I'm doing a bit of research on early races for Porsche, and have uncovered some neat things: The first "Road Race" after WWII was October 1948 at Watkins Glen, (no Porsche entered) the first race on the West Coast was held on Buchanan Field, located in Concord, (Nor Cal) in November 1949, sponsored by the MG Club of San Francisco, no Porsche entries. Pebble Beach was the 1st SCCA Sponsored Race in November 1950. The first Porsche entered into a "Professional Race" that I have been able to find was at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix, September 1951, driver was Edger Fronteras, of Chicago Ill.
Was there any Porsche raced earlier in the US ??
Along the same lines I have a October 1950 Mechanics Illustrated where there is a small picture and article with a title "1950 Volkswagen", showing a 356 Coupe, it is the earliest US/English magazine piece, that I have, there are some in German published in 1949. Any earlier US/English magazine articles known???
1st Race in USA for Porsche???
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Re: 1st Race in USA for Porsche???
Didn't Max Hoffman do some exposition races early on?
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Re: 1st Race in USA for Porsche???
Max did race early on with a Glockler, the first race was winter of 1951-52 in Vero Beach FL. At the 1951 Watkins Glen Max had a Jowett Jupiter entered. Max ran a Cab in late fall of 1951 at the Mount Equinox Hillclimb, in the snow. Briggs Cunningham had one of the first 2 356s in the US and he did some races, in early 1952. I believe that Johnny Von Neuman was the first to race on the West Coast with the 356SL coupe and also drove for Hoffman in a Glockler in the East.
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Re: 1st Race in USA for Porsche???
This Panorama article covers this time period with Hoffman.
http://porschecarshistory.com/wp-conten ... erview.pdf
http://porschecarshistory.com/wp-conten ... erview.pdf
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