Though Porsche has built much of its sporting legend at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Daytona also holds quite a special place in the German manufacturer's competitive history: Porsche won its first 24-hour race in Florida in 1968 with a 907 driven by Vic Elford, Hans Herrmann, Jochen Neerpasch, Jo Siffert and Rolf Stommelen. Of the marque's 18 wins at Daytona, 11 were clinched by the 935 and the 962.

The Porsche 935 was designed based on the 911 in response to new regulations known as Group 5 "Silhouette." Two years after its first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1978 it won its first victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona thanks to Hurley Haywood.

With six consecutive wins between 1977 and 1983, the 935 is the winningest Porsche at Daytona. It was often in the lead pack at Le Mans as well, finishing fourth for its first participation in 1976. Thereafter, the 935 secured 20 other top 10 spots and four podium finishes until its final Le Mans appearance in 1982. The car had its greatest moment of triumph at the 1979 24 Hours: in the rain, after the factory Porsche 936 prototypes were forced to retire, the 935 pulled off a hat trick led by Klaus Ludwig, and Don and Bill Whittington. In second place was actor Paul Newman who finished on the podium for his one and only participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Competing in the IMSA endurance championship during the 1984 season, the Porsche 962 was a derivation of the 956, adapted for the IMSA technical regulation that required the positioning of the crankset behind the axis of the front wheels.

In 1985, the 962 C succeeded the 956 as Porsche's factory prototype at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car was beaten that year by Reinhold Joest's privately owned 956 driven by Klaus Ludwig, Paolo Barilla and John Winter, but won in 1986 and 1987 thanks to Derek Bell, Al Holbert and Hans-Joachim Stuck. In Florida, the 962 won the Rolex 24 at Daytona five times (1985, 1986, 1987, 1989 and 1991), with a who's who of drivers: A.J. Foyt, Al Holbert, Derek Bell, Hurley Haywood, John Winter and Henri Pescarolo, all winners at Le Mans.

In addition to the 935 and 962, let us not forget the most legendary of Porsches: the 917, winner at Daytona and Le Mans in 1970 and 1971, as well as the 911. The GT1 version of the 911 won the 24 Hours in France in 1998, the year of Porsche's 50th anniversary, then Daytona in 2003, currently the marque's last overall win in Florida. Among its drivers has figured Timo Bernhard, co-holder of the distance record at Le Mans since 2010 (with Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller).

PHOTOS (Copyright - ACO/Archives): The Porsche 935 K3 winner at the 1979 24 Hours. (Gallery below) for its first appearance at Le Mans in 1985, the Porsche 962 C (#2), with Hans Joachim Stuck at the wheel, set the pole position record that would stand until 2017, before securing two consecutive victories in 1986 (#1) and 1987 (#17).