Being a Porsche owner and enthusiast has some hidden benefits that aren't available to owners of other cars. It seems that almost every year there is a significant event centered on Porsche somewhere in the world. These typically involve large numbers of historically significant vintage Porsche race cars of all varieties. Events like these are a chance to get up close to, see and hear historic Porsches that you have only read about or saw on TV a few times. Even the spectator parking areas are usually packed with interesting and rare street Porsches.
The following events are some of the more significant Porsche only or Porsche centered events held in the United States over the last few decades. Significant 914s are always found on track at these events. There are also interesting 914s and other Porsches to be found hiding in the paddock and parking lots.
These videos can be played on your phone or downloaded to a PC and viewed from your hard drive. All of them are quite large so a good high speed internet connection will be needed.
Monterey Historics - 1998
1998 was Porsche's 50th anniversary as a car company. To celebrate, Porsche held events around the world throughout the year. Two of these events were in the United States. As part of the celebration in 1998, Porsche was the featured marque at the Monterey Historics. This event was written up in Panorama, Excellence and Autoweek.
Pano Monterey 98
Excellence Monterey 98
Autoweek Monterey 98
Monterey Historic Poster
Here is a video of the Cam Am race from the 1998 Monterey Historics featuring the Turbo 917s going up against the big bore Mclarens & Lolas of the era. About 8 minutes, 41 MB. Big Thunder
This is a video of the 917-30 Cam Am race car from Porsche. About 3:40, 93 MB. Turbo Thunder
Porsche Double Fifty - 1998
A few weeks later there was another celebration at Watkins Glen which was also the 50th anniversary of the Watkins Glen track. This event was put on by Porsche and was the prototype for the later Rennsport Reunions. This was written up in Panorama and Excellence.
Pano Double 50
Excellence Double 50
Double 50 Entry List
Ticket
Double 50 Photos
Double 50 Artwork
Rennsport Reunion 1 - 2001
The 50th anniversary celebrations were so successful that a few years later Porsche held the first Rennsport Reunion. An amazing number of 956s and 962s showed up along with very many 917s and 935s. All other Porsche race cars were well represented as well. Attendees got the chance to see Roger Penske driving Mark Donahue's 917-30 being chased by another 917-30. This was held in the Summer of 2001 at Lime Rock, Connecticut. This was written up in Panorama and Excellence. At the time it was just called Rennsport Reunion.
Pano Rennsport 1
Excellence Rennsport 1
RR 1 Entry List
RR 1 Ticket
Bruce Anderson's RR 1 Blog
RR 1 Photos
Rennsport 1 Poster
A few weeks later the event was broadcast on Speed Channel in the United States. The video here was converted to digital from a poor quality VHS tape.
Part 1, about 13 minutes, 368 MB. RR1 Part 1
Part 2, about 22 minutes, 669 MB. RR1 Part 2
Part 3, about 12 minutes, 374 MB. RR1 Part 3
Rennsport Reunion 2 - 2004
Rennsport I was such a success that Porsche decided to do it again 3 years later. The event had outgrown little Lime Rock Park so the much larger and more significant Daytona Speedway was chosen for the location. The turn out of historic Porsche race cars was impressive. This event was written up in Panorama and Excellence.
Pano Rennsport II
Excellence Rennsport II
Rennsport 2 Poster
A few weeks later it was broadcast on Speed Channel in the United States.
Part 1, about 17 minutes, 500 MB. RR2 Part 1
Part 2, about 11 minutes, 330 MB. RR2 Part 2
Part 3, about 14 minutes, 427 MB. RR2 Part 3
Rennsport Reunion 3 - 2007
Three years later Porsche put on Rennsport 3, again at Daytona. This one featured rain and another very large gathering of 917s, 935s, 956s and 962s. This was written up in Panorama and Excellence.
Pano Rennsport III
Excellence Rennsport III
Rennsport 3 Poster
A few weeks later it was broadcast on Speed Channel in the United States.
