On June 14, 1970 Hans Herrmann and Richard Atwood driving a Porsche 917K entered by Porsche Salzburg delivered the company’s first overall victory at the 24-Hour Sarthe race. Over the next twenty-eight years the Porsche would win another fifteen overall victories at the French race. Back in Stuttgart, his victory was celebrated with a parade, in which he drove his winning car through the city to the market square. Thousands of people turned out to congratulate Hans Herrmann who had decided to retire after winning the race.

1970 Porsche 917K
All photographs copyright ©Porsche AG

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Ford’s Le Mans winning 427ci engine was developed from the final version of a series of NASCAR engines that began as a 352ci engine introduced in 1963.  A.J. (Gus) Scussel was the section head of Ford’s Engine and Foundry Division and prior to becoming involved with the NASCAR program had never seen an automobile race. 

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In 1972 Dr. Ferry Porsche decided that all members of the extended Porsche family would no longer take an active role in the management of the Porsche company. Dr. Porsche assumed the position of Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board, his son, Ferry “Buzzi” Porsche, resigned as head of the design department and his nephew, Ferdinand Piëch, left as head of research and development. Dr. Ernst Fuhrman returned as the president and Helmut Bott took over the research and development department.

Ferry Porsche and Fuhrman were concerned with the expensive prototype and Can-Am racing programs and wanted to cut the cost and complexity of the racing programs. Fuhrman’s wanted a project to highlight the abilities of the 911 as a marketing tool. According to Fuhrman, “Racing is good advertising for every car” so Porsche would concentrate on developing the 911 for racing.

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After the1973 Le Mans race, Matra displayed its winning MS670B (c/n MS670B-02) at the Chrysler-Simca showroom on the Champs-Elysées. The car was straight from the track covered in dirt, grime and showing body damage.

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