While listening to 2020 IMSA LMP2 Champion Patrick Kelly last Saturday night at Nord Stern’s Green Flag Party, I reflected on what an incredible collection of guest speakers that have graced Nord Stern over many years. Patrick Kelly’s story might be the most compelling as he got his start doing Nord Stern DE events and 20 years later competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Patrick’s business took him to LA in 2012, but the dinner reconnected him with all his Nord Stern friends and I have a feeling we will be seeing more of him in the future.
So who else has Nord Stern had as guest speakers over the years?
Well, Patrick is in some pretty rarified air.
Here is Caroll Shelby in 1969. That is a youthful Hank Godfredson on the left.
Jacky Ickx hung out with us at the 1976 Porsche Parade at Madden’s in Brainerd. He had just won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a 936 and they bought the winning 936 along!
For those of you deep into the Porsche trivia, the car was driven here by Manfred Jantke who is quite well known as the head of PR and motorsports at the time. They flat towed the car from Madden’s to BIR with a station wagon for these laps! Dave Morse was President of Nord Stern at that time and later acquired this car for his impressive collection. When Dave passed, the Porsche Museum acquired the car where it remains today.
In 1998 we had the only American Formula 1 Champion Phil Hill who had great stories of what it was like to be a driver for Ferrari in those days. He won the Formula One world championship in 1961 and walked away from Ferrari in 1962 concerned with basically staying alive. He had some involvement with developing the Porsche 804 Grand Prix car late that year.
Shown here with David Weisel.
The very entertaining David Hobbs shown with Mike Jekot.
Derek Bell with Bob Johnson. Derek and Bob were acquainted through racing and this photo was taken the afternoon before the dinner at Bob’s shop. Not sure of the year.
On the right, 917 and rally driver, Vic Elford. Probably most known for exceeding 240 mph on the Mulsanne is a poor handling 917LH. Left is Tran Am driver of some repute Leighton Reese. 2002 Nord Stern President Mark Skweres in the middle.
Of course, in 2009 to celebrate Nord Stern’s 50th anniversary we had Porsche factory driver and Le Mans class winner Patrick Long. He was driving the RS Spyder then and so we did a Spyder to Sypder Q&A with Tom Countryman who had driven a 550 Spyder back in the day.
2008 Nord Stern GT3 Cup drivers Patrick Kelly and Steve Washburn visit with Patrick Long and Nord Stern President Pam Viau at the 50th dinner at Interlachen.
David Murry was the speaker at Nord Stern’s Garage Party to close our 50th year in 2009.
There are more including just last year IMSA Champion Chip Robinson. Driver of one of my personal all-time favorite Porsches – the Lowenbrau 962. As well as Randy Pobst and Tommy Archer.
Please post others I’ve missed in the comments.
So welcome back to Nord Stern Patrick Kelly. I know I can speak for all of us at
Nord Stern and we all are proud of your accomplishments and pleased to have you join this list of esteemed colleagues as Nord Stern guest speakers.
Hi Roger, just a simple correction. Mario Andretti was also an American F1 champ, and had some seat time in the Shell/Dunlop liveried 962, at Le Mans, 1988. But to my knowledge, never the featured speaker at the NS banquet!
Of course. Sorry I overlooked Mario. It’s a shame there have only been two American F1 champs. Never had Mario as a speaker to my knowledge.