Nascar : 1970 Rolex 24 Overall Champion No. 2 Gulf Porsche 917 Joins the 50th Anniversary Display

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The No. 2 light blue and orange Gulf Porsche 917 fielded by John Wyer, which captured the overall victory in the 1970 Rolex 24 At Daytona, will join the display of overall Rolex 24 At Daytona championship cars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the twice-around-the-clock challenge on Jan. 28-29.

The No. 2 light blue and orange Gulf Porsche 917 won the 1970 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Driven by Pedro Rodriguez of Mexico, Leo Kinnunen of Finland and Englishman Brian Redman, the No. 2 John Wyer Gulf Porsche 917 dominated the 1970 Rolex 24 At Daytona winning by 45 laps over its sister car, the No. 1 Gulf Porsche 917.

Rodriguez, who scored his third of four Rolex 24 victories in 1970, won his first at the 24-hour distance. He was behind the wheel when the No. 2 Gulf Porsche 917 took the lead two hours and 35 minutes into the race and never looked back.

Redman holds the unusual distinction of driving on both the first and second place cars. Redman and Jo Siffert teamed up to drive the No. 1 Gulf Porsche 917. But the No. 2 Gulf Porsche crew was having difficulty communicating with Kinnunen and Redman filled in for a shift.

The No. 2 Gulf Porsche 917 joins the field of historic championship cars in the display:
• The No. 96 Arciero Racing Lotus-Climax 19B  from the inaugural Rolex 24 (then known as the Daytona Continental) in 1962
• 1966 Rolex 24-winning No. 98 Ford GT Mark II
• 1968 Rolex 24-winning Porsche 907
• 1969 Rolex24-winning No. 6 Lola T70 Chevrolet
• 1977 Rolex 24-winning No. 43 Porsche 911 RSR
• 1981 Rolex 24-winning No. 9 Bob Garretson’s Style Auto Porsche 935
• 1982 Rolex 24-winning No. 18 JLP Porsche 935
• The Preston Henn Porsches from the 1983 and 1985 Rolex 24s
• 1993 Rolex 24-winning No. 98 Eagle GTP

Additional cars will be announced as they are secured to be part of this one-of-a-kind display.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona, the kick-off event to Speedweeks 2012 as well as the international motorsports calendar, showcases the world’s best drivers competing against each other lap after lap for 24 hours on Daytona International Speedway’s challenging and demanding 3.56-mile road course.

Tickets for the 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona are on sale online at here .

( Source : www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Articles/2011/11/1970-car-announcement.aspx )