Rich Zober

{{Short description|American racing driver}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox racing driver | name = Richard Zober | image = File:Atlantics NJ25 02.jpg | image_size = | caption = Zober (second from right) at New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2025 | nationality = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|02|22}} | birth_place = Newtown, Pennsylvania, U.S. | relatives = | current_series = Atlantic Championship | first_year = 2004 | current_team = Comprent Motorsports | car_number = 66 | former_teams = Polestar Racing Group (2008, 2009) | starts = 12 | best_finish = 8th | year = 2012 | last_finish = | prev_series = Atlantic Championship SCCA Formula Atlantic IMSA Lites L1 Atlantic Championship Star Mazda Atlantic Championship SCCA Formula Atlantic USF2000 | prev_series_years = 2012 2011 2010 2008–2009 2006–2008 2004–2005 2002–2003 2000–2001 | titles = | title_years = | awards = | award_years = | updated = }}

'''Richard Zober''' (born 22 February 1966) is a racing driver who competed in various formula racing series.

==Racing career== [[File:-66, 2006 Swift 016a Mazda, Formula Atlantic -016 Class (52881160699).jpg|thumb|230px|Zober at Mid-Ohio in 2023]] Zober started auto racing in 1995 in the SCCA Formula Continental class. He finished eighteenth in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. He made his debut in the USF2000 championship in 2000. He competed in four races at Road America and Watkins Glen International. He competed in the American Continental Class for older F2000 cars. Zober scored a total of 23 points which placed him ninth in the championship.<ref>{{cite web|title=US F2000 American Continental Championship Point Standings |url=http://www.usff2000.com/season2000/accpts.htm |work=USF2000 |accessdate=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030805124814/http://www.usff2000.com/season2000/accpts.htm |archivedate=August 5, 2003 }}</ref> He returned the following season for two races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. This time, he competed in a new Van Diemen in the National Championship class. During the first race, Zober spun after which he retired.<ref>{{cite web|title=US F2000 at the "U.S. Road Racing Classic" - Race #1 Results |url=http://www.usff2000.com/season2001/event5/race1.htm |work=USF2000 |accessdate=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030823091753/http://www.usff2000.com/season2001/event5/race1.htm |archivedate=August 23, 2003 }}</ref> He managed to finish the second race as the last car running.<ref>{{cite web|title=US F2000 at the "U.S. Road Racing Classic" - Race #2 Results |url=http://www.usff2000.com/season2001/event5/race2.htm |work=USF2000 |accessdate=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030823092012/http://www.usff2000.com/season2001/event5/race2.htm |archivedate=August 23, 2003 }}</ref> The following year, he switched to the SCCA Formula Atlantic class driving a Swift 008.a. After two years in the amateur series, he made his debut in the pro Atlantic Championship. Zober participated at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the C2 class for older Formula Atlantic cars in a Swift 008.a. He finished twelfth overall, second in class. Comprent Motorsports entered Zober the following season in the Atlantics support races at the Grand Prix of Cleveland. Again in the C2 class, he achieved his first top-ten finish finishing eighth in the first race. In 2008 and 2009, Zober drove for Polestar Racing Group in the championship class. His best finish was an eleventh place at Lime Rock Park in 2009. Zober drove his first full season in the Atlantic Championship in 2012. After the downfall of Champ Car, the series was revived by SCCA Pro Racing for 2012. Zober achieved four top-ten finishes and was placed eighth in the championship.

==Racing record==

===SCCA National Championship Runoffs===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year !! Track !! Car !! Engine !! Class !! Finish !! Start !! Status |- | 1994 || Mid-Ohio || Swift DB6 || Ford || Formula Continental || 18 || 25 || Running |- | 2002 || Mid-Ohio || Swift 008.a || Toyota 4AGE || Formula Atlantic || 10 || 6 || Running |- | 2003 || Mid-Ohio || Swift 008.a || Toyota 4AGE || Formula Atlantic || 22 || 14 || DNF |- | 2011 || Road America || Swift 016.a || Mazda-Cosworth MZR || Formula Atlantic || 10 || 11 || Running |- | 2012 || Road America || Swift 016.a || Mazda-Cosworth MZR || Formula Atlantic || 6 || 7 || Running |- | 2013 || Road America || Swift 016.a || Mazda-Cosworth MZR || Formula Atlantic || DNS || 17 || DNS |- | 2014 || Laguna Seca || Swift 016.a || Mazda-Cosworth MZR || Formula Atlantic || 12 || 3 || DNF |- | 2020 || Road America || Swift 016.a || Mazda-Cosworth MZR || Formula Atlantic ||style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 || 6 || Running |} <ref>{{cite web|title=SCCA RUNOFFS DRIVER HISTORIES|url=http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/assets/12-runoffs-drivers-s-z.pdf|work=Zober Richard|accessdate=7 April 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305062336/http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/assets/12-runoffs-drivers-s-z.pdf|archivedate=5 March 2014}}</ref>

