Editor’s Note: In the time since Audi’s momentous win at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January, Fourtitude contributor Elaine Bak has had the unique opportunity to connect with Ian Baas and Dion von Moltke, two champions of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, through their mothers. Though Ian has nearly a decade of additional racing experience more than Dion, both are extremely successful today due in large part to the love, support and dedication of their families and, in particular, their moms. What follows is an overview of the careers of these racing champions through their mothers’ voices – a fitting way to celebrate this mother’s day.
Elaine would like to thank Erin Baas and Mic von Moltke for this intimate opportunity.
How old was your son when he first got into racing?
Erin Baas: Ian was about 16, which is considered a very late start in the racing world.
Mic von Moltke: Dion was barely 13 when he drove a go-cart for the first time in Miami, on a famous karting track in amongst the dilapidated warehouses near Opa Locka airport. It was this track and the one at Homestead where he developed his early racing skills.
What sparked their interest in racing? How did they begin?
Erin Baas: Ian’s grandfather, Lowell Blossom. Lowell had been very active in the mid to late ’50′s racing SCCA, SVRA and HSR events, racing Porsche Speedsters, Formula V’s, and McLaren’s to name a few. He was SCCA Regional Executive in 1955. He continued to race into his 70′s. The bug bit Ian, being surrounded by his Grandfather’s Vintage car collection and endless fascinating stories about racecars, racetracks and racecar drivers.
When Ian turned 16, his Grandfather enrolled him in the Skip Barber Car Control Driving School to insure he had proper skills on the road. Shortly after that he attended the 3-Day Racing School at Skip Barber. This proved to be the launching pad on to the next level. Ian was a natural and it wasn’t long before his grandfather had him racing along side him at VSCDA and SVRA events. His earliest racecars included a Caldwell Formula V, Formula Ford, Alva Mark 7, Chevron and a Brabham Formula B. He won the Formula Atlantic Championships driving a March 79 B.
Mic von Moltke: Our family was always interested in all forms of motorsports, and both of my sons were NASCAR fans in their earlier childhood. Dion’s interest in racing was sparked in a much larger way by a bribe from his Dad, Peter. By the time he was 13, Dion had already changed schools 4 times as a result of our family moving to different states and other countries because of Peter’s career. In the middle of his Middle School Year when we were living in Los Angeles, Peter got a call that we had to move to Miami. We placed Dion in a private school where the emphasis on learning was all laptop based. We quickly became unhappy with this method of learning, it was not yet working well enough for young students, and so we decided to move him once again and this time into a school program that was based more on the “traditional book-way” of learning (where in the end he did very well and bought home lots of A’s and B’s!). Peter knew that the change of schools was going to devastate Dion, as he would once again have to start making new friends and be the “new guy”. To make the move easier, Peter offered him a bribe; either he could get the best computer video gaming station in the world, or we would buy him a Go Kart! Dion instantly chose the need for speed and was good at it right from his first attempt. Before we knew it, he had won the Florida State Regional Championship in Easy Kart at the age of 14. He continued to race karts nationally and internationally until the age of 16. Dion then progressed onto Skip Barber where he drove the open wheel cars in their Regional and National Series. When he was 17 he test drove for a seat in the ST class in the Grand-Am Road Racing Series and from that point on he decided to pursue a career in sports car racing.
I know the sacrifices we mothers make to help our children follow their dreams, at what point did you realize that his dream may actually become a reality? What have some of these sacrifices been?
Erin Baas: I think I first realized that Ian’s dream of racing was coming true in 2005 when he raced for Alex Job in ALMS. He finished 9th overall in the Championship and received The Founders Cup for excellence in driving. It was an exciting year of new experiences and a taste of the amount of travel involved in racing. The biggest sacrifice came in 2006. Putting your son on an airplane to live and compete in Germany for a year was quite an adjustment for our close-knit family.
Mic von Moltke: It was when Dion had his first professional win at Watkins Glen in 2010 in the Golf GTI, when he beat Randy Pobst, who was referred to as the “Mayor of this track.” The two of them had an incredible race where they raced nose to tail for the last 30 minutes of the race, with Dion leading the entire way, under very tricky wet/dry track conditions. Randy is an incredible driver with so many victories under his belt, so for Dion to get this win was huge, and that to me was when his dream became a reality. Consequently thereafter he won an additional two races in the ST class that year (at Mid-Ohio and at Miller), and has numerous other wins, including the Sebring 12 Hour, this year’s Rolex 24 and many other podium finishes since then.
