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Porsche Rennsport Reunion V preview

Rennsport Reunion returns to Laguna Seca Raceway this weekend for the fifth running of Porsche’s motorsport extravaganza. The action kicks off today with the whole event set to be an unmissable festival of all things that bear the prancing horse from Zuffenhausen.

A record number of fans appear to agree too, with ticket sales up by around 30 per cent over advance figures from Rennsport Reunion IV in 2011, one of the most popular events in Laguna Seca’s history.

With the theme “Legends of Le Mans’, this should perhaps come as no surprise; this is the first Rennsport Reunion to be run in the same year as an overall Porsche victory at the famous French endurance race.

Rennsport Reunion V logo

This is no weekend of Goodwood-style demonstration runs though.

What’s more, the factory Porsche LMP1 squad will be in attendance with a 919 Hybrid doing demonstration runs around the demanding 2.24-mile circuit that twists its way through a dried lakebed near Monterey.

Ten factory Porsche racers will be on hand throughout the weekend too, including Patrick Long, Jörg Bergmeister and Mark Webber as well as 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans winning duo, Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy (the latter one of our resident racing Total 911 columnists).

Away from Porsche’s latest and greatest, Rennsport Reunion is all about Porsche’s incredible motorsport history, highlighted by the attendance of a very special Porsche 356 Coupe, the first Porsche to ever race at La Sarthe in 1951.

This is no weekend of Goodwood-style demonstration runs though. No. Rennsport Reunion V will see eight races (spread across seven classes) take place over the weekend and, as one of Weissach’s biggest icons, Porsche 911s will be well represented on track.

Group 1 sees Porsche Club of America competitors battle it out for the Sholar-Friedman Cup while the first batch of true neunelfer exotica will line-up in Group 3: the Eiffel Trophy for Porsche 911s up to 2.5 litres. Expect a wealth of SWBs, TRs and STs.

Legends from Porsche's racing history will be guests of honour at Rennsport Reunion V, including Derek Bell, a five-time Le Mans winner.
Legends from Porsche’s racing history will be guests of honour at Rennsport Reunion V, including Derek Bell, a five-time Le Mans winner.

The Carrera Trophy (Group 5 at Rennsport Reunion) sees the over 2.5-litre Porsche 911s take to the track with entries including 2.8 and 3.0 RSRs as well as the flame-spitting, turbocharged 934 and 935 monsters.

Finally, Group 7, the only group to get two races this weekend at Laguna Seca is reserved for the IMSA-run Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge (the USA’s equivalent to the Carrera Cup). The event marks the finale of the 2015 season with Elliott Skeer looking to see off the challenge of Jesse Lazare to take his first Porsche title.

The on track action is not the only draw for Porsche fans at Rennsport Reunion however. Everywhere you look you will find some fascinating part of Zuffenhausen’s history. If you’re not on the west coast this weekend, you’ll wish you were.

Thankfully, tickets can still be bought on the gate, with a three-day combined track and paddock pass costing $100. If you’re in the area but weren’t planning to attend, we implore you to change your plans as RRV looks to be the best Rennsport Reunion yet.

For all the latest news from Rennsport Reunion V, make sure you check out the Total 911 Twitter page over the weekend.

Official Poster - Porsche Rennsport Reunion V

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