Steve Behr (1938–2013)

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.