Saratoga Auto Museum Posche Exhibit honoring Joe Buzzetta Opens September 30, 2011

This press release is revised as of August 15th 2011.

“Porsche: 60 Years of Speed and Style in North America.”
Honoring 1967 Nurburgring 1000KM Winner Joe Buzzetta
October 1, 2011 – January 31, 2012
Celebrating 60 years of Porsche in North America, the Saratoga Automobile Museum is planning a major exhibit for fall, 2011, showcasing sixteen significant Porsche sports and racing cars and honoring Joe Buzzetta, successful New York Porsche racer and automobile retailer. Now a successful New York State businessman, with six auto dealerships on Long Island, Buzzetta was a factory Porsche driver in the 1960s and 1970s. Co-driving with Udo Schultz, Buzzetta won the 1967 Nurburgring 1000 KM race in a Porsche 910, perhaps Porsche’s most sentimental victory – it’s first overall win in Germany’s most prestigious sports car race – as the home team won before the home crowd after a decade of trying. His personal collection includes a Porsche 904, 906, 907, 908 and a 910, all beautifully restored.
Marque founder Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche’s son, Ferry, understood that racing was the crucible in which to prove Porsche’s superiority and capture world attention. Imported into America by Max Hoffman, an Austrian expatriate friend of the Porsche family, the low, streamlined little cars attracted great interest. Six decades of popularity in America have established Porsche on the top tier of performance automakers. Accordingly, the Saratoga Automobile Museum is pleased to present “Porsche: 60 Years of Speed and Style in North America,” sponsored by Porsche Cars North America and the New Country Porsche of Clifton Park, NY, and Greenwich, CT.
Automotive journalist and Museum consultant, Ken Gross, will be the exhibit Curator. Joe Buzzetta’s Porsche 904 and 906, as well as a 908 engine, will be on display in Saratoga. The Collier Museum in Naples, FL, is loaning Buzzetta’s Nurburgring-winning 910 for the exhibit. Former Porsche/SCCA/ IMSA competitor, Bob Bailey, a Saratoga Automobile Museum trustee, is loaning cars for the exhibit, as is Paul Plugfelder, whose Porsche 959, 914-6GT and 911 RS will be on display. Porsche Cars North America will be bringing the exciting new Porsche 918RSR Race Car for the opening of the exhibit, as well as several cars from the Porsche Museum after Rennsport, a 961 and the LeMans winning GT-1.

Joe Buzzetta will be honored at the Saratoga Automobile Museum’s Annual “Drive For Excellence” Gala on October 1, 2011. Among the noted drivers expected to attend will be endurance racing champion, Vic Elford, a winner at Le Mans, the Targa Florio, the Daytona 24 Hours and the Nurburgring and Scooter Patrick who co-drove with Joe at LeMans. Invitations have also been extended to several of Joe’s other old Porsche Factory teammates, including Brian Redman, Derek Bell and Hans Herrmann. Positive confirmation has been received from two so far. It will make for a very memorable evening with Joe and his Porsche teammates speaking at the dinner of their memories of the Golden age of motor racing with the Porsche Racing Team. Also planned on October 1st is an Adirondack Porsche Tour (about an hour & a half), leaving the Saratoga Auto Museum at 10:00 AM, over some spectacular mountain roads, ending at the Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing on Lake George for an elegant lunch on the lake. On Sunday October 2nd , The Saratoga Auto Museum’s “Octoberfest German Car Lawn Show” featuring Porsche will take place on museum grounds starting at 10:00 AM. The show is open to all German cars. Porsche owners and enthusiasts are invited. Details will be available soon on the museum’s website or by calling the museum.
The Porsche exhibit will open to the public on Oct 1, 2011 at 10:00 AM, and will be occupying the downstairs galleries until January 31, 2012. Members of Porsche clubs are welcome for the run of this exhibit and will be offered a generous Museum discounted admission. Call for details and group rates. Along with the feature exhibition the Museum has on display, “East of Detroit, Cars Made in NY”, and several significant cars that raced in NY. The Saratoga Automobile Museum is located at 110 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, NY. Hours of operation during the fall and winter months are Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.

For more information, call 518-587-1935 or visit the Saratoga Automobile Museum on the web at www.saratogaautomuseum.org.

Porsche Weekend September 30-Ocotber 2, 2011

Friday September 30th

Porsche: 60 Years of Speed and Style Exhibit Opening - 6pm

Automotive journalist and Museum Curator, Ken Gross, will provide a hand guided tour of the Porsche Exhibit. Joe Buzzetta’s 1967 Nurbergring winning 910 will be featured in the Golub Gallery along with Porsche’s all new 918RSR race car. Also featured will be Joe’s 904, 906 and a 908 engine for your enjoyment. The exhibit will also feature The 1971 Daytona winning 914-6GT. Come see a 959, a 1973 911RS, a 956, and a 1982 911S Slantnose prototype soak up each others reflections. The exhibit also will feature stunning and significant examples of the 356 lineage.

This event is free to Museum members.
To be a part of this event and the Museum’s Drive for Membership $35.00 tickets are available on a limited basis for non members. This also includes a 12 month individual Museum membership.

Saturday October 1st

Porsche Adirondack Tour and Luncheon Starting at the Museum - 10am

Porsche owners and enthusiasts will at the Museum and take the back roads for a spirited 1 ½ hour drive through the Adirondacks to the world renown Sagamore Resort for lunch on Lake George. Joe Buzzetta and old Porsche teammates Vic Elford and Scooter Patrick have confirmed their attendance. Come see and taste factory fresh Porsches courtesy of PCNA and New Country Porsche of Clifton Park. Experience the sounds and smells of the little German machines as they couple to the northeastern country roads. Detailed road tour directions and maps will be provided. $75.00 per person includes lunch.

Drive For Excellence Dinner honoring Joe Buzzetta – 6:30pm

6:30pm Cocktails
7pm Dinner

Come join Joe, Vic Elford and Scooter Patrick as they recall their memories driving for the Porsche Racing Team during the Golden Era of motor racing. This will prove to be a memorable event. The evening is a fundraiser to benefit children’s educational programs at the Museum. $175.00 per person or $250.00 per person to be a member of the honorary committee.

Sunday October 2nd

Octoberfest Car Show Featuring Porsche 10am -2pm

Open to all German Cars
There will be an array of fine German machinery lining the museum grounds for all to enjoy. This is the time before the season ends to jump into your little German beauty to soak up the sounds and smells Upstate New York’s fall foliage to and from the Museum. $15.00 pre registration $20.00 day of event. To pre register online go to www.saratogaautomuseum.org

For more information on these events contact Peter Perry at 518-587-1935 ext 17 or at peter.perry@saratogaautomuseum.org