Transcript
COMMEMORATING PORSCHE FELLOWSHIP IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
RMR.PCA.ORG
This month: Revived 914 Eiskhana AX results Macan arrives! 356s in Santa Fe
●
DECEMBER 2013
2
Display advertising The print version of the award-winning HighGear reaches nearly 2,200 members in more than 1,200 households! Please contact the Newsletter Editor to explore promotional possibilities for your business or event in the magazine:
[email protected] • 303.662.1162
Advertising rates (monthly)
Note: all annual contracts receive a 10% discount Size (W x H)
Placement
Color
B&W
Full (8.5” x 11”)
outside back cover
$365
-
Full (8.5” x 11”)
inside front cover
$315
-
Full (8.5” x 11”)
inside back cover
$290
-
Full (8.5” x 11”)
interior page
$270
$180
Half (8” x 5”)
inside back cover
$210
-
Half (8” x 5”)
interior page
$180
$110
Quarter (4” x 5” or 8” x 2.5”)
interior page
$105
$63
Sixth (2.5” x 5.5”)
interior page
-
$42
Eighth (4” x 2.5”)
interior page
-
$37
Vol. 70, Edition 9 • December 2013 Editor: David Schmidt, Asst. Editor: Bill Terry Presidential thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Positive offset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Trivia/Advertiser index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Membership musings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Membership social. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Rare 6 Revived . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 West Coast Holiday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Cones A-Fallin’ Autocross. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Eiskhana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Macan reveals itself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 In the zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Buying snow tires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 I get around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 TakeFive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Board of Directors/Coordinators. . . . . . . . . . . . 32 What we do/Upcoming events. . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 The rearview mirror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
inside this issue
HighGear is printed in Englewood, CO by
HighGear (ISSN1061-1746) is the official magazine of the Rocky Mountain Region Porsche Club of America (RMR/ PCA) and is published monthly. The annual subscription rate is $14.00, included in RMR/PCA membership dues. Non-RMR subscriptions are $25.00. The opinions and views appearing in HighGear are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of the RMR/PCA, PCA National, or this magazine as an official RMR/PCA publication. Additionally, none of these organizations nor this publication assumes any responsibility for the accuracy of material provided by individual writers and contributors. HighGear entire contents copyright © 2013 by Rocky Mountain Region Porsche Club of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Articles and photos are the copyright of their respective creators and are used with permission. Office of publication: 547 Sawtooth Point, Lafayette, CO, 80026. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, CO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to PCA National Office, P.O. Box 6400, Columbia, MD 21045.
Cover photo by Mike Pappas and David Schmidt
Prestige Imports was kind enough to loan us this remarkable 2014 Sapphire Blue Metallic 911 Carrera Cabriolet stuffed full of holiday presents for our cover and centerspread photo. May all your gifts this season be as wonderful! DECEMBER 2013
3
Presidential thoughts Rick Gonçalves, President
W
Well, fellow club members, this is my last article as your prez! My swan song, as David Schmidt, Newsletter Editor, calls it! Next year, Jim Widrig and a new board will be taking over. It has been a great two years being your prez, though, and the end of eight years of being on the board. While I will technically be a board member for the next two years as a “past president,” it is more in an advisory capacity rather than in an active role. “Active” has certainly been the word of the day for the last eight years. Actively searching for new programs, ways to make driving events interesting and challenging, ways to include club members who aren’t really prone to driving at high speeds on the track or doing autocrosses in a parking lot, and generally trying to provide something for everyone has always been a challenge. But, taking on those challenges and seeing them to satisfactory conclusions has been very rewarding. Perhaps the most rewarding challenge I ever took on as a board member was to help save the Club Race as a Rocky Mountain Region activity. When the rest of the board voted some five years ago to cancel the club race, I, in a normal atmosphere of unanimity, was the lone voice of dissent. Not only because the Rocky Mountain Region started the now-national club racing tradition by organizing the very first PCA club race ever in 1992 at our very own Second Creek Raceway, but because I firmly believed that the club’s role was to provide a wide range of activities to its wide range of members, and club racing was one activity that has always been popular and profitable, I voted against canceling the annual club race. It was exciting how the club race community came together to volunteer funds and their personal time to demonstrate to the club management that the club race could be held without being a liability. Most of the work was done by the racers, so all I had to do was carry the flag to the board spearheading a well thought-out and profitable plan that I could present and convince the board to recant their previous vote and vote to allow the club race to proceed. They did, and I was ecstatic! So were the racers! And, true to the plan, the race was a profitable success for the club and for the region! It continues today, always a great success, a great draw, as popular with out-of-
4
region racers as our own region’s racers, and actually the most profitable event that our region sponsors. As with the club race, I have always supported the concept of the club’s sponsoring a wide and meaningful range of activities for its members. “Active” was the key word here. “Evolve” has been another word that has made itself known during the last eight years. During my term on the board, I have seen and promoted evolution in a number of different areas. I have seen the driving events evolve from events that almost ran themselves by “seat of the pants” and somewhat informal get-togethers to highly sophisticated on-time, finely controlled affairs, organized and run by knowledgeable committees of dedicated volunteers. The committee system itself was an evolution from events being run by and organized by individuals, sometimes with little knowledge, to teams of experienced volunteers who continually pass on their knowledge and experience to those without it. Membership meetings have also evolved from rather static seminar-style presentations to drives, breakfasts, lunches and car shop presentations that have increased the attendance at those events tremendously. The most interesting evolution I have seen in the last ten years, however, has been in the number of newer model, powerful cars that are making their way to the track. Now, we are seeing three-, two-, one-year-old cars, even brandnew cars becoming dedicated track cars, not only for experienced drivers wanting to upgrade and go faster, but even with brand-new drivers. Whereas most of us older drivers cut our teeth on ten-, fifteen-, or twenty-year-old, lesser powered cars, our younger drivers have some pretty awesome cars to learn to tame. That is, at the same time, exciting and challenging. It will be interesting to see how that situation evolves in the next ten years. So, like the new track cars, working with the board and being your president has been challenging and exciting. It has also been rewarding—rewarding to see new ideas successfully implemented and rewarding to see teamwork in action. We have a great club, and great leadership to guide it along for the next several years. Many of you have great leadership qualities, and you should volunteer for some of the board positions in the future, to help the club be active and evolve in the future. It is truly an awesome experience.
Your ad should be here! If you’re reading this, then so could your potential customers. Advertise in HighGear and target your peers while helping your club newsletter at the same time! Email the HighGear editor (
[email protected]) to get your ad in next month’s issue! DECEMBER 2013
5
Positive offset David Schmidt, Editor
T
his RMR club of ours is so much more than a club. It’s a social outlet, a conglomerate of subject matter and mechanical experts, a unique cartel of peers and cohorts, a clique of talented racers, a collection of collectors, a band of brothers and a suite of long-time friends. But, from what I’ve noticed, and I’ve only been in this club for just over two years, it’s mostly a family. I guess I’m overly observative (blame it on the journalist in my blood) or perhaps I still feel a little like an outsider looking in, but this gaggle of 1,500 Front Range Porsche owners is a pretty awesome group to be part of. I’ve seen and heard some amazing things and watched strangers come together with nothing more in common, at first anyway, than the badge of the same car manufacturer stuck to the front of their vehicle. Our club’s Facebook site is a great place to witness much of the action of the, ah, interaction. On just about any week, you’ll see some member ask for help with a part, tool, or advice on a purchase, sale or mechanic of specific expertise and a flock of RMRers will swoop down from the digital ether spewing wisdom and sharing their experiences and recommendations. You’ll also, without a doubt, get to be a priveleged audience to a generous onslaught of jokes, humor and ribbing that could only exist in a group of people that have “been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt.” Just a few weeks ago, a Porsche plebe
(props to you, Robert Baumgartner) plopped a post on our page petitioning for a principled place to procure a PPI on a potential Porsche. Two weeks later, after much sage advice from more than a dozen RMR online surfers, Robert became the new owner of an adorable Boxster and recently became the latest member to our club. When tragedy strikes, there is also never, ever, a shortage of heartfelt encouragement, shared grief, and sincere support for each other that strengthens the bonds that this club has for each other unlike anything I’ve ever seen outside of a combat unit or a tightly knit family. The club get-togethers, whether they be socials or track events or even car shows, are another place to keenly monitor the relationships amongst these fellow consumers of Stuttgart’s finest products. You’ll see hugs, high-fives, group photos and countless handshakes—the real kind too, with firm grips, eye contact, and genuine smiles forged from fierce friendships. To all of you longstanding members, I say kudos to each of you and applaud you for being real people with real emotions and real hearts. For your friendship, advice, open arms and sharing attitude, we are all grateful. To our new members, I encourage you to do the same and reciprocate. Ask and learn from the seasoned Porsche veterans. Someday, hopefully, each of us will be one as well.
