Saturday, January 5, 2019

Porsche Commemorates Vic Elford’s 80th Birthday

Born in London on June 10, 1935, Vic Elford was one of the fastest drivers in the highly competitive Sixties and Seventies racing scene.

Elford’s lap records include Targa Florio, Nurburgring, Daytona, Sebring, Norisring, Monza, Road Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Riverside, and Le Mans – where he was the first driver to lap at over a 150 mph average in the Porsche long-tail 917 in 1970.

Known as “Quick Vic” to friends and competitors, Elford is one of the few drivers to excel in sports cars, rally cars, and Formula 1 at a championship level.

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Elford was one of the most versatile drivers of his or any era. Elford raced in Sports Cars, Rally Cars, Formula 1, CanAm, and the Daytona 500 of NASCAR.

Vic Elford in the 60s

During the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans, when a Ferrari crashed in front of him, Vic stopped mid-race to try to extricate the driver from his burning car.

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Television cameras caught the action and Vic was named “Knight of the National Order of Merit” or Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by French President Georges Pompidou for his act of courage and heroism.

Vic has been a featured guest at all four previous Porsche Rennsport Reunions, and will attend the upcoming Rennsport Reunion V this September 25-27, 2015 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Elford was elected to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2001 and currently lives in South Florida, with his wife Anita.

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