Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI 2018 - Zuffenhausen under the California sun

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Created on October 15, 2018

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Written by:

René de Boer

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www.hoch-zwei.net

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René de Boer

www.hoch-zwei.net

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René de Boer

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Porsche-Rennwagen bestechend aufgestellt - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 935 und 917/10 in den berühmten Brumos-Farben - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Nicht alle Traktoren kümmerten sich um die Streckenführung - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Entspannter Jochen Mass - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Derek Bell - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Jacky Ickx im Porsche 936 - fast wie damals - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Jacky Ickx - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Jacky Ickx im Porsche 911 - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Vic Elford im Porsche 911 - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Vern Schuppan - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 911 mit TAG-Turbo - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 917 in den berühmten Martini-Farben - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Wolfgang Porsche im Porsche Nummer 1 - viel Interesse von den Besuchern - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Wolfgang Porsche im Porsche Nummer 1 - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Vorstart - Devin Porsche - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Devin Porsche (1962) - an den Boxen - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Elva-Porsche (1966) - schnelle Flunder - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 356 (1948) - als Ausstellungsobjekt - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 904 GTS (1964) - vor seinen Nachfolgern - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 908/3 (1972) - Boxen-Idylle - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 908/3 (1972) - die Targa-Florio-Flunder - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 910 (1968) - auf der Rundstrecke - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 911 auf der Rennstrecke - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 911 (1970) - Kremer-Porsche - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 917/10 (1972) - CanAm-Renne im Duett - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 917/10 (1972) - in der Corkscrew-Schikane - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 917/30 (1973) - zusammen mit dem Porsche 919, der den Nürburgringrekord pulverisierte - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 917/30 (1973) - so sehen 1200 PS aus - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 934 (1976) - Max Moritz Team-Rennwagen - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche 935 (1976) - das Vorbild für den modernen GT2-Club-Sportwagen - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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Porsche RSK (1959) - Display - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

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With a new record of 70,000 visitors, with over 50 racing drivers, technicians and leaders from the brand's rich sporting history, with around 300 historic Porsches in action in races and demonstration drives and with several thousand Porsches in the parking lots, the sixth edition of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion in Laguna Seca was an event of superlatives.

Reunion

Derek Bell had a big grin on his face as he took off his helmet after his stint in the Löwenbräu Porsche 962. "I haven't driven a car like this for 31 years, but after half a lap everything was instantly familiar again," said the five-time Le Mans winner. That's exactly what the Porsche Rennsport Reunion is all about.

Great drivers are reunited with the cars in which they were once successful. And current works drivers can experience what the cars of yesteryear felt like on the racetrack. Private drivers are allowed to drive their own racing Porsches on the track, many of which are also racing cars with a successful history.

Largest Porsche event in the world

The Porsche Rennsport Reunion is now considered the largest Porsche event in the world.

Bild Brian Redman - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

In 2001, former racing driver Brian Redman, together with his son James and Bob Carlson, the busy press officer of the US Porsche importer, launched the event as a small gathering at the Lime Rock race track north of New York. In 2004 and 2007, the event was held in Daytona, Florida, and in 2011 and 2015, Porsche made guest appearances at Laguna Seca in California.

Bild Porsche 911 vor 911-Kullisse - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

Porsche owners and enthusiasts from all over the world gathered there again on the weekend of September 29 and 30, 2018 to celebrate the brand's motorsport history, in keeping with Porsche's 70th anniversary as a sports car manufacturer.

Support from the museum

"It's fascinating to see what the initially small event has become. It's absolutely impressive what's on offer here. It's just a shame that we are no longer the organizers, but on the other hand it gives me the opportunity to really enjoy the days here," explained the former initiator Brian Redman. Porsche Cars North America has long since taken the organization into its own hands, receiving strong support from the headquarters in Stuttgart. "Our US colleagues are in charge, but of course we are happy to provide vehicles from our collection," explains Porsche Museum Director Achim Stejskal.

Bild Porsche-Rennwagen bestechend aufgestellt - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

For Porsche, it was the biggest event in the anniversary year after the simultaneously celebrated 'Sportscar Together Day' in June.

Everything on site

Superlatives are not enough to describe everything that was on show at Laguna Seca. The centerpiece in the paddock was the Porsche Heritage Display, set up with the support of partner Chopard.

Bild Porsche Rennwagen soweit das Auge blicken kann - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

The exhibition tent featured 70 important vehicles from the brand's history, from the fascinating 'Berlin-Rome' car from the Hamburg Museum prototype to numerous racing versions of the 911, the 906, 908, 910, 917 and 956/962 racing sports cars and the successful 919 Hybrid from recent history.

Jani drives the last laps in the 919 Hybrid Evo

A large number of other racing cars were lined up in the pits of the racetrack, including the 959 winning car from the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally, the 911 GT1 with which Porsche won the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 919 Hybrid Evo, the ultimate version of the LMP1 racing car, in which Swiss works driver Neel Jani completed the very last laps before the car finally goes into the museum.

Bild Porsche 919 (2018) - Demofahren - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

"It's a strange feeling somehow, really the end of an era, but at the same time an honor to be able to drive the car here once again," says the Rorschach native.

Real racing

The paddock was home to the cars that took part in various races as part of the event. The individual groups raced under the names 'Werks Trophy', 'Eifel Trophy', 'Weissach Cup', 'Gmünd Cup', 'Stuttgart Cup' and 'Flacht Cup'.