Just a few weeks ago, a Porsche plebe plopped a post on our page petitioning for a principled place to procure a PPI on a potential Porsche.
Get involved! Contribute to your newsletter!
HighGear needs your articles and photos! Please submit your content and ideas to the Newsletter Editor by the 15th of the month at
[email protected].
Join RMR-PCA
Not a member yet? Join RMR-PCA by visiting our website at www.pca.org and simply click the “Join PCA” link.
Advertise in HighGear
Please see page three for advertising rates details.
6
RMR online discussion groups
Would you like to discuss Porsches, RMR or anything else of interest to other Porschephiles? Check out the RMR online discussion groups.
Yahoo: groups.yahoo.com/group/rmr_pca Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/pcarmr
Get your newsletter on the go!
To read HighGear in PDF format on the Web, go to the RMR Web site at rmr.pca.org and click the Newsletter link. Back issues are also available on the Web site.
Take th RMR Trivia Ch e a Answers are p llenge! at the bottom osted “Rearview Mirof the ro in the back of r” this issue.
This month’s trivia questions: 1. In what year did Porsche discontinue manufacturing the 356? 2. Who were the drivers that won the 1973 24 Hours of Daytona in a white, red and blue wide-bodied 911 Carrera RSR? 3. In the 1991 romantic comedy ‘Doc Hollywood’ actor Michael J. Fox attempts to drive what Porsche from New York to Los Angeles? 4. How much horsepower was the 5.4L, 32-valve V8 in the 928 GTS rated at in its last year of production (1995)? 5. Name all four cities in Germany where Porsche AG has a facility.
Advertiser index 3R Racing/Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3Zero3 Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Autoworks Colorado. . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Avalon Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Boulder Orthotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Bruce McPherson, Driver Coach. . . . . 7 CarQuip/Remington West Carz. . . . . 26 CVJ Axles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dan Fead, Sothebys Realty. . . . . . . . . 2
Dart Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Dave Brown, Targa Tops. . . . . . . . . . . 5 Eisenbuds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Eurosport Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . 29 GastroMD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Hanksville Hot Rods . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Hoosier Tires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Joe Rothman, Driver Coach . . . . . . . 33 John Ranft, Financial Advisor. . . . . . 25
Lotus of Denver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Marc Jones Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Maserati of Denver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Nine Lives Racing Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Prestige Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 RaceKraft & Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Scott Anderson, Driver Coach. . . . . . 29 Stevinson Imports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Storz Garage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
>=@A163;3@1323A/C27DE 3\UW\SAca^S\aW]\3ZSQb`WQOZ;SQVO\WQOZ %'$DOZZSX]Ab`SSb2S\dS`1=& "! ! & # ! eee 3WaS\PcRa Q][
DECEMBER 2013
7
Membership musings Nancy Warren, Membership Chair
O
h my, another year is almost gone, and another year of Porsche Club events is almost kaput! I hope everyone has enjoyed the many great events during the year: many DEs, several Autocrosses, monthly Membership Socials, the Concours and quite a few Breakfast Club Tours! There was certainly something for everyone. There are many fun and exciting events already being planned for next year, 2014. But these activities cannot happen without volunteers! Volunteers are needed for each event, whether chairing an event or helping out in some other capacity. All you have to do is offer your time and talents to help with any of the events scheduled for 2014. You can contact any member of the RMR Board if this is something that you would like to do. The last but certainly not the least event for the year is our annual Holiday Party. This year it is being held at the Glenmoor Country Club on Saturday, December 14th. Once again, the Charity Committee has invited several U.S. Marines to be our special guests for the evening. They will be accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys, cash or checks for their “Toys for Tots” toy drive. “Toys for Tots” is a charitable program founded by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. They have been providing happiness and hope to disadvantaged children during each holiday season since 1947! Please help make a child’s holiday a happy one. This is my last Membership Musings! Yippee!!! I certainly have enjoyed being the Membership Chair for the past four years, but it is time to move on! I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year! See you out there!!
New to RMR or just not a member yet? Page 33 describes the various types of activities our club members regularly enjoy. Check it out—then come to our next event and get involved!
Tours, Rallies, Autocrosses, Driver Education Events, Club Races, Car Shows, Socials and Gatherings, Charity Support and more!
Let’s give a Mile High Salute to our newest members!
8
John Allen Parker CO 2005 911, Gray
Cathy Dalpes and Rick Blumenthal Arvada CO 2014 Boxster S, Gray
Mike Osborne Westminster CO 1999 911, Black
Ben Borgers Bailey CO 2005 Cayenne, Gray
Mike Hommel Littleton CO 1986 930 RUF, Black
Drew Regitz Denver CO 2013 911, Brown
Jeff Brusak and James Brusak Denver CO 2004 Cayenne, White
Mohammad Karbassi Longmont CO 2008 911
Rich and Lynn Shults Denver CO 1999 911 996, Gray
James Coble Denver CO 2008 911, Black
Rich McClure and Forrest McClure Golden CO 2011 911 Turbo, White
Eugene Yen and Beth Zacharisen Boulder CO 1984 944, Black
January Membership Social to be hosted by
3R Auto/Racing!
Note that because of the RMR Holiday Party (Dec. 14th), there is no actual club social in December. Next month’s Membership Social will be hosted by 3R Auto/Racing in Englewood. These guys take racing seriously and they are opening their pristine high-performance “operating room” for all of us to gather and enjoy an evening of refreshments while hovering around monstrous machines of mayhem! Door prizes will be given out to a few lucky winners!
Thursday, January 9, 2014 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 3701 S Kalamath St. Englewood, CO 80110
DECEMBER 2013
9
October’s social Words by David Schmidt, images by Mike Pappas
Last month’s RMR club membership social took place at Hanksville Hot Rods in Littleton and was a rousing reception replete with rewards and refreshments! Owners Hank and Jen put out a splendid display with some of the best chili ever made for human consumption (kudos to the kitchen staff at Whole Foods) and opened the doors to their shop, which was a testament to Hank’s creative and precise handiwork with metalworking. Over 60 RMR members poured in to take part, mingle, and cross their fingers for a variety of door prizes, including the chance to win an original painting of a Porsche 906 by Marc Jones. The evening also served as the site for membership approval of the new 2014 RMR Board of Directors, all of whom were voted in unanimously. Photos (from top right): Marc Labac and Gavin Yuill check out race-prepped #501 TIG-welded Hanksville Hot Rods rollcage-equipped 987 Boxster on display at Hanksville Hot Rods; Michael Pederson samples the cold beer from the keg cleverly concealed under the front trunk of this air-cooled 911; David Etter poses next to the painting he won and the artist, Marc Jones; Karen Harrison, Nancy Warren and Vicki Earnshaw pause from socializing to smile for the camera during the lovely evening; Brian and Chris Sulley get a chuckle from a driving technique story told with expert jocularity by 944 pilot Phil O’Brien.
