On a tranquil evening in Brooklyn, I was feeling electrified. Sitting adjacent to several of the most glorious luxury sports cars in history, I was watching Allan McNish cross the finish line first at the French Le Mans race for a third time in his life, on a humongous outdoor screen, with the backdrop of midtown Manhattan beyond it, right across the river. It was a surreal moment, and it really made me proud to be appreciative of performance vehicles. At that moment, there was nowhere else I would rather be. This was the premiere of the documentary Racing with Giants: Porsche at Le Mans.
Mobil 1 had not spared any expense with the event. I was treated to a variety of complimentary carnival-style foods from food trucks, including popcorn, pizza, and burgers.
Sunset pizza
The atmosphere of the area was incredible, and I really admired the conception of the Skyline Theater: it harkened back to the days of old-fashioned drive in theaters, when they were more commonplace. Here, it was situated right on the river, with incredible views and a sublime sunset draping over it all. It was my first time visiting, but I promised myself I would return.
As I ate before the premiere, I saw various Porsches drive in, taking advantage of the special rules for this night only: only Porsche owners would be able to drive in to watch the movie. I saw several older, more classic models, like a 930 Turbo, as well as some newer, sportier models, like the Cayman and the elusive 911 Turbo. It warmed my heart to see owners of all ages connected over a shared love for the car. I saw several old-heads inspecting the newer model of their classic, and transfer knowledge to a whole new generation. Mobil 1 also had several Porsches on display, gently illuminated from the bottom, invigorating the audience with the historical changes between the models.
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 on display
I settled into a seat facing the projectored screen, and the movie began. Owners seated in their vehicles behind me had the option of putting their soft top down (for those that had it), or they could tune into a radio channel that would play audio within their car.
The movie itself was excellent. I was glued to each incident, each hurdle, and each win with anticipation. I was able to see first hand how Porsche was able to win first in its class in its first race, and then eventually go on to win first overall. The narrator, actor Patrick Dempsey, who himself had raced in the Le Mans at one point, told each tale with a gripping urgency that made me that much more connected to the events on screen. I watched legends like Nick Tandy, Patrick Long, Derek Bell, Jacky Ickx, and Allan McNish all complete the grueling 24-hour race, along with commentary and experience from Spike Feresten, Rod Emory, and Loni Unser, and felt a certain exhilaration that made me much more excited for this year’s race at Le Mans.
The Skyline Theater
Credit to: Mobil 1
Racing with Giants: Porsche at Le Mans is currently available to watch in full on YouTube.
