Robert “Bob” Hebert, passed away on August 14. He died peacefully with his family at his side, just a few miles from Lime Rock Park, a place where he enjoyed many great weekends of racing and the company of wonderful lifelong friends.
Bob was born in his parent’s house, Arthur and Hazel Hebert, in the center of Monterey, on June 1, 1935. He attended the one-room schoolhouse there through the ninth grade. He graduated from Searles High School and later took over the family construction business, Hebert Construction. He would go on to employ many local families building lakes, dams, roads, bridges, and more.
In 1958, he married Linda Rabiner of Pittsfield. In 1959, their daughter Cindy was born. Their son Art arrived two years later, in 1961. Together Bob and Linda restored and expanded their 18th-century former boarding house, barn, and shop, “Ledgehurst,” in Monterey. There they raised their family and ran both their construction and real estate operations.
In the early 1970s, Bob’s need for adventure would lead him into auto racing. In early 1969, he began racing an open wheel Lotus Formula Ford. He was a natural talent, and after beating his instructors at racing school, he got sent home early with his license.
Within two short years, Bob became a factory team racing driver for Lotus. He raced in the pro Formula B series in the U.S., Canada, Columbia, and Venezuela. Bob took a hiatus from his racing career in the mid-1970s to concentrate on the construction business and raising his family. However, he would return.
In the 1990s, Bob teamed up with Brian Donovan to race vintage Jaguar E-Type cars. Their successes lead to Jaguar sponsoring the team in the 2000s. Bob also raced at the 24 Hours of Daytona multiple times, including for a French team, and finishing sixth in class in the prototype class. He also won the vintage race at Daytona driving a 1959 Lister Jaguar.
Bob won over 100 races in his career. He was voted SVRA Driver of the Year. He was inducted into the Road Racing Drivers Club, along with such others as Mario Andretti and Stirling Moss. Today, two of Bob’s four grandchildren continue his racing legacy. All of the grandchildren learned to drive in Grampa Bob’s backyard at Ledgehust.
Bob is survived by Linda; Cindy; Art; his daughter-in-law Heather; and his grandchildren, Ryan, Matt, Gunnar, and Lindsey. He was the family’s hero.
To view the full obituary or send remembrances, please visit the website of Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home.