10
2301 West Cornell Street Englewood, Colorado, 80113 Main: Fax:
(720) 235.4323 (720) 235.4328
Visit us on the web at......
www.RaceKraftDesign.com PERFORMANCE
PRECISION
PA S S I O N
We are a race shop committed to high quality competition Porsche services
dedicated to the Vintage Road Racing community & their machinery.
Quality Integrity Accountability Speed! 40+ years of Porsche experience State-of-the-art equipment CNC machining Custom fabrication
Race and performance street engine building and modification Experts in Porsche Engine Machining, Development, and Assembly Custom built and blue printed race engines Develop horsepower and reliability from your existing engine Design, prototype, and machine performance racing parts Porsche Race Chassis Construction Suspension Design, Fabrication
Questions about your Project? Email us at:
[email protected]
DECEMBER 2013
11
12
One-of-a-kind and original custom paintings by Marc Jones. Visit marcjonesstudios.com or call 720-273-8134 DECEMBER 2013
13
By Jim Spehar, Author and Owner
It’d been a while since I’d heard that sound. A few of you luckier vintage Porsche owners know it … the highpitched whine of a Weber-carbureted two-liter flat six just behind your ears. It comes only from a 914-6 like the one we bought brand spanking new in 1971 when Johnson-Bozzani Porsche in downtown Phoenix, lusting after our 914-4 during product shortages caused by a dock strike, offered us our pick of three 1970 sixers they couldn’t get rid of back then. (They also had a blue street 904 in the used car lineup. I believe the asking price was an astronomical $22,000. We had already gulped hard at spending $6,000, but a guy could dream, even back then.) We took the Irish Green one, after some serious haggling over substituting optional 14” Fuchs forged alloys for the stock steel wheels. I couldn’t understand the reluctance until the salesman explained they cost an exorbitant $125 each. So I upped the ante, demanding a fifth Fuchs for the spare. They blinked
14
Despite the bargaining, a dozen red roses were waiting, courtesy of the dealership, when we drove it home on 9/14/71. It was the start of a 42-year love affair.
first. We were owners. Despite the bargaining, a dozen red roses were waiting, courtesy of the dealership, when we drove it home on 9/14/71. It was the start of a 42-year love affair. Like some old lovers, it hadn’t aged well when I removed boxes and other debris piled on it, pulled off the dusty cover and pushed it out of the garage in early August. Based on the accumulation of un-affixed Colorado license plate stickers scattered over the front seats, it hadn’t seen daylight in at least a decade.
As with many love affairs, inattention had taken its toll. Petro-hemorrhaging left the garage floor looking more like asphalt than concrete. Someone in the family knows the story behind dings on the passenger door nearest garage storage shelves but isn’t talking. We know all too well how my then-16-yearold daughter managed to have the accident inside the garage that dented the driver side rear quarter panel. The lacquer that Merle Rhodes carefully applied over bare metal and that helped us win the Judges’ Choice award at the 1979 Fiesta del Porsche concours in Santa Fe is checked severely. Those Yokohamas wrapping the fiercely negotiated Fuchses were purchased in 1997. What remained, as I washed it and cleaned about three inches of spider webs and dust bunnies off of the undercarriage, were 4+ decades of memories. Like the incredulous “You’re going to let your wife drive your car?” while registering us for our first PCA event at the old Phoenix International Raceway shortly after our purchase. “Can’t keep her out of it,” I replied
while signing up the woman who’d go on to be the first female driver education instructor for PCA’s Rocky Mountain Region. “She’s making half the payment and drives it to work every day.” And the ultimate result of letting her drive “my car” … hearing the cheers of close to a hundred RMR members over the burble of its open exhaust as Bonnie pulled into the pits after her timed run at the Woody Creek track near Aspen a decade or so later. Her skill had finally trumped my nerve. She had the fastest time in “our car” that day. It was July, 1976, when Mr. “Driving at Speed,” Alan Johnson, a guest instructor at Woody Creek, noticed his name on the license plate frame and asked if he could ride with me for a few laps. Having earned my own stripes as an instructor, I was a
little too anxious to impress and we got a bit squirrely going through the mid-track “buttonhook.” The panicked look on his face, and his death grip on the top of the passenger door, relaxed after I stabbed the go pedal and powered us out of the slide. “Go for it,” he said. “Looks like you know what you’re doing.” There was the snow-covered lump buried at a Capitol Hill curb for most of the first month after we moved back to our home state in 1972, 40-weight oil having surrendered to 30 straight days of below-freezing temperatures that welcomed us back. And the recapped snow tires that got Bonnie to and from her classrooms when we moved to the mountains above Evergreen. We actually put it up for sale a few years later, needing to dig ourselves out from a failed venture into the concert business. Our parents, knowing what that green thing on four wheels meant to us, wouldn’t let that happen. I’m guessing our track days may be over. The joy of driving the old Porsche isn’t. Both of us took turns behind the wheel, reacquainting ourselves with the quick steering and sloppy shifter, the day we recovered it from AJRS in Grand Junction. Al Johnsen’s labor rates were a bit stiffer than his charges on our
last service receipt, dated 1997, but there was no one else we’d trust with resuscitating “Rare 6.” Even with threatened surcharges for any spiders discovered while doing that. “Put some miles on it,” Al said, handing the keys back to me. We’re doing that, bad paint and dents be damned. Our first road trip, fittingly, was on 9-14-2013, 42 years to the day after our initial purchase. We drove the Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic Byway, Grand Junction-Telluride and back via Unaweep Canyon and the Dallas Divide. Our goal is to complete restoration while we can still get in and out without assistance. Over the winter, the necessary body shop Botox and lipstick will have our old lover looking like the beautiful youngster we still remember. This will be the second time we’ll spend more than the initial purchase price to bring our “first child” back to its original state. If only it could be so easy to do the same for its owners. But our smiles are just as wide now as back then when we run it through the gears, enjoying that familiar throaty whine while recalling nearly a half-century of good times and collecting fresh memories. Jim and Bonnie Spehar live in Grand Junction, CO, and have been PCA members for more than 40 years, all but one as part of Rocky Mountain Region. Their plan is to drive the wheels off of “Rare 6” and, when they’re done or gone, to let their kids fight over what’s left.
DECEMBER 2013
15
356 WEST COAST HOLIDAY
By Heidi Frisch & Franny Brodigan 16
The West Coast Holiday went from Oct. 9th through the 13th in Santa Fe, NM. The Holiday was one of the best attended events ever for 356ers. Over 250 cars were registered, and at least 500 people attended the event itself (not including visitors who were there to see the car show). The famous historic town square hotel called La Fonda was the headquarters to the West Coast Holiday and one of the best centrally located hotels. The hotel had covered parking for all 356ers attending the event and 24-hour security patrolling for those who were staying overnight at the hotel. The event started on Wednesday for all participants to pick up registration packets for the Holiday. Every evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Wednesday through Saturday) was a social gathering for everyone to meet friends they hadn’t seen for years and meet new people from all over! Cocktails and appetizers were included!
