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Porsche has a longer history of racing – and winning – at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca than perhaps any other car company. At the legendary track’s very first race in October of 1957, a Porsche 550 RS Spyder took the overall win of the SCCA National Laguna Seca Championship. Since then, dozens of Porsches have competed in and won races at the track, piloted by some of the most famous drivers in the world.

Porsche’s racing history at Laguna Seca is perhaps why the fourth edition of the Rennsport Reunion is the best yet. The five historic racing classes are packed with legendary race cars and drivers. Watching a trio of 935s spiral through the corkscrew makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time to the 1970s, or watching a 962 blast down the front straight transports you directly to the 1980s.

There were plenty of examples of Porsche’s modern race car on track at Rennsport, as well. Dozens of cars competed in the Cayman Interseries, 911 Invitational, 911 Cup and PCA races, and Porsche’s recently retired racing prototype, the RS Spyder, was also on track. The RS Spyder has a history at Laguna Seca as well, winning the LMP2 class in its debut at the track in 2005.

Whether it’s the vintage racers of the 1950s or ’60s, the flamboyant 935s and prototypes of the 1970s and ’80s, or the modern race cars, there was something for every Porsche fan at Rennsport IV. Click through our gallery above to see a sample of what was on track at Laguna Seca this past weekend.

Rennsport Reunion IV: 350 Porsches take to the track originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re a Porsche fan, there were enough precious metals at this weekend’s Rennsport Reunion IV to put a flutter of butterflies in the sturdiest of stomachs. The company naturally made sure to capture the moment, and just as naturally, it wasn’t any mere point-and-shoot affair.

For a gorgeous time-lapse look at how 40 vintage Porsche racers (including 911s, 935s, 917s, 962s and 956s) posed for the camera in the California sun, the rest of the story is in the video after the jump.

Continue reading Making the Porsche Rennsport Reunion family photo

Making the Porsche Rennsport Reunion family photo originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog has been walking the paddock of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca taking in Rennsport Reunion IV for the past two days… but that’s just a small part of the action. Today, we took a long stroll through the various Porsche corrals where the privately owned cars park during the event. While we’re suckers for race machinery, some of the automaker’s street cars are equally spectacular, even in standard trim.

Take a look through our massive gallery of cars, including those from members of the Porsche Club of America (PCA) and Porsche Owners Club (POC). Both organizations are loaded with very enthusiastic owners who take meticulous care of their mid- and rear-engined sports cars. Look carefully and you’ll spot everything from early cars all the way to the latest 997 GT3 RS 4.0 – even a rare RUF Turbo (on a 993 platform).

Our personal favorites include the 930, GT2 RS, RS Ducktails and the early 911-based RUF Turbo Targa. How about you?

Rennsport Reunion IV: Porsche porn in the car corral originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The year was 1978, and Norbert Singer was tasked with building the ultimate Group 5 Porsche 935. His sole objective was to deliver a win at Le Mans. Singer went immediately to work and pushed the FIA’s rules to deliver a lower, wider and more aerodynamic 935 than anyone expected. With a white body and a characteristic long swooping tail, it was dubbed “Moby Dick,” after Herman Melville’s great white whale.

But don’t get the impression that Moby Dick was just an aero kit on a 935, as there were other, less visible changes to the race car.

The turbocharged flat six was bumped up to displace 3.2 liters and fitted with water-cooled heads. When it was time to race, the four-valve engine developed 750 horsepower. Since the Le Mans circuit runs clockwise, the driver’s seat was moved to the right to optimize weight distribution. On the Mulsanne Straight, it could hit a blistering 235 mph.

Moby Dick qualified third at Le Mans in 1978, behind two Group 6 prototypes (Renault Alpine and a Porsche 936). While it was the fastest on the straights, it finished in eighth place after an oil leak became an issue. It ran in two more races that year before Porsche retired it to the museum. Three clones were eventually built, and they raced well into the 1980s.

Rennsport Reunion IV: 1978 Porsche 935 “Moby Dick” originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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