As I wandered through the crowded paddock at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca during the early days of fall, I encountered so many old friends – both human and mechanical – that I was overcome with a joyous sense of having come home to where I belong. I suspect this was the intention of the organizers because everywhere one turned there were moving experiences, both literally and figuratively. Armed with my iPhone I began capturing images and videos to share the experience from the point of view of “being there.” Here is some of what I saw…

Porsche garage walk-through

This walk-through of the stunning Porsche Rennsport VI garage display showcases some of the greatest cars in Porsche’s history. This, coupled with the Rennsport pavilion, provided a once-in-a-lifetime immersive experience that allowed the devoted to get up close and personal with iconic cars and legendary personalities. Some estimates placed the combined value of the cars on site at over a half-billion dollars, but the experiences created for those in attendance were truly priceless. The first car in the video is the Porsche 911-GT1 98 which won Le Mans to crown Porsche’s 50th anniversary year in 1998. On the Thursday before that race, I received a call from Porsche’s then-VP of marketing, Joel Ewanick, who was in between ad agencies. He asked if our little company could create a “win ad” should things go as planned. With no time and a lot of luck we delivered finished ad materials to The Wall Street Journal and other short-lead national publications on the Monday following the race. This remains one of our proudest moments and it accelerated our growth as a multi-faceted media company. It was part of what attracted the attention of Haymarket Media, publishers of Autosport and F1 Racing, as they reached out that same week to attempt to acquire our company.

1980 Interscope Porsche IRO1 – Parnelli VPJ-6 

The company that eventually became Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. and now publishes RACER magazine, RACER.com and SportsCar magazine began with a top-secret assignment in December 1979. The creative brief called for illustrations, liveries and collateral materials for Porsche’s entry into the USAC Championship and the 1980 Indy 500 with an updated Parnelli VPJ-6 champ car powered by an evolution of Porsche’s turbocharged flat-six that had propelled Porsche to overall victory at Le Mans with the 936 and also the 935 at Le Mans in IMSA at Daytona and Sebring. Our company was located across the parking lot from Interscope’s race shop in Santa Ana, California. We worked closely with the team’s driving force, Danny Ongais, to prepare for a debut that sadly never came due to the turbulent open-wheel racing politics of the day. I still remember the crushing disappointment we felt in the spring of 1980 when USAC rendered the car uncompetitive with a rule change before it ever appeared at a race. Sadly, I never had the chance to hear the 2.65-liter Porsche flat-six Indy car engine fire up… until, ironically, at 9:11 a.m. on September 30, 2018 at Porsche Rennsport. The intervening 38 years melted away as I slowly moved around the car as it was gently warmed up on a brisk fall morning. I felt a lump in my throat as the car came to life, awakening a sense of pride mixed with regret that was long dormant.

1985 Dyson Racing IMSA Porsche 962 

I’ve watched many sports car races during the past 50 years, but some delivered moments I still cherish. Among them was watching underdogs Rob Dyson and Drake Olsen win the IMSA Camel GT round at Lime Rock in 1985 with Dyson Racing’s beautiful Porsche 962 chassis No. 101. I was there when Rob paired with Price Cobb to win again at Riverside in 1986 with Porsche 962 chassis No. 120. From that moment onward, the upstart low-key team from Poughkeepsie, New York became one of my favorites. Today Dyson Racing now stands as the second-winningest team in IMSA history (behind Corvette Racing) with 69 victories despite not being active in the series since 2013. I could scarcely have imagined that Rob Dyson would eventually become my partner in Racer Communications a decade later and that Rob and Chris Dyson would join us in reacquiring RACER in 2012 after we’d sold the company to Haymarket media in 2001. As I moved through the sprawling Rennsport pavilion I saw a growing crowd of onlookers gathered around the Dyson Racing 962 as the engine was warmed up. It was a special moment as Rob stood nearby handing out hero cards and signing programs, books and even a skateboard! For me, this special moment captured the wonderful essence of Porsche Rennsport experience.

Now Porsche begins its 71st year in motorsports with the immediate goal of winning the first race of IMSA’s 50th Anniversary season. But in December 2019, Porsche could electrify the world with its entry into season six of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. If any car company can spark emotion and create meaning in what lies ahead in the ever-changing and uncertain world of motorsports, it will be Porsche. The enduring lesson from Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI is that wherever Porsche competes, it defines change and drives progress while making the history we will celebrate in our future.