Thursday, Oct. 10th, was a day of drive-outs, tech sessions, town tours, and a balloon trip to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival (departure for the bus was an early 4:30 a.m. start). This was the only day that the weather did not really cooperate. It was windy for the Balloon Festival, which meant a short trip; several of the drive-outs got rained on, and for some there was even snow (one of the drive-outs went all the way to Taos, NM, and there were other mountain destinations as well.) Whether or not one participated in any of these events, there was also the registry’s goodie store with lots of clothing and books and other 356 items. The technical session wasn’t really that technical, but was an interesting focus on and about the economics of the 356 cars and where the markets were going with these rare and popular cars. It was opinions about where to get work done on the cars, how to value them, what’s a scam, what’s not, etc. Another cocktail party at La Fonda was planned, this time in a different location outside (even though it was cold) with amazing views of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis (photo, above left) and downtown Santa Fe. Friday was a beautiful fall day. Several more drive-
Hotel La Fonda covered parking for attendees What a great thing to see before the main event! outs were planned for the group and more tech sessions as The new Porsche factory was represented during the well. This was one of the only days that had a trip up to presentation and an individual spoke during the evening the famous Los Alamos Laboratory, along scenic mountain on behalf of Porsche. It is always nice to see people from roads with changing colors that took the trip all the way the Porsche plant talking about plans for Atlanta. In into Albuquerque. As always, one was able to find fantastic addition to that, an auction took place to help raise money places to dine for lunch and dinner. Food is always topfor charity. The main presentation was done by a West notch in Santa Fe. Coast Holiday attendee who was fortunate enough to do a Saturday was a well planned Concours Car Show for Peking-to-Paris Rally trip. It was an amazing trip to see and everyone to attend. It was the highlight of the entire event. hear about. The evening was a smash! Every car participated, because it was the focal point. The Sunday (the last day) is a well known Swap Meet that organizers made sure no other drive-outs or town tours happens at every Holiday very early in the morning. The were planned during this event. Santa Fe closed the town event was planned from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m, but it even starts square for the 356 car show. It was a sight to see. People as early as 6 a.m! Of course, it was worth checking out. were walking in the streets everywhere and there was no Several vendors were there with parts of all kinds (easy-totraffic to worry about. It was nice to see so many couples find, hard-to-find, replica tool kits, steering wheels, wipers, participating in events and not just solo car owners. The etc.). Prices were somewhat lower than normal Web prices, turnout to this event was fantastic. Even though there were and all the vendors were willing to bargain! It was great! just 250 cars registered, there were car numbers as high as 278. Such a great event! An impromptu tech session happened during the show from Carburetor Rescue and it was a very informative and interesting event. Of course, the weather was smashing for this as well. In the afternoon, a final cocktail hour occurred as attendees who had registered for the banquet waited to be seated. Banquets often are known for expensive cold food, but not in this case. The food that La Fonda served in the banquet hall was wonderful. It had a Santa Fe twist with a bit of spice, so it might not have been perfect for all, but it was very good. The photographer at the cocktail hour had been busy. We saw a slide show as we ate our dinner Saturday’s Concours event in the Santa Fe Square with nearly every individual or group of people participating that he could find. DECEMBER 2013
17
18
DECEMBER 2013
19
Story by Chris Sulley, Event Chair, with photos by Mike Pappas
What a great day for an autocross! A typical late October day greeted 60 drivers for the Cones are a-Fallin’Autocross. We had a terrific turnout, as we have come to expect for our autocross events, and the crowd included close to 20 first-timers. I’m guessing by the comments and excitement that many of these drivers will be second-timers next year. We used the basis of the course design from the SCCA’s summer championship. With a few minor adjustments we were able to add the moniker of Hairy’s Wild Ride, which featured several elements identified as Bald Spot, Bowl Cut and Mohawk. The course offered enough openness to excite the high-horsepower entries and enough turns to give the turning types a chance at recording a competitive time. The ten-cone slalom run with increasing distances was a blast. You had to remember to keep stepping on the gas and if you were doing it correctly your foot was flat on the floor through the last few cones. Of course if you were not quite on task you ended up in the grass. I have to say I had never seen anyone in the grass at an autocross other than having lunch until
20
this event. There were also some awesome spins out of the Bowl Cut that received the appropriate crowd response. Then of course there was our typical group of autocrossers who do not spin and hit very few cones. You will find them listed at the top of the timing chart on our website. We had a lot of timing board watchers throughout the day keeping tabs on fast time of the day, and many drivers keeping track of their own times and getting more and more excited about setting personal bests throughout the day. After all, that is the goal. Speaking of fast time of day, the mark was set by Adam Jaspers in his 1978 Porsche SC race car. To tell you how competitive this event was, our perennial fast guys Alan Fritze and Doug Bartlett finished 5th and 8th respectively. It is awesome to see the growth of our autocross program, and we look forward to our three events in 2014. And not to begin pitching 2014 too quickly, but remember we will hold our autocross school in May and hope to see everyone back and welcome many of you as first-timers to autocrossing.
Left page: Adrian Walker attempts to make a hood ornament out of a pylon; Doug Bartlett and Gregg Bell keep a keen eye on the timing computer. This page, top: Chris Sulley (donning a green wig for Halloween) sends the next car out on the course with a warning via his walkie-talkie; Alan Fritze hammers his 911S through the course with his tongue-a-waggin’! DECEMBER 2013
21
From top: Autocross participants await the results of the day from Doug Bartlett during Beer:30; Erica Pederson, along with her Driving Instructor, blasts her brand new 2014 Cayman S through the twisties; Jan Rice, with Alan Fritze as her D.I. in the passenger seat, whips her Boxster S like an Army mule as she manuevers through the tricky autocross.
22
EISKHANA! Eiskhana, the slickest event of the year, is a fun way to enjoy the unique experience of driving on ice! This is a great opportunity to test your car, your tires, and your skills. The Jan. 18th event will be run like an autocross; ”cone chasing” will be required when you are not driving. Since January in Georgetown is cold and often windy, plan to dress in layers and wear warm boots, hats and gloves. Runs will be timed for purposes of bragging rights. Porsches are desired but not required—feel free to bring your winter driver with snow tires or studded tires. No pre-tech will be required and there will be no top-tech on site, but we
highly recommend de-cluttering your car before you drive. Since speeds and g-forces are low, we will not be wearing helmets. Restroom facilities will be available, but there will be no concessions or refreshments provided. There is no preregistration; just show up that morning, register, pay with cash or a check, then drive your car and help out with the event. Hint from the school of (literal) hard knocks: The ice on Georgetown Lake is very slippery and hard. Walking can be hazardous. Wearing ice grippers on your feet will help you stay upright, and upright is good.
DECEMBER 2013
23
Porsche officially reveals new Macan From Porsche press release The much anticipated Porsche Macan compact SUV, the fifth model line for Porsche, was ceremoniously unveiled to a massive international audience during a press conference at the L.A. Convention Center in Petree Hall on Nov. 15th. The Macan was the brightest but not the only highlight that Porsche brought to Los Angeles. The new 911 Turbo Cabriolet, the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, the Panamera Turbo S and Panamera Turbo S Executive, and the 918 Spyder also took bows to the many journalists either as world premieres or North American debuts. With the Macan, which comes in two models, Porsche has unmistakably created the first sports car in the fastgrowing compact SUV segment. The Macan S, powered by a 3.0-liter twinturbo V6 engine with 340 hp, can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. The Macan Turbo’s 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 produces 400 hp and makes the car sprint from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. “The Macan possesses all the qualities that have made compact SUVs so popular around the world: a practical, flexible interior; the visibility and sense of security that come with extra ride height; and the ability to traverse rough roads with ease,“ said Matthias Mueller, President of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “The Macan’s agility, grip and steering precision are easily the best in class – and the 400-horsepower Macan Turbo is certainly the most powerful in its segment,“ he added. The 2015 Porsche Macan models will arrive at U.S. dealerships in late spring of next year, with pricing set at $49,900 for the Macan S and $72,300 for the Macan Turbo.
24
5 QUESTIONS WITH JUSTIN ADIS, GM AT PRESTIGE IMPORTS: What are your first impressions of the new Macan?
“It’s stunning! The Macan represents a new segment for the Porsche brand, and another ‘first’ for the manufacturer. Porsche has done a fantastic job of listening to the demands of the consumer. Today’s buyer wants more fuel-efficient engines that produce more power and torque, fresh styling, and the latest technology. One look at the new Macan tells you that Porsche is 100% committed to thinking outside the box while remaining a leader in their market.”
How popular do you think this vehicle will be to your Colorado customers?
