2011 Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Highlights

Such an amazing gathering of legendary Porsches at such an iconic track, it's not surprising that Rennsport Reunion IV added nearly 4,000 photos to my albums. I've since gone back and broke those down into groups and now have a 400-shot highlight album posted as well - in case you prefer the Readers' Digest version.

With nearly 35,000 spectators on hand over three days enjoying autograph sessions with 50-plus legendary Porsche drivers, German music and food in the Biergarten, museum quality display cars and plenty of on-track Porsche action – Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is in the books as the best ever on all accounts.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca played host to Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Oct. 14-16, which brought together many of Porsche’s most historic racing models from across the country and direct from the Porsche Museum in Germany. There was a significant highlight around every turn in the paddock, including a special tribute to the celebrated Porsche 911 history, a Concours on Pit Lane, the North American debut of the new 2012 Porsche 911 and the Porsche Club of America’s largest single marque car corral in Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca history with more than 1,300 vehicles.

“Rennsport Reunion IV has exceeded our wildest expectations, and the entire Porsche team is both grateful and a bit proud that our dreams and hard work have paid off,” said Detlev von Platen, president of Porsche Cars North America. “But it took more than just our efforts to make this weekend a magic one. It took a perfect race track, a beautiful countryside, picture perfect weather and the tireless work and cooperation by the professionals of SCRAMP to make Rennsport Reunion IV unforgettable for our many racing legends, the hundreds of participants, the tens of thousands of race fans.”

“We were pleased to be a part of Porsche history,” says Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Judging by the smiles on the faces of spectators and participants alike, we feel the event was a huge success. Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is the capper for what has been a tremendous 2011 season.”

The cars - and the photos - are broken into eight groups, plus an extra album each for the Concours, the Paddock and the Parade Laps. Below are the list and the links. It was a truly extraordinary event. Enjoy.

Race Groupings

Group 1 - 550, 550A, RSK, RS60-61 (4&8 cyl.), 2000 GSGT (Dreikantschaber), Abarth Carrera, Lotus/Porsche, Cooper/Porsche (Pooper), 356 GT, and any other 356 with FIA history and selected 356 SCCA history cars.

Group 2  - Elva/Porsche, 904 (4&6 cyl.), 914/6 GT, 911TR, 911ST, 911 (911 up to 2.5 liter). Any of the 911s must have FIA history (Daytona, Sebring or Watkins Glen is the only US accepted FIA history). No SCCA cars.

Group 3 - 906, 910, 907, 908, 908/2, 908/3 (8 cyl. & 6 turbo), 909, 917 (normally aspirated and turbocharged)

Group 4 - 911 (over 2.5 liter), RSR, 3.0 RSR, 2.1 Turbo, 934, 934.5, 935, 924 GTS, 924 GTR, 936

Group 5 - 956, 962, GT1, WSC, RS Spyder, World Challenge 911 GT3 Cup

Group 6 - Cayman Interseries

Group 7 - PCA

Group 8 - 911 Cup Cars

Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV

 Direct link to 4,000 photos from RRIV

First-Ever West Coast Appearance Called “Unforgettable”

MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 19, 2011 — With nearly 35,000 spectators on hand over three days enjoying autograph sessions with 50-plus legendary Porsche drivers, German music and food in the Biergarten, museum quality display cars and plenty of on-track Porsche action – Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is in the books as the best ever on all accounts.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca played host to Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Oct. 14-16, which brought together many of Porsche’s most historic racing models from across the country and direct from the Porsche Museum in Germany. There was a significant highlight around every turn in the paddock, including a special tribute to the celebrated Porsche 911 history, a Concours on Pit Lane, the North American debut of the new 2012 Porsche 911 and the Porsche Club of America’s largest single marque car corral in Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca history with more than 1,300 vehicles.

“Rennsport Reunion IV has exceeded our wildest expectations, and the entire Porsche team is both grateful and a bit proud that our dreams and hard work have paid off,” said Detlev von Platen, president of Porsche Cars North America. “But it took more than just our efforts to make this weekend a magic one. It took a perfect race track, a beautiful countryside, picture perfect weather and the tireless work and cooperation by the professionals of SCRAMP to make Rennsport Reunion IV unforgettable for our many racing legends, the hundreds of participants, the tens of thousands of race fans.”

“We were pleased to be a part of Porsche history,” says Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Judging by the smiles on the faces of spectators and participants alike, we feel the event was a huge success. Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is the capper for what has been a tremendous 2011 season.”

