Presentation by Guest Speaker, Jay Gillotti, author of the History of the Porsche 917
Please join us: Saturday, October 11, 2025
From: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Birdhouse Coffee / Connecticut Valley Brewing Company
756 Sullivan Avenue
South Windsor, CT
History of the Porsche 917 – Originally created for the 50th anniversary of the 917, the presentation outlines the basic history, design, and development of Porsche’s most famous racing car. Competition history includes both endurance racing and the Can-Am. Other topics include the 917 in Steve McQueen’s film, “LeMans”, the 917’s legacy and Porsche marketing, Pebble Beach 2012, chassis renumbering, and recreations. The presentation has been enhanced and updated with new content for CVR. Jay brings 40+ years of 917 study for our enjoyment and will be happy to take your questions on all things 917.
Options:
Attendees are encouraged to purchase coffee and breakfast items before the presentation and/or purchase lunch or dinner offerings after the presentation.
Birdhouse Coffee/Connecticut Valley Brewing has generously offered to provide their facility for this presentation.
Space is limited! Watch for Constant Contact sign-up in September.
Hope to see you there.
Alan & Caroline Davis
Specialevents@cvrpca.org
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Jay Gillotti Author Bio
Originally from Danbury, CT, Jay has lived in the Seattle area for the past 25 years. He began studying motor sport history in high school and worked for his father in a VW-Audi dealership. He has been a fan of Porsche and the 917 ever since seeing Steve McQueen’s film Le Mans as a youngster. After graduating from the University of Connecticut, Jay spent nearly thirty years in the corporate relocation industry before retiring at the end of 2016. He’s also a lifelong musician and songwriter. Jay and his wife, Debbi, are a two-Porsche family with three high-maintenance Siamese/Balinese cats.
After joining the Porsche Club of America in 2009, Jay began writing for the Pacific NW Region newsletter, contributing over 50 feature and historical articles for the Spiel. He has also written for the PCA National magazine, Panorama, plus Forza, Vintage Motorsport, the International Motor Racing Research Center, Collier AutoMedia, Wayne Carini’s The Chase, and 000 Magazine. Jay was a contributor to motorsport-related books by Michael Keyser (A French Kiss with Death), Christopher Hilton (1982), and Brian Redman (Daring Drivers, Deadly Tracks). In 2021, Jay assisted the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance with their presentation of the 917 anniversary class. He has moderated presentations by Brian Redman, John Horsman, Vic Elford, Derek Bell, Hurley Haywood, Patrick Long, and Rod Emory for the Porsche Club. Jay was invited to assist with curating the Porsche 75 exhibit at America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, WA.
Jay’s first book, Gulf 917, was the result of three decades and more spent researching and gathering information on the Porsche 917, the golden age of sports car racing, and the work of JW Automotive Engineering. His second book, Porsche Decades, is an introductory overview of Porsche history from 1875 to 2023.