Vice President - Rocky Mountain Region Porsche Club

COMMEMORATING PORSCHE FELLOWSHIP IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
RMR.PCA.ORG
This month:
Club Race!
Autocross Results
Fall Tours
Drive for the Kids
Miller Motorsports
●
OCTOBER 2013
In Loving Memory Of
Jerry Schouten
JUNE 3, 1948 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2013
We lost a great man, not a good one.
Constant provider of unconditional love.
Believing and Selfless to the end.
Godspeed Jerry!
2
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Vol. 67, Edition 9 • August 2013
Editor: David Schmidt, Asst. Editor: Bill Terry
Presidential thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Positive offset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Trivia/Advertiser index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Membership musings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Membership social. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Deja Vu DE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Miller Motorsports Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Drive for the Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
OktoberFAST DE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Club Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Broadmoor brunch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
RMR Board of Directors Nominees . . . . . . . . . 24
Eight maidens a-racing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
In the zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
In the spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
I get around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
TakeFive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Board of Directors/Coordinators. . . . . . . . . . . . 36
What we do/Upcoming events. . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Rearview mirror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
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
Klaus Viljanmaa in car #222, leads a bevy of beautiful GT3
Cup cars (at left, Les Long in #496 and Kyosti Viljanmaa in car
#256 on the right) around the track at HPR during this year’s
annual Club Race.
OCTOBER 2013
3
Presidential thoughts
Rick Gonçalves, President
J
erry Schouten was my friend.
Judging from the number
of people who attended his
memorial service, everyone
was his friend. But that was
the kind of person he was.
He always had time for you to
answer a question about your car or
his or cars in general. As you have
probably guessed by now, I knew
Jerry through our club and through
racing. He loved racing and I loved
racing with him. He was one of my first “rabbits.” Back
when he would race his yellow number 911 Porsche 911 (I
never have heard how he got such a classic number!), we
would race together in the same PCA Club Race race group.
I don’t know how many times we would practice all day
Saturday, and after qualifying on Sunday, I would typically
have a faster qualifying time than he would. He, therefore,
would start just behind me, but somehow, after the melée of
the start, there he would be, just in front of me!
In the early years, when I was less experienced than he,
off he would go. More recently, it took maybe a couple
of laps for him to get by me, if I had had a great start and
stayed ahead of him, but inevitably, no matter how well I
drove, he’d pass me. I would be able to stay on his tail for
a long time, mirroring what he was doing, but inevitably
again, he would start to pull away and beat me. No matter
what I did, I never was able to beat him. He was just a great
driver! But, almost always, he would come over after one of
my particularly hard fought attempts to try to beat him and
congratulate me on how well he thought I had driven! That
is how selfless he was.
Selfless. That was the adjective most characteristic of
Jerry that I heard used at the memorial service. As a side
note, for those of you who didn’t attend the service, I have
to pass on what I think was the most humorous of Jerry’s
aphorisms that was recounted that day. Jerry always wore
T-shirts with pockets. I hadn’t remembered that until I was
reminded at the service. He said he always wore T-shirts
with pockets “Because T-shirts without pockets are just
underwear!”
Back to selflessness, though. He would always have time
for you. He would listen, be engaged, and genuinely try to
solve your problems, whether they were about cars, boats,
or life in general. Off the track, I saw the selflessness he
exhibited in the time we spent during the years the car clubs
were actively looking for a track, then finally during the
design of HPR. While not a part of the active design team,
he was always there to answer construction questions, or to
so tactfully make suggestions from time to time. Perhaps
4
his greatest demonstration of his
selflessness, however, may have
been one of his last. Glenn Conser,
manager of HPR, who arrived at the
scene of Jerry’s accident to assist,
recalled how, as he and others were
putting Jerry on the gurney to put
him in the ambulance, Jerry looked
into his eyes and told him how sorry
he was to have messed things up!
That was Jerry!
We are going to miss him.
Last month I wrote about the importance of safety and
how the safety provisions that Jerry had in his car, that we
all have, saved him from death from the physical crash.
Unfortunately, it was the effects from the fire that ultimately
killed him despite all the best in fire suits and fuel cells. It
needs to be further said, however, that it was through the
heroic efforts of Martin Smith and other first responders,
Mike Forster and Ken Provasis, that Jerry was extricated at
all from the fireball that his car had become. Martin was
first on the scene, another racer, who “broke the rules” and
drove off the track right behind Jerry to offer his assistance.
He jumped out and began extinguishing the flames with his
small in-car fire extinguisher.
Mike and Ken, corner workers at Turn 11 and both
trained at the SCCA Crash and Burn School, ran to and
arrived at the scene of the burning car within 15 seconds
with fire extinguishers from Turn 11, but since neither Mike
nor Ken were wearing a fire suit, they were unable to open
the door of Jerry’s car, which was already too hot to handle.
It was Martin, with his racing suit on, who was able to open
the door and eventually get Jerry out of the flaming car, while
Mike and Ken fought not only the car fire, but the ensuing
grass and spilled-gasoline fire. Even as he was running to
the scene, Ken was calling on the radio for more help from
the fire truck and ambulance, both of which, along with the
corner worker truck with its fire bottles, arrived one or two
minutes later. I learned later that the fire was so extensive
that all twenty of the fire bottles on the fire truck, and all the
other fire bottles as well, were exhausted fighting the fire. It
was through those heroic efforts of Martin, Ken, and Mike
that Jerry was pulled out of his car alive. Unfortunately, the
burn injuries were so severe that Jerry could not overcome
them.
Thanks, also, to the efforts of the emergency crews and
to Drs. Bo Jenson, Lisa Hunsicker, and Krista Turner, MD.
I will miss Jerry. We all will miss him. Jerry passed away
following his life’s passion. Godspeed, Jerry!
Come to the Oktoberfest membership meeting to see
the presentation of the 2013 slate of officers.
OCTOBER 2013
5
Positive offset
David Schmidt, Editor
C
ontent for your lovely little RMR newsletter seems
to be akin to the rain in this semi-arid, high desert
we call home: it either pours in like the deluge our
state recently got hammered with or it sprinkles in
rather sparsely with small, easily controllable appearances.
The summer months, especially those just before and
just after Club Race (not just one, but two of ‘em!), is the
monsoon season as far as HighGear is concerned. Photos
flood my email and our club’s Facebook site is awash in
imagery of every kind. Without much effort, stories also flow
in on an uncontrollable surge and I find myself swimming
through an immense collection of fascinating articles and
happenings. I tried to capture as many as I could, without
expanding this magazine into a giant-sized issue requiring
some sort of fancy perfect binding and busting our budget
like a 75-year-old levee off the coast of New Orleans.
I want to thank all those that snapped all those photos
and all those that took the time to capture, in writing, all
those events they took part in. The constant stream of
content was at first welcome and exciting and soon become
so massive that I found myself up to my neck, adrift in a
flotsam of Porsche-related subject matter, and I knew there
would be no way to get even a bucketful of it into this issue.
I had set aside quite a few things from Porsche itself:
the new 918 Spyder is under way now (on Sept. 18th, per
those clever German clockwatchers) and set a new record at
the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the Macan has been spotted
sneaking around and tested at various places in Europe, and
the 911 Turbo also came up for (forced) air to the delight
of many, and finally, the new Porsche 911 Carrera 4S was
recently hailed as Motor Trend’s Best Driver’s Car of 2013.
But all of these stories can be easily found online and
covered in much more depth than I could possibly hope to
here in the pages of our club newsletter.
For those who have never been, you simply must get
over to Prestige Imports for their annual Octoberfest. Yes, in
years past they’ve had some issues with long lines for food
and perhaps they ran out of your favorite bottle of ice-cold
Paulaner Pilsner, but this year they are going all out and
even got permission to shut down a portion of Garrison
Street just for their bash. They’ve even included a juried car
show. It is going to be spectacular. Do not miss this one.
It’s also that time of the year to vote on our nominated
RMR members who want to do a bit more and are seeking
your vote for membership into the RMR Board of Directors.
Please acknowledge their efforts (and bravery) with a wellplaced vote.
Lastly, I must apologize to Bruce McPherson and Cecil
Morris for some errors in last month’s issue. By an editorial
oversight, the final formula in “Zen and the Art of High
Performance Driving – Part 2” in the September HighGear
was incorrect. The correct formula follows:
Zen = (V => I => G =>W), (V => I => G =>W) … , which
means a continuously repeated cycle of Vision leading
to Driver Input leading to G-Loading leading to Weight
Transfer … and so forth.
Another correction to last month’s issue: The photos in
Chris Lennon’s story about the Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb
in the September issue were taken by Cecil Morris, except as
otherwise indicated on page 21.
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.
Driver
Coaching
Take the
RMR Trivia Ch
and check you allenge
r ans
on page 38 to wers
see
how you did!
Ø
Ø
This month’s trivia questions:
Ø
1. In honor of Octoberfest, what three colors make up the German
flag and in what order are they from top to bottom?
2. In 2001, Porsche partnered with this motorcycle company to
help build the liquid-cooled engines on their all-new and fastest
production bike ever. Who was the builder and what was the
name of the motorcycle?
3. Since its inception in 1949, Porsche has manufactured how many
front-engined models?
4. Name the heads of the Porsche company in order.
5. On what make and model vehicle was Porsche’s PFM-3200
engine used?
