Saab 9000 Aero One Lap of America

© 1993 by Saab Cars USA.   Reproduced with permission from Saab Cars USA.

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From bumper to bumper (to roof-top carrier), the "find your own road" Saab 9000 Aero is a rolling palette of bright custom colors. From right, "One Lap" drivers are Jim Crumlish, Bill Buckley, and John Jacobs.

 In what may be the most eye-catching 1995 Saab 9000 Aero in the U.S., a three-man team of Saab employees, led by Saab Cars USA, Inc. CEO Jim Crumlish, competed in the 1995 One Lap of America competition. With co-drivers John Jacobs and Bill Buckley, the Saab team drove for seven days and covered 4,953 miles. The Aero went up against 85 competitors at 12 race-track events. Although the team was prepared for emergency repairs, the 9000 Aero ran flawlessly. Other than fuel and a new set of wiper blades, the Aero needed nothing - not even an extra quart of oil.

Most entrants were competing in modified vehicles, which surpassed the Saab in horsepower and race-track performance. However, the 225-hp Saab 9000 Aero was the top finisher among showroom stock sedans, and was the only factory-sponsored team with employees behind the wheel rather than professional race drivers. The Aero finished higher than many of its high-performance sports car competitors.

The Saab team was bestowed the "One Lap Sportsmanship Award" for their efforts in helping a couple from Germany who were driving a Mazda Miata that suffered a cracked brake rotor. Team Saab phoned ahead to Fred Jones Saab in Tulsa, OK, who repaired the problem "like a NASCAR pit stop," and had the couple back on the road in plenty of time to make their next checkpoint.