Bild Porsche Carrera 6 (1965) - in der Schikane - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

For the first time, there was even a race for Porsche tractors, which took quite a long time to complete even half a lap of the four-kilometer race track. US Porsche works driver Patrick Long won the race on Saturday. "By far the slowest Porsche I've ever driven, but oh boy, was it fun," beamed Long.

Bild Traktoren-Rennlauf - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

It was interesting to note that all of the invited guests at the tractor race, including board members and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, who was present as a guest of honour, gathered in front of the screens or at the side of the track. Nobody wanted to miss out on the spectacle.

Bild Wolfgang Porsche im Porsche Nummer 1 - viel Interesse von den Besuchern - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

The fact that Dr. Porsche himself drove a lap of the track in the Porsche 356 Roadster, the first sports car to be registered under the Porsche name, was also a moving moment for many eyewitnesses.

Tribute to a legendary racing car

As part of the 'Rennsport Reunion', Porsche presented a new vehicle under the legendary type designation 935. As a tribute to the historic 935, which celebrated worldwide racing successes, the current version is only intended for use on so-called 'track days'.
The 700 hp sports car will be produced in a limited edition of 77 units, retail price EUR 701,948 plus tax.

Bild Alt und Neu - der Porsche 911 Club Sport im 935-er Look und der Porsche 935 von 1976 - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

With Jacky Ickx, Manfred Schurti and Jochen Mass, three of the four drivers who competed in 1978 with the most extreme version of the 935, called 'Moby Dick', were present at the unveiling in Laguna Seca. The fourth driver, Rolf Stommelen, died in an accident in a sports car race on the race track in Riverside, California, in 1983.

Bild Rennlegenden auf der Bühne, unter anderem Jochen Mass, Jacky Ickx, Manfred Schurti und Marc Webber - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

For Liechtenstein-based former works driver Manfred Schurti, it was his first visit to the 'Rennsport Reunion'. "It's unbelievable what there is to see here," he enthused. "I was delighted when I received the invitation for this weekend! I haven't seen many old companions for 30 or 40 years. It's like a big class reunion here. It's also great to see what Porsche has achieved with the new edition of the 935. My active time with the 935 back then was great, I particularly enjoyed driving 'Moby Dick'. We won the World Championship race at Silverstone and celebrated a class victory at Le Mans, where we had no chance of overall victory because the fuel consumption was too high."

The joy of driving

Nobody really has to worry about fuel consumption at the Rennsport Reunion. Instead, the joy of driving prevails, be it in the various racing classes, during demonstration laps or on joint outings by the many club members who meet up at the event in California.

Bild Porsche 911 (1970) - im Nebel - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

All those present share a fascination for the Stuttgart sports car brand. Japanese, New Zealanders, Chinese, Australians, Europeans anyway. Including many Germans and Swiss.

Bild Die Schlacht um die Autogramme - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

For Werner Wenger from Graubünden, a passionate 911 driver for decades, a visit to the event had long been on his wish list. He quickly persuaded his friend Bruno Schafer from Bern to fly along. "I used to race in Europe myself, but what you get to see here is simply unique," says Wenger. "It wouldn't be possible in Europe. Here, people prefer to leave their cars in the garage. Here, the most beautiful cars are driven on the racetrack, at full throttle!"

Schafer agrees: "I'm particularly fascinated by the 917, a car steeped in history. My expectations were exceeded by 200 percent!"

Ten Porsche Le Mans winners on site

With Jacky Ickx, Gijs van Lennep, Derek Bell, Richard Attwood, Jürgen Barth, Hurley Haywood, Vern Schuppan, Mark Webber, Timo Bernhard, Marc Lieb and Earl Bamber, no fewer than eleven overall Porsche Le Mans winners were on site, as well as the reigning GT class winners Laurens Vanthoor, Michael Christensen and Kévin Estre, Daytona or Sebring winners such as Vic Elford, John Fitzpatrick, Jochen Mass, Kees Nierop and Brian Redman, but also Willi Kauhsen from Aachen, who won the 24 Hours of Spa in a 911 in 1968 and was part of the winning team of the 'Marathon de la Route' in the same year, in which 84 hours (!) on the Nürburgring.

Bild Jacky Ickx - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

"They are real legends," enthused the current 26-year-old Porsche works driver Sven Müller. "My personal highlight was being picked up from the airport in San Francisco and sitting in the shuttle with Jacky Ickx for two hours. The things he told me were incredible!"

But not only the drivers, but also the technicians were in the spotlight. Norbert Singer, who was involved in the 19 overall Porsche victories at Le Mans from 1970 to 1998. Hans Mezger, the father of the successful TAG Porsche Formula 1 turbo engine, with which three world championship titles were won in the 1980s. Valentin Schäffer, who built the engines for models such as the 917 and the 956. "People come, ask questions, want autographs. And you also meet the drivers from the past. It's like a class reunion," Mezger sums it up.

And just as you shouldn't hold a class reunion every year, it's also right that the racing reunion doesn't take place annually. This preserves the appeal of the unusual.

Bild Porsche 936 (1976) - der Le-Mans-Sieger - Porsche Rennsport Reunion 2018

When and where the next edition will be held has not yet been decided. 2023 would be a logical date, as Porsche will then have been in existence for 75 years. But if it does come back earlier, hardly anyone will object!