The Magazine

NOVEMBER I 998

ll llllilillllililllllllll llrfiril $4.95 (Canada $5.95) have a further distinction, as hardly looked like the progenitor of all AG chose to celebrate its 50th those snorting beasts that surrounded anniversary at Laguna Seca during the it in Laguna's pit lane, Monterey Historics weekend. The f irst Porsche built at GmUnd The most notable aspect of the after the war 356 00 1, was supposed weekend at the track was the opportu- to lap the track this year with Dr. Wolfgang Porsche at the controls This - annua i.': seminal car last visited the U.S. in includes.'='.' 1982, when it took pride of place at the Porsche Parade Concours at '.2 Concou rs Reno. Unfortunately, it was damaged ,,. happen .- upon arrival in the U.S. and was miles of : .- eaa- = rnable to be repaired in time for the Thrci'. n ., _-= -' - =.3-. E,.,en the 356 specialists at tion t g' . ., s.'==. J .::,'l--'e.'. .p the,r hands in dis- enthus as: a :'-.. l - a.. .. -=' asl.ed to perform a quich worid and is eas '::t-, . So the remains of 356 001 are weekend has oeco--e aa./ - Germany now, waiting for mier vintage car eve 'e ca' Dr Wolfgang Porsche did his Monterey weekend, how aos aboard a 1951 twin-windscreen

72 EXCELLENCE November1998 --l a : -="' -Z' :.' =e", Porsche and Vasek Polak are roadster first raced bY Sauter. .^--^=e''=:'-'Z'. -^ :':')=) gone now, but the excellence theY Those who attended the Historics J= -; - =,.-- Z '::'a"'-3 O' exhrbited lingers on This Year, the 16 years ago may recall that 001 did T-='=:'=Z'.-':: pinned their Dc'sc-: s ':::3s: 'ace car' the N,4obY Iegions of drivers who f parade laPs of the track at our full caieers on Porsche returned again to Seca on August 21 1982 D c<-s:y'e Kreme r K-3 evo. A Page Laguna - pay tribute. Most notable were Herbert Steve Earle's GeneraL photo of Don Orosco s RS 60 Pro- the last time Linge, Derek Bell, George Follmer, Racing, Ltd. chose Porsche as the clarmed him winner of the Previous "Pebble TroPhY" for , HurleY HaYwood, marque of honor for the Historics, Only year's Beach "in performance and John Fitzpatrick, Jack McAfee, and Ferrari, Alfa, and Jaguar share, with bxcellence both grid Walter Rdhrl. Throughout the weekend, Porsche, the distinction of having appearance." And a starting current Porsche they took turns streaking around the been selected as double honorees in worth of former and in the pro- course at Laguna in a wide variety of the 25 year historY of this event. race pilots immortalized week- vintage race cars. I gram took to the track over the So much has changed srnce set uP an end. What strcks in mY memory most ln the paddock, Porsche attended that first celebration of the dubbed the some 16 of all is the squadron of Porsche race impressive exhibit Stuttgart sports car maker "Porsche ExPerience," a huge tent Porsche took cars Vasek Polak disgorged from his years ago. ln 1982 Ferry display famous Porsche ninth annual transporter for that event. Topping the designed to itre Oact< cover of the the past. The exhibit program to list were a pair of 917/10s for Hurley racing cars from Monterey Historic event and visitors were newest Haywood and George Follmer, and a was well executed "invite you to test drive the tent or for DaveY Jordan. able to peruse the interior of the Porsche - the 944'" lnside, we 908/02 EXCELLENCE November 1998 73 "l rlr*#%;,,; venture to the outside "pits"' whe-re for :9 .96 various factory race cars sat ready .,i.*.*.&ryr u"titn lndiciting iust how seriously Porsche took the level of their presen- ripped out the beauti- l.t.:rltl' tation wort

lt was a .a I :'-ordial"1ouche. Porsche, - -s ,' seen onlY on

-:-.:e onlY 150 hP! Even -' . ') n ust have been the '= -,,"gaZ TYPe 804 F1 car' ,-', effort to build an entire .r.l fto, scratch Also dis- .' - the flat elght-cylin- :.'.-l :. - -). : iers, -= '-ace hP at 9200 rPm' -' = 180 -*t" a raUCoUS ! sPorting :,- - .'-- :'::::\,ice ' =:" ?.^^ l3- ils concluded the :_:.-- :-: -:/: ai o' pure silver

,t .-l .l s r\ier (cr white) to the iivery of all of these * .pon.or, du 1our. Amidst r.ouJ-*",ng cars the Martini 1978 lsrL,ii 911 striPed in red, white' and blue was an unexPected sight This Ltt"t driven by Vic Preston' took ;;;.J "ut,in the 1978 Safari after rallY leader Blorn Waldegaard's similar car fell from frrst to fourth place due to a susoension---Unlike failure. racing in the real world the oame at Monterey goes not to the swift Brl tn" showman.-And that goes for ;;i ;.iy the drivers, but the fans' lt's ,nlortjt"orv rewarding to win 9fu oi the 14 race groups outright, but it's not reallv impoitant to do so Just ask St"u" frif" who will be the {irst to tell you aOout zero tolerance for driver

EXCELLENCE Novemberlgg8 75 v€) '3..afca

"! 'n Ee t l + :-- a*;

t--. ai{:l&

I; lt:ir ri+.

']"+a;*il ;

+s{a.

\ error. This eveni isn't so much an appreciation of driver aptitude as a of the machine And if "!iLotutionyou re going to celebrate the attributes of a u"il.LJ t matters not at all what !iuvZ 'iolace a ca' achieves on the track at r\t.F * tle end o' :-: 'ace lf You have had a -\rll chance lc s?..1' :s Performance' then in" .?: ,.:' the daY A lot o1 "ut ..:- -: :aY th s Year By the sa-- MontereY -:= ceedings a

, ,graphed B'i D.i,f >w\ &!o7&( t g!

:l :- ThursdaY atternoon .'. -'-i:es a 908 or 917 would tas. .he oPen tent flaP, Provid- -, a-ecJS real ttme backdroP to :. - I -ages on the screen in <=i.- a'.-a' ie' ir ng moment of the .='- -:-'= .,-:- l had the chance " 'a 1'- rv starter's :-: -: )-'.: - =^ io the - =-= l'= the - -.= ,- "a- - sl'alght as - '. --' -a': :'C af Lange'

male turllo -&1' '&'e n-, ssed iie - I Porsches when theY raced at Laguna \n 1972 and 1973, but I didn t make ?r that mistake this time r That might have been the best Part it iI-a--- about the igg8 Monterey Historics - :! **rt gave Porsche fans the chance to Experienc" 50 years of Porsche excel- lence in lust one weekend Through the hard work of the Porsche factory and the legions of Porsche privateers and f ans, the Porsche exPerlence everyOoOy savored at Monterey thts year'witl not be soon forgotten Ferry would have been Proud I

EXCELLENCE November 1998 77