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
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References available
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Joe Rothman
720-350-4918
Cell 720-382-6167
[email protected]
Advertiser index
3R Racing/Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3Zero3 Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Autoworks Colorado. . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Avalon Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Boulder Orthotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Bruce McPherson, Driver Coach. . . . 26
CarQuip/Remington West Carz. . . . . 30
Dan Fead, Sothebys Realty. . . . . . . . . 2
Dart Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Dave Brown, Targa Tops. . . . . . . . . . . 5
Eisenbuds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Eurosport Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Maserati of Denver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
GastroMD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Hoosier Tires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Joe Rothman, Driver Coach . . . . . . . . 3
Lotus of Denver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Marc Jones Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Nine Lives Racing Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Prestige Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
RaceKraft & Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Stevinson Imports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Storz Garage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Unique Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
>=@A163’;3@1323A’/C27’DE
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%'$DOZZSX]Ab`SSb’2S\dS`1=& "’!!& #! ’eee3WaS\PcRaQ][
OCTOBER 2013
7
Membership musings
Nancy Warren, Membership Chair
F
all has fallen—finally! The temperatures have cooled
and there are just a few remaining driving events.
Summer has driven by us and we are looking in our
rearview mirror at the 2013 driving season …
However, there is still time to attend a DE
weekend at High Plains and an Autocross at Front Range
Airport. Registration is open on motorsportreg.com. If those
two driving events are not enough, then AMR is having a DE
weekend at La Junta.
This month’s membership social will be at Prestige Imports
for their annual Oktoberfest! The date is Thursday, October
10, and the time is 4-8 p.m. This year there will be a juried car
show that will include both late model and classic luxury and
performance vehicles. The entry fees will benefit The Foothills
Animal Shelter. Also, there will be a short membership
meeting and the slate of officers for the 2014 RMR Board will
be introduced.
PCA has 140 regions that are divided into 13 zones
throughout the United States and Canada. Rocky Mountain
Region (central and northern CO, southeastern WY and the
southwestern tip of NE) is in Zone 9, along with our sister
region to the south, Alpine Mountain Region (southern CO),
Roadrunner Region (most of NM and southwestern CO),
Intermountain Region (UT and southwest WY), Carrera Region
(southern NM and the western tip of TX), Llano Estacado
Region (Amarillo, TX, and the TX and OK panhandles), and
West Texas Region (Lubbock, Midland and south TX). As you
can see, Zone 9 stretches all the way from the Big Bend of the
Rio Grande to the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The regions have a variety of events: DEs, AXs, socials,
tours and rallies; and Rocky Mountain and Intermountain
Regions each have a PCA Club Race in addition to all the other
activities! Why not try an event in one of the other Zone 9
Regions? You might just like it and have a good time! There
is still time to attend PCA events in the other regions this fall.
Some regions are busier than others but every one has at least
one event scheduled. If you do activities in the other regions
in Zone 9 then you just might win a trophy! To win, simply
travel to more Zone 9 Regions for PCA events than any other
member. It doesn’t matter what kind of event as long as it is on
the region’s calendar.
Please remember to renew your RMR/PCA membership at
pca.org and to keep your member information up to date. You
do not want to miss out on any of the happenings of RMR.
Welcome our new members!
8
Darin & Carolyn Autry
Morrison CO
1976 911S, Red
Corey & Katie Gray
Parker CO
1997 993, Red
Steve Mounts
Highlands Ranch CO
2003 Carrera 4S, Blue
Bruce Banning
Broomfield CO
2002 911, Gray
Caleb Johnson
Denver CO
1989 Carrera 4, Red
Jay & Barbara Newkirk
Loveland CO
1984 911, White
Colin Barton
Lakewood CO
2002 911 Turbo, Silver
Chris Johnson
Golden CO
2014 Cayman S, Silver
Eduardo & Anita Pajon
Parker CO
1965 356
Mark & Heidi Biglione
Centennial CO
2002 911 Turbo, Gray
Jim Kennedy
Castle Pines CO
2012 991, Black
Scott Smith
Milliken CO
2006 Cayman S, Red
Robert Black & Stephanie Mounts
Lakewood CO
2002 911, Black
Norm Kowitz
Golden CO
1980 930
Alex Stern
Boulder CO
2003 Carrera 4S, Blue
Luke Boswell & Rob Wamberg
Highlands Ranch CO
2002 Boxster S, Silver
Jerry Mabary
Littleton CO
2008 Cayman S, Red
Bruce Van Slyke & Parker Van Slyke
Denver CO
1969 911E, Silver
Kurt Dusek
Denver CO
1986 911, Red
Radin Mirshahi & Bahar Esmaili
Broomfield CO
2004 Carrera, Gray
October Membership Social
to be hosted by
Prestige Imports!
This month’s Membership Social is part of the annual fabulous
Octoberfest hosted in spectacular fashion by Prestige Imports! This is
an event not to miss and this year they are going all out with a magical
evening of German cuisine, beverages, music and authentic Bavarian
band with dancers. This year’s Octoberfest will also include a judged and
juried car show with benefits going to the Foothills Animal Shelter. To
better accomodate the ever-growing number of guests, Prestige Imports is
closing down Garrison Street north of Colfax and bringing in extra large
tents with expanded food lines and an unforgettable “block party” feel for
this light-hearted and very special celebration.
Thursday,
October 10, 2013
4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
9201 W. Colfax Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80215
OCTOBER 2013
9
Old age, experience & cunning vs. youth & skill
By Margaret Henderson
Where do you fall? It seems the Sept.
7th autocross “Deja Vu All Over Again
(but more simple)” was a great success.
It was fast and hot. Best run of the
day was Alan Fritze with a 35.803 on
the Doug Bartlett-designed course,
followed closely by Eugene Yen and
Sarah Henderson.
The fast course gave rise to a few
overcooked finishes and the “Chicage
Stop Box” corner crew got a workout.
Somehow, the timing boxes remained
intact. Good thing, because everyone
enjoyed seeing their times up in
lights. Nice placement of the timing
board, Keith Hall! What a great way
to inspire and intimidate the folks
waiting at grid. The competition was
friendly, but fierce. There was even a
side competition for most number of
cones wiped out in a single run.
Doug captured some amazing
video footage with the GoPro camera
mounted to his stock Cayman S. Jump
online and surf over to http://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=IjKuou1ZWfE
as well as http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=iO18Sq7BHgI to watch these
awesome clips with glorious audio
captured by an external microphone
attached right next to the car’s
combustion air intake vent. If you’ve
never autocrossed, just watching this
video alone should convince you
to get off your derriere and take the
opportunity to drive your Porsche the
way it was meant to be driven (at a safe
and controlled location nonetheless).
Six or seven “newbies” joined the
group for a great day of fun, adrenaline,
embellished stories, pretty cars, loud
cars, smoking tires and doughnuts
(unintentional & otherwise), family
competitions and Beer:30. What a
great way to spend a Saturday!
If you couldn’t make it out for this
event, don’t despair. You still have
one last chance this race season. On
October 26, Chris Sulley will host a
season final autocross at Front Range
Airport.
And on a personal note to my sister
Sarah: Dad needs your Visa number
for the new tires you are buying him!
10
photos by
Sam Reiser
2301 West Cornell Street
Englewood, Colorado, 80113
Main:
Fax:
(720) 235.4323
(720) 235.4328
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Porsche Race Chassis Construction
Suspension Design, Fabrication
Questions about your Project? Email us at:
[email protected]
OCTOBER 2013
11
12
To our Race Family,
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who supported us in so
many different ways: heartwarming cards that we taped to the hospital
room walls, comforting phone calls and visits, joining our family in the
Celebration of Jerry's Life (including cards and notes).
I'm sorry if I did not get a chance to thank you at the Memorial Service.
We were touched (and amazed) by the number of people who came, to stand
by our side, as we honored a great husband, father and friend. Please know
I appreciated your presence with us and we feel the love from all of you each
day. My family is truly blessed to have so many amazing people in our
lives...Thank You!
Much love,
Arnette Schouten & Family
OCTOBER 2013
13
If you are a sports car aficionado and consider yourself a true driving
enthusiast, there has never been a better time than right now to drive
one of the purest, best handling and most fun cars to drive on the
planet – The Lotus Evora.
If you are the current registered owner of a qualifying competitive
make vehicle and you’d like to add an Evora to your garage, simply
visit our Lotus of Denver showroom and receive an additional factory
conquest rebate of $4,000.
This offer is valid on any new 2012 or 2013 Evora or Evora S.
Hurry in today as this offer ends October 31st.
Contact Michelle Burgard today to schedule a test drive and confirm
your eligibility for this offer.
14
Lotus of Denver
1480 E County Line Road
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
303.730.7340
www.lotusofdenver.com
Miller Motorsports Park Club Race
Story and photos by Chad Cox
The Miller Club Race and Super DE
holds a special place in my heart. It was
the venue for my first Club Race and
also my first Super DE. It is a strange
event, though, because, despite being
one of the most amazing circuits and
racing facilities in North America,
it is lightly attended and every year
the signs point to an eventual end of
PCA Club Racing there. It is hard for
me to understand why there are not
more racers from RMR and AMR in
attendance.
Everyone I know who has been
to Miller loves the circuit and the
facilities, and the local hospitality
makes for a memorable experience.
This is one of the few races each year
that my family wants to attend, I
think because the place has a presence
that makes them feel like they are
watching a professional race. Serious
professional tracks like Miller are rare
in the western United States, I think
because the geography of the west is
so vast. If we do not support these
facilities with our attendance, they
will go away.
This year team Racher Rennstall
and the rest of the RMR participants
had a great showing at Miller, but not
without some unexpected hardships.