“The midsized SUV segment has seen very high demand since 2009. We suspect this car will hit the ground running as it represents the type of flexibility that Colorado residents require – storage capacity, power to drive at elevation and All Wheel Drive for safety and control.”
Will the Macan become the volume leader in the Porsche lineup and what impact will it have on Cayenne sales? “Porsche is halting Cayenne production in mid 2014 to properly
ramp up for the launch of the Macan. Initially, we are being told that Macan production will come from Cayenne allocation. With that said, once the initial release has occurred and production has stabilized, we foresee the Macan to be the volume leader for Porsche.“
Why do you think it took Porsche so long to come out with the Macan when the Audi Q5 on which it is based has been around for several years? “That’s a fantastic question that we have been asking ourselves (and Porsche Cars North America) for several years. If you look at production volume capabilities, it’s easy to see why Porsche comes to the table on different time frames than other manufacturers. Over the past two to three years, we have seen Porsche redesign the Cayenne, Boxster, Cayman and 911. They also introduced the Panamera. They’ve been very busy keeping their current model line-up competitive.”
Share with us some interesting facts that most people may not be aware of about the new Macan. “The Macan is capable of sending up to 100 percent of its power to either the
front or rear axle. Porsche is bringing on more than 1000 permanent workers to its Leipzig plant to prepare for production. Additionally, 400 engineers are being hired. Porsche has invested over $650 million in plant conversion needs to prepare for production.”
John L. Ranft CIMA®, MBA
Financial Advisor 5613 DTC Parkway, Suite 1000 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Tel: 303-200-9515 ▪ 1-800-999-7900
[email protected] www.wfadvisors.com/john.ranft “Helping People Maximize Their Investment Potential” RMR-PCA member since 2005
2005 Carrera S (European delivery)
Investment and Insurance Products: ▪ NOT FDIC Insured ▪ NO Bank Guarantee ▪ MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. Member SIPC., is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company ©2013 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved 1113-00585
DECEMBER 2013
25
Join us for the annual RMR Holiday Party! Registration opens on Friday, Nov. 1st and closes Tuesday, Dec. 10th. Register now at www.motorsportreg.com as this event sells out every year! 26
H
ere we are in the last month of 2013, winding down a little but also planning for 2014! For me, I plan to attend many of the same Region events that I attended this year, but I also want to get to some new (to me) events in Utah and Texas next year. Prior to attending Carrera Region’s OktoberFiesta in Las Cruces and Deming, I attended one of the events of the 356 Registry’s West Coast Holiday in Santa Fe. The concours on the plaza was outstanding, and it was quite a sight to see over 200 356s parked on the plaza’s surrounding streets, and on some of the streets that lead into the plaza. The cars ranged from 1952 to 1965; they came from all over the country, and some were shipped from overseas. It was great to walk among all of the cars and talk to the owners and spectators. Jim Puckett and his team outdid themselves in organizing and running such an excellent event. A week after the West Coast Holiday, I was in Colorado for the Denver Marathon and I was able to attend the services for the Pools, in Colorado Springs. I still find it hard to believe that they’re both gone from us, but it was nice to talk with some of their family members and PCA members on Saturday. Later in October, I joined Carrera Region for their OktoberFiesta, centered in Las Cruces. Several of us went on a driving tour on Saturday morning to Rockhound State Park and Spring Canyon State Park, with the first stop at Arroyo Seco Raceway. It was nice to see that Joe and Nancy Warren made the long trip from Colorado to join us! The tour ended back at Arroyo Seco, where we joined everyone else for lunch. Afterward, some of the tour people drove
In the zone Liz Shaw, PCA Zone 9 Representative
some sessions of the DE at the track. Dinner that night was at Hotel Encanto (event host hotel) and, as always, lots of valuable door prizes were handed out! I won a nice black hat with the Porsche crest on it. On Sunday morning, we had autocross practice sessions at the track, followed by lunch; then the timed runs were held in the afternoon. Definitely a fun weekend for everyone, and next year’s OktoberFiesta is already on my calendar! Barely a week later, I flew to Salt Lake City on November 2nd and joined InterMountain Region for a dinner at the Bohemian Brewery and Grill in Midvale (about 15 miles from downtown Salt Lake). Another fine dinner with Club members and more door prizes! I wasn’t lucky this time, but several people walked away with nice Porsche Design stuff, courtesy of Ken Garff Porsche in Utah. For next month’s report, I’ll have info about the Tech Tactics at the PCNA Training facility in Ontario, CA. I’m really looking forward to this event, as I’ve never been to a Tech Tactics. I’ll also have info on the many events I’ll be attending in December: holiday parties at four of Zone 9’s regions!
DECEMBER 2013
27
Classifieds Classified ads are free to RMR/PCA members for items personally owned by the member. No commercial ads. Ads for non-members are $10 for each month (send payment to RMR Treasurer - Roger Buswell, 1200 Greenwood Lane, Castle Rock, CO 80104). Ads must be 75 words or less. Deadline for classified ad submission is the 15th of the previous month. Member ads will run for two issues. Ads will also appear with an optional photo on the rmr.pca.org Web site. E-mail your ad to
[email protected].
porsche cars 2005 Boxster 987 - Basalt Black exterior, black top, black partial leather interior. 2ndowner car with 47,000 miles. 5-speed manual transmission. Meticulously maintained, previous CPO Boxster with all service records. Heated seats, auto climate control, sound package plus. 19” Cayman S wheels with new Bridgestone tires, new brakes. Boxster S 18” wheels with winter tires also available. Always garaged, smoke-free Boxster owned by 20-year PCA member. $21,600. Fort Collins. Contact Brian, bcoxcolorado@ gmail.com, 970-222-7803. [Nov] 2004 911 C4S Cabriolet - Lapis Blue w/ Savanna Beige rare color combination w/ matching blue top. A perfect car for those owners looking for a classic 996 Cabriolet. 77K miles, complete front nose clear mask, sport leather seats, aluminum trim package, windscreen, tiptronic, newer tires on 18” turbo twist rims. Runs and looks great; a real head turner. $38K, Call Mark 303-870-1134. [Nov] 2004 Cayenne S - Titanium/black leather. 47k miles. 2nd owner for 9.5yrs and 8.7K miles. All records. Air suspension with PASM, nav, heated seats and steering wheel, tow system, 18” turbo wheels w/ brand-new snow tires and 19” Cayenne Design wheels w/ 80%-65% tire tread. BiXenons. ECU upgrade to 356 hp. New front rotors. Preventive coolant crossover pipe recently completed. Coolant, transmission and transfer case flush complete. Many other options. Excellent mechanical condition and clean CarFax. $26,500. Rick at 303-973-1771. [Dec] 1997 Carrera Cabriolet - 60,500k, Ocean Metallic Blue over grey interior. Six-speed manual, factory Aero Kit. Two keys. Always garaged. Exceptional. Third owner, clean CarFax. Alpine radio-CD , and JL Audio
