Porsche 917 /30 Canam 1975 Talladega Record 1/43 Spark MAP02043819

Porsche 917 /30 Canam

Roger Penske Racing

1975 Talladega Record 

Driver Mark Donohue

Scale 1/43 

Manufacturer Spark 

Article ID MAP02043819

Resin model

355,922 km/h on average. A record that still stands. No one has ever completed a lap of the Talladega circuit faster than Mark Donohue and his 1,230-hp Porsche 917.

In the early 1970s, the organizers of Talladega invited all kinds of racers to come on the track during NASCAR weekends and try to set a world record for the best closed circuit lap. For 1975, it was the turn of Roger Penske and Mark Donohue. The record to beat: just over 349 km / h.

The car they choose, a Porsche 917/30, has won six of the eight races in the Can-Am season 1973. Porsche announced for this real monster a power of 1100 hp in racing version, but on the test bench, the engine was apparently good for 1500. With a weight of only 800 kg, the 917/30 was so fast, that it was banned from Can-Am after 1973. For the record attempt, the 917/30 is equipped with two intercoolers and makes around 1230 hp. A power that is not without causing some trouble.

"It's very light, it's very fragile, it's very sensitive to steering wheel movements," said Donohue. "Therefore, at these speeds, on this type of track, it's, let's say, very, very fuzzy." After a first attempt, the rear of the car caught fire for lack of cooling. Fortunately without consequences, and the American pilot finally completed a lap at an average speed of 355.922 km/h, with peaks at more than 386 km/h. He killed himself the following week during his qualifying race for the Austrian Grand Prix of F1, without knowing that his record would never be broken.