At a glance
- Car No. 6 in the Sunoco livery of the 1973 Porsche 917/30
- Car No. 7 in the design of the Porsche RS Spyder from the 2000s
- The 6-hour race is part of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup for the first time
The No. 6 car bears the colors of the Porsche 917/30 from the 1970s. In the 1973 Can-Am race, Mark Donohue dominated the 200-mile event in the Sunoco Porsche. The sister car from the factory team of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG will take the starting grid this coming weekend in the yellow livery of the Porsche RS Spyder. Here, the overall victory by Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas in 2007 marks a highlight in the history of the LMP2 prototype.
The 2026 season is equally significant for the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer and Penske: Porsche is celebrating 75 years of motorsports, while the U.S. racing team is marking its 60th anniversary. The factory team’s two Porsche 963 already sported traditional designs at the IMSA races in Sebring, Long Beach, and Laguna Seca. At Road America in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the hybrid prototypes from Weissach will take to the track for the first time with different liveries.
“Road America has been the scene of special successes in the shared history of Porsche and Penske,” says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “In 1973, the Porsche 917/30 dominated the scene. During qualifying, Mark Donohue became the first driver on this track to break the two-minute lap time barrier. Starting in 2006, the RS Spyder marked Porsche’s return to prototype racing across several championships. I personally remember the success of 2007: I was there when Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas drove to overall victory against the nominally more powerful LMP1 race cars.”
Roger Penske, Founder and Chairman of Penske Corporation: “Sports car competition has been the foundation of Team Penske since the very beginning. As we continue to celebrate our team’s 60 years in motorsports alongside 75 years of Porsche Motorsport in 2026, we are excited to honor the heritage and legacy of both organizations. These two iconic car liveries pay tribute to championship-winning eras, legendary cars and the people who helped build our success. Team Penske’s partnership with Porsche is one of the most successful and enduring relationships in racing, and we are proud to celebrate our winning tradition together.”
1973: There was no getting around the Porsche 917/30
Racing driver and engineer Mark Donohue dominated the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) in 1973. In nine races that season, the American won seven times in a row behind the wheel of the 917/30, which produced up to 882 kW (1,200 PS). On his way to winning the title, the Penske driver demonstrated his strength particularly at Road America. In qualifying, Donohue clocked a lap time of 1:57.51 minutes on the 6.437-kilometer circuit. This put him more than three seconds ahead of his closest competitor.
2007: The Porsche RS Spyder defeats the LMP1 cars
The 775-kilogram Porsche RS Spyder dominated the LMP2 class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) from late 2005 through 2008. After the four-hour race at Road America on August 11, 2007, it had racked up 14 class victories. At this race Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas defeated the more powerful LMP1 prototypes and celebrated the car’s first ALMS overall victory. By the end of the joint Porsche-Penske program, the team had secured three manufacturers’ championships as well as three titles each in the drivers’ and teams’ standings.
2026: Preview Road America
Road America near Elkhart Lake, about 25 kilometers west of Lake Michigan, is a favorite among many drivers due to its natural track characteristics. The circuit, now 6.515 kilometers long, with its 14 turns, blends into the park-like landscape. With 17 victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer at Road America. The Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 last won there during the 2024 season. The approximately 520 kW (707 PS) hybrid prototype “Made in Flacht” is the most successful LMDh race car since the introduction of the regulations in 2023.
In the 2026 season, the IMSA race at Road America will run for six hours for the first time and is part of the Michelin Endurance Cup. This special series also includes the endurance races at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, and the “Petit Le Mans” at Road Atlanta.
Watch the race live
The website imsa.tv will broadcast the race live in its entirety via a free stream for users outside the U.S. and Canada. The website scoring.imsa.com offers clear live timing. The endurance race starts on Sunday, August 2, at 10:40 a.m. local time (5:40 p.m. CEST).
More information and links
All sessions at Road America: The schedule
All results and overall standings: Alkamelsystems
75 Years of Porsche Motorsport: The history of #Raceborn
60 successful years on racetracks: Team Penske
Road America statistics: The race in numbers
Historic photos: Porsche 917/30 and Porsche RS Spyder
All Porsche teams at Road America
GTP (Porsche 963):
Porsche Penske Motorsport #6: Kévin Estre (FRA) / Laurens Vanthoor (BEL)
Porsche Penske Motorsport #7: Julien Andlauer (FRA) / Felipe Nasr (BRA)
JDC-Miller MotorSports #5: Laurin Heinrich (DEU) / Tijmen van der Helm (NLD) / Kaylen Frederick (USA)
GTD Pro (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
AO Racing #77: Harry King (GBR) / Nick Tandy (GBR)
Manthey #911: Thomas Preining (AUT) / Klaus Bachler (AUT) / Riccardo Feller (CHE)
GTD (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
RS1 #28: Devlin DeFranceso (CAN) / Jan Heylen (BEL) / Ryan Yardley (NZL)
Wright Motorsports #120: Adam Adelson (USA) / Callum Ilott (GBR) / Tom Sargent (AUS)
Manthey 1st Phorm #912: Ryan Hardwick (USA) / Riccardo Pera (ITA) / Morris Schuring (NLD)
Driver quotes ahead of the race weekend
Kévin Estre (Porsche 963 #6): “I’m really looking forward to Road America. I haven’t raced there in ten years – and never in a prototype. We all have many memories associated with the Sunoco colors of the Porsche 917/30 from back then. That car was a real beast. I hope we’ll be just as successful. I have a special yellow helmet design. With it, I’m following in the footsteps of Mark Donohue. It’s an honor for me.”
Felipe Nasr (Porsche 963 #7): “Competing in the colors of the Porsche RS Spyder is something very special. It allows us to commemorate an extremely successful chapter in the history of Porsche and Penske. Everyone on our team is proud of it. I’m sure we’ll win the hearts of the fans as well. The race at Road America will be six hours long for the first time. Endurance races are our strength. We want to close the gap to the leaders in the championship and, if possible, get back on the top step of the podium.”
