Stephen J. Behr, widely known as “Yogi” from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon character, has died at the age of 74 from pancreatic cancer. Behr crafted a motor sports career for himself that began when he was a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant stationed in Germany in the late ’60s. After starting out racing his own car, he soon got his hands on a factory-built Porsche, then took a European discharge and found a job with Porsche AG. In 1969 he teamed with John Buffum in a 911 to finish 12th in the Monte Carlo Rallye, the highest placing ever achieved in that fabled event by an American pairing.
Back home the following year he raced a Porsche 906 at Sebring alongside Merv Rosen, classified 30th. In ’71 he entered the first of Brock Yates’ legendary Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dashes, and won the outlaw cross-country sprint the next year, teamed with Bill Canfield and Fred Olds in a Cadillac Coupe de Ville.
From there Behr’s scattered career centered mostly on IMSA’s GT category—mainly in Porsches—highlighted by a class-winning GTU drive at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1973, teamed in Don Lindley’s 911 S with the owner and Brian Goellnicht. Behr ultimately contested the Sebring enduro five times, tackling the 24 Hours of Daytona on an equal number of occasions.
His best season statistically was 1974, when he stood on four GTU podiums (a 2nd and three 3rds) and finished 5th in the final class point standings. In ’76 he made a one-off appearance in Formula 5000 at Mosport, driving the ex-Penske, AMC-powered Lola T330, but retired early and his career wound down from there. To his family and friends in the sport Vintage Racecar offers its sincerest condolences.
