Rennsport Reunion VII attracts 91,000-strong crowd

The Corkscrew, Laguna Seca (California). One after the other Porsche takes the famous plunge. This is the biannual Rennsport Reunion, aka the biggest Porsche fest in the world.

This is Porsche’s big party, held every two years on the famous Weathertech Raceway, or Laguna Seca as we know it. This was the seventh edition of Rennsport Reunion, and the crowd seems to be getting bigger every time. 91,000 people appeared to have a look at some Porsches. Well, some Porsches… Over 300 racing cars, and we are not counting the road-going Porsches.

Three themes

Porsche presented three themes this year. First was the 550 Spyder, that participated at the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time in 1954. As per Porsche, it changed forever the perception of what a sports car could be. The Porsche 917 in Can-Am-dominating 917/30 form was the second star. With 1500 hp available from the turbocharged flat-twelve, the 917/30 gave a new lease of life to the 917 concept after the FIA had banned it from sports car racing. Thanks to Roger Penske, George Follmer and Mark Donohue, Porsche was able to continue the winning streak of the 917, in the Can-Am series in the seventies.

963

The third theme concerned Porsche’s new WEC and IMSA contender: the 963. It may not (yet) have been successful at the Le Mans 24 Hours, but the Porsche 963 has already proven victorious in the IMSA series this year.

Springer & Long

Porsche made Alwin Springer one of the grand marshals for Rennsport Reunion VII. Springer was not only a part of Porsche’s North America motorsport operation, but as a co-founder of Andial also vital in US endurance racing history. Former Porsche pro-driver Patrick Long was the other grand marshal.

The number of legendary drivers present was just astonishing: Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell, our columnist Hurley Haywood, Brian Redman, David Hobbs, Jim Busby, Dick Barbour, Thierry Boutsen,… The Belgian got back behind the wheel of the Jägermeister Porsche 962 with which he famously won the Spa 1000 Km in 1986 for Brun Motorsport.

Also, our friend ‘R7’ had made the trip to California (to be delivered to the new owner). Gijs van Lennep who finished fourth with the Martini RSR at Le Mans in 1974, was present as well.

If you want more Porsche and more 911, our ’60 years 911, the competition history’ special is right here.