28
e4300, 4-channel amp. Porsche Badge Bright Satin wheels; TPC Supercharger kit (installed Feb 2007, $11,199), car driven mostly at/above 6,000 feet. Lube and fluids at 58,600. New windshield at 56,800. New rear tires at 57,100. Stevinson serviced. $35,500, Call Dave 719 239 0085. [Dec] 1979 911SC Coupe - Gold/brown leather interior. 114k miles. I’ve owned this beautiful car since 1986. Always garaged and covered when parked outside for more than a couple of hours. No rust, no smoking in the car. It is outfitted as it came from the factory except for clutch and chain tensioner upgrades. I have all service records since I’ve owned it. Last serviced Sept/2013 and it runs and looks great. Asking $19,500. Contact: b.steiner@ comcast.net or 970 481 2853. [Nov]
wheels/tires Set of 4 Porsche BoxsterS 19” OEM Carrera wheels with Continental Sport 2 (NO) tires - Wheels and tires are in great condition with about 2K miles on them. Front tires are 235/35 ZR19 (87Y). Rear tires are 265/35ZR-19 (94Y). $4,000.00for the set. I am happy to supply pictures if you like. Call Mark at 720-838-5294 or email me at
[email protected]. [Nov] 2008 Cayenne 20” Sport Design factory wheels w/ new (<2,500 miles) 275/40R20 Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport tires - Mounted/balanced, N0 rated (Porsche recommended), with TPMS sensors and colored emblem center caps; two small blemishes, otherwise excellent. $2000 for the set of 4. Call Karl 720-289-0987 or email
[email protected]. [Nov] Four 7X15 Faux Fuchs Wheels Polished petals and powder-coated Viper Green color) with Pilot Sport Cup Tires(205/50ZR15); one heat cycle. $800.00. Contact Dale Thero - speedster156@ gmail.com or call 720-344-0265. Also, Five 6X15 Fuchs wheels( polished petals) - Four with Pirelli 6000 Sport Veloce tires (195/60X15). $1,800.00. Contact Dale Thero -
[email protected] or call 720-3440265. [Nov] OZ Racing Alleggerita HLT 18” Orange wheels off my Cayman S - Very light 17lb front – 9 inch/18.5lb rear -10 inch custom width Porsche 5x130 bolt pattern with standard offset. I also have a good set of NITTO NT-01 tires mounted with lots of
track time. Asking $2200.00 Call John 719231-5181. [Dec] 4 Sumitomo HTR ZIII Performance Tires on 18” BBS Porsche OE Sport Design Alloy Wheels - 225/40ZR18 92Y on 7.5JX18 ET 50 (996.362.134.55) and 285/30ZR18 97Y on 10JX18 ET 65 (996.362.140.05). Less than 1200 miles on tires. Some road rash on two wheels, but straight and true. No center caps. Asking $950. Please call Jim at 970232-4936 or email
[email protected]. [Dec] 4 Pirelli ScottZero Winter 240 Snow Tires mounted on 18” Porsche Panamera Wheels - Two 245/50R18 wheels and tires; two 275/45R18 wheels and tires. Excellent condition, less than 2000 mi. $1200 obo for the set of wheels and tires. Call Bill at 720982-3477 or email williamamueller@gmail. com. [Dec]
miscellaneous 2004 Audi Allroad - 2.7L Turbo, 97,300 mi, one owner PCA member 27 yrs, Silver/ black leather, all service records, Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires, working air lift system. Car is a real performer, snow, ice, mtns. Great ski car, everyday driver. Car has all the standard goodies plus Premium and Cold Weather Packages. $9,000 OBO. Call Mike @720-389-7000 or superdont@ comcast.net. [Dec] Porsche 944 Turbo Car Cover - Light tan, soft cover for indoor use. Clean and in excellent condition, this cover was made for and fits very nicely on a 944/951 body (all years). Not suitable for outdoor use when rain or snow is expected. $50. Contact Bob at 505-412-3101 (Larkspur). [Dec] Porsche 944 Turbo Factory Service Manuals - Full set of factory service manuals for the Porsche 944 and Turbo. Far superior to Haynes and related aftermarket manuals. $200 OBRO. Contact Bob at 505-412-3101 (Larkspur). [Dec] OEM/Modified sport exhaust system for 996 - $375. Low-mile OEM 996 muffler pair modified by “Bud’s” with the Gundo/Fister/ Porsche Sport Exhaust mod. They sound great--throaty under throttle but with no drone and quiet under part throttle while cruising. 2” bypass pipe welded between intake and output pipe. Donor mufflers were from a low-mileage 2004 Carrera. Includes MkII type oval tips. Denver area. Contact
[email protected]. [Nov]
Tech talk
Tips to buy tires: Buying and owning winter tires Courtesy of Goodyear.com by the Stevinson Automotive staff
For those considering winter tires, here are some quick and helpful facts to help you make an informed decision and determine whether they are right for you. Tread Compound & Design: Most winter tires feature specialized tread compounds and advanced tread designs that help provide superior traction and shorter stopping distance. Between all-season and winter tires, winter tires will provide improved braking performance. Road Conditions: In addition to harsh winter weather, if you encounter many hills or sharp corners in your area, you might want the winter-ready traction and control of winter tires. Additionally, unplowed snow, slush or ice can be a hazard to you when driving, and winter tires can help you face that challenge. Weather Conditions: Many people wonder how harsh the weather needs to be in order to get winter tires. The general consensus is that if you live in a place where the winter temperature is consistently below 45F/7.2C, or where you’re forced to drive in challenging winter conditions, winter tires may be a good choice for you. While all-season tires can provide some traction for wet and snowy conditions, there is no denying the enhanced traction and grip that winter tires provide to help create a more comfortable winter driving experience. Performance: When shopping for tires, keep in mind that your vehicle’s starting, stopping and turning abilities ultimately come down to the amount of traction your tires can offer on snowy or icy road surfaces. Also, remember that it is best practice to switch out your tires when springtime arrives. Be sure to store them in a cool, dry place during the warmer months of the year. Winter tires are not manufactured year round so there is a limited supply. Visit www.stevinsonimports.com/TireCenter to shop their selection today!
DRIVER COACHING Get the most from your track time with instruction from Scott Anderson, a professional driver from Colorado currently competing in the Pro Mazda Championship Series! Scott is experienced in working with professional instructors from the Skip Barber Racing School including Peter Dempsey, Derek Daly and others. Scott is also the 2011 Skip Barber National Series Champion and the winner of the MAZDASPEED Development Driver/Scholarship.
