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Porsche History to Come to Life at Meadow Brook Hall Concours

23 July 1998

Porsche History to Come to Life at Meadow Brook Hall Concours d'Elegance & Historic Races

    ROCHESTER, MI, July 22 -- In the midst of its
50th anniversary celebration, Porsche will be the featured marque here at the
20th annual Meadow Brook Hall Concours d'Elegance & Historic Races, scheduled
for the weekend of July 31 to August 2.
    To help provide a look at the German company's storied past, Porsche will
bring to Meadow Brook seven highly significant cars from its Stuttgart museum
as well as four of its most famous drivers.  A 50th anniversary display and an
array of Porsche 356s from the Porsche 356 Registry will also be spotlighted.
    Leading the group of museum cars traveling to Meadow Brook is the 1948
Porsche 356.  Better known as "Number One" to Porsche enthusiasts, the vehicle
was intended merely as an experiment to test the waters for a limited
production sports car, but it went on to claim the first racing victory of a
car bearing the Porsche name.
    Another Porsche notable -- the 1951 Aluminum Coupe, Type 356 -- will join
"Number One" in Michigan.  Built in Gmund, Austria, the hand-built Aluminum
Coupe had certain advantages in racing -- a hand-bent box section chassis
which was stiffer than the stamped steel frame of the Stuttgart cars; and a
lighter, more aerodynamic body.  It was the first Porsche entered at Le Mans.
    Other Porsche museum cars slated to make the trip across the Atlantic
include the Porsche Type 718/RS 60, which captured the overall victory at
Sebring in 1960; the 917K "Short Tail," which claimed the first overall win
for Porsche at Le Mans; the 908/3 Spyder; the Type 935/78 known as "Moby
Dick;" and the 962C, which swiped top honors at Le Mans in 1987.  The 962 is
the most successful sports prototype in racing history.
    The four race car drivers Porsche will assemble for the Meadow Brook
Historic Races, to take place at Waterford Hills Raceway, are truly some of
the living legends in auto racing.
    England's Vic Elford was a professional factory driver for 13 years,
including a five-year stint with Porsche when he won four rallys (including
the famed Monte Carlo Rally), the Daytona 24-Hours and the 12 Hours of
Sebring.
    George Follmer is regarded as one of the most versatile drivers in the
world, having competed in virtually every form of auto racing.  Among his many
achievements was winning the 1972 SCCA Can Am Championship in a Porsche 917/10
and the 1976 SCCA Trans Am Championship in a Porsche 934 Turbo.
    Hurley Haywood, from Ponte Vedra, FL, is a renowned endurance champion
having won the Daytona 24-Hours five times, Le Mans three times, and the
12 Hours of Sebring twice, all in Porsches.
    Brian Redman's career encompasses 16 FIA Sportscar World Championship race
wins.  He was the 1981 IMSA GTP champ and is a three-time Daytona 24-Hours
winner, twice winning in Porsches.