In 2007, Tafel jumped from Grand Am to the burgeoning ALMS GT2 class in the much quicker 997 GT3 RSR.  Rapid growth combined with an aspirational schedule of improvement proved that Tafel was on a warpath to take down the top teams.  James Tafel jr. would not stop at second best.

Henzler drove the blue and white Tafel car to a third place in the drivers’ championship, even though he didn’t win a single race.  Consistency, combined with respectable finishes allowed him to accomplish that feat.  Jim Tafel, while pleased with the plucky team’s results, was not satisfied with third.  Looking up the grid and peering up at other racers on the podium, Tafel noticed a common theme; F430.

The 2007 ALMS season was dominated by Ferrari with 9 of 12 races being won by Maranello’s finest.  Seeing the writing on the wall for 2008 being much the same, Tafel couldn’t “beat ‘em”, so the team jumped ship from the RSR and “joined ‘em” in a pair of brand new F430 GTs.  The plan sort of backfired, as Tafel came very close to winning the GT2 championship in the 2008 season.  The team won a quartet of races in 2008, falling short of the championship by a measly 16 points.  The only team to beat Tafel?  The mighty Flying Lizards in a 997 GT3 RSR by 16 points.  Poetic justice?

Regardless of the outcome, the 2008 season ended with Tafel succumbing to the pressures of economic downturn.  Even though they had their most successful season ever, the team could not gain sponsorship for the 2009 season, and were forced to shutter their doors.  Team engineer Tony Dowe commented “”It is indicative of the current financial situation globally and in North America that the ability of a team that had such a successful 2008 to attract sponsorship is virtually non-existent”.

Fast forward to 2012 and it seems that little bits of the team have not yet been claimed, or sold into further servitude.  A marketplace post on Forums.RennList.com indicates that someone in the Atlanta area still has a few OEM 997 RSR carbon pieces.  A pair of hoods (one well-used and one minty), a set of fenders with beautiful carbon detail, and a carbon fiber undertray are all on offer by poster “Leeroy”.  Whether you need the parts to repair your own damaged RSR track day or vintage racer, or you simply want to mount a piece of racing history on your garage wall, here is your chance.  RSR pieces don’t come up for sale very often, and they are few and far between.  You can rest assured that Leeroy wants significantly less for the parts than Porsche Motorsport North America would charge

Source/Photos: Rennslist

The 2012 iteration marked the 50^th anniversary of the Floridian endurance race.  To commemorate the anniversary, Grand Am and the track worked in tandem to bring back a large contingent of the overall winners from the previous 50 years to compete in a short vintage race event on the high banks of the track.

The car that I immediately gravitated toward was the 1970 victor, a Gulf-Wyer 917 KurzHeck.  As it turns out, Dario Franchitti was driving the car in the race, and we got the opportunity to sit down for a few minutes between the 24 minutes and the 24 hour to chat; about the car, the upcoming race, and his season prospects in IndyCar .

9Magazine: Dario, Can you give us a quick impression of how it felt to drive the Gulf 917 in this morning’s 24 Minutes of Daytona vintage event?

Dario Franchitti: Yeah, it was… um, well it was incredible.  It’s one of those cars that’s on my short list of cars to drive, so to get to do it here, today at Daytona was very exciting.  It’s everything I thought it would be.  You know, it’s a lot of…um, a lot of power.  It handles quite nicely.  Fantastic seating position.  You know, I guess it was…  Parts of me were very excited, parts of me were terrified.  It’s a pretty intimidating car to drive on the banking.  There were times where we weren’t hanging around, so the experience just adds to the respect I already had for the people that drove them.

9M: Before the cars went on track, I saw you put your helmet in the car.  Was that your way of calling dibs on it, as if to say “This one’s mine”?

