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Porsche Celebrates 75 Years Of Racing With A Daytona Three-Peat

Porsche won its third Daytona in a row. The team tells us what it means for the company's legacy.

Porsche Daytona

Photo by: Porsche

Jeff Glucker

By: Jeff Glucker

Jan 26, at 9:36am ET

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Ask the average person their dream car, and a large majority of people will probably say Porsche. Ask any racing driver their dream team to drive for, and the answer is also quite likely to be Porsche. That’s because the German automaker has delivered excellence in motorsport for decades now. In fact, 2026 marks the 75th year of Porsche Motorsport.

Everyone knows that Ferrari spouts how important racing is to its brand, but it's Porsche that truly backs up that same claim. Porsche race cars win at various levels of the sport, and do so consistently. Heading into its 75th anniversary of going racing, the automaker looks to kick off the season with a win at the 24 Hours of Daytona. That would be a hell of a way to get the ball rolling on what should be a memorable season.

Not only would a win at Daytona be a strong start to the season, but this would also deliver a three-peat of the overall top spot. It’s a grueling challenge, but one that Porsche—and motorsport partner Penske appear ready to rise to that challenge.

From 917 To 963

Porsche 963 and Porsche 917 at Daytona

Porsche 963 & 917 At Daytona

Photo by: Porsche

Porsche Motorsport history obviously doesn’t start with the current 963 prototype racecar. Over the course of 75 years, Porsche has found victory with various iterations of its iconic 911, but the real top-flight action starts with the legendary 917.

The race team found success with that monster machine; you’re talking about a raw racing vehicle capable of as much as nearly 1,600 horsepower. There were no traction aids to speak of, just pure power piloted by true heroes. People like Hurley Haywood, the Porsche racing legend who remains a titan of the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Porsche 911 Carrera RSR

Porsche 911 Carrera RSR

Photos by: Porsche

Porsche 962 C

Porsche 962 C

Photos by: Porsche

Haywood is one of only two drivers with five Daytona victories to his name. Hurley achieved his success in cars like the Carrera RSR, the amazing Interscope-sponsored 935, and even the beastly Porsche 962.

"The 962 was such a secure platform to drive," says Haywood. "You’ve got to remember the 962 introduced the concept of ground effects, and that was a racing driver’s dream come true. It was so glued to the road—it made the cars quite nice to drive. You had to get used to the fine line between happy and sad, but once you found the limit, it was a sweetheart."

Porsche's Modern Success

Porsche Rolex 24 at Daytona

Photo by: Porsche

Fast forward to today, and Porsche rose to the challenge of its own historic moment. The automaker is currently not competing at Le Mans, so Daytona is the big date circled on the calendar. Not just for Porsche Motorsport, but also for Penske Motorsport as well. Porsche and Penske have worked together for 60 years, and a victory at Daytona remains a hell of a feather for the cap.

Looming glory fell on the shoulders of drivers like Felipe Nasr. The talented Brazilian has found tremendous success under the Porsche Penske banner. He’s been a major part of the team for the wins in 2024, 2025, and numerous other races on the IMSA calendar. Now he joins elite company with his third consecutive win at Daytona. Nasr joins Helio Castroneves and Peter Gregg as the only three drivers to win three Daytona races in a row.

This win means a lot to the man in charge of it all, as well.

Porsche Rolex 24 at Daytona

Photos by: Porsche

Porsche Rolex 24 at Daytona

Photos by: Porsche

"Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona three consecutive times with this Porsche Penske Motorsport team is an incredible accomplishment," said Roger Penske. "Our success at this event helped put our team on the map over six decades ago, and winning here in Daytona is a perfect way to celebrate the start of Team Penske’s 60th anniversary season."

"Today’s victory reflects the efforts and dedication of all those committed men and women working on the Porsche Penke Motorsport program, from Mooresville to Germany."

Motorsport remains incredibly important to Porsche. Many people who buy a 911 do so because they know what that crest on their car means in the grand scheme of all-things racing. They wear the hats, the polos, the jackets, t-shirts, and vests all bearing the mark of a brand that works hard to deliver racing excellence.

'Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona three consecutive times with this Porsche Penske Motorsport team is an incredible accomplishment.'

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Beyond the brand visibility, of course, the engineering knowledge gleaned from racing translates to the road cars. Durable performance is the prime requirement when racing at this level. You can’t have parts failing on you. In this way, the demands of the race car driver translate to the desires of the road-car driver. Your Porsche needs to run well and deliver a high level of performance.

These race cars cover nearly 3,000 miles over 24 hours. Coming out a victor at the end of a battle like that is amazing. And Porsche has been doing just that for more than seven decades.

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