Hendrick Porsche to celebrate Porsche 75th anniversary & LeMans 24 centenary this Saturday
It feels appropriate that Porsche and Le Mans are signifying milestones this week. Porsche is celebrating its 75th anniversary of being a premier sports car manufacturer, while the Le Mans 24 Hours is recognizing its 100th race weekend.
Hendrick Porsche in Charlotte, North Carolina is celebrating these two occasions, Saturday, July 10, with a day of revelry that includes car displays, colorful inventory, good eats and drinks – and a viewing of this year’s Le Mans 24 hours. The public is welcome to share in this very special and historic occasion.
“Porsche customers have passion in their blood,” said Hendrick Porsche general manager, David Foster. “When they were kids, they had a poster on their walls just like I did growing up. When they actually get their first car, it gets in their blood and it is in there forever. Porsche is the aspirational vehicle they have always wanted to have. Racing is the competitive side of it. It’s a joy for us to put those together.”
Le Mans is a very important part of Porsche’s 75-year heritage as a sports car manufacturer, the most successful factory to compete in the race. Since its first appearance in 1951, the factory has amassed 19 overall victories and taken home countless class honors. This year, Porsche has entered three 963 HyperCars in search of a milestone accomplishment, while Hertz Team Jota has a customer entry as well.
“They always do an amazing job in the race and promoting the race itself,” said Albie Blanco, sales manager for Hendrick Porsche. “Every year, we have a party to celebrate the race and that experience. This year, with its hundredth anniversary of the first running of Le Mans – it ties in nicely with the brand and what they have going on.”
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Event Highlights
Porsche 75th Celebration: Hendrick Porsche has a very colorful inventory of Porsche’s available to view. Themed “Driven By Dreams: Celebrating 75 Years of Dreaming in Full Color,” modern Porsche’s will be livered in the brand’s most famous and popular hues of the past, which includes inspiring colors like Lava Orange and Oak Green Metallic. There will also be a special wrapped car revealed for those fortunate enough to attend.
“For the 75th anniversary of Porsche, its super important,” Albie said. “It shows the company is still doing it, and doing it successfully for those who love the brand. (For example), the 911 has been on the road for over 50 years. That and all the history (of) the 911, and the different generations, there are some key colors that Porsche has chosen to highlight. We have a nice palette of colors for the different cars we’ll have here. Those childhood dreams will be on display in all different kinds of colors on Saturday.”
Le Mans 24 Centenary Watch Party: The 100th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours will be LIVE and in all of its glory starting at 9 am ET on multiple screens throughout Hendrick Porsche. Cheer on the race’s most successful brand as it goes for overall (HyperCar) and GT honors. Don’t forget … Hendrick Motorsports has teamed with NASCAR, Chevrolet an Goodyear as this year’s “Garage 56” race innovation entry. While it won’t be eligible for class victory, the highly modified NASCAR Cup Series NextGen race car makes its debut on a world stage, driven by seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, Formula One World Champion Jensen Button and LeMans 24 winner, Mike Rockenfeller.
“For us, we are giddy little kids again,” said Hendrick Porsche general manager, David Foster. “Not only are we going to be celebrating (Porsche’s) 75th, but we’re also celebrating the fact that we’re going to have (Le Mans 24 Hours) representation through Hendrick Motorsports and their collaboration with the Garage 56 project. We couldn’t have a better event planned.”
“As a kid growing up, I found it on SPEED (Channel) way back when,” said Albie Blanco, sales manager for Hendrick Porsche. “I thought (the 24 Hours of Le Mans coverage) was the coolest thing ever. Cars would run throughout the night, in the rain. You would have sleep deprivation. It is a team effort with multiple drivers in one car, sharing a car and going for the absolute goal of winning the race. The technology as well, as they have special classes just for that race. It was always an aspiration to go to it, and I was lucky enough to get to go and enjoy it with Porsche for their (overall) last win in 2017. It’s definitely a cool sport in my heart and in my life being able to go. I definitely want to be able the family and kids one day.”
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Stuttgart Saturday: Porsche owners and enthusiasts are welcome to bring their ‘pride and joy’ vehicles to this special edition of ‘Stuttgart Saturday’ from 9 am to 11 am ET. A monthly activity at the dealership, this special gathering of vehicles gives the community an opportunity to enjoy some of the brand’s greatest offerings while enjoying each other’s company.
“Our normal Stuttgart Saturday, our version of Cars & Coffee, is a true driver’s meeting,” Albie said. “Customers and enthusiasts bring out all of their cool cars cleaned up for the morning. They will be on display for everyone to enjoy. It not just for Porsche owners, as their will be people here who may have never owned a Porsche before. It really is a community event (that) we put together every month (that provides) a tremendous, safe-and-sound home for these cars. There’s plenty of space outside and air conditioning inside. We put the event on for the community, so everyone has a platform to show off their pride and joy. And inside, we will have some crazy cool colors for our Porsche colors.”
Racing Heritage on Display: One of the coolest cars on property that day is also a rare glimpse at Porsche’s sports car racing past. While never competing in anger, an original rare and historically significant factory Porsche 917 racecar chassis No. 32 will be on display in the showroom. White with black lettering, it may the only opportunity to see a car with this background in real life.
“The car never raced for Porsche, but it was the manufacturer’s aero test car for Le Mans,” Albie said. “It was the first car to ever be outfitted with side wings on the back for stabilization. At 240 mph down the Mulsanne straight it wouldn’t be changing lanes if a gust of wind hit it. It was leased to Solar Productions to help in filming of the movie, “Le Mans’ with Steve McQueen. The car does have some Hollywood provenance.”
A Few Surprises: For those able to attend, there will be a few additional surprises in store, including something special from Hendrick Motorsports, which will make the day’s celebration complete.
“Every bit of it is culminated by the fact we will have Hendrick representation (in this year’s race),” David said. “That in and of itself is tremendously exciting. I’m just truly excited about it. Le Mans is the benchmark of (international) racing. We have our favorites here in the United States but worldwide -- it is the race. We’re looking forward to celebrating it.”
At the Intersection of Showroom & Race Track
At Porsche, its racing programs have traditionally informed the road-going vehicles. Some of what you see competing during this weekend’s Le Mans is the same innovation that will be inside a showroom Porsche down the road. Recent examples are the Porsche Turbo to the 911 GT3, as critical technologies developed from the factory racing program. It’s not model specific, either.
“There is always a direct lineage from what is on the race car, to the street car,” Albie said. “Really a great example is that everybody loves the PDK transmission, which is in a lot of our sports cars right now. That transmission was derivative of the transmission that ran in the (Porsche) 962 in the early 80s. Anytime we see a Porsche on track, we always wonder when that (technology) is going to be in our streetcar. All these fun, new things and exciting options that are on the racecar, we may see here in a year or two.
“(Our customers) know that,” Albie continued. “They love it (racing), they breathe it. They go to the races. They go to Daytona (Rolex 24 Hours) all the time. They go to Le Mans. It makes them proud to drive the car, wear the shirt and the hat. They feel like they are part of the family. Porsche has a great support structure between the Porsche clubs across the country, to the dealerships, to the people around the world.”
Motor Trend television and Motor Trend Plus(+) have LIVE coverage from this year’s 100th anniversary Le Mans 24 Hours. Twice-around-the-clock coverage starting at 9 am ET, Saturday, July 10. Check your local cable provider to locate the channel.
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