In the 50 years of International
Motor Sports
Association (IMSA) history,
Porsche stands as
the only manufacturer
to enter every sports
car race under the
Florida-based sanctioning
body’s banner.
That longevity alone
could account for the
marque’s place at the
top of all the major record columns for auto manufacturers.
However, “just being there” isn’t what Porsche is
about. The German sports car builder has earned its spot
at the peak of the results sheets by virtue of its success.
In the course of the joint history of the two legendary
companies, Porsche has accounted for 567 IMSA victories
(chassis and/or engine) since 1969. While those
wins have come at facilities across North America, perhaps
nowhere is more closely linked with Porsche than
Sebring International Raceway.
At least one Porsche has contested every Mobil 1 Twelve
Hours of Sebring since making its debut at the famous
track in 195 one year after the rst “1-Hours.” With
the start of the 019 race, Porsche will have taken the
green flag on the former World War Two air eld 65-consecutive
times, excluding 1974 when no race was held
Hurley Haywood, Peter Gregg and
Dave Helmick drove this Porsche to
IMSA-sanctioned Sebring 12-hour.
due to a fuel crisis. In
that time, Porsche has
earned 89 victories – 56
more than its nearest
rival. That includes records
for overall wins
(18), class wins (71)
and GT class wins (9
since 1979) as well as
GT class pole positions
(15) and Porsche has
led more laps overall
(4,198 – almost 0,000-miles) than any other manufacturer.
Between 1976 and 1988, Porsche shut-out every
challenger to take the overall title for a 13-year streak
that is itself a record. The industry’s most iconic car, the
Porsche 911, alone holds a record 3 overall and/or class
victories at Sebring. The Porsche 935 has six wins, the
96 prototype has four. The Porsche 718 RS 60, 907, 917,
934 and RS Spyder each have one overall title apiece.
Overall victories came in 1960, ’68, ’71, 73, ’76 – ’88 and
again in 008.
Two Porsche 356s – one a 1500 Super – were entered in
1953, however, the rst win for the Stuttgart-uffenhausen
based manufacturer did not come until 1960 when
Hans Herrmann and Oliver Gendebien piloted a 718 RS
60 to victory nine laps ahead of second-place. While Hermann
would win again in 1968 – driving a Porsche 907
S P R S B R I N G 0 1 9
76
Porsche Holds
Unprecedented
Spot in History of
IMSA and Sebring