Develop precision and speed Improve your skills & confidence Specific instruction tailored to you or your group/team’s needs Accomplish your driving or racing goals Corporate track days for team building or client appreciation Video analysis and post training report included for every client
Scott Anderson, 970-219-8776
[email protected] www.scottandersonracing.com
DECEMBER 2013
29
I get around Dick Badler, RMR/PCA Columnist
All I want for ... It’s a short list this year. I could zap through the usual Porsche paraphernalia; the sunglasses, the watch, the cap, the tee shirt, the work shirt, the key fob, the scale model of what you’ll buy when you win the lottery. But, guess what, I’ve been on this planet long enough to have amassed them all, including a collection of toy Porsches, replete with opening doors and vestigial suspensions. The irony is, the cars all came with a note attached, saying something to the effect of “Since you said you wanted a Carrera GT, we thought we’d. ...” It’s funny the first time. No, this year, my list is short. Very short. But it’s heartfelt. No schmaltz, no pizazz, no materialism. I don’t even want a gift certificate to the Porsche boutique at my local dealer. So, here it is ... 1. National WiFi. That’s right. Think about the ramifications. First, inside the Beltway. Want to propose legislation in Washington that might actually unify our elected officials? Something that would take the national consciousness off Obamacare and the Congressional Civil War? Here it is. Can it be done? What do I know. I’m not a tech geek. All I know is that we can split an atom. We can tell the color of a woman’s painted toes from 100 miles out in space. We can fly a drone over Mideast war-space from an airbase outside Las Vegas. We can identify millions of planets just like ours, the same size and the same distance from their respective suns, all in our own galaxy. We can send an orbiter to Mars, and have it sift the Martian landscape for vestiges of water. The cost? Again, I have no clue. But it’s bound to cost a lot less than what it takes to build yet another nuclear aircraft carrier, and run a carrier battle group for a year, a week, a day. Would it be disruptive? If you’re Sirius XM, definitely. But Blockbuster probably said the same thing about video streaming. And I’m sure the telephone companies would have a fit. To which I would say, cut up the country and give them disparate regions, in which they would be the provider. Then, presto, you’re back to regional Baby Bells. For them, the old could be new again. Think about it. You wouldn’t have to search for Boingo hot spots. In the car, you wouldn’t need a cellular signal whose fragility becomes a raving irritation as soon as you leave urban areas. You could dial up TuneIn Radio or Pandora or Spotify and have access to virtually unlimited programming sources, from anywhere on earth, anywhere you are on earth. And, of course, here’s the clincher: In this season of giving, just ponder a while about the good it would do, especially for those who can’t afford or don’t have access to WiFi. I rest my case. 2. A nominally priced Porsche sports car. The headline in the Nov. 4, 2013 Wall Street Journal was “At Porsche, SUVs Poised to Overtake Sports Cars.” The
30
subhead was “Street Racers That Built Its Reputation Are in Race with SUVs for Sales Crown.” That’s right, friends, in the interest of Ferdinand Piech’s sales goals, Porsche’s going where the volume is. And the volume is in lower-priced mass-audience vehicles. Don’t take my word for it, just look around, when you’re idling at the next stoplight . . . what do you see? A sea of SUVs. Some of them even handle reasonably well ... for an SUV. Like an SUV called the Macan. Let’s face it. The cheapest sports car that Porsche makes, the standard Boxster, with limited options (if there is such a thing) is bound to be over $60k these days. Which means, let’s face it again, 20 and 30-somethings, unless they’re on a partner track at a hedge fund or Goldman Sachs, are not going to buy one. At least not now. Which means that Porsche’s audience is relatively affluent and older, and getting older by the year. Very soon, if you see a younger customer at a Porsche dealer, the customer will be there to buy a Macan, because there’s no other reason why they’d be there. Today, you don’t see younger customers, except on the used car lot. Which means something has to be done to entice younger people to the enthusiast fold. Like a fun car that they might actually want, and can afford to buy. Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against SUVs in principle. They’re the modern version of the station wagon, aren’t they? Perfectly fine utilitarian vehicles that, with a lot of massaging, can actually handle reasonably well ... for an SUV. Did I say that again? Yes, I did. Glad you noticed. We know that design, engineering, and marketing exercises for an entry level sports car are kicking around Stuttgart and Wolfsburg and Ingolstadt. How do we know? We saw them on the floors of auto shows, a few years ago. Soon after, VW AG scoffed and said the market wasn’t there to justify production. My interpretation, however, is that they suddenly were afraid they’d cannibalize higher-priced and higher-margin offerings ... uh, like the Macan will do to the Cayenne? Like the Cayman does to the 911? In other words, the logic doesn’t hold up today. The other argument was that they would cheapen the brand. But, hey, if Porsche believes that today, they’d never develop the Macan. Remember when the Cayenne first came out? We all said we really don’t care what Porsche builds, as long as it continues to build sports cars. And, if the profits get rolled over to our beloved sports cars, that’s fine too. I’m afraid that logic may be falling by the wayside, in the interest of volume targets. And I don’t like what that portends. Come on, Porsche, a $30K sports car that will run rings around every hot hatch out there. It’s not that complicated. 3. World peace. No? Am I reaching here? Ok, maybe we’ll start with that next year. Happy Holidays.
RMR Annual Holiday Party!
This month’s random question asked to five random members:
“How many Porsches have you owned and which one was your favorite?”
December 14th, 2013
This year’s holiday party will take place at the glamorous Glenmoor Country Club, 110 Glenmoor Drive in Cherry Hills Village. Reserve your place at the table now for this year’s festivus by going online to www.motorsportreg.com. Hurry! Registration cut-off date is only a few days away on Tuesday, Dec. 10th. Doors open for check-in at 5:30 p.m., and the festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. with happy hour, cash bar and appetizers. Dinner will be served at 7:00 p.m. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to our US Marines guests for the “Toys for Tots Drive”; checks or cash are also acceptable and appreciated. You will be giving a special gift to a needy child. For those who want to stay overnight in a nearby hotel, a special rate has been given to the RMR at the Marriott Denver Tech Center (4900 S. Syracuse St., Denver). To make a reservation there, call 1-888-238-1491 and ask for the special Porsche Club room block “DEC2014”. Be sure to thank your hostesses for this year’s party: Marcia Hubbell
[email protected], 303-771-1019 Kathy Fricke
[email protected], 303-499-6540 Nancy Warren (event registrar)
[email protected], 303-604-1289
Brian Leary
“Three: Arena Red 1989 944, Seal Gray 2004 Boxster ‘S’, Arctic Silver 2007 Cayman. While I really miss my 944, as I loved the color and the great lines, I never drove it. My favorite is the Cayman because it is being used as designed track duty!”
Ben Porter
“Ice Green ‘79, Grey Market 911 SC, ‘78 924 and my current Guards Red ‘99 Boxster. Miss the SC....”
Diane Collier
“Seven. Ron and I started with a ‘79 Petrol Blue 924, then another 924, a ‘74 914 2.0L, ‘74 911 coupe, ‘84 944, ‘01 Boxster, and our newest addition; an ‘87 Guards Red 944. My favorite is the 911 which has been my track car for many years.”
Abe Schlott
“Six: ‘87 911 Targa, ‘08 Boxster S, ‘07 Cayman S, ‘08 Cayenne GTS, ‘13 Cayenne Diesel. But the favorite would be our new 2012 GT3 RS 4.0!”
Jesse Wurmbrand
“I come up with eleven, but I think I’m forgetting two: ‘83 SC, ‘95 993, ‘83 E stock race car, ‘69 Leaf Green T, ‘72S, ‘70S, ‘72T, ‘71 soft window targa, ‘70E, Another ‘83 SC, and finally, an ‘08 Turbo Cayenne. The Turbo Cayenne is the best day to day, but the ‘70E was my favorite of all.” DECEMBER 2013
31
Monthly board meetings are always open to club members. See the list of upcoming events (next page) for schedule. You may contact the entire board at
[email protected]. To volunteer to be an RMR Board member, submit your intent by September so the Nomination Committee can add you to the ballot in October for club voting in November. Most positions are two-year terms.
Region coordinators Charity/Good Works Luann Dodge:
[email protected] Chief Driving Instructor Doug Bartlett: 970.214.7279,
[email protected] Control Chief George Strimbu: 303.726.5567,
[email protected] Equipment Keith Hall: 303.940.7958,
[email protected] Historian Amy Legg-Rogers: 970.686.0538,
[email protected] Insurance Troy Nakatani: 720.402.1080,
[email protected] Programs/Socials Erik Behrendsen: 303.840.7361,
[email protected] Registration Tim Bevan: 817.304.0624,
[email protected] Safety Todd Nelson: 970.223.8716,
[email protected] Tech Inspection Tommy Dean: 303.548.0931,
[email protected] Timing Joe Warren: 303.604.1289,
[email protected] Webmaster Scott Rogers: 970.686.0538,
[email protected] Zone 9 Representative Liz Shaw: 505-231-7003,
[email protected]
Technical resources 356 Jim Kellogg: 303.840.2356,
[email protected] 911 Dave Stribling: 303.238.8101,
[email protected] 912 Rob Heath: 303.995.1147,
[email protected] 914 Dale Tuety: 303.670.1279,
[email protected] 924 Dan Semborski: 303.420.2708,
[email protected] 928 Volunteer to be the RMR 928 specialist and help others! 944 Richard Winnick: 303.429.5213,
[email protected] 968 Zach Schroeder: 970.229.0990,
[email protected] Boxster/Cayman Doug Bartlett: 970.214.7279,
[email protected] Cayenne Steve Schroeder: 970.229.0990,
[email protected]
32GT2, GT3, Cup Cars
Chris Cervelli: 303.809.6173,
[email protected]
RMR-PCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CAMA Representative Walt Fricke: 303.499.6540,
[email protected]
President
Rick Gonçalves
[email protected] H: 303.697.1960
Vice President
Jim Widrig
[email protected] H:303.655.7495 C: 720.883.6071
Second Vice President
John Mackin
[email protected] H:303.665.9579 C: 303.641.6479
Treasurer
Roger Buswell
[email protected] W: 303.660.6199
Secretary
Scott Henderson
[email protected] C: 303.521.9007
Membership Chair
Nancy Warren
[email protected] H: 303.604.1289
Newsletter Editor
David Schmidt
[email protected] C: 303.662.1162
Past President
Rex Heck
[email protected] H: 303.841.8124
Upcoming events
What we do Whether your tastes are social, technical, or competitive, RMR has something for you! You can have fun in your Porsche by particip ating in driver education and time trials at area tracks, autocrosses, rallies, tours, tech sessions, car shows and more.