Walt and Kathy Fricke, Joe Bank,
Tommy Dean, Adam Jaspers, Mark
Lebac, Carlos Pereira and I all hauled
our cars out to Tooele, Utah, from the
front range for a fun relaxing weekend
of track driving. This was not a
critical points race for any of us, so we
committed ourselves to disciplined
driving and fun with our families.
The weekend of racing would end
with Joe, Tommy, and me heading
to Sundance with our wives for a fall
retreat. What a week it would be.
Walt and Kathy would co-drive
the enduro, which would mark
Kathy’s return to club racing. Joe
and I, always seeking adventure, had
decided to co-drive the enduro race
in the Hornet, his amazing 1998
993 Supercup. We had tried this
idea earlier this year at Sebring but
fortune was not on our side then
when mechanical issues in both our
cars ended our weekend. At Miller,
I needed to try to win a points race
to backstop a possible DNF at Hallett
next month to ensure a strong finish
in E class national points. Tommy
Some of the RMR members who made the trek to Miller Motorsports Park (L to R):
Adam Jaspers, Carlos Pereira, Brenna Cox, Joe Bank, Tommy Dean, Chad Cox.
had good competition in GTC4 and
was feeling confident that he could
win his races here and put together a
strong finish to his season. Adam was
also looking to put some points on the
board to overcome some tough DNFs
earlier in the year. In the Super DE,
Mark drove the SPB that Adam hauled
out, and Carlos was eager to shake the
cobwebs out of his GT3 RS.
The Thursday test and tune day
was uneventful with everyone getting
in good laps, and the equipment all
worked well. Joe and I performed a
live driver change in practice and
I ran a few laps in the Hornet to refamiliarize myself with the car. Our
plan for the enduro was to have
Joe get us out front and set a strong
position in the car, and I would try to
maintain position after the pit stop.
After an evening’s rest, the first race
day was upon us. Saturday morning’s
first practice was uneventful, and
everyone was achieving their goals.
Practice two was a bit more serious
and times started dropping. Tommy,
Joe and I were all where we needed
to be. Adam, lacking track time from
the test and tune day, was a bit off the
pace but coming on strong.
In practice three, which is the
qualifying session at this event,
things got serious, and the drama of
racing began. The tire service was
overwhelmed and was unable to
finish a fresh set of rubber for Tommy.
This forced him to qualify on old tires,
and he would have to make it up in
the first sprint race. Despite this, he
qualified second in GTC4 out of four
cars. Joe’s fortune ran out when the
Hornet lost power on lap two, putting
him out of the action for the weekend.
Adam qualified second in E class out
of five cars, Walt qualified third out of
three in D, and I managed to qualify
first in class and capture a new track
record in E.
With the Hornet out of the action
OCTOBER 2013
15
for the weekend, I had to
change plans and prepare my
car for the Enduro. Luckily,
I had enough tire to run all
the races and we prepared
the car. The Enduro started
at 5:00pm on Saturday,
much later than usual. The
temperature was good but
there was a strong wind and
dust from the motocross
track was changing the
conditions along the front straight.
The race start was clean, and for
Tommy and me the race was pretty
uneventful, with both of us leading
our classes. Walt and Kathy did great,
finishing second in D class, well ahead
of many other higher classed cars.
Adam ran into trouble late in the race
when he cracked a wheel, and lost air
pressure, leading to a corded a tire, and
he had to perform an unscheduled
tire change in the pit. The Racher
Rennstall pit crew got the job done,
found a tire (one of mine) and got
Adam back out on track to finish the
race. Tommy and I both finished first
in class in the enduro.
The Sunday sprint races brought
more wheel-to-wheel action than
the Enduro. Tommy outdrove and
outlasted his competition, finishing
first in class in the Supersprint. Walt
put down another consistent race,
finishing second in D. Adam had a
fantastic start and got by me in the
first corner. We raced wheel-to-wheel
for two laps before I was able to draft
him on the straight and tuck inside
Turn 1 for the pass. I set my best lap
of the weekend trying to build a gap
and brought the track record for E
down to 3:18.157. Adam finished just
behind me, second in class, and with
a best time of 3:19.6 also besting last
years track record.
The last 30-minute sprint race of
the weekend was my favorite. Tommy
led the way starting on pole and led
the entire race to the checkered flag.
16
Adam got out ahead of me again on
the start and after passing him back
I set my sights on the car ahead of
me, Phil Blackstone’s 1998 993 RS
Clubsport. I raced Phil hard for the
remainder of the race and managed
to pass him mid-race, only to lose
the position a few turns later after a
late braking moment left me out in
the marbles. We ran a staggering race
pace, with half the laps run quicker
than the previous track record for
E class. It was so much fun racing
so close to another car with total
confidence in Phil’s driving, and I
was very careful not to plow into his
rare 993 RS CS. I made another pass
on him on the last lap in a last-ditch
attempt to increase my position. I
held the corner but sacrificed exit
speed, and he got me back in the
last straight before the checkered
flag. Adam finished just behind me
in second position in E, having run
a flawless race. Walt finished third
in D, rounding out a very consistent
showing. The weekend ended with
Tommy receiving the Corner Workers
Award and I was awarded Best
Prepared Porsche. Carlos finished
first in the DE time trials and Mark
improved over the weekend setting
very respectable times in the SPB. It
was a great weekend. Off to Sundance!
7th Annual Drive for the Kids huge success
$27,000 raised for the Children’s Hospital Colorado Sports Program
Yes, it is about the Kids. I was reminded
of that upon seeing the grin on Grace
Cooper‘s face as I let her out of
my C4S at the Crested Butte
Mountain Hotel. “Boy, is my
brother going to be jealous
of my ride in a Porsche!” she
exclaimed. Next, it was time
to take Austin Clark for a spin
on the curving roads, mindful
of the 25 mph signs and the
buzzing radar detector. First
gear sounds fast at least. I
think the kids would agree:
Porsche, there is no substitute.
Indeed, no better reason for 48 cars to drive through the
Colorado Mountains than to raise money for the Children’s
Hospital Colorado Sports Program and youth-oriented
charities. This year’s annual Drive for the Kids, sponsored
again by RMR, the Denver Roundtable, and the Colorado
Jaguar Club, raised $27,000. With the seventh Drive for
the Kids completed, this event has made a significant
contribution to the charities over the years.
The drive set out on a scenic and fun route again this year.
Porsche roads, historic places and fine dining were on the
agenda. After a hearty breakfast and driver’s meeting at the
Buffalo Restaurant and Bar in Idaho Springs, the participants
gathered their well stocked goodie bags and headed out on
the tour. Here was our route:
From Idaho Springs, old Highway 6 is still open on both
sides of I-70, and we hopped from side to side past old mines
and historic towns up to the old favorite, Loveland Pass.
Dropping down into Keystone, the site of the 2009 Porsche
Parade, we turned onto Swan Mountain Road and headed up
the far side of Lake Dillon. We jogged through downtown
Frisco, onto I-70, and quickly exited at Copper Mountain.
We accelerated up Highway 91 past the impressive Climax
Mine and over Fremont Pass heading towards Leadville.
The route turned away from Leadville onto back roads,
and the navigators needed to pay attention to the instructions
and watch for road signs. We passed the National Landmark
100-year-old fish hatchery
and the highest golf course in
North America before finding
Highway 24 and driving down
the Arkansas Valley. Soon,
Highway 82 departs for Aspen
via Independence pass and
we followed it to the quaint
(meaning with dirt roads)
town of Twin Lakes.
Lunch was at the historic
Dance Hall just up the hill
from the one-pump gas
station. A gourmet meal was
set out with home made soups, smoked ham,
salads and freshly baked desserts.
Two families participating
in the Children’s Hospital
Colorado Sports Program
shared how the children
benefited
from
the
activities and support they
found there. It became
apparent that this was a
drive with a purpose.
Back in our cars we
retraced our path to
Highway 24 and drove
to Buena Vista, where we
turned west up and headed over Cottonwood Pass. No
crowds, few cars, just scenic views and lots of curves as
we descended the pass and drove up the valley leading to
Crested Butte for our overnight festivities.
We enjoyed great rooms at the resort, where a fine bottle
of wine awaited, compliments of one of the event’s many
donors. The banquet that night set out a variety of dishes
and drinks which were most enjoyable after our drive.
Dr. Duane Messner founded the ski program back in
1968, and he joined us for dinner. He spoke about the
concepts and hopes that started the program with teaching
skiing, and traced its evolution including the Paralympics
over the years. He recalled the many children it has helped
grow and thrive. Today, the program offers year-round
involvement in leisure pursuits such as skiing, boarding,
golfing, and fishing. Over 100 children and families are able
to enjoy these unique opportunities each year.
The evening’s action and entertainment was raising
money with the auction.
Popular items included the
United Airlines Flight Simulator, a day of training with the
Aurora SWAT Team, accommodations at Aspen, Cabo San
Lucas, and Winter Park, and a variety of sports items, wines,
gifts and artwork.
Thanks are due to RMR for its continued support, to
the donors and volunteers, the participants, and the Title
Sponsor, Woodward Wealth Management. I invite you
to join the next Drive for
the Kids, scheduled for
September 6-7, 2014, for
a relaxing mini-vacation
with two full days of
scenic driving, great food,
beautiful accommodations,
and lively conversation
with other participants, all
while supporting our youthoriented charities.
OCTOBER 2013
17
OktoberFAST No-Times Driver Education
Don’t despair when Autumn is in the air. Celebrate in the traditional
German way––OktoberFAST is back again this year! Yes, that’s right––it’s
your chance to head out to High Plains Raceway for the last DE of 2013.
