l o n e s ta r H
M A G A Z I N E
I S S U E
N ยบ 0 6
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF LONE STAR REGION : PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA
PROTECT EVERYTHING. CERAMIC COATING | PAINT PROTECTION FILM | WINDOW TINT TO FIND YOUR LONE STAR REGIONAL FACTORY TRAINED INSTALLER CONTACT 1-713-373-3546 OR EPETREE@XPEL.COM
W I N D O W
©2020 XPEL, Inc. All rights reserved.
T I N T
THE OFFICIAL &
C E R A M I C
C O A T I N G
2 0 2 0
O F
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]
06
CONTENTS
PHOTO: BIG C PHOTOGRAPHY
ELON MEETS ELAN
03 : DIRECTORY
14 : THE PACE RACE
2020 LSRPCA Board and Sponsors
Driving the Pace Car at COTA
04 : FOURTH OF JULY TOUR
18 : THE NEW HPDE CHAIR
A Trip to Round Top's Annual Parade
LSRPCA Welcomes Andy Cao
06 : CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE
20 : PASSION WITH DIRECTION
An Impressive 964 Wins
Going Full-Throttle (And Sideways) With a 911
08 : TAYCAN TURBO
22 : CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED
A Member's Review
The Beauty of Porsche's CPO Program
12 : VEHICLE ALIGNMENT
24 : LSRPCA CALENDAR
Small Adjustments Yield Big Results
Upcoming Events & Tours
01
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT It has been an unusual summer to say the least. We usually stop events due to the oppressive Houston heat this time of year, but given our Spring events were cancelled due to the coronavirus, we ran a High Performance Driver’s Education (HPDE) in the middle of July and the drivers were actually happy about it! We were also able to run our traditional 4th of July parade tour to Round Top, TX. On an administrative note, COVID-19 related forms and our other waivers have been integrated into clubregistration.net for online signing and less paperwork at the events. As the HPDE participants know from the Driver’s meeting, Tra Townsend has decided to step down from his role as chairman of the HPDE program to “retire” to club racing his 911 full-time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tra for the countless hours and very early mornings he put in to make our HPDE program a success.
LONE STAR:
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF LSRPCA MEMBERS lsrpca.com Facebook.com/groups/lsrpca Instagram @lsr.pca
Publisher/Editor
VIK DAY editor@lsrpca.com
Art Director/Designer REBECCA CASHWELL
Production Manager TARA DOTSON
Tra started working with Tim Thomas back in 2017 as our HPDE program was still in the process of evolving at our new home track at MSR Houston. Tra was able to overcome the challenges of a lack of track food infrastructure and a reduction in driver’s coming in from Dallas and Austin to make the HPDE program at MSR Houston a tremendous success. Tra hands the reins of this program to the very capable hands of Andy Cao. I am confident he will continue the program’s success and move us forward with best-in-region driver’s instruction. So please join me in thanking Tra for all his hard work and in welcoming Andy for future full-throttle track weekends!
Doug Carroll, LSRPCA President
Sponsorships / Advertising VIK DAY HECTOR MARTINEZ editor@lsrpca.com
Front Cover Photography BIG C PHOTOGRAPHY
Contributing Photographers ALASTAIR DONALD BIG C PHOTOGRAPHY CARL FEHRES CLAUDIO DURAN DAVID LEUNG EINAR GOERLAND HUGO ZAGARIA JOE BURROUGHS LINDA DONALD LYNN FRIEDMAN NICOLE GOLDMAN SCOTT OVERTON SIDELINE SPORTS
Contributing Writers ALASTAIR DONALD ANDY CAO CLAUDIO DURAN EINAR GOERLAND JOE BURROUGHS MICHAEL MELDRUM NICOLE GOLDMAN SCOTT OVERTON
We want your submissions! Submit articles, event coverage and photos: editor@lsrpca.com
PHOTO: CARL FEHRES
02
PHOTO: BIG C PHOTOGRAPHY
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]
DIRECTORY
DOUG CARROLL PRESIDENT
THOMAS ROY CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE
PAM FITZGERALD SOCIAL EVENTS
president@lsrpca.com
concours@lsrpca.com
activities@lsrpca.com
ALASTAIR DONALD VICE PRESIDENT
ANDY CAO DRIVERS EDUCATION [DE]
NICOLE GOLDMAN STORE
vp@lsrpca.com
de@lsrpca.com
KATHY KENDALL SECRETARY
PHILIPPE OBERTI DE-CHIEF INSTRUCTOR
secretary@lsrpca.com
cdi@lsrpca.com
ROB VAN LANDINGHAM TREASURER
REYNALDO PAGAN DE-REGISTRAR
store@lsrpca.com
2020 LONE STAR MAGAZINE SPONSORS
treasurer@lsrpca.com
registrar@lsrpca.com
XPEL IFC
HECTOR MARTINEZ MEMBER AT LARGE
SEAN LLOYD SAFETY CHAIR
EINAR’S GARAGE
P. 05
MOMENTUM PORSCHE
P. 11
memberatlarge@lsrpca.com
safety@lsrpca.com
JIM HEDDERICK AUTOCROSS
DAVID DIULUS CAR CONTROL SCHOOL
ax@lsrpca.com
ccs@lsrpca.com
HECTOR MARTINEZ PCA CLUB RACING
STAN TRIPP GET TOGETHERS
GULF COAST AUTO SHIELD P. 13 GARAGES OF TEXAS
P. 17
clubrace@lsrpca.com
gtg@lsrpca.com
NEW HOME DUDE
P. 19
TRACE ENGLAND COMMUNICATIONS
LYNN FRIEDMAN HISTORIAN
DE BOULLE JEWELRY
IBC
EUROCAR WERK
OBC
comms@lsrpca.com
