Porsche brings star power to Goodwood

Porsche Great Britain – The 917/30 dominated racetracks across the US in the 1973 Can-Am series. Earlier this year, at the 81st Members’ Meeting, it stole the show again – a perfect start to another big year for Porsche at Goodwood.

   

Porsche celebrated its 75th year in style at 2023’s Festival of Speed, and will again have a big presence at the 2024 event.

Every year, Porsche enthusiasts flock to Goodwood’s world-famous motoring events, where modern and classic Porsche models are always a star attraction. The 81st Goodwood Members’ Meeting, held in April of this year at the historic Motor Circuit, was no exception, as an example of the monstrous, fan-favourite 917/30 racing car lapped the circuit in honour of the golden era of the Canadian American Challenge Cup, better known as Can-Am.

Turbo Timo:

Turbo Timo:

Timo Bernhard driving the Porsche 917/30 as part of the Can-Am demonstration at the 81st Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

The memorable 1973 Can-Am season was dominated by the 917/30. Producing up to 1,500 PS from its 5.3-litre twin-turbo flat-12 engine, the car propelled driver Mark Donohue to six wins in the eight-race series. Dubbed the ‘Can-Am Killer’ (due to the way it overpowered every other car in the series), the 917/30 is most closely associated with the colours of the factory-backed Penske team, but the car on track at the Members’ Meeting was finished in a striking Vaillant livery. Driven at the event by two-time Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard, this model was the first 917/30 chassis built by Porsche, and was raced exclusively in Europe, winning Interserie races between 1973 and ’75 for the likes of Vic Elford and Herbert Müller.

Porsche will also have a major presence at this summer’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (11–14 July), and as always will be supporting the annual event’s theme, which this year is ‘Horseless to Hybrid – Revolutions in Power’. 

Further information

For details of Goodwood motoring events, visit goodwood.com.

James Clark
James Clark
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