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Porsche 962 Raced in the '80s Ready for Some More Track Action

This past weekend racing finally returned to Le Mans. The world famous endurance race concluded with Toyota once again being crowned the king of the course. Postponed from June, the event brought back the beauty of motorsport into the spotlight, and we couldn’t be happier than to find something that blends racing with our special Porsche Month coverage.
1985 Porsche 962 27 photos
Photo: Canepa
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The German carmaker is a longtime presence on endurance tracks, and not only in Europe. Decades ago, the brand made a name for itself in the American International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) as well, and the 962 was one of the main tools drivers used to showcase their might.

The model was introduced in the mid-1980s as a means for Porsche to compete in IMSA races. It quickly became a favorite among customer teams, and it was in no time a regular of the podiums at races across America.

The one you’re seeing here is part of the limited group of about 16 to have been delivered to such teams. It was raced by IMSA Camel GT-Champion Bob Akin and 2-time LeMans winner Hans Stuck, and has several laurels to its name, including a track record at the 1985 12 Hours of Sebring, and the fourth position overall at the 1985 24 Hours of Daytona.

Powered by a 2.8-liter turbocharged flat-six linked to a five-speed manual, the 962 has been touched over the years by the great names of the industry. Roger Penske bought it at the end of the ‘80s, after being damaged in a race crash, and held on to it until 2005, when it moved in the possession of Jim Torres, who started working on restoring it.

In 2009, almost a quarter of a century after it was last raced in a sanctioned event, and four years after it started, the restoration work was completed, not by Torres, but by Gunnar Racing and Bob Akin’s son.

Since ready, the car entered the historic races and concours circuits, being a star of the Monticello, Monterey, and Rennsport shows. Now it’s awaiting a buyer in the lot of a major Porsche fan, Bruce Canepa. The sale price is not known, but you should not expect this piece of Porsche motorsport history to come cheap.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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