The factory 911 racer whose passion for the air-cooled era led to the creation of Luftgekühlt

Patrick Long, we salute you. While some factory drivers may prefer to enjoy a very private life away from their paid racing exploits (and there’s nothing wrong with that), this charismatic Californian really ploughs his energy into his favourite hobby… Porsche.

Long’s heroics as a works driver are well documented, particularly with the American having to constantly hop from one car to another as part of Porsche’s commitment to assisting its customer teams. However, Long’s passion for Porsche and the air-cooled 911 in particular runs deep.

Very deep. Those at Rennsport Reunion at Laguna Seca in both 2015 and

2018 will be able to bear testament to this, Long appearing at the wheel of a Porsche in what felt like every possible race category throughout the threeday extravaganza. You have to remember here that none of this was exactly a contractual obligation; Long cajoled his way into these cars simply for the thrill of racing often historical Porsche machinery.

More prominently, Long has also excelled in uniting a global collective of enthusiasts dedicated to the air-cooled era of 911 with the launch of his Luftgekühlt brand. Meaning, quite simply, ‘air cooled’, these Californian shows have escalated from being the ultimate expression of a cars and coffee to sheer classic Porsche utopia, with a glittering array of air-cooled Porsche metal descending on interesting and fanciful locations, all deliberately parked in Instagram-friendly positions. The last ‘Luft” took place at Universal Studios, Hollywood, no less, though Long has also taken the event outside of his home state. Luft has touched down in places as far away as the UK and Germany, while a US East Coast event is scheduled to go ahead in May subject to developments concerning COVID-19.

Currently Weissach’s only US works driver, Long does a tremendous job in connecting those who work centrally for Porsche with its army of grassroots enthusiasts the world over, in a way no other works driver in the period has managed to do.