Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI - Stuttgart Cup

Bruce Canepa in a Porsche 962C leads Jeroen Bleekemolen in a Porsche RS Spyder.

The Porsche Rennsport Reunion is a unique event, that is held once every three or four years, dedicated just to classic and more modern racing Porsches, their drivers and the men and women who made it all possible.    Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI held over four days in September 2018 was again located at Laguna Seca like the last one in 2015.  No surprise as Laguna Seca is in California, which also happens to be the biggest market for Porsche.   This year the event was subtitled The Marque of Champions - a name that speaks for itself.  The event was also part of Porsche's 70th birthday celebrations.

On the wonderful 2.238 mile Laguna Seca road course, seven groups of Porsche cars raced over the weekend.  The Stuttgart Cup event was for cars such as Porsche 962 and RS Spyder.     A Riley-Porsche also took part.   In theory other cars such as the 956, GT1 and WSC cars could have taken part but there were no takers.  However, there were cars in the exhibition.

In the Sunday morning warm-up two 2007 Porsche RS Spyders at turn four.

Porsche 956 and 962 Drivers
Being the Porsche Rennsport Reunion, there were of course many famous Porsche 956 and 962 drivers present including the nine below.

Some famous Porsche 956 and 962 drivers.

Bobby Rahal in the centre and then from top left clockwise, John Fitzpatrick, Chip Robinson, Derek Bell, Jacky Ickx, Brian Redman, Vern Schuppan, Elliot Forbes-Robinson and Arie Luyendyk.  A reminder of some of their successes are below:

Bobby Rahal won the 1987 12 Hours of Sebring in a 962 with Jochen Mass.
John Fitzpatrick won the 1983 1000kms of Brands Hatch in a 956.
Chip Robinson won the 1987 24 Hours of Daytona in a 962.
Derek Bell won the 1982, 1986 and 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans in Porsche 956 and 962Cs.
Jacky Ickx won the 1982 24 Hours of le Mans in a 956.
Brian Redman had a 2nd place in a 962 in the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona.
Vern Schuppan won the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans in a 956.
Elliot Forbes-Robinson came 5th in the 1993 24 Hours of Daytona in a 962.
Arie Luyendyk came second in the 1986 24 Hours of Daytona in a 962.

The Race
Below are pictures of all of the cars that competed in Sunday's main race.  There are also pictures from the warm-up and Saturday's Qualifying race.  No surprise that the RS Spyders were very rapid.  Remember it won the 12 hours of Sebring for porsche as recently as 2008.   Some nice variation in the 962s present.  Lovely to see some quality drivers taking part in this event.

The cars come round the last turn for the rolling start of Sunday's race.

The cars from row four backwards come round for the rolling start.

Gunnar Jeanette was the winner in this 2007 Porsche RS Spyder.

Gunnar Jeanette leads the field at the Corkscrew in Saturday's qualifying race.

Jeroen Bleekemolen camer second in this 2008 Porsche RS Spyder.

Two RS Spyders and a 962 at the Corkscrew.

Third place went to Andrew Higgins in this 1989 Porsche 962C.

Here Higgins leads Bleekemolen at the Corkscrew.  

Fourth was Wade Carter in this 1985 Porsche 962.

David Donohue came fifth in this two liveried 1986 Porsche 962.

Sixth was Carlos Dequesada in this 1990 Porsche 962

Porsche RS Spyder leads 962 out of the last turn in Sunday's race.

Seventh place went to David Lockwood in this 2007 Porsche RS Spyder.  Here he is at turn four.

Porsche RS Spyder

Dan Curry came in eighth in this 1985 Porsche 962.  Here he leads Justin Bell.

Dan Curry leads the Fabcar down the Corkscrew.

Ninth was this 1984 Porsche 962 driven by Lee Giannone

Jim Torres leads Lee Giannone down the Corkscrew.

Jim Torres was tenth in this 1986 Porsche 962

Eleventh was Tom Dooley in this 1988 Porsche 962C.

Rounding out the top twlve was this 2006 Riley DP MkXI.

Bruce Canepa in this 1989 Porsche 962C was disqualified after passing under a double yellow.

This 1986 Porsche 962 is seen in the warm up but didn't start the main race.

Another car seen in the warm up but not the main race is this 1987 Porsche 962.

Justin Bell drove this unusual 1995 Porsche 962 K8 Spyder in the warm up and qualifying race.

Another car not seen after the qualifying race was this 1985 Porsche Fabcar GTPL.

This 1994 Porsche Dauer 962 was seen in the warm up.

The Exhibition Cars

Porsche RS Spyder in the main display.

A 1983 Porsche 956.  This is the one that won at Brands Hatch that year.

1985 Porsche 962 in iconic colous.

1998 Porsche 911 GT1 '98.

1998 Porsche 911 GT1 '98.

A Dyson Racing IMSA Porsche 962 during the exhibition laps.

The Porsche 962 that Mario and John Andretti drove in the 1984 Daytona 24 Hours.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page. 

1997 Porsche 911 GT1