VIK DAY EDITOR
editor@lsrpca.com
historian@lsrpca.com
STAN TRIPP MEMBERSHIP
membership@lsrpca.com
03
[ L O N E S T A R M A G A Z I N E : F O U R T H O F J U LY T O U R ]
LS R
HPCA
OFJULY TOUR 4
R
OU
ND
AS
TH
X TOPH TE
WRITER & PHOTOS: NICOLE GOLDMAN
Round Top has been celebrating July 4th in a great small town way for 170 years. Round Top has been celebrating the Fourth of July in a charming small town way for 170 years. It’s the longest-running parade west of the Mississippi – and it’s an awful lot of fun. Due to COVID-19, Fourth of July looked different this year, with many cities cancelling festivals and parades, due to the virus. Fortunately, the County Judge allowed Round Top to hold its annual parade, albeit with a few less participants than in the past. Our Fourth of July tour started in Sealy, Texas. The weather was sunny and hot, nothing unusual for Texas in July. Edwin Goldman, LSRPCA Tour Chair, and Steve Bukoski, Past President LSRPCA, started the tour by collecting a variety of PCA waivers and release forms. Due to COVID-19, a list of health protocols was also shared. A brief safety meeting was then held to remind participants about speed limits and traffic laws, and to review our driving route. Our group of 18 cars left Sealy for a scenic drive through Texas Hill Country on route to Round Top. The route took us on the backroads through Cat Spring, New Ulm and Industry to the Porsche designated parking area in Henkel Square Market in Round Top. At 10:30 AM that morning the civil war-era cannon roared, announcing the start of the parade of handmade floats, antique cars and tractors, fire engines, trail riders and longhorn cattle. Approximately 50 floats, vehicles and tractors participated in the 170th Fourth of July Parade. About 36 enthusiastic LSR members gathered together along Main Street in their best patriotic attire and gear to view the parade and cheer on participants. After the parade, Edwin Goldman handed out BBQ in take-out boxes. The boxes consisted of brisket, pork, and sausage, made by the Round Top Rifle Association on wood-fired pits in the Rifle Hall. Our members socially distanced themselves while enjoying their lunch of BBQ, German-style potatoes and green beans. It turned out to be a nice Fourth of July celebration, with scenic views, good company, and delicious food. All proceeds from the tour were donated to the Round Top Family Library. J
04
YOUR PASSION IS OUR PROFESSION
PORSCHE-SPECIFIC SERVICE, RESTORATIONS AND PARTS SERVICING VINTAGE AND CURRENT MODELS 832.755.67 74 • 1102 OLI VE R S T. H OUS TON , T X 7 7007 • E IN ARS GARAGE .COM
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : CO N CO U R S d' E L E G A N C E ]
SPECS
1990 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 2 (964)
•Type Flat 6 •Induction Normally-aspirated •Cooling Air/oil-cooled •Valvetrain Single overhead camshaft •Injection Port injection •Bore x Stroke 3.94 in/100 mm x 3.01 in/76.4 mm •Displacement 219.60 cu-in/3,600 cc •Horsepower 247 @ 6100 rpm •Torque 228 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm •Max RPM 6700
➀
PHO TO COU RTE SY O
F CL
AUD I
OD
2 2 URA
N
06
➁
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : CO N CO U R S d' E L E G A N C E ]
JUNE 6 WINNER WRITER & WINNER: CLAUDIO DURAN
➂
➃
➄
➅
Photos 1, 2: Courtesy of Claudio Duran | Photo 3: David Leung | Photos 4, 5, 6: Courtesy of Hugo Zagaria
I bought my 1990 Porsche 911, 964 in Houston, Texas 11 years ago, and I have been working on it ever since. I have worked on the paint, interior, wheels, engine and most difficult —the details. I have learned so much since I joined LSRPCA and started participating in the meets and the concours’. Since joining the club I have had the opportunity to meet lots of people with the same interests and passion, many of whom are now my friends. In the beginning, I didn't understand the process of the concours’ judging system, but I quickly started to learn and take care of my car detail by detail depending on what the judges pointed out. My car is a totally different car since my first contest. Finally after six events, I took first place! J
MODIFICATIONS:
•Re-Painted Guards red •interior black with red stitches, seat belts and dash •wheels and calipers •aero mirrors, RS wind and lip spoiler. •headlights •taillights •suspension adjustable •rennline accessories
07
[ LO N E S TA R M A G A Z I N E : TAY C A N T U R B O ]
TAYCAN
TURBO
PORSCHE’S TESLA EATER
PHOTOS: BIG C PHOTOGRAPHY
08
[ LO N E S TA R M A G A Z I N E : TAY C A N T U R B O ]
WRITER: MICHAEL MELDRUM
As a loud and enthusiastic advocate of air-cooled Porsche
fairly spacious. My family of four is comfortable in the car
ownership, it must seem a bit odd to find out that the latest
and they enjoy different aspects of the car.
