1979 Le Mans 24 hours

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Le Mans 24 hours

Le Mans, France

Date: 9/6/1979 to: 10/6/1979
Track length: 13.627 m
Attendance:
Entries accepted: 87
Starters: 55
Finishers: 22

Pole position:
Fastest lap:

Distance: 24 hours
Average speed:
Weather: Rain showers
Ruleset: Group 2/4/5/6-1976, IMSA
Car info: 1979 Cars

Porsche brought two Essex-sponsored prototypes here, with the only opposition in the form of two Mirage-Fords. But all of them retired one way or another, so it was hardly surprising that a Porsche 935 would win here. And why not the best 935 of 1979, the Kremer K3, piloted by the Whittington Brothers and Klaus Ludwig? A brand new car, which took the lead in the night, when it rained. But it would never have won if Don Whittington had not been able to repair a broken belt and reach the pits; the 16 lap lead before the incident was reduced to three after the repair but it was more than enough.
Another Porsche victory at Le Mans, and a special one indeed.

Sportscar Race

Pos Pos in class # Team / Entrant
Car- Engine Drivers, Nationality Engine
vol. (cc) Engine
Type Group Distance,
time Qualifying position Qualifying time Fastest lap Reason out,
remarks

1 1/1 41 Porsche Kremer
Porsche 935 K3 Bill Whittington, USA
Don Whittington, USA
Klaus Ludwig, D
2994 tc B6 Group 5 +2000 307 laps 3 3.34,64

2 1/1 70 Dick Barbour
Porsche 935 Rolf Stommelen, D
Dick Barbour, USA
Paul Newman, USA
B6 IMSA GTX +2500 300 16 3.49,84

3 2/2 40 Porsche Kremer
Porsche 935 Francois Servanin, F
Francois Trisconi, CH
Laurent Ferrier, F
2994 tc B6 Group 5 +2000 293 20 3.55,08

4 1 82 Lubrifilm Racing Team
Porsche 934 Herbert Müller, CH
Angelo Pallavicini, CH
Marco Vanoli, CH
2993 tc B6 Group 4 +3000 292 38 4.06,65

6 2/2 82
BMW M1 Marcel Mignot, F
Hervé Poulain, F
Manfred Winkelhock, D
3498 L6 IMSA GTX +2500 285 23 3.57,38

7 3/3 42 Sekurit Racing Team
Porsche 935-77A Dieter Schornstein, D
Edgar Dören, D
Götz von Tschirnhaus, D
2994 tc B6 Group 5 +2000 284 17 3.51,01

8 3/3 72 Dick Barbour
Porsche 935 Bob Garretson, USA
Skeeter McKitterick, USA
Edwin G. Abate, USA
(Paul Newman, USA)
B6 IMSA GTX +2500 279 54 4.18,19

9 4/4 73 Stanton/Barbour
Porsche 935 Bob Kirby, USA
John Hotchkis Sr, USA
Bob Harmon, USA
B6 IMSA GTX +2500 276 39 4.07,05

11 4/4 43
Porsche 935 Claude Haldi, CH
Rodrigo Teran, PAN
Herbert Loewe, CH
2857 tc B6 Group 5 +2000 271 26 3.59,87

12 5/5 61
Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer Nick Faure, GB
Bernard De Dryver, B
Steve O'Rourke, GB
Jean Blaton ("Beurlys"), B
4942 V12 IMSA GTX +2500 270 45 4.11,98

13 5/5 45 Porsche Kremer
Porsche 935 K3 Axel Plankenhorn, D
Philippe Gurdjian, F
Louis Krages ("John Winter"), D
2994 tc B6 Group 5 +2000 269 7 3.43,98

15 6/6 39 Henri Cachia
Porsche 935 Jacques Guérin, F
Frederick Alliot, F
Jacques Goujon, B
(Jean-Louis Schlesser, F)
B6 Group 5 +2000 265 24 3.57,47

16 2 86 Kores Racing
Porsche 934 Georges Bourdillat, F
Roland Ennequin, F
Alain-Michel Bernard, F
2993 tc B6 Group 4 +3000 259 51 4.15,17

19 3 84
Porsche 934 Anny-Charlotte Verney, F
René Metge, F
Patrick Bardinon, F
2993 tc B6 Group 4 +3000 243 48 4.12,29

DNF 62 JMS Racing Pozzi
Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer Jean-Claude Andruet, F
Spartaco Dini ("Paco"), I
4942 V12 IMSA GTX +2500 240 30 4.02,42 Engine

