Porsche’s Imminent Return to Le Mans!

[OZCarrera3]

With less than a day to go to this year’s race, I think this is a pertinent suggestion…

Every day we hear more and more about Porsche’s imminent return to Le Mans. I think it’s about time we prepared to start planning an international “Pelican’s Tour De’ Le Mans”, involving each and every country represented by the Pelican Parts (PP) web forum, just to show the factory how much it means to their buyers and fans!

I’ve (along with Steve Foss from this board and Glen Patterson a new P-car Gold Coast member) just returned from a visit to the factory (Oh what a feast! So many things to tell and show. I’ll post again when I have more time and the rest of the photos when they are ready), but as thinly disguised by a rye smile from one of one of Porsche’s more senior employees (with whom we had lunch – what excellent restaurant facilities the factory have by the way), Porsche will be returning to top level motor sport in the very near future! Can we hope that its next year???

Therefore I suggest PP looks at securing a reasonable sized area within the compound of the circuit the moment Porsche announce their official return. To assist in the case and in consultation with the factory (to gain confirmation), maybe we could secure a premium site for a worldwide Pelican Part (Re) Union ?

Let’s start a petition or guest list now! Who’s interested? I’d be willing to be the Australian coordinator.

Remember “life…anything that happens before or after, its just waiting…”

(In the 1st photo, that’s Glen, Steve and myself on the left with the green jacket, oh and a little engine that never did…and another car the did ok...)

[OZCarrera3]

Oh, by the way, aren't 917's tiny!! They had a spaceframe on the wall. It was made out of like 15mm tube!!! The guys who drove these cars had guts, more than you and I can imagine - 200mph in with just fibreglass and spaceframe tubing - modern F1 (and other) guys have it easy!

[arerrac]

From Porsche Cars North America web site

"Motorsport programme in North America intensified

Porsche builds new sports prototype - Penske Motorsports exclusive partner

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, designs and builds a completely new sports prototype for customer racing in America's most important sportscar series, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). This new programme was initiated by its North American subsidiary, Porsche Cars North America (PCNA). The vehicle complies with the technical specifications of the LMP2 category (Le Mans prototypes) and is the first purpose-built Porsche factory race car since the successful 911 GT1 from 1998.

As exclusive partner, Penske Motorsports will race the new prototype in 2005 and 2006. Roger Penske and his team won two CanAm Championships in 1972 and 1973 with the legendary Porsche 917 sportscar. Regarded for decades as one of most professional and successful racing organisations in the USA, Penske will enter the new sports prototype for testing in the final two races of this year's ALMS season on 1st October in Road Atlanta and on 16th October in Laguna Seca. In 2006 it is planned to race two vehicles at all ten rounds of the series.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, president and CEO of PCNA, announced at the second ALMS race in Road Atlanta (15-17 April) that with this racing programme Porsche Cars North America and Porsche Motorsport North America are eager to provide customer teams with the possibility of competing in prototype categories of the American Le Mans Series in the future.

In the near-standard GT2 class, motorsport customers have secured 47 victories and five manufacturer championships in the last six years with the Porsche 911 GT3. With this new and intensified racing programme, Porsche intends to raise the excitement and interest levels in American sportscar racing.

North America is not only the most important market for Porsche but also the region with the largest number of enthusiasts for sportscars from Zuffenhausen. The Porsche Club of America boasts almost 60,000 members, making it the world's largest manufacturers club. For over 30 years and with extraordinary race cars like the 934, 935 and 962, Porsche racing customers have contributed to the rich and successful motorsport tradition on the American continent. "

[OZCarrera3]

So, do I book 2 tickets?

[OZCarrera3]

C'mon, 16 cylinders - flat- air cooled- almost see-through fibreglass trumpets, what more do I have to say?????????

[Paulporsche]

"A RYE smile by one of Porsche's senior employees (with whom we had lunch..."

Maybe a little more rye and he would have told you everything!