addition to my clan is a Frozen Blue Metallic Porsche Taycan
The kids, 10 and 11 years old, love the “Electronic Sport
Turbo. Whilst the biggest divergence from my usual modus
Sound” option. They say it sounds like a spaceship under
operandi is the switch to a fully electric vehicle, it’s not the
acceleration and they squeal like it’s a rollercoaster and
only significant deviation. This is my first, practical modern
have dubbed it “Hyper-Jump”. My wife is quite “Tay-can”
Porsche —in the past I have owned a 911 or a Boxster. I’m
with the dedicated passenger screen where she can control
naturally curious, especially with new tech, so the opportunity
all the non-driving settings, like the media, navigation, etc.,
to own the first iteration of Porsche’s journey into electric cars
or she can have a dedicated information display including
was an easy decision.
speed. This helps her “affectionately direct” me when I’m
My first drive was stressful, but not for the reasons you’d expect.
breaking the speed limit.
This was my first major expedition since the COVID-19 lockdown, therefore
being
in
a
I believe in the “horses for courses” approach to cars.
Porsche
My comfortable and practical
dealership, surrounded by socially-
option for the last 15 years
distanced people, was far more
was always a new model
traumatic than I expected. However,
Range Rover as it provides
Porsche North Houston ensured a
a winning
safe and quick turnaround.
comfort,
Pulling out of the dealership, it
combination practicality
Britishness—very
was just like driving a very quiet
of and
important
for an expat living in Texas.
car, all the other touchpoints are
I bring this up because
conventionally located. It was
the Taycan trumps the Range
a peaceful drive home—until I
Rover for ride comfort. It’s
dialled the knob on the steering
ability to soak up the abysmal
wheel to “Sports Plus” mode. The
Houston roads is phenomenal.
suspension lowered and some
This was not expected—most
other
happened.
reviews focused on the ride
When I floored it in this car,
and handling dynamics, but
fancy
stuff
the acceleration felt like the fastest roller coaster I had ever
did not highlight the quality of the ride for running around
experienced. Blink and you’ll be in triple digits.
town on bumpy roads. If it had the boot space of a Range
Once back at home, the ownership experience is more
Rover, it would replace it entirely for me. Let us start with the positives.
like setting up a gigantic iPad. You set up a Porsche Connect user ID, download the app for your phone, connect the car
The acceleration is incredible, truly mind boggling.
and charger to the Wi-Fi, login to the Porsche servers, and
Without the usual subliminal cues of the engine, it is hard
configure the car and charger to your preferences.
for the body to keep up, think about how it feels to be on a
If you want to charge it promptly at home you will need to
roller coaster at full spurt.
have a 240v outlet installed. My standard 110v outlet takes
The magic employed to blend superb driving dynamics
2-3 days to charge the Taycan, compared to 6-8 hours with
and luxurious ride comfort is hard to grasp. Disclaimer, I do
the 240v outlet. I have heard that the charging locations
not spend a lot of time in modern vehicles, but whoever was
with superchargers will charge it to 80% in 20-40 mins.
the lead engineer for the suspension and ride is a genius.
The Taycan is calm and poised around the corners, the
The interior is gorgeous. The materials feel top quality and
acceleration is as fast as expected, the front and back are
the fit and execution is delightful. Porsche's interpretation
09
[ LO N E S TA R M A G A Z I N E : TAY C A N T U R B O ]
of a modern, luxury sports-purpose interior is perfect. This is my first, fully electric vehicle and I am a card carrying convert—the convenience of charging at home is the future. Park up, plug in and forget about it. I am not sure how things will play out for performance vehicles, but for a daily driver “normal” car, it is hard to beat the electric option. Cosmetically, it has really grown
Porsche's interpretation of a modern, luxury sports purpose interior is perfect.
points but until charging is as quick and convenient as filling up at a gas station, it’s not going to work for me. The seating position is low, reminding you of its performance heritage. I’d like to see a higher seating position and/or ride height, as I view the Taycan as a practical family wagon. For big city daily driving, I prefer better sight lines and a more comfortable ingress and egress.
on me. Yes, it is a big vehicle, but
In Texas, they say “bigger is
Porsche has done well to create a shape that is handsome, yet manages to conceal its girth.
better” but in this case I find it to be too big to be a fun
The front and rear lighting LED elements are particularly
car, yet too small to be a useful family hauler. I would
attractive at night time.
have a hard time packing in all the kids’ gear, including bikes, camping chairs, cooler, etc. for a road trip.
