Vic Elford Driving A Porsche 917

When it comes to driving fast and racing Vic Elford knows a bit about it. Quick Vic, as he is often called, has had success in many motorsport series including rally racing, endurance racing and Formula1.

Not only was he a very good driver, but he also tried to save another competitor’s life (more on that in a minute). Overall the man is a class act that has done some very impressive stuff on the track.

To find out more about Vic Elford as well as a bit about him trying to save another driver click past the jump (or scroll down if you came directly to the full article).

Vic’s Porsche racing success all started with the Monte Carlo Rally in 1968. He managed to take a Porsche 911 to victory in the rally and then he followed that up by winning the Daytona 24 the very next weekend. This was the German performance car maker’s very first 24 hour endurance victory.

Later in that year he would win the Targa Florio driving a 907 in a victory that is considered by most the greatest win in the history of the race. Despite beginning the second lap of the ten-lap, 450 mile race more than 18 minutes behind, Vic and co-driver Umberto Maglioli came back to win the 1968 Targa Florio by over a minute. In recognition of his efforts, Porsche dedicated their traditional victory poster not to the car, but to the driver for the first and only time.

Just a few months later he competed in Formula 1 and managed an impressive fourth place in a very wet French Grand Prix. Mr. Elford has competed in just about everything including Sports Cars, Rally Cars, Formula 1, CanAm, and NASCAR’s Daytona 500.

Vic Elford was the only driver to race each version of the Porsche 917. In a Long-tail version of the legendary machine, he was the first to manage a lap average of over 150 mph at Le Mans in 1970.

In the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans, Vic showed his character to the world. A Ferrari had crashed in front of him and was on fire. He stopped in the middle of the race to attempt to save the driver, but when he opened the door he found that the car’s driver had already been able to get out to safety. Cameras caught this attempt and he was named Chevalier of the National Order of Merit by French President Georges Pompidou.

On June 10th, just days before the start of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, Mr. Elford turned 80 years old. We would like to wish him a very happy birthday and many more to come.

If you would like a chance to see Vic Elford make sure to go to Rennsport Reunion V in September. Quick Vic is one of the many storied drivers scheduled to attend.