Join other PCA members for all things German: fast cars, no speed
limits, the oom-pah-pah of Bavarian music, and Beer:30 featuring a
tasty selection of German beer and wine. Mark October 19th and
20th on your calendars now so you don’t forget!
OktoberFAST is a no-times DE with paid corner workers,
which means lots of track time. Sign up early so you don’t miss
out. This will be the time you’ll fondly remember when the snow
is on the ground and the Porsche is tucked snugly in the garage, so don’t
wait until the last minute. Registration is now open at motorsportreg.com,
with one day for only $180 or both days for $260. Watch for the pre-tech
inspection dates in email and the newsletter.
Last year’s participants received a highly sought-after shirt, and this year
we have created another unique shirt to add to your collection. Violet Cruz, a
graphic designer and Ladies Day DE driver, designed this 911 50th anniversary
shirt just for OktoberFAST. She’ll be out at the track driving the wheels off her
Mini Cooper S, so stop by, say hello, and thank her for such a cool shirt. The
only catch is that you have to sign up for OktoberFAST to get one, so don’t
miss out.
We will also be running a food drive and have noontime rides on the
track with all proceeds benefiting the Bienvenidos Food Bank in Denver
(bienvenidosfoodbank.org). Please bring canned goods and non-perishable
food items out to the track with you and we’ll get them to the food bank.
You deserve to be at this event, and it’s the proper way to give your Porsche one last hurrah before winter. See you there!
Event co-chairs: Bill Emery ([email protected], 720-352-3004), Dale Hartzell ([email protected], 303-641-0056).
OktoberFAST DE this year featuring …
OktoberFOOD DRIVE (and noontime rides) benefiting the Bienvenidos Food Bank in Denver (www.bienvenidosfoodbank.org).
Please bring your donation of canned goods and non-perishable items out to the track with you and we’ll get them to the food
bank. The Bienvenidos Food Bank is a community-based organization in Northwest Denver that has been helping neighbors in
need for more than 35 years. Their mission is to provide emergency and supplemental food assistance in
ways that promote respect and dignity. They currently serve 600 to 900 people every week. Families may
“shop” for the food they need, and we strive to always provide healthy choices such as fresh fruits and
vegetables that many families can’t afford.
RMR has always given generously to our various charity causes––thanks in advance
for your donations!
18
2013 Club Race Recap
Story by Brian Leary, photos by Mike Pappas
Wow! I can’t believe
it’s been over a year
now since I took
over the reins from
Kathy Fricke to
become the new cochair for the RMR
Club Race. With the
help of my valued
associate and trusty
side-kick Vicki Earnshaw, judging from
all the feedback we’ve received, we have
successfully carried on Kathy’s fourteenyear legacy with another fun-filled and
action-packed club race. Dave Schmidt
asked me to write an article about the
event, but where to begin?
Even though I had shadowed Kathy
and Vicki for the 2012 club race, I did
not realize the scale of the club race until
I took it over. Hundreds of questions
began to bubble up in my head. I started
making a huge list of bullet points of
things I needed to understand just to
get a handle on the event and get things
moving forward for the 2013 race.
The preparation and planning
literally started the day after the 2012
event with trying to retain the current
team of volunteers as much as we
could, and then finding the best talent
out there to replace those that were
moving on to other things. You may
not know this, but there are over 50
volunteers who spent countless hours
putting this event together and working
the weekend. A successful event can
only be accomplished with the help of
people who truly believe in what they’re
doing and are committed to get the
job done in a professional and timely
manner. That pretty much describes
all of the volunteers for this year’s club
race. Words alone cannot express our
gratitude for all of their hard work this
year.
Another area that is so important
when putting on an event like this is the
support from all of our race sponsors.
Our Title Sponsor, Prestige Imports,
brought out a stable full of beautiful
Porsches and Audis
for us to drool over.
Our other sponsors
included
Stan
Richardson
with
GBOX, Cecil Morris
with
Pendelton,
Wilson, Hennessey
& Crow, P.C., Bob
and Holly Raub
with 3R Racing
(who brought out
quite a number of client race cars), Rick
Gonçalves with RG and Associates,
Greg Johnson with Eurosport Ltd., Tom
Conway with Carquip, Alan Benjamin
with Benjamin West, Hank Padilla with
Hanksville Hot Rods (who had that great
display next to the pavilion), and Greg
Curtiss with The Invoice Bankers. We
can’t thank all of them enough!
Before the gates even opened on
Thursday, I was amazed at the number
of big rigs and trailers that were lined
up outside of the paddock entrance.
The line stretched all the way out to
the highway! People from all over the
Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions
were there. A small group of the club race
volunteers rushed around the paddock
to mark off no-parking areas with orange
cones. Once the gates opened, there was
a mad scramble to get the choice parking
spots. The Texas contingent brought in
6 Spec Boxsters and 4 Cup cars and built
their own compound in the center of
the paddock. It was an awesome sight. I
was also happy to see the large number
of Cayman club racers that showed up.
Friday’s Test and Tune was a full
day of putting the finishing touches on
preparing the paddock area, catching up
with fellow racers, and meeting with the
PCA National team. Walking through
the paddock, what really caught my
eye were the various famous Porsche
liveries on many of the club racers, from
the “Pink Pig” Cayman and 944 (Vicki’s
ride for the weekend), to the “Martini”
and “Pan America” liveries. There is
just so much history with this proud
marque. That evening there was quite a
party over at Mike Quigley’s RV pad (the
word’s out, Mike!). Great conversation
and delicious wings. The beer was pretty
darn good, too!
By Saturday morning, things were
off and running. We had a total of 77
continues, page 22
OCTOBER 2013
19
phot
os by
Sean Cridland
Club
20
Race
phot
os by
Mike Pappas
OCTOBER 2013
21
club racers who made it to the event,
including five rookie candidates (Lisa
Bryan, Dave Buehmann, Myrna Hall,
Andre Nieuwenhuizen and Fred Veitch),
and 60 DE drivers. Registration on
Friday and Saturday ran very smoothly
thanks to Norma Nada, Nancy Warren
and their assistants.
I was especially
impressed with all
the goodies in the
Prestige shopping
bags,
including
those very sharp
“Black and Blue” DE
shirts (that was one
gorgeous Cayman
on the back of that
shirt!).
While I realize that there is a
separate article in HighGear this month
regarding our record number of women
racers for this Club Race, I wanted also
to congratulate each of them on this
significant milestone. The one common
thing that I noticed with all of these
racers is their mutual admiration for each
other’s experience and talent. We are
fortunate and proud that they decided
to spend their weekend racing with us.
Probably one of the most frustrating
22
parts of the weekend was that I wasn’t
able to join my fellow DE drivers on the
track. The Club Race DE has always been
my favorite of the year and I really missed
mixing it up with the “303” and the
“Jolly Roger.” The September “Caribbean
Summer” DE can’t come soon enough!
Check your “six,”
boys!
The Enduro is
always an exciting
event because of
the large field of
beautiful Porsches,
all classes, old and
new, battling it out
on the track. At the
start of the race I
had the opportunity
to look down from the ‘”crow’s nest” at
Turn One. All of that horsepower roaring
by was just thrilling to see. But after
the second lap there was an accident.
Jerry Schouten’s 911 had crashed near
Turn 11. From the discussions I have
had with people who were on scene
right after the accident, the efforts that
everyone put forth to suppress the fire
and get Jerry out of the car and start
treatment were nothing short of heroic.
Sadly, however, despite everyone’s
efforts, Jerry ultimately succumbed to
his injuries. He will be greatly missed by
the racing community, and our heartfelt
condolences go out to his family.
The dinner that evening, while
a somber affair, was well attended.
Kathy Fricke and her team put together
a beautiful setting and the food was
fantastic. Much of the conversation
was about Jerry, and I heard some
wonderful stories about all of his work
with the various racing organizations
and his exploits on the track. I realized
then what a large family we have in
the Porsche club, and how supportive
our members are, especially when we
are faced with the harsh realities of our
sport.
When I arrived back at the track
on Sunday morning, the paddock was
already busy getting the cars prepared
for the day ahead. Most of my work as
the event chair was done at this point,
so I was finally able to spend some time
with my family and friends and enjoy
the races. And the racing was great.
Very competitive, clean, and a lot of fun
to watch. By the end of the day, during
the awards ceremony, I could tell that
all the drivers, while exhausted from a
day of racing, had a great time and really
enjoyed themselves.
I wanted to share some comments
from Gary Knoblauch, the National
Chief Steward from his post race report:
“I am very happy to have worked
this well organized event. I am proud of
everyone’s efforts. I would be pleased to
work with all of these individuals again.”
On Sunday evening, after helping
Keith Hall, Mahlon Schanzenbach, and
many others (including my son Ian!)
work to pick up and store all of our
equipment, I jumped in the car and
headed to DIA to catch a plane for Las
Vegas. The plane was delayed by two
hours; it took over an hour, standing in
pouring rain, to get a cab to the hotel,
and then another hour to check in. By
the time my head hit the pillow it was
almost 3 a.m. But I couldn’t sleep. I can’t
wait to do it all over again next year.
Thanks to everyone who raced,
spectated, volunteered or just offered a
helping hand. We hope to see you all
again in August of 2014!
RMR Broadmoor Brunch/Fall Tour
wets the cars and whets the appetites
Story by Mike Pappas, photos by Mike Pappas, John Spainhower and Miles Pappas
Nether rain nor the potential for road
closures dampened the sprits of more
than 45 RMR-PCA members who, despite
threatening weather, turned out in force
for the 5th Annual Fall Tour Broadmoor
Brunch.