I also like the user interface. It's well done, the digital gauge cluster is really on point with just the right amount
In conclusion, it is the future, truly the most
of configuration options. It feels futuristic, but keeps a
impressive vehicle I have ever driven, but I do not think
familiar Porsche feel.
its market segment of “luxury performance salon car”
Moving on to the negatives.
is for me. I prefer horses for courses. I think the chaps
The acceleration is both a blessing and a curse. After
at Porsche are way ahead of me and that is why we
a recent “heavy footed” family run around town, with
will be seeing the Taycan Cross Turismo, with raised
many stops and starts for junctions and traffic lights,
ride height and more room in the front and back, soon.
we all felt a bit queasy. The instantaneous nature of the
Personally, I cannot help but dream that a fully
acceleration and the associated g-force can be rough on
electric performance, “GT3 RS 2+2 Coupe” would
the digestive system.
be incredible. All that power and acceleration in a more compact and lighter package—now that would
I do not see myself doing a long distance road trip in the Taycan. Yes, you can plan the route via charging
be FUN. J
10
Contactless Delivery. Purchase your Porsche from the comfort of your driveway.
Momentum Porsche 10155 Southwest Freeway Houston, Texas 77074 (855) 294-3099 momentumporsche.com
Š 2020 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : V E H I C L E A L I G N M E N T ]
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER VEHICLE ALIGNMENT FOR STREET & TRACK CARS
ALIGNMENT W R I T E R & P H OTO S : E I N A R G O E R L A N D - OW N E R O F E I N A R ’ S G A R AG E
Automobiles are designed by the manufacturer to have certain alignment specifications to maximize the performance and driving characteristics of the vehicle. Vehicle alignment is critical for tire wear and proper handling of your Porsche. A vehicle which is improperly aligned can have premature tire wear and can also exhibit unusual handling stability. Alignment measurements can change over time as suspension components and bushings wear out. A vehicle's alignment can also be affected by suspension changes, such as new component installation, vehicle ride-height changes, wheels spacers, or even more common in the Houston area, rough roads and potholes. Measuring vehicle alignment takes specialized equipment to get highly accurate results, but alignment measurements can be made with a simple set of parallel strings and a digital level. For measuring alignment on most modern cars, an alignment computer is used which has imaging sensors and targets that attach to each of the wheels to create a virtual parallelogram around the car. Vehicle alignment equipment is used to measure three important angles on a vehicle, these are toe angle, camber angle and caster angle. Slight changes to any of these three angles can make huge differences in how a vehicle handles and how the tires will wear. Depending on how the vehicle is to be driven will determine if the factory specifications need to be changed, for example, a street driven car will typically have different alignment specs than those for a track driven vehicle. If you are frequently taking your car to the track or involved in racing, alignment is even more important as a properly setup suspension will make the difference between an unstable car and one that is predictable and stable in the corners.
Toe angle is the angle of a wheel in relation to the centerline of the car. A negative toe angle, or “toe in”, is when the front leading edge of the tire is closer to the centerline and the rear or trailing edge of the tire is further away from the centerline. Conversely, a positive toe angle or “toe out” is when the front of the tire is further from the centerline and the rear of the tire is closer to the centerline of the vehicle. These toe angles can be very slight on street driven cars, but for track cars, they can be quite large depending on the driver and the desired handling. A toe angle of zero has both wheels exactly parallel to the centerline of the car. This creates the least amount of wear on the front tires, but it also makes steering input very touchy. A car with excessive toe in or toe out is basically pushing or scrubbing the tires against a straight line. Excessive toe will cause tires to wear out quicker than if the toe was set according to the manufacturers specifications. For street driven cars such as a 997 Turbo, the total front toe angle is 0.08 degrees or 0.04 degrees for each side. This is a slight toe-out angle and it creates straight line stability. For a track driven 997 turbo the driver may request a slightly higher toe out angle to help with steering into turns. Toe angle is also measured and adjustable on the rear wheels for most Porsche models and the toe in/out on the rear wheels determines stability at speed and how well the vehicle turns. Rear wheel toe also determines how the back of the car tracks in relation to the centerline of the car, this is known as thrust angle. Camber angle is the angle of a wheel when looking at the wheel from front to back in relation to a vertical line. Camber angle is the most visible of the three angles as most people can
12
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : V E H I C L E A L I G N M E N T ]
visualize a vertical line when compared to the camber angle of a wheel. A negative camber is when the tops of the tires are leaning in towards the center of the car. A positive camber is when the tops of the tires are leaning away from the center of the car. Camber angle is critical for both front and rear wheels and is one of the leading causes of tires wearing prematurely. A vehicle that has a high negative camber angle will wear out the inner tread of a tire quicker than the outer treads when traveling in a straight line, but it will help the vehicle with traction in a turn. Camber angle is important with performance vehicles as it also determines how much of the tire is in contact with the pavement in a turn, this is known as a contact patch. A car with negative camber will have a greater contact patch on the outer tire when making a turn as the roll of the car causes the inner tire to slightly lift and the outer tire will lay flat against the pavement. Cars being driven at the track will usually run a higher negative camber than a street car to compensate for higher body roll in high speed cornering. Caster angle is the angle of a vehicles’ suspension in relation to a vertical line when looking at the side of the wheel. A positive caster angle helps to determine steering effort and how stable a car is at speed. Caster angle for most vehicles is a positive number which means the top suspension point is further rearward than the