DNF 63 JMS Racing Pozzi
Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer Claude Ballot-Léna, F
Michel Leclère, F
Peter Gregg, USA
4942 V12 IMSA GTX +2500 219 28 4.00,78 Accident

DNF 36 Gelo Sportswear Team
Porsche 935-77A Manfred Schurti, FL
Hans Heyer, D
B6 Group 5 +2000 201 4 3.35,65 Engine

DNF 37 Gelo Sportswear Team
Porsche 935-77A John Fitzpatrick, GB
Jean-Louis Lafosse, F
Harald Grohs, D
2857 tc B6 Group 5 +2000 196 11 3.46,25 Engine

DNF 87
Porsche 934 Christian Bussi, F
Bernard Salam, F
2993 tc B6 Group 4 +3000 182 52 4.15,82 Accident damage

DNF 68 Interscope Racing
Porsche 935-79 Ted Field, USA
Milt Minter, USA
John Morton, USA
B6 IMSA GTX +2500 154 25 3.58,49 Engine

DSQ 35
De Tomaso Pantera Gianfranco Brancatelli, I
Maurizio Micangeli, I
Carlo Pietromarchi, I
5763 V8 Group 5 +2000 108 44 4.10,77 Disq: insufficient distance

DNF 71 Dick Barbour
Porsche 935-77A Rob McFarlin, USA
Bob Akin, USA
Roy Woods, USA
B6 IMSA GTX +2500 78 32 4.03,39 Head Gasket

DNF 74
Porsche 935 Raldolph Townsend, USA
Raymond Touroul, F
Jean-Pierre Jarier, F
B6 IMSA GTX +2500 65 21 3.55,73 Engine

DNF 64 North American Racing Team
Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer Jean-Pierre Delaunay, F
Cyril Grandet, F
Preston Henn, USA
4942 V12 IMSA GTX +2500 54 36 4.06,30 Accident

DNF 50 Robin Hamilton - Aston Martin Distributors
Aston Martin AMV8 Turbo Robin Hamilton, GB
Mike Salmon, GB
David Preece, GB
5340 tc V8 Le Mans GTP 21 55 4.24,48 Oil leak

RES 16 March Racing
BMW-March M1 Guy Edwards, GB
Ian Grob, GB
Dieter Quester, A
3498 L6 Sports +2000 56 3.59,39

RES 77 Mazda Auto Tokyo Co. Ltd.
Mazda RX-7 252i Tetsu Ikuzawa, J
Yojiro Terada, J
Claude Buchet, F
2 x 573 R2 IMSA GTX 2500 57 4.18,88

DNF 80 Écurie 13 Etoiles
Porsche 930 Antoine Salamin, CH
Gerard Vial, CH
Philippe Collet, CH
2993 tc B6 Group 4 +3000 59 4.35,25 Accident damage

