Jeff Zwart takes on a unique driving challenge.
At the age of 70, Jeff Zwart conquered Pikes Peak behind the wheel of a Porsche and was responsible for the legendary “Luftcooled” series. However, there has been a driving challenge he has wanted to take on for over 50 years and now he has accepted it. This is the East African Safari Classic Rally, which he has just completed behind the wheel of a classic Porsche 911.
Spanning nine days and over a thousand competitive miles, the rally involved intense heat, challenging terrain, mud, dust, water and wildlife to contend with, and Jeff Zwart had an air-cooled Porsche 911 along for the ride. Together with his co-driver Alex Gelsomino, he finished the East African Safari Classic Rally in 17th place.
Considered one of the toughest rally events in the world, the race’s roots date back to 1953, when it celebrated the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The route crossed Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and, after changing formats over the decades, was revived for vintage car enthusiasts in 2003. At the last event, more than half of the field of around 60 vehicles consisted of classic Porsche 911s.
Jeff Zwart has dreamed of taking on the classic rally event since he was in high school. Completing the East African Safari Classic Rally was an incredible milestone for a driver with an already incredible career, and what better car to do it with than a classic Porsche 911, a sports car legend as historic as it is impressive?
Image source: Porsche
