---

Porsche History to Come to Life at Monterey Historic Races

11 August 1998

Porsche History to Come to Life at Monterey Historic Races

    MONTEREY, Calif., Aug. 10 -- In the midst of its 50th
anniversary celebration, Porsche will be the featured marque here at the 1998
Monterey Historic Automobile Races, scheduled for the weekend of August 14-16.
    To help provide a look at the German company's storied past, Porsche will
bring to Laguna Seca Raceway a group of highly significant cars from its
Stuttgart museum as well seven of its most famous drivers.
    Leading the group of museum cars traveling to Monterey is the 1951
Aluminum Coupe, Type 356.  Built in Gmund, Austria, the hand-built Aluminum
Coupe had certain advantages in racing -- a hand-bent box section chassis
which was stiffer than the stamped steel frame of the Stuttgart cars; and a
lighter, more aerodynamic body.  It was the first Porsche entered at Le Mans.
    Some other Porsche museum cars slated to make the trip across the Atlantic
include the Porsche Type 718/RS 60, which captured the overall victory at
Sebring in 1960; the 917K "Short Tail," which claimed the first overall win
for Porsche, at Le Mans; the 908/3 Spyder, the Type 935/78 known as "Moby
Dick," and the 962C, which swiped top honors at Le Mans in 1987.  The 962 is
the most successful sports prototype in racing history.
    The seven race car drivers Porsche will assemble for the Monterey Historic
Races are truly some of the living legends in auto racing.
    England's Derek Bell has a resume filled with a number of starts and
championships.  He's a three-time winner of the Daytona 24-Hours, all in a
Porsche 962, and a five-time Le Mans winner.  He also has 21 career European
world sportscar victories and a 12 Hours of Sebring win to his credit.
    American driver Joe Buzzetta started his racing career 40 years ago in
Germany.  During that time, he was a Porsche factory driver for some seven
years competing in such high-profile events as the Daytona 24-Hours, which he
won in 1968, the 12 Hours of Sebring and Le Mans.
    Vic Elford, also from England, was a professional factory driver for
13 years, including a five-year stint with Porsche when he won four rallys
(including the famed Monte Carlo Rally), the Daytona 24-Hours and the 12 Hours
of Sebring.
    George Follmer is regarded as one of the most versatile drivers in the
world, having competed in virtually every form of auto racing.  Among his many
achievements was winning the 1972 SCCA Can Am Championship, in a Porsche
917/10, and the 1976 SCCA Trans Am Championship, in a Porsche 934 Turbo.
    Hurley Haywood, from Ponte Vedra, Fla., is a renowned endurance champion
having won the Daytona 24-Hours five times, Le Mans three times, and the
12 Hours of Sebring twice, all in Porsches.
    Long associated with Porsche both on and off the track, Jack McAfee had an
11-year racing career (1950-1961) which produced an abundance of victories and
titles.  The former Porsche dealer has a "National Champion" trophy on his
shelf from 1956 next to three "Pacific Coast Champion" crowns.
    Brian Redman's career encompasses 16 FIA Sportscar World Championship race
wins.  He was the 1981 IMSA GTP champ and is a three-time Daytona 24-Hours
winner, twice winning in Porsches.