Part 1, about 16 minutes, 473 MB. RR3 Part 1
Part 2, about 13 minutes, 393 MB. RR3 Part 2
Part 3, about 16 minutes, 471 MB. RR3 Part 3
Race Results for all groups can be found here: RR3 Results
Rennsport Reunion 4 - 2011
After a 4 year hiatus, it was time for Rennsport 4. This one was held on the west coast of the United States at Laguna Seca raceway in Monterey, California. This event was used by Porsche as the North American introduction of the new 991. There was an absolutely spectacular turnout for this amazing event. Over 300 vintage Porsche race cars on track, thousands of street cars in the parking lots and a lot of current and former drivers walking around the paddock. This Rennsport was the first for the recently retired but still incredibly fast Porsche LMP2 Spyders. Sitting in the garage, still wearing plenty of dirt and grime from its last race was the Orange and White 911 Hybrid that had competed the previous weekend in the WEC race at Laguna Seca. This event was written up in Panorama and Excellence.
Pano Rennsport IV
Excellence Rennsport IV
RR IV Ticket
Rennsport 4 Poster
It was broadcast on Speed Channel a few weeks later.
Part 1, about 17 minutes, 501 MB. RR4 Part 1
Part 2, about 16 minutes, 473 MB. RR4 Part 2
Part 3, about 12 minutes, 363 MB. RR4 Part 3
Rennsport IV Entry List. Entrants
Group 1 race results. RR4 Group 1
Group 2 race results. RR4 Group 2
Group 3 race results. RR4 Group 3
Group 4 race results. RR4 Group 4
Group 5 race results. RR4 Group 5
Group 6 race results. RR4 Group 6
Rennsport Reunion 5 - 2015
Over 57,000 spectators from around the world trekked to Monterey for the 2015 edition of Rennsport Reunion. This year the feature was Le Mans Legends. The hilite was the 2015 Le Mans winning 919 with two of them fresh from the race in Austin, Texas and many Porsche factory drivers. There was one 919 on display in the Porsche in the Paddock area and another on track running laps behind a sinister flat black Panamera camera car.
This was written up in Panorama and Excellence and broadcast in the US on the Fox network.
Pano Rennsport V
Excellence Rennsport V
RR V TicketRennsport 5 Poster
This is why Rennsport Exists, 2 minutes, 27 MB. Why
Here are some race videos from Rennsport V in HD quality.
Race Group 3, about 30 minutes, 500 MB. RR5 Group 3
Race Group 4, about 26 minutes, 388 MB. RR5 Group 4
Race Group 5, about 39 minutes, 511 MB. RR5 Group 5
Race Group 6, about 36 minutes, 561 MB. RR5 Group 6
Panamera Camera Car, about 20 seconds, 8 MB. Camera Car
Group 2 race results. RR5 Group 2
Group 3 race results. RR5 Group 3
Group 4 race results. RR5 Group 4
Group 5 race results. RR5 Group 5
Group 6 race results. RR5 Group 6
Rennsport Reunion 6 - 2018
The event was expanded to 4 days for 2018 and approximately 81,000 people were in attendance. The new car announcements were the new 911 Speedster concept and New 935. Some of the features of this Rennsport were theTractor races. Porsche #1 being driven by Wolfgang Porsche, The Porsche type 64, and the 919 evo hot laps.
This was written up in many magazines and web sites.
Schedule
Road & Race Rennsport VI
RR VI Ticket
Rennsport 6 Poster
2018 Rennsport Reunion Logo
Rennsport VI entries. Entry List
Saturday race results. RR6 Saturday 2
Sunday race results. RR6 Sunday 3
Rennsport VI Group 3, Eifel Trophy 30 minutes, 160 MB. Group 3 Race
Rennsport VI recap, about 2 minutes, 15 MB. RR6 Recap
Rennsport Australia - 2013
Not all major Porsche events are held in the United States. In May of 2013 Rennsport Australia was held at Sydney Motorsports Park attracting over 500 Porsches and a crowd of about 4000. This event will be repeated and expanded in 2016.
2013 Rennsport Australia Photo
Rennsport Australia - 2016
In 2016 the 2nd running of Rennsport Australia was held on April 30 - May 1 2016 at Sydney Motorsports Park attracting over 450 Porsches and a crowd of about 5000 spectators.
Here are hilights from the event. About 3 minutes, MP4, 41 MB. RA2
Last Update October 2020