In 1973, Roger Penske created a racing series called the International Race of Champions – or IROC. Equally ambitious and unique in concept, the IROC series aimed to place the world’s best racing drivers in identical cars to compete against each other over several rounds at leading US venues.

To compete in his special racing series, Penske contracted 12 of the top drivers from the four main branches of racing: Peter Revson, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Denis Hulme from Formula 1; Mark Donohue and George Follmer from SCCA; Bobby Unser, A.J. Foyt, Gordon Johncock, and Roger McCluskey from USAC; and Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, and David Pearson from NASCAR.

While deciding on a car to serve as the basis for the IROC series, Penske consulted with his star driver, Mark Donohue. His answer was unequivocal: if Penske wanted a strong, fast, reliable, and consistent racing car, the only reasonable choice was a Porsche. Donahue, who had driven an RSR in late 1972, suggested that Penske contact the Porsche factory and order a run of the latest racing 911s. Penske followed Donohue’s advice and, at Penske’s request, Porsche built 15 examples of the 911 Carrera RSR for the IROC series. Built to identical specifications, the brightly painted IROC RSRs were essentially hybrids of the 1973 2.8 RSR model and the new-for-1974 3.0 RSR. Mechanically, the engine was similar to that of the 3.0 RSR, though high-butterfly mechanical fuel injection was used instead of the more exotic slide-valve injection found on the standard 3.0 cars.

The RSR IROC offered here, chassis 911 460 0085, was finished in India (Guards) Red and is one of just a few of the 15 RSRs that competed in all four of the races in the IROC series, the first three of which were held between the 24th and 28th of October 1973 at Riverside International Raceway in California. In the first race, Indy car driver Gordon Johncock piloted 0085 to a 10th Place finish. For the second race, McLaren Formula 1 driver Peter Revson finished 4th in 0085, a significant improvement from his 10th Place starting position. Johncock found himself back in the red RSR for race three, finishing 11th after having throttle linkage issues. For the finale of the IROC series, the top six performers from Riverside were invited to Daytona International Speedway on Valentine’s Day in 1974. Racing legend A.J. Foyt drove this RSR, but finished in 6th place after the engine expired early on.

Following their service as IROC cars, the 15 unique RSRs were eventually sold off, mostly to independent racing teams looking to take advantage of their specification in endurance and GT racing. According to the definitive work on the RSR IROC, The IROC Porsches: The International Race of Champions, Porsche’s 911 RSR and the Men Who Raced Them by Matt Stone, 0085 was purchased in 1974 by notable Canadian racer Klaus Bytzek, who raced it in IMSA and Trans Am competition during 1976 and 1977, before selling the RSR to Jacques Bienvenue. Bienvenue would race the Porsche for an additional two years in Canada. The RSR was then sold to fellow Canadian racer David Deacon in 1980, and under his ownership the 911 competed in four additional events that year, including the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Deacon retained the Carrera until 1988 when it was sold to Harry Bytzek, who in turn sold it to vintage racer Jack Boxstrom in 1994. Boxstrom eventually sold the RSR to Karl Singer.

During Mr. Singer’s ownership, another racing 911 owned by Lloyd Hawkins was found to have an IROC RSR engine fitted to it, which was no. 6840030. A factory Porsche document on file, dated 1973, shows that the engine no. 684 0030 was originally fitted to chassis 0085. With this knowledge, Mr. Singer purchased the engine and had it installed in this car. However, the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity on file lists another engine, no. 6840035, as being original to chassis 0085. Original to the car or not, the engine is a proper type 911/74 unit fitted with Bosch high-butterfly fuel injection.

When Lloyd Hawkins acquired the car from Mr. Singer in 2002, the talented crew working at his in-house race shop completed a comprehensive restoration. Finished in its original India (Guards) Red hue and wearing its livery from when A.J. Foyt drove it at Daytona in 1974, its stunning appearance embodies the allure of racing 911s from this era, and begs for the attention of Porsche connoisseurs everywhere.

*Please note that this vehicle is sold on a Bill of Sale.