Yes, you might think the title is a mis- print, but it is not. HSR (Historic Sportscar Racing) put on their now annual Historic 24-hour race for vintage cars at Daytona International Speedway from 4-8 November. This event is run in a similar fashion to the Le Mans 24 historic in terms of process and procedure. The cars are divided into six run groups, and each group runs for … [Read more...]
Le Mans: The Official History 1970–79
This edition of Quentin Spurring’s fabulous series covers the 1970s in his well-known and valuable decade-by-decade history of the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race. The decade from 1970 to 1979, certainly saw some of the most memorable race cars in recent times take to the track. This ten-year period commenced with Porsche’s first victory in the French race (1970), and … [Read more...]
Motorsport Prospects 2020
After the music had died down, and the last of the revellers had left the party that had just a few hours earlier welcomed in a new decade, little thought was given to life much beyond the next day or perhaps the next week, at best. And yet here we are, barely two months into the new year, and it seems that the whole world is in lockdown over the outbreak of a microscopic virus … [Read more...]
The Sonderwunsch Man – Rolf Sprenger
Rolf Sprenger was a versatile engineer whose Porsche career was founded almost entirely on customer service. “If I want a trailer (caravan) with a swimming pool, Herr Sprenger will build it for me,” so said Peter Schutz to a potential client, while Sprenger looking on, would groan inwardly: yet another customer whose expectations had been over-excited would have to be brought … [Read more...]
Video: Randy Leffingwell on the history of Porsche model designations
We found this video of Randy Leffingwell giving a talk about the Porsche 911 on the Callas Rennsport Youtube channel, in which he explains the history of the model designations. It is well worth checking out...so pour yourself a long cup of coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy!! … [Read more...]
The Complete Book of Porsche 911 – Every Model Since 1964
The name, Randy Leffingwell, will be familiar to most Porsche enthusiasts. Leffingwell worked in Kansas City, Chicago and for the LA Times as a photographer and writer for more than two decades. In ‘95 he began a career as a full-time author and has since then published more than 50 books on most car makes. I have several books by this author covering the Porsche 911 so I … [Read more...]
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2019
It may have taken place just over a week ago, but the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2019 was another top-drawer event that should be celebrated for the manner in which it has lifted the profile of yesterday’s great race cars. The growth in historic race reunions, revivals, festivals and the like over the last few years has offered the race-going public the opportunity to … [Read more...]
The Hillsborough (California) Concours d’ Elegance
The Hillsborough (California) Concours d’ Elegance, on 21 July 2019, has been held for 63 years. It started in 1956 and is reportedly the longest running consecutive (in years) Concours in existence. It is held in Hillsborough California, a well-to-do suburb south of San Francisco. It’s well supported by local companies and organisations, in fact it is put on to support local … [Read more...]
Vintage Porsches add German colour in Wine Country
Under the welcoming embrace of sunny California skies over wine country, the Sonoma Speed Festival established a new tradition of historic racing at Sonoma Raceway. Held on the first weekend of June, the Festival sought to emphasise quality over quantity with a compelling collection of rare and historically significant race cars and hospitality that made the best of the … [Read more...]
John Fitzpatrick Group C Porsches – The Definitive History
There seem to be a number of books entering the market right now on Porsche’s motor racing history. This is not a bad thing, because there is so much to explore about these fantastic and iconic race cars. The challenge, though, is to find an angle that hasn’t been covered yet. Author Mark Cole, together with ex-racer and team manager John Fitzpatrick, have done just that. In … [Read more...]