Event organizer Erik Behrendsen
plotted out a masterful drive from
Denver to Colorado Springs, avoiding
washed-out roads and potential long
detours to get us to the Broadmoor Hotel
in time for an incredible brunch.
This was my first RMR-PCA driving
event with “my first Porsche,” a 1989
951 with 57K miles on it which had been
delivered to me just three days prior.
Needless to say, I was mighty psyched
even with the 2003 New Jersey plates on
it. It had been more than 25 years since I
drove a manual transmission, and trying
to remember how to shift, not get lost,
and most importantly, how not to swap
ends when the turbo kicked in, made
the drive much more than just your
typical shakedown cruise with a new
vehicle. And, of course, mother nature
fully cooperated as she poured buckets
of frog-drowning rain the whole way
down!
And what can you say about the
Sunday Brunch at the Broadmoor other
than we drove, we talked, and boy,
did we eat?! More than 100 items that
encompassed every sort of delicacy
imaginable offered a epicurean tour de
force to those who attended.
Even with the weather, it was a
spectacular event and I am looking
forward to driving my 951 to the next
one.
Event Summary by Erik
Behrendsen (photo, above,
with wife Lori in front of
the Broadmoor)
On a gloomy, rain-filled Sunday
morning, brave Porsche owners and
their trusting passengers set out on
what turned out to be a great drive
down to the Broadmoor Hotel for
brunch at the Lake Terrace room.
As we gathered out on the back
patio overlooking the beautifully
manicured grounds and gorgeous
lake, the sun came out for all to
enjoy. We were seated shortly
thereafter in the restaurant and
everyone commenced to enjoy one
of the most spectacular brunch
buffets that exists anywhere! The
food was fantastic and so was the
company of all our Porsche friends.
Our
concierge
came by my table
midway through our
meal, and asked if I
would like to schedule
our brunch for next
year. Needless to say,
I did and we will be
attending again on
Sept. 14, 2014. Join
us, won’t you?
OCTOBER 2013
23
EIGHT CANDIDATES
EIGHT BOARD POSITIONS
Meet your (unopposed) 2013 RMR Board of Director nominees!
Jim Widrig, Nominee for President
I have been a member of RMR since 2004, when we took our 1st tour to the Black Hills in a newly restored 1969 911E. Newer
Porsche additions were added in subsequent years as we got more involved with tours, driver education, autocross, and club
racing. Along with acquiring more Porsche cars, I also invested my time and became involved with the RMR Board in 2009. After
having served as Treasurer in 2009 and 2010, 2nd Vice President in 2011, and 1st Vice President in 2012 and 2013, I would like to
continue my contribution to serve the club as your President in 2014. I look forward to working with the 2014 RMR Board, the
volunteer committees, and the members of RMR to continue to improve the quality of our events, involve more volunteer members
in running club events and activities, and above all, see everyone have a huge amount of fun with their Porsche cars!
John Mackin, Nominee for 1st Vice President
I have been a Porsche owner since 1976 and a PCA member since 1981. I currently own a 1986 Iris Blue 911 Cabriolet which I
bought new as well as a 2003 Lapis Blue Carrera 4 Cabriolet. I was a member of three previous regions (First Settlers, Potomac
and Connecticut Valley) before moving to Colorado in 1994. I have been an active DE participant since 1999 and am currently a DE
Instructor. My wife Florence and I have been to seven Parades and we were Banquet Chairs for the 2009 Colorado Parade. I was
also awarded Region Patron award in 2006. I am also the National Parade Banquet Chair and as such responsible for organizing
all the food events at Parade. I am now mostly retired but my professional background has been as a career Nuclear Submarine
Officer, IT Manager, small business owner and consultant in the nuclear field. I served as your RMR Treasurer in 2006 and 2007,
Membership Chair in 2008 and 2009 and 2nd Vice President in 2012 and 2013. I look forward to continuing my service to the Rocky
Mountain Region as 1st Vice President.
Joe Warren, Nominee for 2nd Vice President
When Nancy and I moved to Lafayette, I kept noticing Boxsters and we had more time to dream. Well, in a few years we
purchased our Boxster and began participating in RMR events. We were hooked and have been maintaining and upgrading
our ’98 Boxster (“Black 6”) and our ‘02 Carrera (“Stickers”) ever since. We have been to numerous DEs, Autocrosses, Tours,
Board Meetings, Fiestas, Escapes and Parades over the past 13 years. We have become confirmed Porsche people, and while
we enjoy the cars we more enjoy seeing old friends and making new friends in the Porsche community. Our Region’s Driver
Educations, Autocrosses, Porsche Breakfast Club Tours and Breakfasts, Club Races, and Membership Meetings are all at a
National level in terms of operation, the experience provided, and participation. And what is outstanding is that these programs
are all run by Volunteers! I feel we must continue to change and improve these programs to increase our member participation
and satisfaction, and we need to promote them on a National level to encourage more participation by members from other
Regions. As Second Vice President I will be working with many of you on the planning, improvement and operation of these
programs. And I will be working to get more of you, our members, involved in participating in and volunteering to help run these
great programs. I am retired with over 37 years of experience in engineering/management having worked for AT&T Bell Labs,
American Bell, Lucent Technologies and Avaya. Nancy (current Membership Chair) and I have lived in Indiana and New Jersey,
prior to moving to Colorado in 1996.
Rick Seiferth, Nominee for Treasurer
I am a twenty-five year member of RMR, having joined just in time for the 1988 Pikes Peak Parade. Since then I have attended
11 national Porsche Parades. During my time with RMR I have volunteered for several different event chair positions and also
served a year as your RMR Treasurer. I have held Committee Chair responsibility for both the Steamboat Springs Parade and the
2009 Keystone Parade, where I served as the Keystone Parade Treasurer. I received the Porsche Patron award in 1996 for my
service to RMR. Since my retirement in 2012 from a forty-plus year commercial banking career I have been active in my historical
interest in attending Driver Ed track events, though I do enjoy the social events as well. I am looking forward to serving on the
RMR Board as your 2014 Treasurer.
24
Scott Henderson, Returning Nominee for Secretary
I guess we all have a first experience with a Porsche that sent us on the path that results in being
a part of this Club. Mine occurred in the 7th grade. As a classmate and I were going home from Cheyenne Mountain
Junior High School, he told me that his dad had just bought a Porsche: a red 1965 356C cabriolet. That night, I got to ride
in the back seat with them as his son said, “Come on, Dad, show him what it’s got!” His father had been plodding along
and finally submitted with a heavier foot. Wow! The sound of the motor, the feel around the turns—I had been bitten.
A few years later while in high school, I walked into the VW dealership in Eau Gallie, Florida. The salesman asked if
he could help me. Knowing the roots of the marque, I announced that I wanted to order a “bug” with a Porsche motor.
I was floored when I was told that was not possible. As the years went by, the purchase price of a Porsche went up
much faster than my income. I continued to be a window-shopper. I finally bought my first Porsche in 2006—a 2003 C2
cab. Now, on my fourth Porsche, an air-cooled car, I have had a taste of the new and the old. Having been a member
of RMR for more than five years, I have enjoyed these fine automobiles with some of the best people I have ever
met. The camaraderie and friendships are some of the most meaningful I can imagine. There is so much commitment
demonstrated by the continuous volunteer work that others have done that I am prepared to contribute, too. Being
asked to serve as Secretary of this Club for the next term is an honor. With your permission and support, I will do so—
hopefully, in a way that honors you and our Club.
Alan Jones, Nominee for Membership Chair
I have been a member of RMR PCA for close to four years. I have owned a few Porsches over the years and have
supported DE, Club racing, autocross, and social events. I hope to be the next friendly face of RMR PCA for new
members as well as old. I look forward to seeing you all soon. As the Membership Chair, I will be the one responding to
many questions about membership and Porsches. I’ll send out welcome letters to the new and transferred members
and I’ll also be the one sending letters to renewing members, reminding them to pay their dues. It is also my duty to
ensure that copies of HighGear get mailed to the newest members each month, so they can start enjoying the club as
soon as they join. I look forward to my continued contributions to RMR and serving as the Membership Chair.
David Schmidt, Returning Nominee for Newsletter Editor
I took on HighGear last year as a challenge, to add another crown jewel to my personal portfolio, and as a way to meet
new people in the club. We took 3rd place in our region in the national PCA Best Newsletter competition last year, so
I will give another year as your Newsletter Editor, if you’ll have me, and try to move up in the rankings with a first place
finish. I’m happy with the changes I’ve made to HighGear so far and while it is a daunting task each and every month
(understatement of the year), it also keeps my skills sharp and prevents me from doing far less productive things with
my spare time (such as videogaming). It’s also been interesting to watch how the RMR Board of Directors works and
to get a glimpse behind the scenes to witness, first hand, how our club works.
Rick Gonçalves, Past President
I was 18 when I first became infatuated with Porsches. Randy Hoch (former RMR President and long-time member)
and I used to sit around in the dorms up at CU discussing them. It wasn’t until ‘94, however, that I finally got my first
Porsche—an ‘84 911 Carrera. I finally joined the club in 1998 and started Club Racing the next year, after having done
every DE possible. Since then, I realize how much the club has helped me learn, and I now understand so much about
these wonderful and almost magical cars. I started becoming very active in the club. For six years, I was the program
chairman, after which I was elected to the board as Secretary, then Treasurer, Second Vice President, Vice President
and most recently as President. I look forward to working with the excellent proposed slate of officers and with the
club’s hard-working committee members and volunteers. The role of past president is lower-key than the other board
positions because it is mainly an advisory role instead of an active board membership. This makes it possible to sit
back and relax and enjoy the board experience.