DRIVING EVENTS Tour A tour is a non-competitive driving event in which participants follow a given route to a destination (which may or may not be known in advance). A tour may vary in length from a day trip to a long weekend with an overnight stay or two. Tours usually follow scenic routes (which are plentiful in Colorado) and/ or visit interesting or obscure destinations. Tours are sometimes combined with rallies to add variety and a dose of competition to the event. RMR hosts at least one tour each year; AMR typically offers several. A number of tours are usually offered at Porsche Parade as well. Rally A rally is a competitive event in which contestants attempt to follow a course specified by a set of instructions. Rallies are typically run on public, paved roads, and speed limits are always observed. The two major types of rallies are the Time-SpeedDistance (TSD) rally and the Gimmick rally. In a TSD rally, participants attempt to follow the instructions precisely, maintaining the correct speed, as points are deducted for arriving at checkpoints (the locations of which are not known in advance) early or late. A Gimmick rally is typically a bit less rigid and usually involves solving puzzles of some type. Between RMR and AMR, a handful of rallies— at least one of each type—are offered. Porsche Parade also hosts a TSD rally, and sometimes a Gimmick rally, each year. Autocross (AX) An autocross is a competition in which drivers navigate their cars through a course defined by orange cones, usually in a large parking lot. Top speeds are generally moderate, topping out around 40-65 MPH (no higher than second gear for many cars). Competing cars are spaced at long intervals— typically only one or two cars are on the course at any time. Autocross is a safe way to experience high-performance driving while learning to drive your car at its limit. Together, RMR and AMR host several autocross events each year, including Eiskhana (essentially
an autocross on the ice!) in the winter and an AX school in the spring. Additionally, autocross is a major event at Porsche Parade. Driver Education (DE) A driver education event provides a safe, controlled environment for high-performance driving instruction. DE offers drivers of all skill levels the opportunity to hone their driving skills, with the help of an experienced instructor, in a controlled, closed-course environment. In keeping with PCA philosophy, the primary emphasis at all times is on safety. A word of warning, though: the DE experience may be habit-forming! As DE events are not racing, nor preparation for racing, lap times are not recorded. However, some DE events are followed immediately by a time trial event, which gives drivers a chance to quantify their performance. Lap times may then be used to measure personal improvement, for bragging rights, etc. RMR hosts six DE’s each year at High Plains Raceway, with AMR hosting several more at the La Junta, Pueblo and (possibly in the future) Pike’s Peak International Raceway tracks. Club Race A club race is a wheel-to-wheel racing event. A race weekend consists of a number of practice sessions and “heats” (race sessions), often involving both “sprint” and “endurance” races. As a Club Racing license (issued by PCA National) is required for competition, club racers are serious and experienced drivers. The cars they bring with them to the track can be quite impressive! As a point of interest, the PCA Club Racing program was inaugurated with the RMR-hosted “First Ever Anywhere” club race at Second Creek in 1992. Because of the logistics involved in an event of this magnitude, a club race requires a legion of volunteers. However, it is also one of most exciting events to participate in, so be sure to sign up! RMR hosts one club race each year at High Plains Raceway which, combined with a Driver Education event, adds up to one thrilling weekend!
NON-DRIVING EVENTS Membership Social Membership socials provide an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet new members. Historically, a membership meeting begins with a social hour with a cash bar, followed by the evening’s program. The content of the program varies, sometimes featuring a “slide show” from a recent event, or a guest speaker such as accomplished Speed World Challenge racer Randy Pobst. Membership socials, unless otherwise stated, are held the first Thursday of the month. Different venues and topics will keep the meetings fresh and inviting. Watch HighGear and the RMR Web site for details. If you have any ideas for a program, talk to the Committee Chair or a Board member! Tech Session A tech session is just what it sounds like–a session in which a technical topic is discussed. Not just for gearheads, a tech session may demonstrate practical, “do-it-yourself” procedures such as brake bleeding. Tech sessions are usually presented by
experienced Porsche technicians, many of whom are sponsors of RMR events and High Gear. RMR hosts a few tech sessions each year, typically in the “off months” when few driving events take place. In addition, numerous tech sessions are offered at Porsche Parade. Concours d’Elegance A concours is essentially a car show, in which contestants endeavor to present their cars in as close to “perfect” condition as possible. A number of judged categories usually exist, typically differentiating between types of cars (e.g. 356, Boxster) and level of preparation (“daily driver” or “full preparation” or somewhere in between). Cars sometimes may be entered as “display only,” for owners who wish to participate but not compete. RMR participates in a handful of local concours events each year, including the annual Exotic Sports Car Show and Concours d’Elegance, benefiting United Cerebral Palsy Colorado. The annual Porsche Parade also hosts a major concours each year.
December Sat 12/14 RMR Holiday Party Glenmoor Country Club Cherry Hills Village Sat 12/14 Porsche Breakfast Club Village Inn restaurant 4100 E. Mexico, Denver
January Mon 1/6
RMR Board Meeting 6:30pm at RG and Associates
Sat 1/9
Membership Social 3R Racing 3701 S. Kalamanth St., Englewood, CO
Sat 1/11
Porsche Breakfast Club Village Inn restaurant 4100 E. Mexico, Denver
Sat 1/18 Eiskhana Georgetown Lake
Driver Coaching Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø
Individual or small group coaching For novice drivers to experienced racers 13 years experience in-car coaching Successful SCCA, PCA and NASA racer Pre and post track day consultation included Extremely affordable rates References available Guaranteed results
Joe Rothman
720-350-4918 Cell 720-382-6167
[email protected] DECEMBER 2013
33
In the rearview mirror Amy Legg-Rogers, Historian
RMR Holiday Party revisited 25 years later The 1988 RMR Christmas Dinner and Award Banquet was held at the elegant Rattlesnake Club in Denver. Event Chairman, Laurie McDonald, arranged an incredible meal for $25 per person. The whole top floor of the restaurant was reserved for PCA. Door Prize Chairman, Bill Hubbell, outdid himself with some very nice door prizes, including a Porsche Ski Jacket, a one-of-a-kind 944 billboard, and several ski racks.
34
Trivia Answers: 1. 1965.; 2. 1956 red 356 Speedster; 3. Peter Gregg & Hurley Haywood (racing for Brumos); 4. 345hp; 5. Stuttgart/Zuffenhausen, Ludwigsburg, Weissach, Leipzig
the absolute opposite of Ordinary
|
intrOducing the new ghibli frOm $65,600*
|
maseratighibli.us
The new MaseraTi Ghibli is powered by a choice of Two advanced v6 enGines wiTh up To 404 hp, equipped wiTh 8-speed Zf auToMaTic TransMission and available q4 inTelliGenT all-wheel drive.
Maserati of DeNVer
*Maserati Ghibli base MSRP $65,600, not including dealer prep and transportation. Dealer price may vary. Taxes, title and registration fees not included. © 2013 Maserati North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Maserati and the Trident logo are registered trademarks of Maserati S.p.A. Maserati urges you to obey all posted speed limits.
The key To an exTraordinary life is quite literally a key.
Schedule a test drive: 303.730.7340 | www.maseratiofdenver.com | 1480 E. County Line Rd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
