Autosport Plus

Talladega speed record - The 917's most outrageous feat

By:

Aug 18, 2019, 1:46 PM

Days before his tragic death, the recently un-retired Mark Donohue set a record lap at Talladega in a car dusted off and brought back to life to prove a point - or possibly win a bet. This is the story of one of the Porsche 917's most outrageous feats

It would be one of his final acts and was overshadowed by his death. Just 10 days after Mark Donohue had set a famous record, a tyre failed on his Penske-run March 751 during practice for Formula 1's 1975 Austrian Grand Prix and sent 'Captain Nice' into and over the catch fencing at the Hella-Licht Kurve.

He initially seemed to have escaped but, after complaining of headaches, was admitted to hospital, lapsed into a coma from a cerebral haemorrhage, and died two days later.