lower suspension point. A positive caster angle helps the vehicle's steering to return to center when moving forward. Some vehicles have adjustable caster while others are preset by the manufacturer and are not adjustable. Your vehicle's alignment measurements and suspension components should be inspected regularly by a qualified technician. These inspections will help to make certain that your car handles as the manufacturer intended. In addition to vehicle handling, your suspension components and alignment measurements should be checked regularly to be sure that you don’t have worn parts which could potentially be a safety issue. Another important reason to have your suspension components and alignment checked is so you don’t prematurely wear out your tires. The tires on most Porsche vehicles are specified by Porsche to have certain grip characteristics to compliment the performance of the vehicle. This high grip comes at a cost both monetarily and also in terms of the life span of the tire as a soft compound tire will wear out quicker than a tire with a hard compound. Be certain that your car handles the way the engineers intended and that you aren’t having to make frequent trips to the tire shop to replace your tires by having your alignment checked regularly. J
ULTIMATE PLUS 10 PAINT PROTECTION FILM | XPEL’S THICKEST FILM PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT TODAY | GCAUTOSHIELD.COM | (832) 930-5655
13
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E PAC E RAC E ]
PHOTO: SIDELINE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
THE PACE RACE LSR'S INVITE TO COMPETE
WRITER: ALASTAIR DONALD
14
My phone rings and I see that it is LSR’s Mike Stein, the Race of the Carreras Co-Chair. “Would you like to drive the Pace-Car at the next event at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA)?” My mind starts processing the invitation with visions of the F1 Mercedes AMG Safety Cars that are piloted in Scalextric type precision by unknown helmeted cyborgs with a pack of angry F1 cars barking at their heels. My conclusion was reached faster than a PDK gear shift, “Yes please!” I have been fortunate to drive at most of the famous motor racing circuits around the world, but my absolute favorite is our Texas-based Circuit of the Americas (COTA). I don’t know if it is the mixture of fast sections with technical turns, the elevation changes, the incredible grip or the striking spectrum of colors—it just gives me an incredible buzz! My driving log shows that I have driven 2,883 laps there since it opened in October of 2012, and that is not counting the laps as an instructor. My most recent outing was in June 2020 in my trusty 991.2 GT3 6 speed. With all of those laps of COTA, I had never led a race there, until the 2020 PCA Club Race, the Carrera of The America’s. The Club Race is run in conjunction with an HPDE program for advanced drivers. We Texans are fortunate to have three extremely well run HPDE programs offered by the Hill Country, Maverick and Lone Star regions. The success of these programs comes down to three critical factors; the leadership of the DE Chairs, like our own Tra Townsend, the Registrars, like Rey Pagan, the corps of instructors led by a Chief Driving Instructor, Phillipe Oberti, and a myriad of volunteers. Their effort starts months before the event and continues for weeks after everyone has left! I am proud to help at these events. Usually my duties include mentoring the
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E PAC E RAC E ]
PHOTO: LYNN FRIEDMAN
PHOTO: LINDA DONALD
first time novices, instructing students, coaching experienced drivers and generally doing anything that needs doing. Hard work, but a lot of fun! Driving the Pace Car was going to be a nice change. Well it turns out that driving the safety car is harder than I thought. In fact, it is a two person job! I was lucky to be paired with Lynn Friedmann. She has operated the safety car many times before and was in charge of radio communications. She relayed Race Control’s commands to me. We spent a lot of time together in our chariot, a 991.2 911 Turbo S courtesy of one of the race sponsors, a very nice car with air-conditioned seats! Thirty minutes before the race was due to start we completed a Quick check of the car: windows cleaned, mirrors set, driving position set, tire pressures checked and made sure we had plenty of fuel. Then we reported to the track entry, ready for deployment. Lynn completed a radio check and let Race Control know that we were on station, ready for release. With 10 minutes to go we heard, “Pace Car, proceed to track holding position”. So off we went, with warning lights on, and stopped in the middle of the track adjacent to the apex of turn one. It felt really strange being stationary on a race track. I then focused my attention to watching for the race cars entering the track. With one minute to go we heard, “Pace Car, cars released to track, standby”. With my head in a really awkward position, I saw the line of cars winding their way onto the track like ants. Almost immediately, I heard, “Pace Car, 40, four zero, 40”, and I began leading my first ever PCA club race! The rear view mirror was full of excited Porsches, swerving from side to side, to try to get their tires up to operating temperature. Resisting the temptation to apply a heavy amount of gas pedal to show them how it is done, we chugged along at a constant
40 miles per hour as we had been ordered—which is a lot harder than you can imagine! As we reached turn six, I could see that the race cars were behaving and were nicely positioned with no stragglers. It wasn’t long after that we heard the next order from Race Control. “Pace Car, increase to 60, six zero, 60 from turn 9”. Off we went! My rear view mirror was still full of agitated race cars, but now the pole winner was trying to get heat into his brakes and started numerous dive bombing missions, first on my left, then on my right and then the pack starts doing the same—but we chug along at a constant 60 unperturbed. My first driving challenge then loomed, keeping as much speed as I could while taking turn 11, and making sure that Lynn was not thrown around. For the first time on the lap I had to tap the brake pedal to help the Turbo S rotate. “Pace Car, increase to 70, seven zero, 70”, at least that is what we heard. The radio signal was weak and there was a lot of interference, probably because we were at the furthest distance from Race Control. One second later we were at our new cruising speed and Lynn confirmed our compliance with the order. We were about to tackle turn 12 and our next order arrived. “Pace Car, decrease to 50, five zero, 50”. The lower speed was to regroup the race cars in preparation for the rolling start on the start/finish straight that was about 20 seconds away. It also made my job easier as there are some slow corners in that part of the track. As we accelerated away from turn 15 we received another instruction, “Pace Car, increase to 60, six zero, 60. Lights out turn 16, lights out turn 16”. Lynn acknowledged the instruction and I obeyed. Then came the instruction where I had to surrender our lead in the race. ”Pace Car, Exit Track; Pace Car,