Sportscar Race
Pos	Pos in class	#	Team / Entrant Car- Engine	Drivers, Nationality	Engine vol. (cc)	Engine Type	Group	Distance, time	Qualifying position	Qualifying time	Fastest lap	Reason out, remarks
1	1/1	41	Porsche Kremer Porsche 935 K3	Bill Whittington, USA Don Whittington, USA Klaus Ludwig, D	2994 tc	B6	Group 5 +2000	307 laps	3	3.34,64
2	1/1	70	Dick Barbour Porsche 935	Rolf Stommelen, D Dick Barbour, USA Paul Newman, USA		B6	IMSA GTX +2500	300	16	3.49,84
3	2/2	40	Porsche Kremer Porsche 935	Francois Servanin, F Francois Trisconi, CH Laurent Ferrier, F	2994 tc	B6	Group 5 +2000	293	20	3.55,08
4	1	82	Lubrifilm Racing Team Porsche 934	Herbert Müller, CH Angelo Pallavicini, CH Marco Vanoli, CH	2993 tc	B6	Group 4 +3000	292	38	4.06,65
6	2/2	82	BMW M1	Marcel Mignot, F Hervé Poulain, F Manfred Winkelhock, D	3498	L6	IMSA GTX +2500	285	23	3.57,38
7	3/3	42	Sekurit Racing Team Porsche 935-77A	Dieter Schornstein, D Edgar Dören, D Götz von Tschirnhaus, D	2994 tc	B6	Group 5 +2000	284	17	3.51,01
8	3/3	72	Dick Barbour Porsche 935	Bob Garretson, USA Skeeter McKitterick, USA Edwin G. Abate, USA (Paul Newman, USA)		B6	IMSA GTX +2500	279	54	4.18,19
9	4/4	73	Stanton/Barbour Porsche 935	Bob Kirby, USA John Hotchkis Sr, USA Bob Harmon, USA		B6	IMSA GTX +2500	276	39	4.07,05
11	4/4	43	Porsche 935	Claude Haldi, CH Rodrigo Teran, PAN Herbert Loewe, CH	2857 tc	B6	Group 5 +2000	271	26	3.59,87
12	5/5	61	Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer	Nick Faure, GB Bernard De Dryver, B Steve O'Rourke, GB Jean Blaton ("Beurlys"), B	4942	V12	IMSA GTX +2500	270	45	4.11,98
13	5/5	45	Porsche Kremer Porsche 935 K3	Axel Plankenhorn, D Philippe Gurdjian, F Louis Krages ("John Winter"), D	2994 tc	B6	Group 5 +2000	269	7	3.43,98
15	6/6	39	Henri Cachia Porsche 935	Jacques Guérin, F Frederick Alliot, F Jacques Goujon, B (Jean-Louis Schlesser, F)		B6	Group 5 +2000	265	24	3.57,47
16	2	86	Kores Racing Porsche 934	Georges Bourdillat, F Roland Ennequin, F Alain-Michel Bernard, F	2993 tc	B6	Group 4 +3000	259	51	4.15,17
19	3	84	Porsche 934	Anny-Charlotte Verney, F René Metge, F Patrick Bardinon, F	2993 tc	B6	Group 4 +3000	243	48	4.12,29
DNF		62	JMS Racing Pozzi Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer	Jean-Claude Andruet, F Spartaco Dini ("Paco"), I	4942	V12	IMSA GTX +2500	240	30	4.02,42		Engine
DNF		63	JMS Racing Pozzi Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer	Claude Ballot-Léna, F Michel Leclère, F Peter Gregg, USA	4942	V12	IMSA GTX +2500	219	28	4.00,78		Accident
DNF		36	Gelo Sportswear Team Porsche 935-77A	Manfred Schurti, FL Hans Heyer, D		B6	Group 5 +2000	201	4	3.35,65		Engine
DNF		37	Gelo Sportswear Team Porsche 935-77A	John Fitzpatrick, GB Jean-Louis Lafosse, F Harald Grohs, D	2857 tc	B6	Group 5 +2000	196	11	3.46,25		Engine
DNF		87	Porsche 934	Christian Bussi, F Bernard Salam, F	2993 tc	B6	Group 4 +3000	182	52	4.15,82		Accident damage
DNF		68	Interscope Racing Porsche 935-79	Ted Field, USA Milt Minter, USA John Morton, USA		B6	IMSA GTX +2500	154	25	3.58,49		Engine
DSQ		35	De Tomaso Pantera	Gianfranco Brancatelli, I Maurizio Micangeli, I Carlo Pietromarchi, I	5763	V8	Group 5 +2000	108	44	4.10,77		Disq: insufficient distance
DNF		71	Dick Barbour Porsche 935-77A	Rob McFarlin, USA Bob Akin, USA Roy Woods, USA		B6	IMSA GTX +2500	78	32	4.03,39		Head Gasket
DNF		74	Porsche 935	Raldolph Townsend, USA Raymond Touroul, F Jean-Pierre Jarier, F		B6	IMSA GTX +2500	65	21	3.55,73		Engine
DNF		64	North American Racing Team Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer	Jean-Pierre Delaunay, F Cyril Grandet, F Preston Henn, USA	4942	V12	IMSA GTX +2500	54	36	4.06,30		Accident
DNF		50	Robin Hamilton - Aston Martin Distributors Aston Martin AMV8 Turbo	Robin Hamilton, GB Mike Salmon, GB David Preece, GB	5340 tc	V8	Le Mans GTP	21	55	4.24,48		Oil leak
RES		16	March Racing BMW-March M1	Guy Edwards, GB Ian Grob, GB Dieter Quester, A	3498	L6	Sports +2000		56	3.59,39
RES		77	Mazda Auto Tokyo Co. Ltd. Mazda RX-7 252i	Tetsu Ikuzawa, J Yojiro Terada, J Claude Buchet, F	2 x 573	R2	IMSA GTX 2500		57	4.18,88
DNF		80	Écurie 13 Etoiles Porsche 930	Antoine Salamin, CH Gerard Vial, CH Philippe Collet, CH	2993 tc	B6	Group 4 +3000		59	4.35,25		Accident damage