First American Porsche 911 Race Winner Still Lives in Florida
This vital piece of Porsche racing history is living its best life in retirement, and looking better than ever.
Historic Racing Artifact
Considering the abuse that race cars go through during their often short lifespans, it's surprising to see any of these weekend warriors survive the test of time. And yet, historically significant vehicles like this vintage Porsche 911 have beaten the odds, giving us important artifacts to cherish for future generations.
Groundbreaker
No 911 can claim to what this one can, either. You're looking at the very first 911 to score a class victory in an internationally renowned circuit race. But it most certainly wasn't the last.
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Rare Sight
At the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona race, this black Porsche 911 stood out like a sore thumb. At the time, there were only a couple hundred 911s in the U.S., and this particular car was only the second to land at a Jacksonville, Florida-based dealership.
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Plenty of Potential
The dealer originally used this car as a demo vehicle before selling it in 1965 with 30k miles on the odometer. The new owner, Jack Ryan, was an active member of the Porsche Club of America (PCA). And he immediately recognized the racing potential of the 911.
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Full Slate
With that year's Daytona race on the horizon, Ryan enlisted the help of two of his fellow PCA members to prepare the 911 for the track. But Porsche, as they would discover, wasn't terribly interested to assist at that time because they had their hands full campaigning the 906.
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Lighten Up
No one at that time, aside from Ryan, could even imagine the 911 participating in an endurance race. But Ryan forged ahead with his plan, first ditching everything the car didn't need in the name of weight savings.
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Be Consistent
The team then hand-built their own sport exhaust, a Targa bar, and added headlights and racing tires. No chassis or brake upgrades were done because they quite simply didn't exist. The car was at a distinct disadvantage with its 130 hp engine, but Ryan knew that posting consistent lap times would help his cause.
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Trouble Free
After starting way back in 39th place, that's exactly what Ryan did. His only goal was to finish the race, in fact. That approach paid off and eventually landed him in first place in the 2.0-liter GT class, and the car never experienced a single problem on its way to victory.
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Back Home
Amazingly enough, the car then went on to score a second place finish at Sebring despite a blown piston. It changed hands many times over the years and campaigned in many races, yet remains in its original racing condition today with the original engine and transmission. And now, it's back in Florida at the Revs Institute, alongside 20 of the most important Porsche racers in history. Exactly where it belongs.
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