15
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E PAC E RAC E ]
Exit Track”. I took turn 19 at speed and quickly moved off line to position us for a safe exit into the pit lane. We crept along the pit and took our in-race position at the end of the pit lane. There we sat, engine on, in our beautiful Turbo S ready to pounce into action in the event of an emergency deployment. Fortunately, we only had one emergency deployment all weekend. Two Boxsters tried to occupy the same spot in the braking zone on the entry to turn 11 which ended in tears in the exit. This was exciting as the call came over the radio “Pace Car, incident, deploy 65, six five, 65”. Off we went, quickly getting up to the ordered speed
to take station in front of the lead car. As I steered the car around the track at speed, we received another instruction. “Pace Car, track left at turn 11, speed 30, three zero, 30, then return to control speed 65, six five”. This helped make sure that we passed the incident at a controlled pace and helped keep the track workers safe while they completed the recovery work. For three laps, I was back in the lead of the race! Then Race Control robbed me of my first place trophy with a clear, “Pace Car, lights out turn 16, lights out turn 16 and exit track, exit track”. Oh well, there is always next year!
Taking The Lead, But Not The Win.
16
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : Q & A ]
Lone Star Interviews The New HPDE Chair
ANDY CAO, THE NEW CHAIRPERSON FOR THE REGION’S HIGH PERFORMANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
Q
&
AA
Q: What are your reasons for chairing the HPDE program? I thought there was a rule forbidding anybody from passing the DE Chair on track, but apparently not. Fortunately, there are other reasons for accepting the role. Thanks to previous chairs such as Tra Townsend, Tim Thomas, Andrew Seifert, Greg Stewart, Ken Tubman, Jake Taylor, and countless folks who built this program, this region’s HPDE program is stable and thriving. After being approached numerous times by folks whose opinion I respect, I agreed to trust their judgment that I could be the next steward of this program. I would like to continue the good work of my predecessors, continue finding ways to deliver value to our membership, and put my successor in a position to succeed. Q: How did you get into HPDE? My parents often told stories of how, as soon as I could talk, I was identifying cars by their tail lights. Tail lights gave way to Autobots (note to self: search eBay for Gen1 Jazz), which gave way to posters of big winged Supras and dealer brochures of Mister 2s, and which gave way to my first car. It was definitely not a 2JZ. Once I started my career, I could finally act on that interest. Eventually, I bought my first Porsche, a 2003 Boxster S. For my following birthday, my girlfriend, now wife, bought a DE weekend for me. I did that once and enjoyed it. A few years later, I bought my second Porsche, a 2006 Carrera, and decided that I needed to do some DEs to truly get to know the car. I returned to the track for another DE. It was around that same time that I was transitioning out of contact sports and was open to having a new outlet. I am truly awful at hand sports so golf was out of the question. My story is similar to that of many others. Almost universally, when people recount the stories of their first DEs, they identify another person as the instigator. Be that friend and bring a friend. Q: What kept you coming back? I could recite my belief that we have the best run events, with top-flight instruction, and a record of safety, but the readers already know. For an adult, the changes of scenery that deliver new friendships are not as frequent as when we were kids changing classrooms every year and changing schools every few years. LSR’s DE program delivered new friends to this adult. Many of my fellow instructors sat next to me in Green and Blue classroom. We shared track space, tools, dinner reservations, and then holiday card lists. If I simply wanted to burn gas going in circles, there are plenty of other track event organizations and I’ve participated in many of those. But, LSR’s DE program is where my friends are and why I'll keep coming back. I hope it's why others keep coming back too. PHOTO: CARL FEHRES
Q: What would you like the DE customers to know? Look out for each other. Green students start out as strangers sharing inches of track at high speed. It is a given that we have each other’s lives in our hands. Unlike on the city streets, we are all going in the same direction literally and figuratively. Look out for each other off track too. There are people in those cars and under those helmets; get to know them and you’ll get much more out of your weekend. The future staff, mentors, instructors, Chief Driving Instructor, and DE Chair are out there in today’s Green group. This is your program and I invite you to take ownership of it in your own way. Q: What can DE customers expect during your term? The pandemic environment has imposed new challenges to all track event organizations and our program is no exception. We are committed to delivering value to the members and drivers, and doing so will require adjustments. We see adjustments occurring in our work and home lives, and the DE program is adjusting too. We held an event in July in compliance with the then-current government regulations. Those are changing weekby-week, and so the program must adjust with those changes. We will get through this and appreciate your cooperation. Along the same lines, DE customers can expect me to listen. Beyond that, I've been maintaining a list of ways to add value, and I look forward to rolling those out. See you at the track! J
18
19
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : PAS S I O N ]
PORSCHE 911
PASSION PASSION PASSION WITH A NEW DIRECTION WRITER & PHOTOS: JOE BURROUGHS
20
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : PAS S I O N ]
N Since I can remember I have loved cars. Whether it was sitting on my dad’s lap steering my grandma’s Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme down the neighborhood street, obsessing over my Lamborghini Countach poster on my wall, or wanting to get my license at 13, I have what some may call an obsession. I prefer to say I’m passionate about cars—anything with an engine really. Passion alone without direction, though, as an exercise is mayhem. Case in point, my first car was a hand-me-down Jeep Wrangler. That
It takes someone truly dedicated to the art of driving to get the best out of it.
