From 1984 to 1991, this car manufacturer built 91 examples of their 962, 16 of which were campaigned by the factory team and the rest sold to privateers. Thanks to its excellent performance and durability, the 962 went on to become the longest-lived and most dominant sports prototype race car ever produced.

The 962 evolved from the highly successful and revolutionary 956 which had been introduced in 1982. The 956 was built to comply with the FIA's Group C regulations governing international sports car racing. These regulations imposed a minimum weight limit on the cars and restricted the number of refueling stops allowed for a given race distance. The 956 was an immediate winner, scoring four victories in a row at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1982 to 1985 in the hands of the Rothmans factory team ('82 & '83) and the Joest Racing privateer team ('84 & '85). The 962 gradually replaced the 956 in the interest of driver safety. The 962 featured a longer wheelbase than the 956, with the front wheels moving slightly forward thereby placing the front axle centerline ahead of the driver's feet and control pedals. The 962 also featured cockpit roll-over bars made of steel rather than weaker aluminum as used in the 956.

Because the 956 was banned from racing in the United States over safety concerns, American racers were eager to acquire the new 962. The most recognizable privateer 962s, with their iconic Löwenbräu liveries, were campaigned by driver and race team owner Al Holbert. Known as the Löwenbräu Specials, chassis 103 and HR1 ruled the IMSA GT prototype racing class during the mid-1980s, giving Al Holbert multiple Driver's Championships. Chassis 962-103 depicted here was built and delivered to Holbert in early 1984 and has the distinction of scoring the first ever victory for a 962, winning the 500 Kilometers of Mid-Ohio. 962-103 finished the 1984 season with further victories at Watkins Glen, Road America, Pocono and the 3 Hours of Daytona. 962-103 opened the 1985 season with a 2nd place finish at the 24 Hours of Daytona, with victories following at Miami, Laguna Seca, Charlotte, Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen.

Prepared by Löwenbräu Holbert Racing for the season-opening 1986 24 Hours of Daytona, chassis 962-103 started in 9th position and won the race. Powering the car to victory was a single-turbocharged 3.2-liter fllat-six engine that produced 700 horsepower and featured air-cooling, single overhead camshafts and 2 valves-per-cylinder. Piloted by Englishman Derek Bell and Americans Al Holbert and Al Unser Jr., 962-103 won the race completing 712 laps and covering a distance of 2535 miles at an average speed of 105.5 miles per hour. The competition was very close for the entire duration with the top two cars finishing on the lead lap. The Löwenbräu 962-103 won by only 1 minute 49 seconds, defeating the 962 contested by Henn's Swap Shop Racing. Victorious again in 1987 with pilots Bell, Holbert, Unser Jr. and the addition of American Chip Robinson, 962-103 became the first car to win the 24 Hours of Daytona in consecutive years.

With over 14,000 miles accumulated across 4 seasons, and 15 overall victories in the hands of legendary drivers, 962-103 was retired at the conclusion of the 1987 season. The significance of this particular race car is undeniable, a testament to the performance and durability of the 962.

Multi-color print on a Blue 100% cotton shirt. Original artwork by CGC and not affiliated with car manufacturer.