Photo Report: Watch (And Car) Spotting Rennsport Reunion 7, The World’s Largest Porsche Gathering (150+ Pics)
“It’s a great ‘Porsche people’ event.”
Porsches in the parking lot of the hotel, including (from left) a Kaege backdated Targa and a Singer Reimagined.
I was just a few feet away from Jerry Seinfeld – yes, that Jerry Seinfeld – as he stopped mid-sentence, watched, and pointed at his personal 550a as it drove past on a rebuilt VW bus transporter (built to look like the one that driver Art Bunker used to drive that very car to Sebring). It’s the wild kind of moment that can only happen at Rennsport Reunion 7, the biggest gathering of Porsche collectors in the world.
Jerry Seinfeld’s Breitling Aerospace.
The gathering is held at the historic Laguna Seca Raceway, where you’re surrounded by the rarest and most important Porsches in history. Cars were parked for display, cars were raced, cars were crashed, and new cars were announced. Out in the parking area, cars are parked based on categories, so if you’re a Boxter guy or a 914 guy, you can go and find that parking lot and be in heaven. But I was in the paddocks and I had just randomly bumped into Seinfeld as he sat in the passenger seat of a Carrera GT Prototype he used to own. In fact, he was sitting with Grant Larson (who designed the car). With all these great cars around, someone chimed in and asked him if he meant that it was a great weekend for Porsches.
Jerry Seinfeld’s 550a on a custom-built single-cab 1959 VW bus trailer like Art Bunker used to drive across the country when racing. “This car has been raced to death,” Seinfeld said “Not one tap, not one nick, the body was pristine somehow, after this long racing career. We restored the mechanicals and painted it and put it all back together.”
It seemed like a small world to bump into Seinfeld amongst the 91,000 people at Rennsport this year – the first reunion in five years – and for as much as a car lover as Seinfeld is, he meant what he said. “It’s a great Porsche event, sure, but it’s also a great Porsche people event.”
I’ve always been interested in Porsches and cars in general. Growing up in a small town in Wisconsin (with its terrible salted winter roads) I’d occasionally see a Boxter around. But it’s not exactly Porsche country. But last weekend, Laguna Seca was the Porsche Mecca. It fueled my love of these cars, not just for the amazing design (which I love despite the fact my height will stop me from ever fitting in a Carrera 6) or for history. It’s because Porsche is the only brand that could do something like this and bring people from so many walks of life together. Sure, they’re expensive cars, but across the brand history, they’ve made something that could make anyone happy.
If you just want any old Porsche and can save a bit of money, you can get something like a 914. If you’re like me and dream about something classic but still slightly within reach, maybe an air-cooled 911 Targa is your dream. If you want the pinnacle of history and racing and have unlimited money, you can be a gentleman racer with a 906, 910, 908, or 917. The list goes on. You can see them all at Rennsport, but you can also spend time with people who are passionate about it just like you are.
It’s also a great place to do some watch spotting. Watch shots are much easier to grab than good, clean photos of the cars because of the mass of people. In fact, that’s why I focused so much on all the little details of the cars. And while there were a lot of automotive-themed or race-appropriate watches on the wrists at Rennsport 7, just like with the cars, there were a lot of oddballs, too. TAG Heuer also had a massive booth with some of the most historically important Porsches on display, curated by the famed photographer, director, and driver Jeff Zwart. You could also buy watches at their booth as well. As for the Photo Report, I tried my best to bring a little (okay a lot) of everything. But for you Porsche lovers, this might be the perfect thing to waste a weekend on, so I hope you enjoy it.
Let’s start back in time, with the second-oldest 911 Prototype in existence – chassis #7.
A 756 Abarth Carrera GTL
Another type of Carrera
There were modern Daytonas…
And more modern Daytonas…
There were even a lot of modern “Carreras” from TAG Heuer
There were even surprising modern Rolex like the “Celebration” dial.
Jeff Zwart caught up with Dwyane Wade, who competed in a race of Porsche tractors.