===American open–wheel racing results=== (key) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

====Complete USF2000 National Championship results==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! Pos ! Points |- |- | 1999 ! Richard Zober | PIR | CHA1 | CHA2 | MOS | MOS | MOH | ATL |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| ROA1 18 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| ROA2 19 | CTR | MOH | PPI | SEB1 | SEB2 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''N.C.''''' |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''N.C.''''' |- | 2000 ! Richard Zober | PIR | MOS1 | MOS2 | IRP1 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| ROA1 24 |style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| ROA1 30 | TRR | MOS3 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| WGI1 16 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| WGI2 25 | IRP2 | ATL1 | ATL1 | |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''N.C.''''' |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''N.C.''''' |- | 2001 ! Richard Zober | HMS1 | HMS2 | HMS3 | WGI1 | WGI2 | IRP |style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| MOH1 24 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| MOH2 18 | ROA1 | ROA2 | MOH3 | SEB1 | SEB2 | |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''26th''''' |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''4''''' |- | 2005 ! Richard Zober |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| ROA1 21 |style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| ROA2 28 |style="background-color:#FFFFFF"| MOH1 DNS |style="background-color:#FFFFFF"| MOH2 DNS |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| CLE1 21 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| CLE2 25 | ROA3 | ROA4 | MOH3 | MOH4 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| VIR1 12 |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| VIR2 13 | | |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''25th''''' |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''21''''' |}

====Star Mazda Championship==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year !Team !1 !2 !3 !4 !5 !6 !7 !8 !9 !10 !11 !12 !Rank !Points |- | 2006 ! Comprent Motorsports | SEB | HOU | MOH | MIL | MON |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MMP 23 | POR | TRR |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| RAM 21 | MOS |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| RAT 17 | LAG |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''N.C.''''' |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''N.C.''''' |- | 2007 ! Comprent Motorsports | SEB | HOU |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| VIR 14 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MMP 14 | POR |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| CLE 10 | TOR |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| RAM 11 | TRR | MOS |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| RAT 12 | LAG |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''27th''''' |style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| '''''119''''' |- | 2008 ! Comprent Motorsports |SEB |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|UTA 22 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|WGI 16 |POR |POR |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|ROA 17 |TRR |MOS |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|NJ1 22 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|NJ2 17 |ATL |LAG |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''''22nd''''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''''99''''' |}

====Atlantic Championship==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" ! Year ! Team ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! Rank ! Points |- | 2004 ! Comprent Motorsports |LBH |MTY |MIL |POR1 |POR2 |CLE |TOR |VAN |ROA |DEN |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|MTL 12 |LS | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''N.C.''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''0''' |- | 2005 ! Comprent Motorsports |LBH |MTY |POR1 |POR2 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|CLE1 8 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|CLE2 13 |TOR |EDM |SJO |DEN |ROA |MTL | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''N.C.''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''0''' |- | 2008 ! Polestar Racing Group |LBH |LS |MTT |EDM1 |EDM2 |ROA1 |ROA2 |TRR |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|NJ 17 |UTA |ATL | | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''27th''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''4''' |- | 2009 ! Polestar Racing Group |SEB |UTA |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|NJ1 12 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|NJ2 12 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|LIM 11 |ACC1 |ACC2 |MOH |TRR |MOS |ATL |LS | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''18th''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|'''7''' |- | 2012 ! Comprent Motorsports | style="background:#EFCFFF;"|ATL1 DNF | style="background:#FFFFFF;"|ATL2 DNS | style="background:#CFEAFF;"|NJ1 9 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"|NJ2 8 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"|SUM1 7 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"|SUM2 9 | | | | | | | | | |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| '''8th''' |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| '''99''' |- | 2014 ! Comprent Motorsports |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|ATL1 8 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|ATL2 15 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|WGI1 9 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|WGI2 8 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|VIR1 6 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|VIR2 9 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|MOH1 9 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|MOH2 15 |TOM1 |TOM2 | | | | | |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| '''10th''' |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| '''160''' |- | 2015 ! Comprent Motorsports |PBI |style="background:#FFDF9F;"|ATL 3 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|ATL 9 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|WGL 9 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|WGL 5 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|VIR 5 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|VIR 13 |style="background:#FFFFFF;"|MOH DNS |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|MOH 6 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|PIT 4 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|PIT 7 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|NJMP 4 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|NJMP 11 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|PIT 5 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"|PIT 6 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| '''7th''' |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| '''303''' |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zober, Rich}} Category:1966 births Category:Atlantic Championship drivers Category:Living people Category:Indy Pro 2000 Championship drivers Category:Racing drivers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania Category:SCCA National Championship Runoffs participants Category:U.S. F2000 National Championship drivers Category:People from Newtown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania