Conover Motorsports is entering the GRM Ultimate Track Car Challenge in the Shop Class JV category, for pro-built 4-cylinder cars on DOT-legal tires.

<< Pablo I at the 2005 Summit Point 12-hour enduro, not long before he was chucked on his head at the Rally Tennessee - Puebla, Mexico isn't Zuffenhausen or Maranello but Kirk Knestis of Greensboro, NC doesn't care. That's where his VW Golf was built in 1994, which is why his wife (the car's co-owner) gave it the nickname Pablo. While the Puebla-built MkIII VWs weren't known for detail build quality, this generation of Golf has proven to be an effective multipurpose race car - where it really doesn't matter if power windows work or not. The modifications that got Pablo ready to go racing were planned from the outset to make him legal and practical for use in a variety of racing disciplines. Part of Kirk's scheme to get maximum fun-per-dollar in his return to club racing after a long layoff to get two more degrees and a new profession, this strategy made its debut in Grassroots Motorsports (My Latest Project, May 2004) and got Pablo featured in Thirty Years of the Volkswagen Golf & Rabbit (Kevin Clemens, 2006). There does however exist a very real downside to building a car that can run road races, hillclimbs, rallycross events, time trials, and rallies: One can run rallies. Just such an event, the 2005 Rally Tennessee, spelled doom for Pablo, when Kirk misjudged a fast left-hand sweeper while sitting 3rd in class, on Day 2, of his first rally as a driver. He rolled himself, his co-driver, and his capable Mexican pal Pablo out of the event.

<< Pablo II comes together in the Conover Motorsports shop - Unfortunately, while the spirit of Pablo lived on (as did his KONI suspension, RECARO seat, grill, and a few other bits) his shell was a goner. The silver lining of this major set-back was the birth of Pablo II, conceived of a $378 non-sunroof Golf Sport shell that was stripped bare, caged by Competition Cages (Hillsborough, NC), and swathed in Jazz Blue pearl by Tom Landock of Winston-Salem. Pablo II was built on the same multi-use premise as his namesake - including the fact that he is street licensed and driven to most events. In many ways, the two cars are identical but lessons learned from two years of MkIII VW experience were applied to make Son of Pablo better - Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster. Built by Conover Motorsports, near Kirk's home of Greensboro, NC, Pablo II is lighter, stiffer, and significantly quicker, thanks in no small part to his fully optimized engine - built to SCCA Improved Touring rules by Cameron Conover. Rubber bushings in the front suspension and subframe were replaced with solid units from 247-Parts.com. Conover also built a new gearbox for Pablo II (affectionately called Pablito in the shop), incorporating a 4.25:1 final drive and clutch-type differential from Bildon Motorsport.

<< Pablo II showing battle scars during the VIR 13-hour enduro in November, 2006 - Pablo II made his racing debut in May of 2006 with the season focused sharply on preparing for and entering two major East coast endurance races - the Summit Point 12 Hours and 13-hour classic at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). The Conover Motorsports team, entered in collaboration with PhilsTireService.com, had a rough time with a freak gearbox shaft failure and significant body damage relegating them to 2nd in Improved Touring B in both events. The team has an aggressive expanded schedule planned for the 2007 season, focusing again on amateur endurance road races - six events for a total of 70.5 hours of racing time, including the revived Longest Day 24 hours at Nelson Ledges, Ohio. And what about other disciplines? Kirk will run some Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and National Auto Sport Association (NASA) sprint races, maybe the Blue Ridge hill climb, and probably some track days just for fun at VIR, just up the road from home. However, while technically still legal for rallies, Pablito's co-owner is adamant that Kirk won't have the chance to make the same mistake twice: "I own half of the car. It might be the back half, but it's not going to any more rallies."

Three years' worth of preparation and action images are available at our web site. Check back regularly to keep track of Pablo's exploits in 2007 and beyond.

All content Copyright 2007, Kirk Knestis. Photo credits are listed on their original web pages.