Porsche 917 Class – Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2010
The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2010 was held March 14th on the fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. Among others, the 15th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Porsche 917’s victories at the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans races.
A seminar kicked off the celebration of the incredible Porsche 917 endurance racer, as the men who drove the 240 mph giant – Derek Bell, Brian Redman, Hurley Haywood and Vic Elford – told stories that left spectators in awe of these brave men.
The legendary 917 only raced for three seasons in the World Sportscar Championship that included the latter half of 1969 through 1971. During that short span of time a 917 was entered in 21 major races and came in first 14 times and second twice. This overwhelming success probably contributed to its demise because no other factory race car could compete with the 917. So FIA changed the rules and 1971 would be the last year for the Porsche 917. By the way, the only Gulf Porsche 917 to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans was the one in the Steve McQueen movie.
The 917 didn’t disappear just because of a few rules changes. Porsche decided to enter a higher power version of the 917 in the North American Can-Am championship. The newly evolved cars known as the 917-10 and later the 917-30 were so successful that some automotive writers feel that their success eventually killed the Can-Am series.
Porsche 917 Class at Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2010
1970 Porsche 917K - Dr. Julio Palmaz, Napa, CA - This Porsche 917K was driven to victory at the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans, giving Porsche its first overall victory at the Sarthe circuit. The 917K produced over 600hp from its flat 12-cylinder power plant and was capable of well over 200 mph down the Mulsanne straight.1969 Porsche 917K - Canepa Motorsports Museum, Scotts Valley, CA - This Porsche 917 won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1970 with Pedro Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen behind the wheel. It was later converted to a Spyder configuration by the Porsche factory in 1971. Leo Kinnunen piloted it in the 1971 Interserie Championship, winning at Imola and finishing on the podium at Zolder, Hockenheim and Monthery. 1969 Porsche 917 - Christian Zugel, Holmdel, NJ - Porsche 917 # 021 started life with the AAW Team, making it to Le Mans in 1970 with David Piper and Gijs van Lennep as drivers. The car DNF'd after two crashes because of rain and a punctured tire. The car was one of David Piper's team cars where it ran many races with Piper, Chris Craft and Peter Norman. 1969 Porsche 917 PA - Collier Collection, Naples, FL - Without this car, Porsche's total domination of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup racing might never happened. In mid-season 1969, Porsche would provide the car, driver Jo Siffert and a full support crew. The new Porsche & Audi Division of Volkswagen sponsored the entry. The only problem remaining was making a Group 7 racer out of the Group 5 917, and doing it fast. Work began after Le Mans in June. The 917 PA arrived in the states in August. The PA was a 917 shorn of its coupe top and fitted with a body inspired by the 908/2 flounder prototype. Even thought the 917 PA gave away three liters, 200 pounds and 250 hp to the McLarens and missed the first five races, this one-car effort still achieved fourth overall in the 1969 Can-Am Championship. Acquired by Vasek Polak and gradually converted into a full 917/10 fitted with an 1100 hp turbo motor from the 917/30, the 917 PA race in more Can-Ams than any other Group 7 car and remained competitive until its retirement. 1970 Porsche 917 - Collier Collection, Naples, FL - This original 917 was part of the Porsche Salzburg team in 1970. In 1971, chassis 019 raced as a member of the Martini Racing team, the new name Louise Piech gave her organization followed sponsorship from Martini & Rossi. Again the Piech team took Le Mans, the winning car driven by Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep and sporting numerous experimental features including a magnesium tube frame. Marko and van Lennep raced 917 #019 three times in 1971, although the results were not as fortuitious as they enjoyed at Le Mans. At Daytona 24 Hours, with Rudi Lins as the third driver, a crash put them car out on the 462nd of 688 laps. At the Monza 1000 KM, a throttle linkage was the culprit shortly after mid-race. Engine failure put #019 out at Spa, its last race. The car, preserved in late 1971 configuration, is quite conservative given the psychedelic raiment which graced other 917s during the two championship years. Porsche 917-10, Dano Davis, Brumos Collection, Jacksonville, FL - After Porsche's all but total dominance of the 1970-1971 Sports Car Endurance Racing Championship season, the international governing body wrote rules that outlawed the breathtaking Porsche 917 prototype coupes. Desperate to retain their preeminent position in sports car racing, Porsche, prompted by their American Motorsports Chief Joe Hoppen, created what was at the time the most powerful road racing car ever built: the 1,100 hp Porsche 917-10. 1970 Porsche 917K - Vintage Racing Motors, Redmond, WA - Featured in the Steve McQueen movie 'Le Mans', this Porsche 917K led literally two lives during its World Manufacturer's Championship run. This chassis # 004 seen here was originally chassis number # 017. Unfortunately, # 004 was crashed at the 1970 race at Brands Hatch and recoverable parts were transferred to # 017 and its number was changed to # 004. It competed in a number of races in Europe, scoring a win at the 1970 Spa 1000km with Pedro Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen behind the wheel. It also achieved several top-10 finishes with such drivers as Brian Redman, Jo Siffert and David Piper.1970 Porsche 917 - Amalfi Racing, Jupiter, FL - This Porsche 917 # 026 John Wyer car was driven at Le Mans by David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood. In the heavy rain, Hailwood crashed it into an Alfa Romeo. The car was brought back to Porsche where it become chassis number # 031. It was then converted to Spyder form and later driven by Jurgen Neuhaus in Interserie / Can-Am events throughout Europe and North America. 1970 Porsche 917LH - Simeone Foundation, Philadelphia, PA - This Porsche 917 is one of five Long Tail Porsches built in 1969 and 1970. It placed second in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans and did not finish at the 1971 running of the 24 Hours. It is painted in its original 1970 'hippie' or psychedelic color scheme.
Porsche 917 Class at Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2011 – Photo Gallery
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[Source: Amelia Island Concours; photo credit: Al Wolford]
The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2010 was held March 14th on the fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. Among others, the 15th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Porsche 917’s victories at the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans races. 
Awesome, simply awesome. Having the chance to drive one has been a fantasy for the past 40 years.
slight correction…………
the brumos shown is owned by dano davis rather than dino davis……..he’s a principal of brumos and winn-dixe founder’s son.
Thanks for the heads-up. We made the correction.
About Porsche 917’s
About 1970 I went to Le Mans and recall a Porsche 917 painted pink(ish) with dotted lines denoting cuts of meat. Is this a figment of my imagination or do I have this right?
Oh yes, you correctly recall the “Pink Pig” Porsche 917/20 that was painted pink with names of cuts of meat written in German across it in a similar fashion to a butcher’s diagram. Why on earth we don’t know…
From what I heard, when Porsche designed the 917-20, Count Rossi, of Martini & Rossi, A principal sponsor, after seeing it, exclaimed, “I’m not putting my name on a pig like that!” or something to that effect. So Porsche decided to run with it, painted it pink like a pig, and drew in the cuts of pork in German!