Re: defending Porsche win record (sorry its long, but interesting I hope)

[Gary Bracken <gbracken@dimensional.com>]

Uh . . . Can we get back to Audis here.  If we want to know more about P cars, there are
plenty of sites to go to!

Harry R Glesner III wrote:

> Dave:
>    Ever herd of a guy named Dan Gurney? He won for Porsche in about 63 maybe 64 I can
> look up the facts this afternoon. Just because TAG payed the bills it was still Porsche
> engineering that produced that engine to John Barnards tight requirments. Does that
> mean that Cosworth doesn't get the credit just because it says Ford on the valve
> covers? Or that you and I both know that the MB engines in both the Penskes and
> McLarens are produced by Ilmor, don't they deserve the credit?
>    Yes the Arrows program fell on its face, because Arrows and Alan Jenkens (?) was
> incapable of engineering the program correctly (look at the current Stewart program) or
> of funding the proper development of the engine. Micheale Albereto was quoted as saying
> the engine had much potental. Even Damon Hill and Tom Wakenshaw are not capable of
> setting Arrows straight why should a under funded Porsche engine be expected to do it.
> You could be correct in thinking that the "open wheel" world is were Porsche doesn't
> shine its brightest, it seems that chassis environment is were they struggle, the Indy
> Car project chassis never came together, I had a oppertunity to talk to Al Unser Sr
> after he drove, and raced the original chassis at Laguna Seca and he alluded to the
> fact that he could never find "balance" in the chassis. He was un-clear as to weither
> it was "aero" balance or mechanical balance leading to not getting power to the ground.
> But that chassis had to be moved on to the museum. The next chassis was made by March,
> and they jumped the gun on the tub material design, making the chassis complete of
> carbon, not alumimun honeycomb lower and carbon upper. Roger Penske pitched a fit (the
> man has plenty of power to get his own way) and March had to hurry up a patch work
> chassis that never played out. But Theo Fabi got several poles and one win with the
> car.
>    The 959 was to be a killer "b" car but the class was killed, so the car never saw it
> developed potental. It did go on to win the Paris-Dakar in '84 (1st, 6 th- '86 1st,
> 2nd, 6th). Your contention  that the rally cars were really bad in the seventies is
> really off base. Will you contend in another 20 years that the ProDrive developed
> Subaru WRC cars shine because no one else could get their "---"stuff together.
>    As far as the 911 itself goes is is reported in the December "911 and Porsche World"
> #47 December '97
>      "In competition terms the Porsche 911 is by far the most successful sports car in
> the world, with over 20,000 race wins to its credit."
>  Who else has won Daytonas more Ferrari? Who else has won Le Mans 13 times over all and
> I don't know at this moment how many class wins along the way.
>     Right now the GT3 program looks a little long in the tooth.This years Daytona GT3
> runners up were a bunch of very professionally acting ameture racers up against a
> professional, VERY well developed BMW effort, that has a great deal of factory backing.
> All an all Daytona all most became a Porsche sweep, after 2600 miles I beleive the GT1
> winning Porsche was only a couple of laps behind, and thats after the Bill France/Nick
> Craw weight penalties (Audi Lovers should know the pain of lead). Won GT1, won GT2, and
> was only a couple of laps behind the factory M3s in GT3. Sebring this weekend will be
> fun, because PSR is using the more Porsche frendly LeMans rules.
>     Keep in mind how small a company Porsche is. There about the same size as the
> Corvett program, under Chevy, under GM.
>     Audi build wonderful cars, thats why I want one to set next to my 911 SC in the
> garage. Besides Dr. Peich is blood related to the Porsche famile, and was the guiding
> light in much of Porsches racing success of the '60s, again the Carrera 6, 908, 910,
> 917, and that first all inportant LeMan win.
>
>     So I put the ball back in you court...who has been more succeccful in motorsport
> than Porsche?
>
> Rick Glesner
> Littleton, Colorado
>
> p.s.
>    I'll take that job at PNA, as long as I don't have to leave Colorado.