Porsche Legends Arriving in Monterey for Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV

Porsche Legends Arriving in Monterey for Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV

October 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 12, 2011 — There are thousands of race car drivers around the world. But there are far fewer who can be called Porsche Legends. At this weekend’s Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV more than 50 legendary Porsche drivers who took this fabled marque to victories at the world’s most demanding race tracks will be on hand to celebrate Porsche racing history, October 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Porsche Rennsport Reunion occurs only every three years and captures the essence and purity of man and machine. Few, if any, marques can claim such road racing dominance, whether in the early years or today, as Porsche has done and continues to do..

But the cars are only half the story. The drivers themselves who fearlessly put Porsche into countless victory circles will be present to tell their stories. At Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV, fans will have the opportunity to see the cars up close, and meet the legends.

Among the significant Porsche personalities attending are (listed in alphabetical order):

Dennis Aase

Tony Adamowicz

Richard Attwood

Dick Barbour

Jurgen Barth

Derek Bell

Joerg Bergmeister

Timo Bernhard

Jo Buzzetta

David Donohue

Romain Dumas

Rob Dyson

Chris Dyson

Vic Elford

John Fitzpatrick

George Follmer

Elliott Forbes-Robinson

Bob Garretson

Walter Gerber

Hurley Haywood

Wolf Henzler

Marco Holzer

Alex Job

Stefan Johansson

Alan Johnson

Willi Kaussen

Charlie Kemp

Michael Keyser

Gerard Larrousse

Bruce Leven

Marc Lieb

Richard Lietz

Rudi Lins

Patrick Long

Arie Luyendyk

Sascha Maassen

Jochen Mass

Chad McQueen

David Murry

Walter Naeher

Seth Neiman

Kees Nierop

Jackie Oliver

John O'Steen

Scooter Patrick

Patrick Pilet

David Piper

Brian Redman

Chip Robinson

Valentin Schaeffer

Vern Schuppan

Udo Schutz

Norbert Singer

Alwin Springer

Danny Sullivan

Gijs van Lennep

Cort Wagner

James Weaver

Jeff Zwart

Tickets are available each day at the entry gates, which open at 7 a.m. For complete details and a schedule of events, please log onto www.MazdaRaceway.com.

# # #

About Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV

Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be the world’s greatest gathering of Porsche race cars and the drivers that drove them to victory, held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from October 14 to 16, 2011. Hosted by Porsche Cars North America, it will assemble the wide variety of Porsche’s most historic racing models from the nimble 550 Spyder of the mid-Fifties through the mighty 917 and 956/962 of the Seventies and Eighties to the highly successful RS Spyder of the last decade.

Special tribute will be paid to the numerous racing versions of the Porsche 911 and their countless victories on the dawn of what will become another milestone of this iconic sports car. Additional details of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV are published on www.porsche.com/usa/rennsport-reunion-iv/, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s website www.MazdaRaceway.com.

Jerry Seinfeld Joins Norbert Singer as Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Grand Marshal for October 14-16 Event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

 

Jerry Seinfeld Joins Norbert Singer as Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV

Grand Marshal for October 14-16 Event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 10, 2011 — The man who inspired many of the Porsche race cars that will be on display at the upcoming Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be joined by the man who has one of the most significant collections of those cars as Jerry Seinfeld has been named co-Grand-Marshal with retired Porsche Engineer Norbert Singer.

Seinfeld, who will bring a number of his most-prized cars to Rennsport, was honored to be named to share the Grand Marshal duties with Singer.

"Norbert Singer is one of Porsche's most brilliant innovators and someone I have always wanted to meet. I am thrilled to join him in Monterey for Rennsport IV as Co-Grand Marshal," said Seinfeld.

Seinfeld’s participation is particularly appropriate as Rennsport IV is honoring the Porsche 911.  Included in his collection is the first production 911 (1964) and the last production air-cooled 911 - a 1998 993 that he bought from the factory - the last 993 to roll down the assembly line.

His collection, a mixture of street cars and race cars, includes a street-version Porsche 959 (not legal to drive in the U.S.) - one of only 200 ever built. Others include the Porsche 917K that Steve McQueen drove in the movie Le Mans, a 1959 straight-16 GT speedster; and a 1955 Spyder 550 -- the same model and pearl-grey color actor  as the James Dean car.