DF: No, what happened was, Bruce Canepa, whose car it is, asked me yesterday if I would drive it.  So, I asked Chip [Dario’s boss, Mr. Chip Ganassi] last night for permission, and Chip was like “Absolutely, go ahead, man!”  You know, and so, that was it.  Going to sleep last night, I knew I was going to drive it; I got really excited about it.  Now I’ve got to go from that part, having fun, to getting serious about the race.

9M: Alright, well, settle in and get serious.  How do you think you are going to do over the next 27 or so hours?

DF: It’s a long way to go, I don’t know.  We’ll go out there, we’ll do our best.  It’s a fantastic team, we have, I think, the best team in the business, but a lot of things can go wrong.  Anything that does, you just have to be prepared to deal with it.  Hopefully we, as drivers, won’t make any mistakes.  It’s all about getting close at the end and going for it.

9M:  How would you rate your chances for another IndyCar championship this year?

DF:  [Laughs] Uh, who knows?  For sure it’s not going to be easy, but that’s what we’re here for.

9M:  Well, we appreciate you taking the time to chat with us.  I wish best of luck to you, here at Daytona, as well as the remainder of the season. 

Photos: Brad Brownell

Source / Photos: FastcoDesign

“Wishing you many happy hours of Porsche driving.”

This is one of those videos that I can watch over and over. It’s been floating around on Youtube for many years now, and features a tour of the Porsche factory and all facets of the construction of the 356. Created in the 1960′s, the video opens with a young Ferry Porsche who goes on to say, “Wishing you many happy hours of Porsche driving.”  The narrator then takes the viewer on a journey through the creation of our beloved Porsche from start to finsh in a series of five videos. Even if you’ve seen this already, it’s always fun to watch again!

Source: Youtube

PORSCHE 917-021 THE FABULOUS STORY from Daniel Fery

Details Of The Restoration Documented In This Book and Available in Print:

Forty years in the history of the Porsche 917-021 described by an enthralling investigation that includes a journey to the heart of deepest Germany, trips to Stuttgart and Hamburg as well as the Black Forest, the Moselle region and the Rhine!

In 1970, 917-021 raced at Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, the Nürburgring, Le Mans, Hockenheim, Watkins Glen and Kyalami in the Endurance World Championship and the Interseries. Read all about its victories and its two lives! Piecing together the story of this car led to meetings with exceptional people including Gijs van Lennep, Bobby Rahal, Kurt Ahrens, Gérard Larrousse, David Piper, team managers Hannu Kahi (AAW team), Hans-Dieter Dechent (Martini Racing team) and Porsche engineers Walter Näher and Herbert Staudenmaier.

Discover the history and the technical secrets of its legendary 180° V12 engine, the car’s soul. Also pictured are its liveries and decorations starting with the classic red and yellow Shell paintwork and finishing with the two psychedelic colour schemes that marked its 1970 racing career.

This book also describes the meeting with Joachim Grossmann, the only other man (with Count Rossi) to have registered a 917 as a road-going car! The story of the Porsche 917’s exceptional restoration and its return to the track will give the reader never-before published insights into one of the greatest racing cars in the history of motor racing!

Visit the website to get more information and to order the book! http://www.917-021.com/index.html

Worlds Biggest Porsche Design Store in Soho

The Porsche Design Group (Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG), Stuttgart, opened a new Porsche Design store in New York’s SoHo district. The new store is located in a typical cast-iron building on West Broadway and displays the entire product range of the Porsche Design luxury brand in a space of more than 250 square metres. The SoHo boutique therefore is not only the world’s largest Porsche Design store but also offers a unique shopping experience as there will simply be no other Porsche Design store with a comparable shop concept: including amongst others an inimitably equipped shop floor, an especially designed wall showcasing the brand’s history of almost 40 years of “Iconic Style” as well as an exclusive 50 square metres VIP shopping area.

