wrapping” cars in plastic film to allow such historical liveries to be used on the spec Cayman racers. Successful businessman and Porsche Cayman driver, Bill Ridell, continued to promote both the Porsche Cayman series and the existing Mission Foods GT3 Cup . Ridell hired Ken Fengler as General Manager and Competition Director. Ken’s duties were to secure the various tracks for the competition and to keep the rules and teams in check, preventing rules creep and overly expensive cost to be competitive.
20
Die Porsche Kassette
| Jul 2022
There are so many stories in Ken Fengler’s history as this, each just as interesting and compelling. He has participated in multiple Parade events, Rennsport in Watkins Glen and at Lime Rock. He is a co-founder of the 48 Hours at Sebring, attends WERKS at Amelia, and was the Chairman and founder of the first Gold Coast Region Drivers’ Ed program at Moroso in 1985. We had about 45 minutes at Houston’s on Atlantic and the Intracoastal WW to get the basics; we could have listened for hours. Ken has been married for 42 years to his wife, Maureen. They have two sons, Westin (33) and Garrett (29) with three grandchildren: Rileigh, Kolby, and Aston. Originally from Wallingford, CT the family has lived in the same home in Ft. Lauderdale for 40 years. His current Porsche stable includes a 1975 911 3.0 RSR in Mexico Blue (bought from the feds in a government auction – and most certainly another story), a stunning 2016 Boxster GTS in Black, and a 1974 914 Phoenix Red (recently seen at Wheels Across the Pond in Jupiter – but not his original “student loan” car). Might there be a favorite Porsche? Of course, several! He loves the 904, 906, 917, 962, ’73 Carrera RS. And what is most amazing is that he has had the opportunity to drive them ALL! As with
all this experience in motorsports, Ken has also driven in the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and numerous other races. He suggests that he was not the fastest, but the drives were quite fun. We should all be so lucky. At the ripe young age of 66, Ken is not slowing down at all. The International GT series races for 2022 are being held at Sebring, Road Atlanta, Road America, Lime Rock, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, VIR, COTA, and Daytona International, a busy schedule of mostly monthly events. In between he and Maureen spend time in Florida on the water, and enjoy skiing and travel for business and pleasure. Time spent with their grandchildren is paramount. When Ken crossed the 60-year threshold, his family and friends threw a party of course – a black button with flashing lights announced his “advanced” age. Those in attendance signed a special guest book, but no ordinary guest book. The guests signed and notated a Dr. Seuss book: OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! Having the opportunity to visit with Ken Fengler and hear a few stories, Dr. Seuss’s words, “the places you’ll go,” are so very appropriate. And it all started with a student loan, a Porsche 914, and a PCA club membership.
Ken drove this 917 in anger at Moroso (PBIR), at the time worth probably $100K, but today worth $1Mil. Would they let him in it today?