OCTOBER 2013
25
Second annual Wounded
Warrior event summary
by David Petitti
The second annual Wounded Warrior event was again a success despite
threatening weather. The skies darkened but it never rained on the spirit of
the charity event.
Leading the pack was the valiant effort of the 356 Car Club members from
the Denver area with a number of 356s making the trek down to Porsche of
Colorado Springs. Also in attendance was a contingency from RMR and AMR
totaling 33 cars in all. Burgers and hot dogs were served, with all proceeds
going to one of the most important charities in our community.
This year we also received a donation of a 1984 Porsche 944 from
Joyce Campbell and Greg Rodgers of
Monument, CO. Joyce’s husband was the
chief editor of Stars and Stripes for many
years and also served as Gen. George
Patton’s press secretary in WW2! Thank
you Joyce and Greg!
All funds raised this year totaled just
over $3000.00! Thank you to everyone
who made contributions!
Porsche of Colorado Springs looks
forward to hosting the 3rd
Annual Wounded Warrior car
show next year and hopes to
see our number rise!
Would your company like to advertise in our club magazine?
With a select readership of over 2,200 and a prime
demographic to target, running a monthly ad in
HighGear is cost-effective and inexpensive!
See page 27 for details about advertising
rates and sizes. Partner with RMR-PCA!
26
Contact: [email protected] • 303.662.1162
Eight Maidens A-Racing
by David Schmidt
Photo by Sean Cridland
which was great. My best
An unprecedented surprise
finish ever was 1st place
took place on Aug. 11-12 at
at Hastings, Nebraska a
this year’s RMR Club Race at
few years ago.”
High Plains Raceway: Eight
Some of the ladies
women drivers registered and
came
from
outside
took part in the race!
the state to take on
Motorsports, and the
the challenge of HPR.
hobby surrounding it, are
Sally Knapp hails from
overwhelmingly dominated
Omaha and is in the
by males, so it was an
Great Plains Region of
unexpected shock to see so
PCA. She came out to
many ladies behind the wheel
HPR the month before
of these pure and powerful
the race to better learn
racing Porsches.
the track. “My first race
For RMR’s Myrna Hall,
was at Motorsport Park
this year’s Club Race was
Top
row:
Myrna
Hall
(with
her
dog,
Tag),
Vicki
Earnshaw,
Hastings (Neb.) in 2008,
her first PCA race weekend.
and Vicky Earnshaw was
“It was intense and fun,” Gennie Hemingway, Kathy Fricke, Alexandra Sabados, Sally
the steward; this is my
exclaimed the former rookie Knapp; Kneeling: Lisa Bryan, Kristi Schmidt
6th year,” she said. “My
racer who got started in DEs
first Porsche was a 1992
with her first Porsche, an
is also an RMR member, but she’s
‘01 996 back in 2005. Eight years of
968 cabriolet which I still have. My
an experienced racer with 22 years
autocrosses and DEs and she finds
first race car was a 1983 944 which I
of driving with a rollcage wrapped
herself addicted to racing.
also still have. I’m currently on my
around her. “I started with SCCA in
Vicki Earnshaw, racing the #23
3rd race car,” Sally continued. ”This
the Central Division with my home
“Pink Pig” Cayman (photo, above)
track being Mid-Ohio,” Vicki said. “I
OCTOBER 2013 27
in the very competitive Sp1 class
lived seven minutes from that track,
was the first new track I’ve been at in
a long time, so I was a little unsure
about racing here. It was great to see
so many other women racers; I’m the
only one in my whole region.”
Kristi Schmidt of the Lone Star
Region-PCA, driving the #308 Spec
Boxster (she placed 9th out of 13
SPBs), came all the way from Katy,
Texas to race at HPR. “This was my
first year racing,” Kristi said. “I’d like
to give a shout out to my Spec Boxster
racing peers—the greatest group of
drivers and mentors ever!”
One of the first women to apply
for a Club Racing license (way back
in 1995) is RMR’s Kathy Fricke, who
has been racing now for more than 14
years. “I had to take a medical hiatus
for awhile, but am now back actively
competing again,” said Kathy, who
owns two 911 race cars and a 2007
Turbo with her husband, Walt.
Racing is clearly in her blood.
“Over the years, I’ve traveled as far
as Thunder Hill in California to Las
Vegas, Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas,
Minnesota and all the way to Florida
to go racing,” Kathy stated. She has
podium finishes in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
places over her many years of Club
Racing. “My most exciting award was
my first Workers Choice Award given
to me at Second Creek Raceway in
1998. Since then, I’ve received three
more Workers Choice Awards,” she
said proudly.
“HPR is my home track, and it is
the most familiar for me to race on,”
Kathy finished. “But I do enjoy the
challenge of racing on all the race
tracks across the country where I have
the good fortune to race and I love to
see more and more women take on
the challenge of racing their cars!”
Girl races after, and catches, her dream
Getting my racing license with Porsche Club of America has
been four years in the making, although it all began over 25
years ago. My love of cars started at an early age. Instead of
playing with dolls as a kid, I had my own Hot Wheels set and
electric race tracks. In grade school, I would sketch pictures
of race cars with fancy decals, big race wheels and flames
coming out of the tail pipes. At age 12, I learned how to drive
a stick shift on the back country roads of southern Maryland
where I was born. I went to drag races on the weekends and
was enamored with what a guy was driving on the street.
That’s when I knew I was hooked on cars.
My love for Porsches started at age 16 when my mother
introduced me to friends who were racers from Ohio. My
first track visit to watch a race was at Mid-Ohio. Driving from
Denver to Ohio with my friend in his new 911 was where I got
my first real driving lesson. I had definitely fallen in love with
Porsches.
By the time I was 17, we had moved to Colorado and Mom
surprised me on Christmas day with my first Porsche. It was
a 1972 blue 911T. I joined the Porsche Club that year and
attended my first event.
Racing cars on the side streets of Denver was about to
change into a more professional level of safety for both me
and my car. That year, the PCA taught me about leaving the
speed for a race track and the gift a driver could bring to the
track. In my first DE event, I placed third; I was 18 that summer
and thrilled. However, my focus had to shift to getting an
education, so I put my track plans on hold, sold my car to my
racing buddies in Ohio, and headed off to college.
Fast forward 25 years. After graduating from college,
getting married, and raising my family, I joined the PCA for the
second time in June of 2009. High Plains Raceway was new
to Byers and I was new to learning how to drive my recently
purchased 911 996 Carrera on the track. In 2009, I watched my
28
by Lisa Bryan
first wheel-to-wheel club race and fell in love. I realized then
that I wanted to become a racer. It took years of coaching
and advancing up the levels within PCA, meeting amazing and
wonderful people and all sorts of coaches and instructors
along the way. I attended every open lap day possible and
entered in every track event possible. I needed seat time and
was determined to become a skilled driver. I traveled to several
out-of-state tracks to gain even more experience. I joined
other clubs over the years to acquire track time that would
build upon my goal to become a skilled driver. I currently have
my race licenses with BMW, NASA, and PCA as of last year.
My first female instructor with PCA was Jill Jansike who
has become my best friend and partner-in-crime. We spent
every open lap day and other PCA events driving our Porsches
together at HPR for the first two years. We were inseparable!
In 2009, the day I watched and expericed my first actual
club race, I noticed a woman racer named Alex Sabbados. I
was very excited to see a female driver actually racing. Tears
come to my eyes thinking of her and how much she has meant
to me over the years as I write this article. She has no idea
how much she has touched my racing life. She was, and is, my
idol. She and her family have greeted me with open arms and
to this day I watch and learn from her and her family. I knew
one day I wanted to be on the same track as her, and that day
came at the August 2013 club race weekend. That club race
was the highlight of my four years of preparation!
I have to give special thanks to Dan Mayer, who was by my
side with advice and encouragement during the last several
months leading up to this very special day. Being a part of
the PCA family has been amazing, and, after becoming an
instructor a year ago, my hope has been to help other female
drivers enjoy their passion for this sport and encourage them
to achieve their dreams of learning the craft of racing.
I am honored and blessed to be with these truly exceptional
women who share the love of racing!
OCTOBER 2013
29
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!
30
H
appy Oktoberfest, Zone 9-ers! I hope all of
you will adhere to tradition and begin your
celebrations in late September! For me, I will
continue my Oktoberfest celebrations by
attending Carrera Region’s OktoberFiesta in Deming and
Las Cruces, NM. (More about that later.)
In mid-August, I attended the DE and PCA Club Races
at High Plains Raceway in Colorado. I volunteered to help
with Grid and I was busy all weekend. I like being in the
middle of the action, and, other than being a corner worker,
helping in Grid certainly afforded me the best opportunity.
Eric Elliff did an excellent job of organizing and managing
all of us grid workers, and I enjoyed working with everyone.
It was fun to see the drivers prepare for their DE sessions and
race sessions, and once they were on the track, we were able
to see part of the course from the grid area. On Saturday,
the Enduro race had to be cancelled not long after it began
because of a serious accident. It saddens me to report that
Jerry Schouten succumbed to his injuries on September 7,
2013. Our condolences go out to Jerry’s family and friends.
Sunday’s races went well, and several drivers from Zone
9 placed in the top spots. For a full listing of the race results,
go to www.pca.org/Activities/ClubRacing/RaceResults.aspx.
Hats off to all involved in organizing and running the DE
and Club Races—it was a very enjoyable weekend!
The next Region event I attended was Llano Estacado’s
monthly breakfast gathering at Furr’s Cafeteria in Amarillo.
