Erik BonneyPorsche enthusiasts gathered at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca over the weekend for Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI, the largest gathering of Porsche race cars and drivers in the world. The 2018 theme “Marque of Champions” focuses on the legends of the brand and will bring together the world’s largest gathering of Porsche race cars and enthusiasts.
The event last took place in 2015 at Laguna Seca and is an amazing gathering of motorsports past and present including historic race cars, IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge races, car show with cars from around the world, and an opportunity to see, meet and spend time with some of the greatest drivers to ever climb behind the wheel of a Porsche race car.
The guest list includes names inscribed in Porsche motorsport history: Hurley Haywood, the most successful American endurance driver ever; Brian Redman, co-creator of Porsche Rennsport Reunion and racing driver extraordinaire Vic Elford, who is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his legendary 1968 season, Norbert Singer, lead engineer known as the father of the Porsche 962 as well as the man behind the Carrera GT V10 engine; and Jacky Ickx, six-time Le Mans winner, will all be in attendance along with many others. Overall, there will be 50-plus legendary drivers on hand, signing autographs and making appearances on and off the track.
Twelve current Factory Drivers will also be at the Monterey track, including Patrick Long, Earl Bamber, Timo Bernhard and the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro winning trio of Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Michael Christensen.
The other heroes of RRVI are of course the cars. The 919 Hybrid Evo, which Timo Bernhard recently piloted to a 5:19.55 record lap on the Nurburgring-Nordschleife, will be on site. A special Champions Garage will be located in pit row to display 11 victorious Porsche race cars, in addition to our Poster Cars:
1960 Porsche 718 RS Spyder – With a double-wishbone rear suspension and a larger Type 547/3 flat-four cylinder mid-mounted engine, this early predecessor of the modern Boxster won the first major endurance race for Porsche in 1960 at the 12 Hours of Sebring with Hans Hermann and Olivier Gendebien in their No. 42 718 RS 60.
1984 Porsche 953 Group B Rally Car – On the roughest terrain of North and West Africa, the first all-wheel-drive step towards the 959 utilized over 10.5 inches (27 centimeters) of wheel travel, a double-wishbone suspension with double shock absorbers at the front, and a reinforced rear axle with additional coil springs to capture victory at the Paris Dakar Rally. René Metge secured a Porsche victory in the car class, the first win for a sports car at the desert race.
2008 Porsche RS Spyder – Over a three-year period, the LMP2 class racer won three manufacturer championships in the American Le Mans Series, most notably winning the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring. That Sebring victory in the LMP2 class was the first win for a car outside the top prototype class in 14 years. The RS Spyder, which was named with a nod to the 550 Spyder of the 1950s, contributed to the development of the 918 Spyder supercar and 919 Hybrid racecars.
Linking the rich history of Porsche cars to the future of e-mobility, the 356 “No. 1” Roadster will make an appearance along with the all-electric Concept Study Mission E. The “No. 1” will be in the Porsche Paddock Hospitality area while the Mission E will be shown in the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur area. Other displays include more than 1,300 cars in the Porsche Club of America corrals and 70 significant race cars in the Porsche Heritage Tent.
Overall, there will be 350 Porsche race cars competing in seven different classes, spanning from the 356 through the 917 to modern 911 GT cars, and many more.
For more photos from the event, CLICK HERE.