Peter and I have absolutely loved being at every single race of his over all these years. We want to be there, we love being in the hot pits while he is in the car, watching timing and scoring, seeing how his lap times compare to the other drivers out there. We have made many wonderful racing friends and it is a joy to see everyone at the track when we are racing. Up until now we have made it a point to be involved in shaping Dion’s career, but it is now that we are faced with the biggest sacrifice – we as parents have had to pull back. Dion has to manage and promote himself not only on the racing side, but also on the business side of the sport. He showed that he can do both as he was instrumental in putting this deal together between Audi and Alex Job Racing for the Rolex 24 Hour race, and then by going out there to win this event! As part of this process Dion hired Duncan Dayton as his professional manager, so the transition is now complete. So the sacrifice we have had to make is to be much less present, not to be in the hot pits during the race but to find a seat in the Grandstand somewhere. This has been a tough transition for us. Like everyone else in this sport, we had to spend a significant amount of our money to get him to the professional level, and sacrificed many of the other things we could have done with the money we earned over the years, but it has all been totally worth every single penny.
How did these sacrifices help him succeed?
Erin Baas: The lessons learned while racing The Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland no doubt helped Ian hone his driving and life skills. I loved seeing Ian mature into a fierce competitor and at the same time continue to be a humble caring son. Ian learned resilience, independence and perseverance. I certainly didn’t hate getting to travel to Europe occasionally to see him compete at LeMans, Circuit de Catalunya and Hockenheim.
Mic von Moltke: With the transition to an independent professional driving career, Dion has strengthened in all aspects. He is a much better businessman, he is much stronger at marketing himself, the team and our partners like PRNewswire and South African Airways, but most of all he has developed an incredible toughness that has helped him deal with the many massive curveballs racing throws at you all the time. He has also become somewhat fanatical in his mental and physical training regimes – you would be stunned to know how much training he does every single day of his life.
What was the first ‘important race’?
Erin Baas: Winning the 2006 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.
Mic von Moltke: It was whilst driving a Porsche GT3 Cup car for TRG in an ALMS race at Lime Rock, following a very tough race at Long Beach a few weeks before. He had been in a good position for a podium finish with 5 laps to go when a pretty serious racing incident took him out of the race. Although nobody’s fault, being an unfortunate incident that happens in racing, he felt that his future career had been negatively impacted. He turned things around in dramatic fashion at Lime Rock and won the race, making this race the most important for him to date. He was under incredible pressure to perform and bring in a good result. With 45 minutes to go in the race and he in last place, the victim of the short laps that put his co-driver a lap down. The GTC class always features some of the best sports car drivers in the world, and he not only made his lap back but he passed every single one of them, including the sister car of TRG driven by Spencer Pumpelly to take the checkered flag on the last lap. Dion’s sponsor PRNewswire was there in person watching this race, so it was really special for them to be in victory lane and be part of the celebrations. This was a career-changing event, in a very positive way.
How did your son get involved in that race and how did it feel, as a mother, watching him during that race?
Erin Baas: Ian joined TPC Racing in a Porsche GT3. It was an underdog car with a strong lineup of drivers. It was surreal. This was Ian’s very first Rolex 24, so the spectacle of the event itself was unbelievably exciting to experience as a Mom. I can remember walking through the Paddock around 4 AM and seeing the big Rolex clock ticking away the hours and being amazed at the amount of energy still buzzing around me. I was so nervous every time Ian got in the car for his stint. As the race continued on and on and on and the reality that it looked as if they would win started to sink in the nerves escalated to a level I had never experienced. You are so overtired and the adrenalin is pumping that it is hard to even breath. The last hour of the race felt like it lasted 24 hours. To see your son’s team take the checkered flag as the winning car in the 24 was fantastic! I will always have this vision of Ian beaming as he strode toward Victory Lane to claim his Rolex Watch in his very first 24.
Mic von Moltke: Dion was driving the season as the lead driver in the number 68 Porsche with TRG in the ALMS GTC Championship series. I was brimming with pride, I was so happy for him that he turned this race weekend into a win and to do it in front of his sponsor and in such a spectacular fashion was huge! I was absolutely ecstatic; the pressure had been lifted not only for me but also for him. It is amazing to see his incredible self-belief and how he always takes such a positive approach in all that he does, in spite of the biggest of challenges he has had to face. He truly is a major inspiration to all of those who know him.
