1979, John Morton Racing

Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Competizione S/N 16407

February 4, 1979

1st in GTO class, 2nd overall

Robert Caradine sold chassis number 16407 to Bill Nicolas and Jim McRoberts in 1979 who entered it in the 1979 24 Hours of Daytona (Pepsi Challenge). Bruno Borri’s Modena Sports Cars in Hollywood, California prepared the car for the race, and hired 64-year-old Otto Zipper as the team manager. John and Tony Adamowicz qualified the car 24th.

Morton collection– Philippe Moriniere photo

Morton collection – David Christian photo

Otto Zipper on left and Jim McRoberts in leisure suit.

Leaving the pits on Friday.

Morton collection – David Christian photo

Morton collection – Robert Dunsmore photo

The car raced with a large/wide black band painted diagonally across the entire hood. It was a tribute to Otto Zipper, who passed away the night before the race in his motel room, the victim of a heart attack. Ken Starbird took over Zipper’s duties for the race.

Morton collection

Morton collection – Bill Warner photo

“Everyone was quite emotional about it, a very tough deal, and they wanted to withdraw the car. Tony and I wanted to run Ferrari, not really to make a statement, but we thought it would be appropriate to race the car. Sylvia and Tony’s girlfriend Vicki talked the team into running, thinking Otto would have wanted that. So did we. We put black tape diagonally across the hood of the car in honor or Otto.

It was a shame he couldn’t be there because we had an incredible performance largely due to the Porsche turbos being so fragile at the time, because we were obviously not competitive with the Porches.“

John Morton passes the BMW 3.5 CSL of Alf Gebhardt and Sepp Grinbold.

Morton collection

The car raced with a large/wide black band painted diagonally across the entire hood. It was a tribute to Otto Zipper, who passed away the night before the race in his motel room, the victim of a heart attack. Ken Starbird took over Zipper’s duties for the race.

Driver change and pit stop. Modena Sport Cars’ Pietro Iurilli at right rear of vehicle. Brunno Borri with red cap and fuel hose. Luciano Fabbio in blue shirt with LF wheel.

Morton collection

Morton collection – Dennis Gray pho

to

Morton collection

Riverside International Raceway

IMSA GT

Vasek Polak Porsche 935

April 22, 1979

Did not start

Morton collection – Stan Sholik photo

John was scheduled to drive this Porsche 935 (shown at left during practice) with Mandy Gonzales.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

SCCA Can-Am

Prophet 1/Chevrolet

May 20, 1979

8th

Morton collection

Results:

24 Hours of Le Mans

Circuit de la Sarthe

Interscope Racing Porsche 935

June 10, 1979

DNF

This was John’s first trip to Le Mans. John drove with Ted Field and Milt Minter in the Interscope Racing Porsche 935. Engine issues forced an early exit.