Additional details of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be published on Porsche’s press web site (www.press..porsche.com), and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s web site  (www.mazdaraceway.com). Ticket information is available by contacting 800-327-7322 or online at www.mazdaraceway.com.

About Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV

Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be the world’s greatest gathering of Porsche race cars and the drivers that drove them to victory, held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from October 14 to 16, 2011. Hosted by Porsche Cars North America, it will assemble the wide variety of Porsche’s most historic racing models from the nimble 550 Spyder of the mid-Fifties through the mighty 917 and 956/962 of the Seventies and Eighties to the highly successful RS Spyder of the last decade.

Special tribute will be paid to the numerous racing versions of the Porsche 911 and their countless victories on the dawn of what will become another milestone of this iconic sports car.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Announces 2012 Schedule

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Announces 2012 Schedule

MONTEREY, Calif., Sept. 30, 2011 – Some of the world’s best drivers, riders and teams will descend on the Monterey Peninsula, to test their skills, earn championship points or just enjoy the historic Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit in 2012. The 55^th race season of the world-renowned facility will feature the American Le Mans Series, Ferrari Racing Days, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, Red Bull United States Grand Prix and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

“Next season is going to be a special one for the fans and teams,” said Gill Campbell, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca CEO/general manager. “This facility is one of the only international race tracks to host such a diverse assemblage of race series, from prototype motorcycles and race cars to rarely-seen vintage race cars.”

2012 Race Season for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

May 11-12                   American Le Mans Series 
May 18-20                   Ferrari Racing Days
July 13-14                   GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series
July 27-29                   Red Bull United States Grand Prix featuring the MotoGP World Championship
August 17-19               Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón returns for its 14th season and is the premier sports car racing championship in the world. As the Global Leader in Green Racing, its technology intensive race cars showcase tomorrow’s automotive advancements as the Series encourages automotive manufacturers to test their latest technical innovations on the race track. Featuring multiple classes of high-tech sports cars competing together in each race, the American Le Mans Series provides a dynamic that offers constant passing and on-track battles throughout. The six-hour endurance race takes competitors from daylight, to dusk and into the darkness, pushing drivers’ and crews’ mental and physical abilities.  

Ferrari Racing Days return to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with three full days of racing with the Ferrari 458 Challenge along with historic Formula 1 cars and Corse Clienti programs. The Ferrari Challenge series allows Ferrari owners the opportunity to compete wheel-to-wheel while providing Ferrari enthusiasts the chance to watch the Prancing Horse run in their natural environment – the race track.

The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is one of the most competitive professional road racing championships in North America. The series’ Daytona Prototype (DP) class has attracted the attention of superstar drivers and universally recognized teams. For 2012, Daytona Prototypes have been updated with new shapes and new proportions, paired with the great racing you have come to expect from these purebred race cars. While the DPs have redefined prototype racing in the U.S., the Rolex Series’ GT class has done the same for high-performance, production-based sports car racing. In 2012, the Rolex GT class will welcome the arrival of popular European makes, with GRAND-AM adding racing versions of the Ferrari 458 and the Audi R8 to its diverse lineup.

Boasting the largest spectator attendance of any race held in Monterey, the Red Bull United States Grand Prix, featuring the MotoGP World Championship, returns to the race schedule for its seventh consecutive year. MotoGP is the world’s premier motorcycling championship, with a season of 18 Grand Prix race weekends in 15 countries bringing together the world’s top motorcycle manufacturers like Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Ducati - along with an elite list of riders from every corner of the globe.

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is a cornerstone of Monterey Peninsula’s Classic Car Week. The 2012 event’s featured marque is the iconic Shelby Cobra. Only around 550 vehicles will be accepted, based on the car’s authenticity and race provenance and period correctness. Nearly every decade of motorsports history will be represented in what is described as a museum springing to life.
 

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is operated by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula since its inception in 1957. A volunteer board of directors oversees operations and works tirelessly with the many community groups who also volunteer their time at the track.

“Without the unwavering support of all our volunteers and the county, our racing events would not exist on the Monterey Peninsula,” Campbell added. “The economic impact to the community is in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and we are proud of our ongoing involvement with and commitment to our local residents and businesses.”   

For more information, to reserve camping, rent a hospitality suite or purchase tickets call 800-327-7322 or visitwww.MazdaRaceway.com.

