For years, I prepped cars for a client competing in various racing events, often using BMWs for the “One Lap of America” (OLOA). He frequently encouraged me to participate, and in 2002, I finally decided to take the plunge. At the time, I owned a 1995 Diablo VT and thought it would be competitive based on the initial entry list. However, I soon realized the entry list didn’t reflect the extensive modifications many vehicles had undergone.
I quickly learned I was outmatched, a situation my wife still teases me about a decade later, saying I brought a knife to a gunfight with my Lambo Diablo.
Despite the competition, I managed to finish 10th overall out of 91 cars, which wasn’t bad considering it was my first time at most of the tracks. One particularly memorable moment was running the Lambo Diablo on a dirt track in Tulsa, OK. I had never even been in a dirt track parking lot before, let alone raced on one. Finishing 3rd there was a huge surprise and, in a funny way, harkened back to Lamborghini’s roots in tractor manufacturing.
For the 2003 OLOA, I knew I needed something more powerful. I don’t recall exactly how, but I heard about a Diablo SVR for sale. This particular Lambo Diablo SVR was tied up in a lawsuit against an exotic car dealer in Scottsdale, AZ, and acquiring it was uncertain. I wired funds into an attorney’s escrow account. However, when it was time to pick up the car, it had vanished. No one knew its whereabouts. I was given the choice to have my money returned or wait and see if it reappeared. I chose to wait. Weeks later, the car finally resurfaced and was shipped to me.
The Lambo Diablo SVR arrived in rough condition. The tires were flat, dry-rotted slicks that couldn’t hold air for more than a couple of minutes. We unloaded the car and started it up. The sound was instantly breathtaking, giving me goosebumps.
My brother, Martin Troy, was the first to drive it. We overinflated the tires so the car could make a quick run in front of my shop, European Road and Racing, before they deflated again.
It was incredible. I had researched the Lambo Diablo SVR extensively before purchasing it. I even tracked down the gentleman who owned it when it raced in Europe.
The car was the only American entry in the Lamborghini Supertrophy Series, which explains its unique paint scheme.
At that point, I had a lot of work ahead of me. I wanted to restore the Diablo SVR (Sport Veloce-Race) to its former glory, all in time for the 2003 OLOA. I had always owned interesting cars, but usually only one at a time. Without enough time to sell one to fund the restoration, I had to be financially creative. For a few months, I owned a Ferrari Testarossa and two Diablos until I could sell two of them and focus my full attention on the SVR Lambo Diablo.
A good friend and client, Mike Appleby, had mentioned a year prior he would offer financial support for the 2003 event. Even though I hadn’t asked, he remembered and generously fulfilled his promise.
With Mike’s support, I decided to honor him by making him my co-driver for the event, which he happily accepted. Mike hadn’t even sat in the car until we arrived in Rochester, NY, and later Watkins Glen, NY. To our surprise, Mike couldn’t fit into the Lambo Diablo SVR due to his size and height. He was of average build, just not the typical size of a race car driver. We needed a solution quickly.
We decided to unbolt a section of the roll cage that ran along the inside of the driver’s door, from the shoulder area down to the feet. With it removed, getting in and out became much easier. Problem solved, or so we thought. Unfortunately, we created another issue, as we discovered during the first event.
During my first run at Watkins Glen, speeding downhill into the boot on a cold, damp track, as soon as I touched the brake pedal, the rear of the Lambo Diablo snapped around. It felt like the car had been yanked from under me, sending me straight into the tire wall. I was furious with myself, especially for letting down Mike after his support. Doubt crept in – was I even a race car driver? The car was damaged, the steering wheel was almost 90 degrees off. It was a mess.
Back in the pits, we got to work. I’m not one to give up easily. Bailing wire, sledgehammers, and color-matched duct tape brought the Lambo Diablo back to a somewhat presentable state. There was no time to fix the severe alignment issues before the second run.
As I approached the car and opened the door, I felt a wave of relief. The brake bias lever had been pushed all the way to the rear, likely by someone getting in or out of the car. This lever was previously protected by the roll bar section we had removed. Now, it was exposed and easily moved out of position.
Finding the cause of the sudden loss of control was a huge relief. Maybe I wasn’t such a terrible driver after all. My confidence returned instantly, and I finished the second run in 7th place, despite the “bent car.” The DNF in the first run had placed us dead last, in 85th place. However, with several 3rd place finishes at tracks like CMP, Memphis Motorsports Park, and Indianapolis Raceway Park, we climbed back up to 9th overall.
After bringing the car home, my friend Brian Jones expertly rebuilt the entire quarter panel to “as new” condition. We even added a trailer hitch to the Lambo Diablo so we could tow a small trailer for supplies, tools, and luggage – likely a first for a Lamborghini!
The car participated in many more events and became a crowd favorite everywhere it went. I even had the thrill of chasing down and catching Bobby Rahal in his Carrera GT at an event at Roebling Road in Savannah, GA.
The Lambo Diablo SVR was featured in Makes and Models magazine in September 2005. Years later, I sold the car to Roy Cats of Cats Exotics, who has the passion and resources to further perfect it. It’s fantastic to see the joy it continues to bring and I’m honored to have been a part of its story.
This is a story about an Austrian racing an Italian supercar painted in American colors. I’m proud of my heritage, proud of the Lambo Diablo I owned, and grateful to the USA for the opportunities it provided me.