“With the store in SoHo we are taking the Porsche Design luxury brand to the next level – not only in New York City and the United States of America but globally”, says Dr. Juergen Gessler, CEO of Porsche Design Group. “Porsche Design SoHo is the world’s largest store and brings our philosophy of ‘Iconic Style’ alive. The boutique will not only set its footprint within Lower Manhattan but also become a landmark for shopping enthusiasts around the world. The idea behind that new store and our whole lifestyle matches perfectly with the Manhattanites’ lifestyle.”

The new store on West Broadway offers the entire range of Porsche Design products, from luggage and eyewear to watches, jewellery, smoking accessories, mobile phones and writing tools. However, the brand new SoHo store particularly highlights the Porsche Design Fashion Collection for women and men. It not only includes the men’s collection and much extended ladies’ collection with leather jackets, premium jeans and upper wear but also includes an exclusive and specially developed SoHo Collection. The store concept offers a separate area for watches also, and a lounge area invites customers to spend some time and brings the luxury brand to life through a LCD screen. Porsche Design is a luxury brand with a particular focus on technically inspired products. The brand was established in 1972 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The company’s products stand for functional, timeless and purist design, with convincing technical innovations. The product portfolio includes watches, sunglasses, luggage, electronic products, a men’s fragrance line as well as sports apparel and a fashion collection. All of the brand’s products are designed in the Porsche Design Studio in Zell am See, Austria, and sold worldwide in the company’s own stores, franchise stores, shop-in-shops, high-end department stores and exclusive specialist retailers.

Porsche Design is a luxury brand with a particular focus on technically inspired products. The brand was founded in 1972 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The company’s products stand for functional, timeless and purist design, with convincing technical innovations. The product portfolio includes watches, sunglasses, luggage, electronic products, a men’s fragrance line as well as sports apparel and a fashion collection. All the brand’s products are designed in the Porsche Design-Studio in Zell am See, Austria and sold worldwide in the company’s own stores, franchise stores, shop-in-shops, high-end department stores and exclusive specialist retailers.

Porsche Design Store at
456 W Broadway Soho
New York, NY 10006
USA

Source: Porsche Design

By way of Santa Claus (a hired professional), The Porsche Club of America presented the winner of the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S PLUS a $25,000 Cash prize. The winner was surprised – just in time for Christmas! Here is the great video capture of the event.

The raffle was limited to PCA members only, so if your not currently a member, we suggest you join PCA so you can participate in the next raffle!! Membership fees are very low cost and the benefits for Porsche enthusiasts are fantastic!

SEE THE VIDEO HERE:

Park this in your garage, and open it for hours of enjoyment!

Every once in a while something comes along that is so unique and interesting that must be highlighted. Such is the case with this replica Porsche 917 from Slot Mods which opens to reveal a fully-operational slot car track.

Born from their passion in vintage racing, Slot Mods now offers limited-edition replicas of cars from one of the greatest eras of racing. Their first offering: the Martini Porsche 917 that Vic Elford and Gerald Larrousse drove to victory at the 1971 12 Hours of Sebring. With just a push of a button, the body opens to reveal the ultimate slot car racing experience!

The RCR 917 is a faithful reproduction with fiberglass body panels true to its original shape. It features:  rolling aluminum 3-piece original-style center lock wheels, race-worn tires, working headlights and taillights, and inside…a beautiful 1/32 scale wooden slot car raceway, featuring handcrafted, period-correct signs, banners, aluminum Armco railing, trees and structures.

Forget the pool table! For Porsche enthusiasts, this is THE toy to have!

Source: Slot Mods

It’s that time of the year again, and like every year, this year really flew by! As we bid welcome to 2012, sip the bubbly, and enjoy the holiday season, we ponder how we can make 2012 better than 2011. We’ve comprised a list of New Year’s Resolutions for the Porsche faithful to entertain you.