The Region may be small, but the level of participation
is high and everyone enjoys getting together. I met a
potential new member, Charles, and I think LLE can count
him in with their membership.
As I mentioned in last month’s column, there is still
plenty of time to attend Zone 9 Region events and shoot
for the Zone 9 Challenge trophy! The details are available
in the various Region websites and calendars, but here’s a
quick run-down for the fall:
Sept. 21, 22 - RMR Caribbean Summer III DE at High
Plains Raceway, IMR Full Track DE and PCA Club Races
at Miller Motorsports
Oct. 5 - LE monthly breakfast in Amarillo, RRR Balloon
Fiesta Breakfast at Porsche of Albuquerque, RRR Chile
Cook-off at Bruce Phillips’s house
In the zone
Liz Shaw, PCA Zone 9 Representative
Oct. 5, 6 - AMR Fall DE at La Junta
Oct. 12 - RMR Season End Drive to Edelweiss
Oct. 19-20 - RMR OktoberFAST DE at HPR
Oct. 26 - RMR Autocross at Front Range Airport
Oct. 25-27 - Carrera Region OktoberFiesta, Arroyo Seco
Raceway and Las Cruces, NM
Nov. 2 - AMR Tech Session (details TBD), LLE monthly
breakfast in Amarillo
Nov. 9 - WTR drive to Fort Davis, RRR Charity Autocross
Dec. 7- RRR Christmas Party, LLE monthly breakfast in
Amarillo
Dec. 14 - RMR Holiday Party
OCTOBER 2013
31
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
2000 Boxster S - 3.2L H6, 6 speed manual,
Arena Red Metallic, grey leather interior,
39,700 miles. Excellent condition. Always
garaged and covered, 2-owner nonsmoker vehicle. Hardtop and rear glass
window defroster. Clear-coat protector on
bumper, hood, mirrors and fender edges;
AM/FM/CD; 18” alloy wheels, new rear
tires; cruise control; rear wind deflector;
dual airbags front/sides; car cover;
hardtop storage dolly with cover for easy,
clean and safe storage. Additional info
upon request. $18,500.Contact: vitoxav61@
hotmail.com [Oct]
2001 996TT - Silver with black supple
leather interior, 6-speed manual, sunroof,
xenons, CD, recent mats, white gauges,
carbon fibre console, otherwise stock,
very good condition inside and out, owned
last 6 years, most of service history, call for
photos, on TX plates (will convert to CO),
just moved to the mountains and realize
this is not its natural habitat! Evergreen
CO, Niul 817-773-5197, niulburton@yahoo.
com. [Sep]
1997 Porsche Carrera Cabriolet (993)
- Exceptional in Ocean Metallic Blue
over Grey interior. 59,600 mi. Six-speed
manual, factory Aero Kit. Two keys. Always
Garaged. Denver car. Alpine CDA-9857
Radio-CD with X-Treme speakers, JL Audio
e4300, 4-Channel Amp. Wheels: Porsche
Badge Bright Satin, (2)18x8.5 SSR GT3,
(2) 18x10 SSR GT3 and TPC Supercharger
kit (installed Feb 2007, $11,199), flawless
function. Fluids at 58,600. New
Windshield at 56,800. Following NEW: Boot
(2-2012 $386), rear tires at 57,100. Dave at
719-239-0085. [Sep]
1986 944 Turbo - Has not been driven since
2007. $3000 firm. Call 307-349-0350 for
more information. The car is in Lander, WY.
[Oct]
32
1985 911 Carrera Coupe - Under 114k miles,
3.2 Liter, Prussian Blue w/ tan and black
leather; power seats, cruise, sunroof, Sony
CD, Bilstein Sport shocks, turbo tie rods,
racing torsion bars, Euro-spec ride height,
corner balanced, new rotors front and rear,
new BS lines, new Hawk pads, A/C: R134
upgrade, K&N, Mobil 1, 15-yr owner, nonsmoker. Always garaged. Asking $19,900.
Boulder. Contact: Bob Bobwientzen1@
comcast.net, h) 303-494-5433 c) 720-2018125. [Sep]
wheels/tires
4 Sumitomo HTR ZIII Performance
Tires - mounted 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). Tires have less than
1200 miles on them. Some road rash on 2
wheels, but straight and true. No center
caps. $1,000 OBO. Please call Jim at 970232-4936 or email [email protected]. [Oct]
Set of 4 Porsche 987 Cayman 18” 5 spoke
rims with Nitto NT-01 tires - Rims are in
great condition. Tires have a couple track
days left on them. Front Wheels are 8”J
x 18” H2 - 57mm offset with 245/40ZR18 tires. Rear wheels are 9.0”J x 18”
H2 - 43mm offset with 275/40ZR-18 tires. $800.00 for the set. 5 X 130 Bolt Pattern. I
am happy to supply pictures. Call Mike at
314-640-7875 or email me at mikelrosen@
gmail.com [Oct]
Four (4) Porsche 17-inch replica Cup
3 turbo-twist-style wheels - Made in
Italy: 2 – 7.5J x 17 H2 (ET52), 2 – 9J x 17
H2 (ET47). Porsche crests included in sale! Fit ‘87 and up 944s, ‘86 and up 928s, 19902003 narrow-body 911(964-996). These are
in beautiful condition - no curb rash and
ready to roll. $500.00. Call David at 720283-2582. [Sep]
miscellaneous
2009 Audi A3 S-line - 2.0L turbocharged
all wheel drive quattro. Metallic gray
with gray leather interior. 43,100 miles,
excellent condition. Dual clutch automatic
transmission with paddle shifters.
Four new Blizzak winter tires included.
Recently serviced and includes one
free dealer service under extended
warranty. Service records available since
new. WAUKF78P59A015759. $19,900 OBO.
Contact Mike or Gennie Hemingway at
[email protected] or 303-979-4882. [Sep]
3-Liter motor for sale - Perfect for track or
a high-performance street car. Built stock
for longevity, with 964+ cams from Elgin,
big port CIS and heads. Top end re-done
with all new valves, guides, seals, valve
job, etc. About 40 hours on motor since
this work. Dynoed at 176 hp to the wheels
(adjusted to sea level). The car won many
races with this motor in it. $8k. cjlennon@
comcast.net. [Sep]
In the spotlight
Childhood Inspiration Leads to New Porsche I was first introduced to highperformance cars while growing up
in Paris, France. I’ll never forget the
day. The school I was attending was
within short walking distance of a
neighboring park, the Champs de
Mars. During recess we would walk
over to the park to get our daily
exercise. It was there that a group of
my friends split from the rest of the
group to make their way over to a
small silver sports car that was parked
on the grounds. It was the 356. My
buddies were oohing and aahing,
quoting basic statistics and generally
carrying on. Mind you, we were all
of 6 and 7 years old at the time, but
we didn’t look terribly out of place
in our grey slacks, white shirts and
blue sweaters. From that moment
on I became keenly aware of highperformance cars, and, in Paris, we
had the opportunity to see and hear
the rolling works of art represented
by Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, Lotus,
Alpine and many others.
As you have probably surmised, I
was bitten hard by the sports car bug
on that beautiful spring day in Paris,
and ever since I earned my driver’s
license I have found a way to have a
sports car in my garage.
My latest escapade brought my
wife and me to Stevinson Imports in
late February of this year. However,
prior to that fateful visit, I had
actually placed a deposit for the new
generation 2013 SRT Viper GTS in
August of 2012. You know, the one
with 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque!
“Git ‘er done!” The new Viper had
been pitched by Ralph Gilles, the
President of SRT, as a wine country
touring car on one hand (that got
my attention) and a track terror on
the other hand. That description fit
my requirements to the letter. In the
meantime, the new generation Viper
was undergoing teething problems
and delays, so I decided to drop by
Stevinson Imports, where I met with
Craig Multhard. I asked him if I
could take their 2012 991S demo for
a spin, to which he replied, “Sure.”
Based on prior research I knew the
demo had 11,000 miles and as a
Porsche customer relations car had
been driven with conviction and
authority. In other words, it had been
properly broken in. I also knew that
judging a car’s performance based
on a green engine, transmission,
brakes etc. would not represent the
car accurately. Craig tossed me the
keys, to which I inquired, “Aren’t you
coming?” Craig said no and added
that I needed to bring the car back
before 6 p.m. What?! My watch said
it was 11 a.m.! Craig familiarized me
with some of the basic functions like
sport and sport plus, and off I went.
But where on earth would I go?
You’re kidding, right?! I made a bee
line for Deer Creek Canyon, whose
by Bob Cowart
twists and turns I know by heart.
Wow, what a car! The balance of the
991S was nothing short of astonishing:
fantastic front end grip, great poise
in transitions, and well balanced
with an uncanny ability to put the
power down. The PDK in manual
transmission mode was so precise
and quick that concentrating on my
driving and the road ahead required
50% less effort. I was so stoked that
I called my brother, picked him up
and with him by my side repeated
the whole thing again to make sure
the 911S was given every opportunity
to impress. Ha! ... In fact, this is the
wine and track car, or as some might
say, Jekyll and Hyde. This car is as
comfortable on the streets as it is on
the track.
As you can imagine, the ride
back to the dealership was filled with
introspection: what now, what is
wrong with me, how can you be so
fickle, and how do I convince my wife
Andrea that the Viper is really not the
car, but rather the Porsche is, and that
this will be the last sports car I ever
own? Two weeks later we sat down
with Craig and optioned the car to
our exact liking, which included the
power kit X51 option. My wife thinks
it’s the option code for the 18-way
adjustable seats. Shhhh, don’t tell her,
she might think I’m crazy. Mais je ne
suis pas fou, je suis un artiste!
