April 18, 2021 marked a big Golden Anniversary for Porsche!
Do you remember that date? Where were you 50 years ago or are you too young for those questions?
Well, it all started on April 18, 1971. Porsche entered its first IMSA – International Motor Sports Association – in the U.S. at VIR (Virginia International Raceway).
What Porsche did race for this first race? It was the same as today – a mid-engine sports car. But back then it was the Porshe 914/6 GT with drivers Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg in the #59.
Against who, Corvette, the American muscle car against a mid-engine, sounding familiar, small displacement Porsche.
The Porsche 914-6 GT pressured the Corvette until late in the race when the Corvette made a mistake and went off track. The time the Corvette spent in the pits for repairs gave Porsche the first win in IMSA Grand Touring (GT), now being celebrated 50 years later.
Porsche has been in every IMSA race since that date and ranks #1 for the most wins for a manufacturer at 591, which includes the two wins at Sebring in GTLM and GTD. Is that a play on number 59 and 1? Well, it all started back then.
Two legends were created, the #59 Porsche 914-6 GT and Hurley Haywood. Unfortunately it should have been three legends, but with the loss of Peter Gregg we will never know what he would have become as a driver.
Hope to see you soon! Please be safe so that we can meet up again! Join us at the monthly meeting on ZOOM!
Walt