1. Join The Porsche Club Of America (PCA)

Resolution #1 is a must. If you are not currently a member of the PCA, you have no idea what you are missing!  If you desire the comfort of good friends and good conversation with like minded individuals at events geared toward the finest automobile in the world, then PCA is for you! The club has grown to 139 Regions throughout the United States and Canada. The annual cost is minimal and the benefits are tremendous. We highly recommend you join this year!

2. Test Drive The New 911

The new 991 series Porsche 911 is set to make it’s grand entrance in early 2012. They should be in dealer showrooms by the end of January and in the early weeks of February. Get down to your local Porsche dealership and check it out! Take a test drive! Experience a seven-speed manual transmission! Who knows, maybe you’ll drive away with Porsche’s latest and greatest! 

3. Perform Your Own Maintenance

It’s easier than you think! If you don’t already, doing maintenance items on your Porsche is very fulfilling. Doing routine maintenance is a fun way to get to know your car and save money. Changing the oil and replacing spark plugs are straight forward procedures and easily accomplished at home with just some simple tools. Make a date with your car and enjoy the time.

4. Visit The Porsche Museum

Every year I say this is the year I will visit the museum, and every year goes by without this satisfaction. If you’re like me, Stuttgart, Germany and the Porsche Museum is the holy land! Plan to visit Germany and the Porsche factory at least once in your life. Who knows, maybe this is the year!

5. Buy A Scale Model Porsche  

If you’re reading this, then you most likely are a Porsche enthusiast and appreciate all things Porsche. Why not start a collection of miniature Porsche models to display in your home or office? There are many popular brands and scales of models. Some of the most popular are 1:43 and 1:18 scale models. Prices range from $15-20 all the way up to over $100 for rare or vintage models. Many models are available directly from Porsche from Porsche Design Drivers Selection and can be purchased at your local dealership parts counter. Other great sources are online at Ebay and from specialty retailers.  

6. Read A Good Book

There are so many books out there for Porsche enthusiasts. Why not pick one up and learn more about your car or the Porsche history? These books range from rebuilding/restoring your Porsche to engine building and suspension tweeks. Recently we’ve seen a lot of automotive fiction pop up on the market. These books are sure to interest anyone into automobiles and provide a great evening on the couch besides the fire. Tons of books are on Amazon – just search Porsche book!   

7. Go To A Motorsports Event

Number #7 on our resolution list is often one that surprises me. Many Porsche owners or enthusiasts have never attended a motorsports event. Now is the time! Seeing our beloved Porsche cars ripping it up on the pavement will change your whole perspective on what the Porsche you own is really capable of. The American LeMans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series is coming to a town near you! Get out and experience the roar of a 911 GT3 RSR from Flying Lizard, Brumos Racing, TRG, and other famous Porsche racing teams!

8. Keep Your Wheels Clean

This is one of those easy resolutions to keep. But many don’t. Brake dust accumulates faster than we can keep up with. It looks terrible and shows a lack of care. This year make it a point to keep your wheels clean of any brake dust by using some inexpensive products available at your local retailer. We like the Maguires stuff but if you want something a little more fancy, check out the Griots stuff. Here’s a quick tip: After the wheels are clean, put a coat of wax on them. This makes them a little easier to clean the next time!  

9. Subscribe To 9 Magazine

And finally, subscribe to the newest and fastest growing Porsche magazine in America! Join thousands of Porsche enthusiasts who have already discovered 9 Magazine and continue to support us. Each issue provides readers with featured vehicles, how-to’s, hot products, lifestyle items and test drives. It’s only $13.95 /yr for six issues!

Happy New Year! We hope 2012 is a healthy and prosperous year for all!

Photos: Porsche

Looking back we definitely should have included this item on our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide – it retails for only $60 and will certainly make any Porsche enthusiast smile…It did for me!

Special thanks to the team at Porsche Design Drivers Selection for this wonderful gift and for all of you searching for that perfect last minute gift, head down to your local Porsche dealership parts department and get the 2012 Porsche Calendar (WAP 092 001 0C) or order it online from PDDS directly.