Bob Olthoff's Last Lap

[Jim Colman]

This post caught me quite off guard as I had no idea that Bob was even ill. My heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Olthoff family.

I first met Bob and Dennis back in '96 when Cobra ownership was a gleam in my eye. Dennis took me for my second ever ride in a Cobra and my first real test drive. A few months later I started production on my Cobra video and would run into Bob and Dennis on several occassions. I still remember Bob and Dennis swaping out an engine in the middle of the night in the parking lot at a local hotel during my first Run & Gun at Mid Ohio. Then in '98 I visited the Olthoffs at their shop and spent the day filming and talking with both Bob and Dennis. Bob told me a few stories of his years racing in Europe and how much the Cobra had changed from then to the current Superformance offering. Bob was always a softspoken gentlemen but he knew what he wanted and he went after it.

My last memory of Bob was him driving the new Superformance coupe at Gateway, putting the untested car thru its paces. I think Bob would like for all of us to remember him that way....behind the wheel and a smile on his face. Rest in peace my friend.

Jim Colman