Swen Dolenc's routine must be the envy of many a motor racing fan: during the working week, he sells sports cars at the Porsche Centre in Pforzheim, but on the eight ADAC GT Masters weekends, he teams up with Martin Ragginger in a FACH AUTO TECH Porsche 911 GT3 R to chase championship points. And with some considerable degree of success - at the Nürburgring, the 44-year-old registered his best result to date in the 'Super Sports Car League', a P5 finish. After wins on both Saturday and Sunday in the amateur classification, the Porsche man reclaimed the championship lead.
Dolenc has been steadily stamping his authority on the amateur stakes. He finished runner-up in the 2011 season, and now, half way through the current season, he has notched up four amateur victories to establish himself as 'Germany's speediest Porsche dealer'. Asked about his closest competitors, the former motorbike competition rider replies: "I think that Kristian Poulsen and I must count as the fastest amateurs contesting the ADAC GT Masters." He is intent on winning the title this time round: "Last year, the pairing of Marc Hayek and Peter Kox were just too strong all round, so there was no way that I was in with a chance of the title. This year, though, Martin and I are pretty much on a par in terms of speed with our closest rivals, Poulsen and Nygaard; that has been apparent from the races so far."
Dolenc has benefited once again this season from his partnership with Martin Ragginger from Austria. "Martin is an extremely fast driver, and I learn something new from him each weekend. To become better in this sport, you need to measure yourself against a strong driver. I find it very helpful to compare my data to Martin's and to see the areas in which I can still learn from him. For example, he always manages to take more speed through on the corners, so I try to copy his technique. I actually acquired a lot of the skills I use now when I started out in motorcycle racing. You find out how to read the track and to identify the racing line. But in car racing, you never stop learning; it's great having Martin to support me in this."
Dolenc is optimistic about the second half of the ADAC GT Masters season which resumes on the weekend of 10th - 12th August at the Red Bull Ring in Austria: "In the first few races, we seemed unable to convert promising grid positions into decent results. Also, we were competing on circuits such as the Sachsenring which simply weren't designed with the Porsche in mind. But the remaining fixtures on the calendar are all tracks that suit the Porsche rather well. At the Red Bull Ring, we should be quick, and as for the Lausitzring, that is definitely one of my favourite tracks - it's where I won the 2009 Challenge Cup in the Porsche Sports Cup. The Grand Prix circuit at the Nürburgring should also be good for us, and the finale at the Hockenheimring counts as my home race anyway."
Sporting success also carries over into Dolenc's day job. Many of his customers ask the FACH driver about his weekend exploits. "The Porsche Centre in Pforzheim has always been heavily involved in motorsport. We have a lot of customers who are themselves active in the motor racing scene and have their cars serviced by us. Quite a few of our customers follow my progress in the ADAC GT Masters with interest." Prospective buyers are particularly enamoured with the ultra-sporty 911 models on which the GT3 R racing version is based. "I doubt whether any other Porsche dealer sells as many 911 GT3s as we do," says Dolenc.
As in previous seasons, Dolenc enjoys his employer's support. "I am very fortunate to have the backing of Porsche Zentrum Pforzheim in this year's ADAC GT Masters. However, I'm still an amateur competitor, which means I have to take time off for the races. But at the end of each ADAC GT Masters weekend, I'm always back in the showroom at 7 o'clock on a Monday morning, trying to catch up on work from the previous Thursday and Friday." Much to the surprise of some customers, apparently. "'Didn't I see you on TV yesterday?' they often say when they see me behind my desk on Monday morning," adds Dolenc with a chuckle.