Following his racing come back at the Silverstone Classic in July, Stirling makes his return to racing in the United States at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, 12th – 15th August, taking place at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California. This will also be his first race in the 1961 Porsche RS 61 Spyder that he purchased at auction, via proxy, not long after his accident back in March.

The RS 61, acquired at the Amelia Island Auction, held by Gooding & Company, has been looked after in the United States by good friend and fellow racer Bruce McCaw. Stirling’s first outing in the car will be the practice session on the morning of Thursday 12th August at 0830 in Group 1A for 1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars under 2000cc, followed by qualifying at 0830 on Friday and group qualifying on Saturday morning, again at 0830. His race takes place at 1310 on the Saturday 14th August, where he will be racing Listers, Lotuses, and Maseratis, as well as other Porsches.

"To have Sir Stirling make his return to racing at Mazda Raceway is an honour," said Gill Campbell, CEO and general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. "It will be a wonderful treat for our fans to see him in his first drive in his newly acquired race car, and equally so for his competitors who are in the same group."

The 1961 RS 61 he purchased in April for $1.705 million is one of only 14 RS 61 Spyder’s developed for the 1961 motorsports season, and an evolution of Porsche's three previous Spyder race cars - the famous 550, the RSK, and the RS 60. In 1961, Stirling so nearly won the Targa Florio in a 1960 Porsche RS 60 Spyder, as he recalls “I was leading overall, up until the gearbox lost its oil about 800m from the end of the 700kms race”. This was followed by an 8th place in the 1961 Nurburgring 1000kms with Graham Hill racing a Porsche RS 61.

The Monterey race on Saturday 14th August, followed by the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on Sunday 15th August, where he will judge, will be his first race in a Porsche RS since 1961, Stirling having achieved his ambition of purchasing one of these rare cars to race once more.