Speaking of Rolex, Wade was wearing a Day-Date.
Yes, there were modern cars as well.
Porsche even unveiled the new 911 GT3 RS “Rennsport” model.
But I spent most of my time looking at the classics.
Someone heard folks like patina over at Hodinkee.
Jerry Seinfeld’s Porsche 550a.
Drew Coblitz likes the classics too, apparently. At least, it looks like it judging by this Paul Newman Daytona.
Another very classic and very well-worn chronograph, a very nice Speedmaster.
I caught up with Riley Harper, who had a TAG Heuer Formula 1.
And while the divers get all the attention, these chronographs are super underrated.
Speaking of classics, there were a lot of Porsche Design Chronograph 1 variants at Rennsport, like this one with Orfina above the date window.
The wearer, a Hodinkee reader, was proud of the wear on the bracelet.
And here’s another, with a “PD” Porsche Design dial.
Here’s a new “75 Years of Porsche” Edition Chronograph 1.
Our own Chief Brand Officer Eneuri Acosta joined Ferdi Porsche on stage in a talk about cars and watches moderated by Pixar’s Jay Ward. That brought a lot of Porsche Design watches out of the woodwork.
Like this Porsche Design Chronograph 1 “911 Dakar” edition with case made out of titanium carbide.
Eneuri Acosta got to work on his own photo report that he posted on his Instagram.
Ferdi was even spotted with his father, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, in first ever Porsche, the 356/1 Gmund chassis 356-001.
You can’t get away from the ties between cars and watches. I mean this even said Heuer… Jack. Jack Heuer?
TAG Heuer’s booth was an amazing collection of rare cars, including Carreras, which connected with their historic ties to racing.
A recreation of the Porsche 550 Coupé model used by Porsche clients in the 1953 La Carrera Panamericana.
The new Sonderwunsch-made Porsche 718 GT4 RS for TAG Heuer and Porsche to compete in this year’s La Carrera Panamericana.
But don’t get the impression that this was just one big parking lot. There was a lot of racing.
A bit of rain meant that there were a couple crashes and spin outs on the slick track.
The Hodinkee x TAG Heuer Carrera Dato
Racing also means repairs. And apparently floral shirts.
A Break For The Unexpected Watches (And Cars) At Rennsport Reunion 7
If you’re sick of chronographs and some straightforward (albeit awesome) cars, there’s a little palate cleanser. There were so many “non-traditional” watches from an automotive sense that I wanted to put them in one place.
I spent about 45 minutes walking around with this Hodinkee reader who lives in California. It’s always great to see folks at these events!
I chose between photographing this Serica and the only Richard Mille I saw at Rennsport. No regrets.
Back To Your Regularly-Scheduled Awesomeness
If you know historic race cars and famous drivers, there were plenty of recognizable names around.
This person wore a Seiko “Pogue” because Tetsu Ikuzawa was a Seiko guy back in the day.
Speaking of Ikuzawa. This is Ranson Webster. He has one of the greatest collections of Porsche in the world.
That includes Tetsu Ikuzawa’s Gozzy Porsche 935 K3 that’s accumlated victories at victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, and the Nurburgring.
Webster smoked a cigar, while wearing his Breitling…
…then took the car out to race.
I saw one modified Seiko at Rennsport…
… and this modified Rolex.
But there were plenty of modified cars.
Bonus points if you can identify this legendary car.
The Autodromo Group B for Hodinkee.
The Seiko x Rowing Blazer’s checkered flag model.
The Aimé Leon Dore 911SC
Casual meteorite Daytona.
Maybe my favorite livery next to the Miller High Life.
Mark Hamilton Peters, better known as “MHP” had the best fashion of the entire event. Tweed over race suit. Perfect.
MHP is a real gentleman racer and also drives for Ferrari. He was rocking a great Speedmaster on a racing strap.
A few bugs.
Until next time, drive safe.
Hodinkee
