David Donohue driving a 917 sports prototype this weekend in California with its Sunoco colors that his father, Mark Donohue, used when he drove a much earlier version of the Porsche he drove for Roger Penske. Donohue senior is, most famous as, arguably, the driver of the 1500 horsepower (that Porsche admitted to) ‘Can-Am Killer’ Porsche 917-30. In 2009, his son David won Daytona in a Porsche; the 0.167-second lead was the closest finish in the history of the 24-hour race.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Ken
While the car in the photo above wears a livery just like the 917-30 can-am car driven by Mark Donohue, it’s actually a much more recent car, the RS Spyder that was campaigned by the Penske Racing team in the American Le Mans Series LMP2 class from 2005-8. It continued to run in the US and Europe with various teams until the end of the 2010 season when it was retired.
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