OCTOBER 2013
33
I get around
Dick Badler, RMR/PCA Columnist
The memories last a lifetime
It happened just like that. As I was
leaving an appointment, my host
introduced me to her next client. Then
she noted, almost parenthetically, “...
oh, and she knows something about
cars and racing.”
Really?
“Oh yes,” my host said. “Does the
name Peter Revson mean anything to
you?”
Uh ... yeah ... .
Well, meet his sister, Julie.
No kidding! Julie and I chatted
for a few minutes. And, in the course
of the conversation, she dropped the
names of people she met and knew.
Dan Gurney, Roger Penske, Jackie
Stewart.
And she asked me if I read
“the book.” What book? Why, the
book co-written by the late editor of
Autoweek, Leon Mandel, Speed with
Style: the Autobiography of Peter
Revson.
I hadn’t. For no good reason. I
always admired Leon Mandel’s work,
especially at Autoweek. So my host
said, just a minute, and she came back
with a copy of the book that Julie had
obviously loaned to her. Here, she
said, just don’t lose my place.
I followed up with my host to
get Julie’s contact information, to see
if she’d be willing to talk about her
brother, say, over lunch. And so we
met for what turned out to be a much
longer conversation than I expected.
Here are the highlights.
The first thing I did was cram on
the book, in order to prepare. And
that’s where I had my first surprise: It
turns out that the book was published
posthumously ... it came out the day
after Revson died, testing in Kyalami.
The publisher and Mandel decided to
leave it in circulation, anyway.
It became very clear that Julie
34
idolized her brother. He was the
oldest of four. Julie was third. “If
it had not been for the accident, he
would have retired at the end of the
1974 season,” she said. “He wanted to
do other things.” She paused.
“I miss him every day.”
“What do you think of his career?”
she asked me.
I said I thought he was very, very
good. And very, very driven ... so to
speak ... which is what it takes. But
he was broader-minded than a lot
of his competitors. He could walk
away. But that probably kept him
from becoming a real potential world
champion.
I said that, in every era, there’s
always someone who stands out as the
best of the best. But these people are
willing to make a supreme personal
sacrifice to get there. If you don’t
have it in you, if you don’t have that
single-minded focus, beyond all else,
it’s not going to happen.
“Like Schumacher?”
Yes, like Schumacher, before
he retired the first time. I think
Schumacher was so driven, he couldn’t
get it out of his system. Nothing else
compared. Nothing else probably
even came close. So he came back
... and did nothing ... and he retired
again.
“And Peter?”
Let’s put it in perspective. To get
to Formula 1 is unbelievable. As an
American is really unbelievable. And
to win two Grands Prix, in a career cut
short, is really, really unbelievable.
She smiled. “Who’s at the top
today?”
Oh, Vettel. No question. And the
thing is, he comes across as a kid, with
this grin, as if to say, Pinch me. Isn’t
this incredible? I’m as amazed about
my career as you are. It’s kind of like
Jay Leno saying, hey, if you were me,
you’d indulge your car passion like
me, too.
But look, I said, it was a long time
ago, 39 years.
“Yes, but you’d be amazed. People
remember. I was at Amelia Island, and
people were coming up to me. They
wanted my autograph. Mine.
“At the Daytona 24-hour race, I
saw Dan Gurney. I went up to him
and introduced myself. I didn’t think
he heard me. So I said it again. And
then, oh, he spun around. He was
very polite, and he invited me to
come to any race, as his guest, just let
him know.
“You know, we lost another
brother, a few years earlier, Douglas.
Also racing. But I think he just did it
because Peter did it.”
Didn’t Peter win Sebring in a
Porsche with Steve McQueen?
“Second. And, by the way, Peter
drove nine of the 12 hours—McQueen
had a broken foot.”
Peter never married, and never
had children. Do you have children?
“One son.”
Is he interested in racing?
“Yes, but mostly NASCAR. Go
figure. But he has the same personal
drive, the same focus as Peter. It’s
eerie.”
The book really intimates that
he would have had one season left.
What do you think he would have
done, after he retired?
“Oh, Peter was working on it.
He already had a car dealership and
a memorabilia and parts store. He
wouldn’t become a Penske. Penske
never stops. It’s his life. But Peter
would have figured it out.”
And, with that, Julie stared out
past me, into space.
RMR Holiday Party!
You are invited to the premier annual event of the Rocky
Mountain Region of the Porsche Club of America! We
want you to enjoy the RMR Holiday Party at the beautiful
Glenmoor Country Club in a lovely setting at 110
Glenmoor Drive, Cherry Hills Village.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, Dec. 14th, and then
register on Nov. 1st to join in the camaraderie and warm
holiday cheer.
This is an excellent time of the year to socialize with all
of your PCA friends. Don’t be shy. If you are new to the
club, it is a perfect time to come together and learn from
other members about all the wonderful events that RMR
has to offer. It may be your last chance in 2013 to meet
with old friends, and new, to celebrate this special time of
the year.
The
evening’s
program
will
commemorate
accomplishments throughout the year. We will honor
volunteers who made outstanding contributions to the
club.
RMR will be partnering with the US Marine Corp again
at our Holiday Party. We ask that you be a part of our “Toys
for Tots” Drive. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy. You
will be giving a needy child something special from Santa.
Appetizers & Cash Bar at 6:00pm, Dinner at 7:00pm
Cost: $70.00 per person
Entrees (choose one per person):
Petite tenders in burgundy glace
Chicken marsala pan-seared red bird, served in
savory mushroom marsala with a crispy spinach Norwegian salmon pan-roasted in coconut curry
Dinners include Spinach walnut and cranberry starter salad and Yule log--Bûche de Noël dessert
Registration opens on Friday, Nov. 1st and closes
Tuesday, Dec. 10th. Please go to www.motorsportreg.com
and register now as this event sells out every year!
For more information, you may contact one of this
year’s RMR holiday party hostesses:
Marcia Hubbell
[email protected], 303-771-1019
Kathy Fricke
[email protected], 303-499-6540
Nancy Warren (event registrar)
[email protected], 303-604-1289
This month’s random
question asked to five
random members:
“Do you think
Porsche should
build an entrylevel sports car
below the Boxster?”
John Sims
“Absolutely. A modern 914 would be a
great way to attract younger drivers.”
Rob Heath
“The Boxster is a pretty good “starter”
Porsche, but something smaller with a
hard top and all wheel drive would also
be nice. Sort of like an Audi TT but more
economical, or perhaps a modern 356–mid
engine, AWD, 1600cc and a turbo.”
Craig DAndrea
“The current price range for used
Boxsters already fits this niche quite well,
so what’s the point?”
Joe Gariepy
“It would be nice, but we’d likely just get a
rebadged Audi/VW platform as in the past
with mediocre results. The 924 and 914
were not so well received until Porsche
put their engines in both gave us the
beautiful and capable 944 and 914/6 cars.”
Michael Osborn
“No, the Boxster is the perfect entry brand
for Porsche. To place a less expensive
model invites poor maintenance (think 924)
and as Martin Smith indicates cheapens
the brand.”
OCTOBER 2013
35
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: 575.829.4392, [email protected]
Technical resources
The following members are specialists with expert knowledge of specific
Porsche models. Contact them with questions about your Porsche.
356
Jim Kellogg: 303.840.2356, [email protected]
911
John Haley: 303.798.2177, no email given
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]
36Cayenne
Steve Schroeder: 970.229.0990, [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.
October
Sat 10/5
Sun 10/6
Mon 10/7
AMR DE
La Junta Raceway
RMR Board Meeting
6:30pm at RG and Associates
Thu 10/10 Membership Social-Oktoberfest
Prestige Imports
9201 W. Colfax, Lakewood
Sat 10/12 Season’s End Drive to
Edelweiss German Restaurant
34 E Ramona Ave, Colo. Springs
Sat 10/19 OktoberFAST RMR DE
Sun 10/20 High Plains Raceway
Deer Trail, CO
Sat 10/24 PCA Escape
Sun 10/27 “Escape to LA” 2013
Sat 10/26 RMR Autocross
Front Range Airport
November
Fri 11/1
Mon 11/4
3rd Annual Control Awards
Dinner
RMR Board Meeting
6:30pm at RG and Associates
Thu 11/7 Membership Social
TBD
Sat 11/9 Instructor Party
TBD
December
Mon 12/2
RMR Board Meeting
6:30pm at RG and Associates
Sat 12/14
RMR Holiday Party
Welshire Event Center
3333 S. Colorado Blvd.,
Denver, CO 80222
OCTOBER 2013
37
In the rearview mirror
Amy Legg-Rogers, Historian
Tweaks to late 70s Porsche 924 do little to earn respect
There were few changes between the 1978 and 1979 924s. The biggest change was
the new five-speed transmission. The shorter gear ratios of the five-speed gave
it more punch. Cosmetic changes included the cloth inserts for the seats being
carried over the door panel, giving the interior a nicer look. Another update
included the tachometer being rotated so you could read it when the RPMs were
near the limit. Overall, the reviews of the 1979 924 were not enthusiastic. There
were hopes that the new 924 Turbo would be even better.
38
Trivia
Answers: 1. Black, Red, Gold; 2. Harley Davidson V-Rod; 3. Six; 4. Ferdinand then Ferry Porsche, Ernst Fuhrmann,
Peter Schutz, Heinz Branitzki, Arno Bohn, Wendelin Wiedeking, Michael Macht, Matthias Müller; 5. Mooney M20L aircraft