Jeff Zwart takes on a unique driving challenge.
Conquering Pikes Peak behind the wheel of a Porsche, and being responsible for the iconic Luftgekühlt series, Jeff Zwart has quite the resume at 70 years old. However, there has been a driving challenge that he has wanted to take on for over 50 years, and now, he has. That is the East African Safari Classic Rally, which he has just completed, behind the wheel of a classic Porsche 911.
Nine days and over a thousand competitive miles comprised the rally, and the competition involved intense heat, challenging terrain, mud, dust, water, and wildlife to navigate, and Jeff Zwart had an air-cooled Porsche 911 to do it with. Along with his co-driver, Alex Gelsomino, he managed to finish the East African Safari Classic Rally in 17th place.
Known as one of the hardest rally events on the globe, the race’s roots trace back to 1953, celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The route crossed Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and after changing formats over the decades, it was revived in 2003 for classic car enthusiasts, and at the past event, over half of the roughly 60-car field was comprised of classic Porsche 911s.
Having dreamed of taking on the classic rally event since he was in high school, Jeff Zwart’s completion of the East African Safari Classic Rally was an incredible milestone moment for a driver with an already incredible career, and what better car to do it with than a classic Porsche 911, an equally historic and impactful sports car legend.
Image Source: Porsche