was a fun little vehicle even though it was a four cylinder automatic; I did my best to powerslide it around as many
ran across a 2003 C2 in Seal Gray with a black interior and 95,000 miles for the princely sum of $25K. I had to have it. As my wife can attest to, once my mind is made up on something, there is nearly nothing that will stop me from making it so. Acknowledging this is just how I am, we hopped in the E92 and drove from Everett, WA to Beaverton, OR to take a look at this 911. “Where the heck is the mirror adjuster? You’re comfy sprawled across the back seats and trans hump Mr. 6’3” car salesman, right? Why is the key on the left?” I was entirely clueless about this whole
911 thing—and smitten.
dirt roads as possible.
Needless to say we left with that 911 that day, and the
A year after that came my first Mustang, a 1986 GT in
past decade has taken my passion and nicely tied it to direction.
custom sun-faded red. That car was totalled when someone hit
That’s not to say I haven’t also had a merry-go-round of cars,
me. Next up was a string of RX-7s. First was an ‘88 GTL which
but they’ve been almost exclusively Porsche. There was the
should have been relegated to the scrap heap, but instead I
aforementioned 996 C2, then a 996 Turbo, what a car that was,
decided to do a Turbo II swap that never ran right. Then there
then the 964 C4 turned track car, then the 997.1 C2S, then the
was the ‘88 GTU that actually did get relegated to the scrap
986 Boxster, then the Cayenne GTS, and the ‘82 SC.
heap. Then there was a string of first generation RX-7s. I thought
You could say I found it. I found my direction. There’s
I found what I was searching for, a unique car that’s fun to drive
something quirky and stubborn and wonderful about a company
and has a community that “gets it”.
that sticks to its principles no matter what their competition
Remember that “passion without direction thing”? Yeah,
is doing, no matter if there is a “better” way, no matter what
it quickly reared its ugly head again. Enter my 240SX phase. I
shortcomings there may be with the design. All of these things, I
cycled through a handful of turbocharged Nissan 240s. I then
think, to an extent mirror who I am as a person. There’s obviously
moved onto a string of BMWs; an E36 328is, E30 with an M52
the history, the legitimate benefits of the layout, the aesthetics,
swap, E36 328i four door, what a lovely car, E46 M3, what an
the exclusivity, etc. of driving Porsches.
even lovelier car, and an E92 328is.
But, at the end of the day, what keeps me sideways and
I thought I found it, where my passion and obsession cross
happy in a 911 is knowing that not everybody will understand.
paths with direction. That was all thrown out as soon as I saw
It’s a bit left field. It takes someone truly dedicated to the art of
that a Porsche 911 was in my budget.
driving to get the best out of it. And it gives my passion direction,
One night searching around on AutoTrader , as one does, I
usually with a foot full of throttle and sideways.
21
J
CPO'S
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : 3 C P O ' S ]
THE CPO'S
PORSCHE PROGRAM
WRITER & PHOTOS: SCOTT OVERTON
My apologies to the Diplomatic Droid from Star Wars, I couldn’t resist. Of course, this is about my three experiences buying Certified Pre-Owned Porsches. The Porsche CPO program is great. You get a vehicle that has been inspected, no repaired wrecks, all worn parts replaced, up-to-date service, and two years added to any remaining original warranty with the mileage limit increased to 100k.
The
CPO coverage is transferable to individuals, not dealers, but I chose to stick with dealers.
You can pretty much
trust Porsche dealers for accurate descriptions, especially for remote sight-unseen transactions. In addition, the transaction is simpler and they can arrange for shipping.