Are there certain successes or experiences that really stand out in your memory? What have been some of the most difficult challenges you have faced as a mother with his racing career?
Erin Baas: Ian was born and raised in Indianapolis so the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has always been a magical place. In 2006 Ian raced in the Porsche Super Cup before the F1 race in front of his hometown fans. So many family and friends had followed Ian’s career but few had actually seen him race. To top it off he got a podium that day.
Another favorite memory was at Daytona several years ago. He was there testing for APR Motorsport and they put a second seat in the car and I couldn’t pass on taking several hot laps with Ian. Holy Cow! Did I gain a new respect for “a day at the office” for Ian.
You give up an awful lot of time at home. I have been fortunate enough to see most of Ian’s US races but the season eats up your social life outside of the racing community.
Do you get nervous when he’s behind the wheel?
Erin Baas: I really don’t get the nerves the way I used to. I found in the past that I was more nervous if Ian was the driver qualifying the car because it is completely balls to the wall for those few minutes. I have always believed in the safety of the cars and gear that Ian wears. He’s in more danger of being hurt driving to work every day than he is on the track.
Mic von Moltke: The most nervous moments for me are when Dion has to qualify the car and when he is the starting driver of the race. It’s all about him bringing his “A” game and to be the best. I always want the best for him and there is nothing that I can do to help, it is all up to him, but I still can’t help getting nervous!
How do you manage any fears you may have while he’s racing?
Erin Baas: For the last several years I have been the data logger during the races for Ian’s team, APR Motorsport. This has been the perfect job as I can stay in tune with what’s going on during the races without having much time for the fears and nerves to creep up while Ian is in the car.
Mic von Moltke: Thank heavens for Dr. Jacques Dallaire’s “Rules of the Mental Road, Rule #6: “Your Perception or Perspective concerning the challenges that you face will determine your emotional response…” I clear my mind and say to myself that Peter and I have given him access to all the top training tools that are out there to make him the best driver possible, he implements these practices into his everyday life, and he is a successful young man in everything he does. I put my trust in his skills and watch him soar.
I’m sure that you feel nothing but pride and excitement for your son, what would you say has been your proudest moment this far in his racing career?
Erin Baas: Of course winning The 24 in 2006 and finishing 2nd in this year’s 24 were very proud moments. Every podium brings joy but I think I am most proud of seeing Ian’s caring interaction with fellow team members, drivers and fans. He is never too busy to chat with fans, go over every detail of a track with a new driver or trouble shoot with the crew.
Mic von Moltke: Without a doubt, the two proudest moments for me were his victory in the Sebring 12 Hour in the Battery Tender Alex Job Porsche last year in the ALMS Series, and then watching him on the podium raising the trophy with his 3 teammates (all Audi Factory Drivers) Filipe Albuquerque, Edoardo Mortara and Oliver Jarvis as the winners of the Rolex 24 hr at Daytona GT race in the Alex Job Audi R8 in the GRAND-AM Series. At Sebring he drove the final 3 hours of the race and nobody could catch him, it was an incredible accomplishment. And now to see his name in the history books as one of the first drivers that took the German Manufacturer, Audi, to its first victory at the Rolex 24 hr at Daytona is pretty impressive at 22 years of age!
What are your feelings after the victory in the Rolex 24?
Mic von Moltke: I feel immensely proud and to me this victory validates his talent as a professional driver. He was so involved in all of the activities and preparation leading up to the race, and his training regimen went up several notches, that all of his massive personal sacrifices and dedication to this sport now all makes sense. I get it.
Those final few moments of the race were extremely tense, what were you feeling/thinking at that time?
Mic von Moltke: …Please Lord let it be us…!
Erin, Ian and your family have already achieved so much in racing, what are your hopes for the future?
Erin Baas: It’s simple, to see him continue to be the happy person he is. Racetracks have been our “living room” for a long time and I am more than pleased to see that continue.
Mic, What are your hopes for Dion’s future in racing?
Mic von Moltke: My hopes are for him to become a full time factory driver (Audi would be great!) here in the US and other parts of the world, to win many Championships, but most of all lead a happy and safe life doing what he loves most of all – racing!
Erin, What words of wisdom would you impart on other families whose sons are starting out in their racing career?
Erin Baas: It’s a tough career path. There are a lot of talented drivers but very few can turn it into a career. I would make sure you encourage your kid to have a Plan B.
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