By 1967, Porsche was about ready to shed their bridesmaid status and topple Ferrari from the top step of the podium. Out of the Carrera 6 model came the Porsche 910, powered by the familiar and reliable six-cylinder motor. Despite displacing a mere 2-liters, with the lightweight racer Porsche was able to apply more pressure than ever before to the 4-liter Ferraris and 7-liter Ford- and Chevy-powered competition.
At the ADAC Nürburgring 1000 km in 1967, Porsche paired German Gerhard Koch with Australian Paul Hawkins behind the wheel of a factory 910. Though the thundering Lola T70 and Type 2F qualified ahead of the rest, Porsche 910s earned positions three through eight on the starting grid, ahead of the 5.7-liter Ford Mirage and a number of GT40s!
Hawkins got away cleanly at the start. Four of his 910 teammates went out ahead, but the 910 formation left the two fastest qualifiers on the line! They disappeared down the road but couldn't keep the big bore competition from eventually catching and reclaiming the lead. Hawkins lost a position to Surtees in the Lola but soon recovered the position when the Lola broke its rear suspension. Together, the Porsche drivers pressed the leader onto a punishing pace that it's transmission ultimately could not handle.
As the full race distance unfurled, the 6-cylinder 910s proved to be the class of the field for both pace and reliability. Koch, behind the wheel of #19, was feeling feisty and pushed his teammates, Schütz and Buzzetta, right to the line, finishing a mere 0.2 seconds astern of #17 and a comfortable half lap ahead of #18!