Hurley Haywood, if that name doesn’t ring a bell, is one of the most illustrious racing car drivers ever to walk on a track. The legend has won just about everything it could in its time: 5 x the 24 Hours of Daytona, 3 x the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the IMSA GT championship and a Trans-Am championship. At the top of its winning list: His first victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1973 was a few years after he was forced to fight in Vietnam.

Based on the Carrera RS 2.7 (RS for «Renn Sport»), the RSR was created for the 1973 season, as a prototype following the FIA Group 4 rules.
«For Daytona, Porsche gave RS to two teams: Brumos and Penske (Sunoco livery)», explained Haywood. Compared to the production model, some modifications were made, among others: the rear wheels were 50 mm wider, the engine increased from 2.7 to 2.8 liters, the radiator installed at the front, a larger tank (120 liters), the rear aileron named “ducktail” which would become the visual signature of the model, the cage C-arm. And the integration of plastic elements such as doors, front hood and side windows.

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The 1973 Porsche 911 RSR 2.8 liters produced 290 hp (213 kW). Weighing 900 kg, the weight/power ratio was efficient. A classic five-speed manual transmission. During its first racing season, Porsche launched a 3-litre version, followed in 1974 by a new 2.1-litre flat 6 turbo.

«We each received equal cars. Peter disassembled the entire vehicle to test the whole, and discovered some surprises about the car like the flywheel completely loose!» Peter informed Roger Penske, but Penske refused to heed his remarks. Conclusion: during the race, the inertia wheel of Roger Penske’s team was defeated and Mark Donahue at the wheel of his RSR was forced to retire. Haywood won 24 hours of Daytona 1973 in his Porsche 911 RS – the first RSR of all time.

A feature (not mechanical) on the Haywood RSR is that it was one of the first sports cars to be equipped with a radio to communicate with the stands. Before the race, we examined the interest of having a radio in the car. Peter, convinced, said we would use it for the race,” said Haywood. This radio was very useful when Haywood asked to go home immediately to change his windshield! A 240 km/h collision with a seagull sprayed the windshield and prevented Haywood from seeing comfortably in front of him. Half of the animal’s carcass was out of the car and the other half was inside. Unable to find a windshield right away (at that time there were not many spare parts), the team asked Haywood to drive as long as he could to find a solution. Haywood rode many laps with the dead gull stuck in the car.

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Several refusals to lend them a new window, the mechanics of Brumos found in the parking lot, the 911 of a willing owner, for a fee to offload his windshield. When the bird was disassembled, the mechanics told Haywood to return to the stand to change it and clean the inside of his car by getting rid of the feathers, blood and what remained of the bird’s body. It took them 10 laps to find; disassemble and bring the windshield back to the Brumos stand.

The seagull incident worried the Brumos team especially as the second Porsche had already given up. It was unthinkable that neither of the team’s 2 cars would finish the 24 hours. But Haywood and Gregg improved their lap time after lap and a comfortable lead could no longer prevent Haywood and Gregg from winning.

The Brumos team remains the most successful team in the history of the 24 Hours of Daytona with four victories in 1973 and 1975 at the wheel of 911 Carrera RSR, in 1978 with a 935/77 and in 2009 with a Riley 3.9-litre Porsche engine.

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More than cars, automotive legends that inspire us.

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In 1806, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike saw Pikes Peak for the first time from what is now eastern Colorado. As he approaches the majestic mountain that suddenly rises from the plains, Pike swears that the mountain will never be climbed by humans.

By the mid-20th century, Pikes Peak had been conquered by tourists from all over the world – by car, motorbike, bicycle, train, mule, horseback and on foot.

Zebulon Pike cannot imagine that a race will end more than a century after its first expedition. In 1900, a road was built to turn the narrow road into the Pikes Peak Highway. To advertise his new route and lure tourists to his Broadmoor hotel, Spencer Penrose devised a simple plan: a car race to the top of Pikes Peak. The Pikes Peak Hill Climb was first held on August 10, 11 and 12, 1916 and was won by Rea Lentz in 20:55.600.

