AO Racing Reveals Stunning Porsche Fleet For Rennsport Reunion
AO Racing is set to take seven iconic Porsche race cars to this year’s Rennsport Reunion meeting at Laguna Seca, including a stunning 2017 Porsche 911 RSR in F.A.T International colours.
The 2017 RSR in question, revealed yesterday, is the only car AO is taking to the event that didn’t race in period.
The car will be driven by Ferdi Porsche, who will be experiencing Laguna Seca for the first time. It will sport the livery of F.A.T. International, a logistics company known for its sponsorship of Porsches from the 1980s to 2000s.
“I am incredibly honoured to be racing the 2017 AO Racing 911 RSR at Rennsport Reunion, an event that makes the whole Porsche family extremely proud,” said Porsche. “Gunnar and the team have been incredible over the last couple of months in making this happen. Exactly this camaraderie is what makes Porsche great.”
“To have Ferdi join us with iconic F.A.T. Branding on our RSR is very special, especially since our 962 raced in the FAT livery at Le Mans,” added AO Racing team principal and driver Gunnar Jeannette. “I can’t wait to see him experience the best Porsche GT car around Laguna Seca.”
AO will also bring three additional post-2000 Porsche to the event.
The oldest of the trio is a 2007 Penske-livered Porsche RS Spyder, which will be driven by Rodrigo Sales.
Helio Castroneves, Ryan Briscoe, Sascha Massen, and Emmanuel Collard shared the car in period. It earned four LMP2 class wins, including two overall wins and an additional two LMP2 class in the iconic American Le Mans Series, now the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The other two are GT cars. The first is a 2014 Porsche RSR 9901, which is still the only GT car to win Petit Le Mans overall.
Driven by Patrick Pilet, Nick Tandy, Richard Lietz, and Michael Christensen, the car not only won the legendary endurance race, but in doing so secured the GTLM championship in the United SportsCar Championship, now the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
With five class wins and seven podiums across three seasons, this car’s impressive history has made it an icon for automotive enthusiasts. This machine will also join in the GT Exhibition activities at the Reunion.
“It’s important to get these three incredibly special cars out on a race track where they can be driven as they were originally intended,” said Sales.
“Rennsport Reunion is the perfect place to drive them as they can be seen and enjoyed by thousands of fellow Porsche enthusiasts and owners. Many thanks to the fantastic team at AO Racing for the great work getting them prepped and ready to run.”
The most recent example is AO Racing’s current 911 GT3 R 992, which has been competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with PJ Hyett, Seb Priaulx, Gunnar Jeannette, and Harry Tincknell in the fan-favourite ‘Rexy’ livery. It will participate in the GT Exhibition.
From the 20th century, AO Racing is also going to run a 1982 ANDIAL Porsche 935L, 1985 Porsche 962-HR1 and 1990 Porsche 962-012.
The 935L is presented in its 1983 Daytona 24 Hour winning white, blue, and orange “Swap Shop” livery. It was driven by Preston Henn, AJ Foyt, Bob Wollek, Claude Ballot-Lena, Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti, Al Holbert, Derek Bell, Hurley Haywood, and Bill Whittington during its tenure. It will compete at the Reunion in Group 4: the Weissach Cup with AO Racing Owner PJ Hyett driving.
The car also holds special meaning for team principal Gunnar Jeannette, whose father, Kevin, was a part of the victory just 40 years before. AO’s also ran the “Swap Shop” livery at this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona in GTD.
Built by Holbert Racing in 1985, the 962-HR1 was the first privately-built 962 in Porsche’s history. As a Holbert Racing entry, the car earned 18 podiums across three race seasons, including 10 overall race wins. Earning the Camel GT Championship in 1985, 1986, and 1987, this car was driven by legendary drivers Al Holbert, Derek Bell, Al Unser Jr, Chip Robinson. The car will run in Group 7: the Stuttgart Cup.
The final car is one of the last factory Porsche 962 cars to be produced, the 1990 Porsche 962, which was Joest Racing’s primary car in all nine rounds of the World Sports-Prototype Championship, with a best finish of fourth place at Silverstone, finishing fifth in the championship standings.
The car finished seventh overall at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, boasting drivers Derek Bell, Hans Stuck, Bob Wollek, Bernd Schneider, Frank Jelinski, and John Winter. It will compete in Group 7: the Stuttgart Cup, with Gunnar Jeannette at the wheel.
Rennsport Reunion 7, which will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Porsche and the 60th Anniversary of the 911, is set to take place between September 28th to October 1st at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Images courtesy of AO Racing
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