Rennsport Reunion IV Coming to Laguna Seca Oct. 14-16

 Porsche Display Cars Trace Porsche Motorsport History

at Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV 

October 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif., September 29, 2011 — More than 350 Porsche race cars have been accepted to participate in the on-track racing during Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV, October 14-16. They will tackle the historic 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where many of these same cars once turned a wheel in anger during their professional racing day.

Complementing the race cars in the paddock will be a very special display of approximately 50 Porsche race cars that will be showcased to Porsche fans, and each one has its own story. This includes cars from two very significant collections: the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany, and The Revs Institute for Automotive Research at the Collier Collection in Naples, Florida.

Special cars from Porsche Museum include:

• 1971 Porsche 16-Cylinder, the only one built  and  intended for the Can-Am series
• 1973 Porsche  911 RSR, winner of the last Targa Florio
• 1977 935/2.0 “Baby,” which “added lightness”
• “Moby Dick,” the original that many consider to be the ultimate 935 Porsche
• Porsche 961, considered to be the “Uberporsche” race car, and is the one and only
• 911 GT-1 98 LM, which is widely thought to be the ultimate 911

The Revs Institute is an internationally-recognized collection that focuses not only on the automobile as a technological device, but as an agent for social and economic change, and worthy to be considered among the masterpieces of creativity. This 501(c)3 not-for-profit educational foundation is a vast collection in the highly specialized field of automotive historical research, comprising an enormous resource on automotive history for scholars, historians, media, institutions and academia.

Cars from the Revs Institute’s exhibit: “Porsche: Designed to Excel” include:

• 1953 Porsche 550 Coupe, the very first 550 built and raced at Le Mans
• 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Spyder, raced extensively in 1959 by now-legendary drivers
• 1960 Porsche Abarth-Carrera GTL, the only factory entry in the 1960 Le Mans
• 1967 Porsche 911R, winner of the 1969 Tour de France and Tour of Corsica
• 1971 Porsche 917K, of the famous Martini Racing Team, founded by Louise Piëch

“This is just a sampling of some of the significant Porsche race cars that will be visible for fans,” commented Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “With all the supporting entertainment, legendary Porsche drivers, vendors and fan activities, Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be a delight for everyone interested in motorsports.”

For additional information and tickets, visit www.MazdaRaceway.com or call 800-327-7322.

UNLIMITED RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES LAUNCHED

UNLIMITED RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES LAUNCHED

As 'Heritage Series' for American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón today announced its association with the Unlimited Racing Championship (URC) as the new “Heritage Series” for the 2012 season and beyond. The URC will feature identically built NuArt CanAm cars reminiscent of the “glory days” of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) from the 1960-70s.

The NuArt CanAm cars are purpose-built from the ground up and engineered for safety, aerodynamics, driver comfort and speed. These magnificent cars feature spectacular 700+ horsepower, big-block V-8 motors and state-of-the-art aerospace quality components with an emphasis on safety.

“The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is thrilled to welcome the Unlimited Racing Championship, which will be joining a number of ALMS events in 2012,” said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the ALMS. “This ‘Heritage Series’ will provide more variety and a modern day link to the past for our many fans next year. The new initiative establishes a direct connection to the history of sports car racing in North America with the sights and sounds of an era of extreme speed and power – the revolutionary Can-Am Challenge Cup of the 1960s and 70s. The spectacle of these massively powerful racing machines with a bridge to the past of American racing will surely evoke many fond memories for some and attract new fans as well.”

“This project was years in the making,” said Richard Nauert, founder of the Unlimited Racing Championship and designer of the NuArt CanAm car. “We analyzed the original Can-Am cars, remaining true to the visual, as well as spiritual concept. Components like big-block engines, 12-inch steel brakes, and Can-Am intakes were just some of the historical elements we maintained in the NuArt CanAm car. Despite the tribute to the originals cars, at the same time, they are particularly relevant to the American Le Mans Series because we loaded them with modern technology. The technology is specifically to make them safe, have longevity, and be flexible for a wide range of driver skills.”

The thrilling new Unlimited Racing Championship Series will feature identically prepared NuArt CanAm cars, racing against one another on original historical Can-Am circuits around North America. The format includes eight races; two 30-minute races on four American Le Mans Series circuits beginning in 2012. Cars will be fully prepped for the owner/driver by the URC series organizer and ready to race at each venue. Initial cars are offered at $485,000, along with a walk down memory lane of a legendary tradition, while also creating a new era of racing memories.

For more information, please visit www.unlimitedracingchampionship.com.