Mr. Levitas

[Rrider]

So I'm reading up on turbocharged Caymans, and another GTP name pops up. But this one probably dealing only with the race program. Mike Levitas @ TPC Racing. Would be interesting to pick his brain about 2.2 turbochargers.

TPCRacing has its roots in the IMSA Supercar Series of the late 1980’s and early 1990s, where team owner and driver Mike Levitas managed the turbocharger programs that gave the fire-breathing Nissan 300ZX, Mazda RX7 Twin Turbo, Lotus Turbo Esprit and Consulier GTPs their prodigious power.

From: http://www.tpcracing.com/

[Johnny]

turbocharger programs

What programs?
Maybe the reprogramed computers?

[Rrider]

I'd think they upgraded the turbos. From the web, some of the other supercar series cars (bmw, mazda, etc) were making horsepower in the 400 range. Doesn't seem like the rules were very restrictive on engine mods. Not sure though..

[Rrider]

I shot them an email asking but haven't heard back. When I saw that I read "programs" as team of engineers figuring out optimal compressor choice and stuff for each car. But maybe they do mean ECM tunes.

Here is a cut and paste from https://web.archive.org/web/20121018004730/http://www.tpcracing.com:80/about-us.html

TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic's premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. This long time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled us to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. TPCRacing has its roots in the IMSA Supercar Series of the late 1980’s and early 1990s, where team owner and driver Mike Levitas managed the turbocharger programs that gave the fire-breathing Nissan 300ZX, Mazda RX7 Twin Turbo, Lotus Turbo Esprit and Consulier GTPs their prodigious power. By combining a lifetime of automotive enthusiasm, business experience and technical skill with advanced aeronautical training and certifications, Levitas has managed to extend the engineering of some of the most advanced and well-regarded machines in existence – Porsche race cars.
After climbing the Porsche Club Racing ranks starting in 1992, Levitas and TPCRacing ascended to Motorola Cup action in 1999, driving a mix of Mercedes sedans and Porsches. In 2000, TPCRacing began entering races under its own banner, and since has scaled the heights of the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series, winning more than 20 times in class and claiming an unprecedented 1-2-3-4 sweep of a major driver’s championship. In fact, TPCRacing was so dominant that over the course of the entire season, the championship-winning #36 car never finished a race off the podium.

https://web.archive.org/web/20121018004730im_/http://www.tpcracing.com/_uploaded_files/36_492_p.jpgIn January 2006, TPCRacing reached the summit of international sports car racing – the team clinched a class win at the famed Rolex 24 At Daytona, even after suffering a major mechanical problem just hours into the race, when the onboard hydraulic airjack system failed. Typical of Levitas’ blue-collar crew and drivers, the team focused on minimizing mistakes on the track, and turned a 10-second disadvantage in each pit stop – to manually jack up one side of the car, then the other – into an opportunity. Leading the race for the last nine hours, TPCRacing stayed in front of the mighty GM-factory supported GTO.Rs, winning by two clear laps.

To this day, TPCRacing remains active in the Porsche community where the team laid down roots, and uses the team’s professional, club racing and street Porsches to develop engine and suspension components for its partners. TPCRacing has an aggressive engineering program, focused on developing powerful superchargers and responsive shocks and dampers for professional and clubsport cars, keeps performance-hungry Porsche owners fed a steady diet of racing-derived aftermarket parts.
Michael Levitas Michael Levitas, who lives at home with wife Wende and two children, Harris and Erin Michelle, was born at James Connolly Air force base in Waco Texas on June 18th of 1958. Born to a family of automotive tinkerers and inventors, Mike started working on cars at the very early age of six – and by age 13 he was learning to weld, fabricate and build engines. An interest in aviation and mechanics led him to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he grew his racing jones in close proximity to Daytona International Speedway.
With an advanced technical understanding of turbo supercharging and gas turbines honed in college, Mike began fabricating and developing turbochargers and superchargers, landing him contracts with some of the foremost racing teams in the IMSA Supercar Series. From 1989-91, Mike was responsible for the powerplants of some very exotic machinery, including the Nissan 300ZX, Mazda RX7 Turbo and Lotus Turbo Esprit, but it took until 1992 before he got behind the wheel.

Upon entering the Porsche Club of America and participating in PCA Club Races, Mike started to develop as a driver, piloting a 911 GT2 Turbo that he’d built up himself. An extremely high winning percentage led him to SCCA regional and MARS series races, where he again excelled.

A pure need for speed inspired Levitas to build a special car – a 1982 Turbo 911 – to attempt a land speed record run at Bonneville, Utah. Mike qualified his car for a record attempt, however three straight days of rain washed away his hopes of setting the record. Mike returned to the Salt Flats twice more, but the mother-nature had other plans. Instead of top-speed runs, Mike turned his attention to the growing Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series, where he’s raced full time since 2001.

Since 2001, Michael has won 12 races in the Rolex Series, finished 2nd eight times, finished 3rd 10 times and racked up an additional 25 top-ten finishes. TPC was crowned Grand American SGS-class champions in 2004, a year in which Levitas’ three car team positively dominated the competition. At the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, TPC broke through to its greatest achievement to date – winning the GT class of the famed 24-hour endurance race. Levitas personally transcended the duties of a typical team owner/driver, not only putting in impressive time behind the wheel but also acting as the team’s jack man, jacking each side of the car into the air during pit stops because of an onboard hydraulics failure.