For more than a century, competitors, racing fans and members of the media from around the world have come to Pikes Peak to experience the best moments of mountain racing. With 156 turns on a 12.42 mile track, starting at just over 9,300 feet and ending at 14,115 feet above sea level, the racing is unmatched.

It was therefore only natural that Audi decided to send the Quattro and Quattro S1 to the United States for the annual ascent of Pikes Peak Hill Climb. So 1982 was the year Audi and John Buffum won Pikes Peak with a time of 12:20.520, fifty seconds faster than the winner of the 1981 edition.

Another win in 1983, same car, same driver. Then the time will drop to 12:10 in 1984, when Michelle Mouton became the first woman to win the “Race to the Clouds”. In 1985, it repeated the feat with the Quattro S1. Bobby Unser continued Audi’s winning streak in 1986. With the cancellation of Group B in 1987, there was more competition at Pikes Peak that year. Walter Röhrl received a slightly revised Quattro S1 with a wilder body kit. Turbocharging was increased to produce cars over 1000 horsepower. The German rally legend won on his first attempt.

Suddenly, Audi will therefore have made a complete hold-up six years in a row on Pikes Peak by advancing the time by 2 minutes and almost 30 seconds!

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FR: De la mule de Zebulon Pike à la victoire de Walter Röhrl.

En 1806, le lieutenant Zebulon Pike a vu Pikes Peak pour la première fois depuis ce qui est aujourd’hui l’est du Colorado. Alors qu’il s’approche de la montagne majestueuse qui s’élève soudainement des plaines, Pike jure que la montagne ne sera jamais escaladée par les humains.

Au milieu du XXe siècle, Pikes Peak avait été conquise par des touristes du monde entier – en voiture, en moto, à vélo, en train, à dos de mulet, à cheval et à pied.

Zebulon Pike ne peut pas imaginer qu’une course se terminera plus d’un siècle après sa première expédition. En 1900, une route fût construite pour transformer la route étroite en Pikes Peak Highway. Pour annoncer son nouvel itinéraire et attirer les touristes dans son hôtel de Broadmoor, Spencer Penrose a conçu un plan simple : une course de voitures jusqu’au sommet de Pikes Peak. Le Pikes Peak Hill Climb a eu lieu pour la première fois les 10, 11 et 12 août 1916 et a été remporté par Rea Lentz en 20mn 55s 600.

Depuis plus d’un siècle, des compétiteurs, des fans de course et des membres des médias du monde entier viennent à Pikes Peak pour vivre les meilleures moments d’une compétition de montagne. Avec 156 virages sur une piste de 12,42 milles, commençant à un peu plus de 9 300 pieds et se terminant à 14 115 pieds au-dessus du niveau de la mer, la course est inégalée.

C’est donc tout naturellement qu’Audi décida d’envoyer les Quattro et Quattro S1 aux États-Unis pour l’ascension annuelle de Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Ainsi, 1982 a été l’année où Audi et John Buffum ont remporté Pikes Peak avec un avec un chrono de 12mn 20s 520, plus rapide de cinquante secondes que le vainqueur de l’édition 1981.

Une autre victoire en 1983, même voiture, même pilote. Puis le temps tombera à 12mn 10s en 1984, lorsque Michelle Mouton est devenue la première femme à remporter la « course vers les nuages ». En 1985, elle réitère l’exploit avec la Quattro S1. Bobby Unser poursuit la série de victoires d’Audi en 1986. Avec l’annulation du groupe B en 1987, il y avait plus de concurrence à Pikes Peak cette année-là. Walter Röhrl a reçu une Quattro S1 légèrement révisée avec un kit carrosserie plus sauvage. La turbocompression a été augmentée pour produire des voitures de plus de 1000 chevaux. La légende allemande du rallye a gagné dès sa première tentative.

Du coup, Audi aura donc fait un hold-up complet six années de suite sur Pikes Peak en faisant progresser le chrono de 2mn et presque 30 secondes !

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L’article Pikes Peak: From Zebulon Pike’s mule to Walter Röhrl’s victory. (+Fr) est apparu en premier sur Exclusive Edition.