The ‘Flying Pole’ returns to Argentina

Now 96 years old, Sobiesław Zasada has returned to Argentina as a special guest of the XXIII Gran Premio Argentino Histórico, a historic rally celebrating Argentina’s road-racing heritage. Almost 60 years after his name was written into the country’s rallying history, he tackled the challenging roads once more – this time as co-driver in a Porsche 911 Dakar. The car’s special livery paid tribute to the Porsche 911 that carried Zasada to victory in 1967, complete with the original race number, 405. 

Born in Poland in 1930, Zasada remains the country’s most decorated rally driver. He is a three-time European and eight-time national champion, as well as a former track-and-field athlete, writer and entrepreneur. After a shoulder injury ended his hopes of competing in the javelin at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, he began his motor racing career later that year.

The victory that made history

In October 1967, Zasada travelled to Argentina to compete in the more than 3,000-kilometre Gran Premio Internacional de Turismo. The route crossed mountains, deserts and flooded plains and was regarded as one of the most demanding rallies of its time. Driving the red 911 he called ‘Porschito’, which bore the Kraków registration plate ‘25-15-KR’, he prevailed against a field of nearly 400 entrants, including strong factory-backed competition.

Zasada and his co-driver, engineer Jerzy Dobrzański, benefited from advanced equipment in their Porsche, including an intercom system that had not previously been used in an Argentinian competition. Setting a strong pace, Zasada secured victory both in Class C and overall.

The success also marked an important chapter in the Porsche 911’s international rally history. A year later, Zasada and Marek Wachowski competed for the Porsche works team in the London–Sydney Marathon. They finished first on the Australian leg and fourth overall after covering a route of more than 16,000 km.

A tribute, 59 years on

“Welcoming Sobiesław is a celebration of the very essence of Porsche: enduring passion and an adventurous spirit that never fades,” says Hugo Pulenta, President of Nordenwagen S.A., the official Porsche importer and distributor in Argentina and Uruguay.

To mark Zasada’s return and his 1967 victory, a replica of his ‘Porschito’ was presented during the visit. Alongside the tribute livery on the modern 911 Dakar, it offered another reminder of the car in which he had made his name in Argentina almost 60 years earlier.

“Almost six decades after his great triumph, it is deeply moving to see that his affection for Porsche and his tireless determination remain undiminished,” says Gustavo Gioia, General Manager of Porsche Argentina and Uruguay.

For Zasada, the appeal of those roads today is as strong as ever: “The race took place 59 years ago,” he smiles, “and if today it were exactly as it was at that moment, I would race it again, even at my current 96 years of age.”