22
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : 3 C P O ' S ]
Some advice: be sure to get the “Certificate of Origin” and
themselves: if not now, when? In the winter of 2015,
confirm that shipping will be in an enclosed trailer. Many
I found a 2013 base 911 with 13,500 miles on it at
vehicles offered as CPO are lease returns. I understand
Porsche of Rancho Mirage, California—hold the remarks
that at lease end, the original leasing dealer can either keep
about “Grandpa 911” please. It had come off a lease in
the car or put in a dealer-only auction pool. So, a CPO
Tallahassee, Florida so it migrated quite a long way, then
Porsche could end up far from its original delivery home. It
back again half way, to me. The dealer gave me a very
is easy to shop. The best selections can be found on the
fair quote on the sight-unseen trade for the Cayman with
Porsche website under “Shopping Tools”. Lastly, depending
shipping both directions.
on the model, the savings compared to buying new can be
of me selling the Cayman myself, because you only pay
huge.
Texas sales tax on the price difference—and you really
A trade made sense instead
When I retired in 2007, for the second time I might add, my
do not want to pay California sales tax. The rig that
wife and I moved from Clear Lake to the Hill Country and
arrived to pick up the Cayman was something to behold.
built on small acreage near Kerrville and Fredericksburg.
There were 11 other Porsches in there and they were
Having provided plenty of garage and shop space, I first did
dropping 4 of them off in Scottsdale, presumably for the
what I thought I always wanted to do: find and work on a
January 2016 auctions, before going on to California. By
memorable old car. I found a 1953 Studebaker Commander
contrast, our 911 arrived in a very modest, single car
Starliner Coupe, the Euro-inspired one designed by
trailer pulled by a pickup. I still have this 911 and I still
Raymond Lowey and Bob Bourke, V-8, overdrive, in great shape.
You still find these shells at Bonneville because
love it.
they are so aerodynamic. What I had forgotten is just how
CPO NO.3 In
bad 1950’s cars drive. A couple things led to its departure.
order Macan S. We checked a lot of option boxes, except
For one, I would regularly forget that it could not corner or
for one that proved to be important later on. If I had
stop. Eventually I was going to put it in a ditch. Secondly,
known that “park assist” was really a backup camera, I
the Hill Country roads. In addition to just driving to town,
would have gone for it, but I didn’t. Hey, I know how
we discovered the “Twisted Sisters”. For those who may
to park. No big deal in the rural Hill Country. But then
not already know, these are FM 335, 336, and 337 just
in 2018, we moved, this time to The Woodlands. By
past Medina.
Our other cars were sedans, fast, but not
then the Macan S had 33,500 miles on the clock. There
really ideal for these great sports car roads—I had to have
is no such thing as a camera retrofit, but in the more
a Porsche.
urban area we needed one—some spousal urging was
CPO NO.1 IIn late 2011 I found a CPO 2011 base Cayman
early 2015 we took delivery on a new, early
involved. So, we did another sight unseen-trade. Our CPO 2016 Macan Turbo came with only 17,000 miles
with 5,500 miles on it at Hennessy Porsche in North
on it and has every imaginable option box checked. That
Atlanta. It had been a loaner although I was told that an
deal was done with Porsche of Atlanta Perimeter, the
employee drove it most of the time. There were a whole
original seller. Like before, shipping was no problem and
lot of option boxes not checked on this one. Especially
the car was flawless, but there was one glitch.
annoying were the manual seats and HVAC, but the price
Georgia title was signed using a power of attorney and
was right.
You
the Texas DMV rejected it. There followed a week of
might ask, why not fly there and drive it back? First, the
the dealer scrambling to find the original seller, get a
sale would be higher in Georgia with their sales tax than
proper signature and several overnight mailings. More
it would be in Texas. And, then comes the airfare, hotel,
advice: confirm that the title and transfer documents
and mileage. A quick calculation confirms: shipping wins.
conform to Texas’ standards.
They quoted the price with shipping.
It arrived just fine. It was all I expected and I enjoyed it for about four years.
CPO NO.2 The
The
That’s the story. We do miss the Hill Country roads, but we enjoy having family closer. Speaking of family, our, now adult, kids recently went the CPO route by adding a
Cayman was fun, but it sparked an itch for
a 911. Also, there was that question retirees often ask
Macan Turbo, AMG Benz, and M BMW to the extended family fleet. Think old Dad set a good example?
23
J
[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : CA L E N DA R ]
LSRPCA EVENT CALENDAR Our club hosts a number of fun and engaging events. If you’ve never been to one of our events, come out and say howdy and more importantly—DRIVE! You can always see what is happening in real time by checking out LSRPCA.COM
Please note that all GTG are cancelled until further notice.
MARATHON, MARFA & BIG BEND TOUR
[HPDE] HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER’S EDUCATION
Location: West Texas Date: November 6-9, 2020 Registration via LSRPCA.com
Location: MSR Houston Dates: October 3-4, 2020 *Advanced Solo Drivers Only
[AX] AUTO CROSS
[AX] AUTO CROSS
Name: 2020 LSR AX #6 Location: Houston Police Academy Date: November 8, 2020 Registration Open
Name: 2020 LSR AX #5 Location: Houston Police Academy Date: September 27, 2020 Registration Open
[HPDE] HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER’S EDUCATION
KIEPERSOL WINERY TOUR
PHOTO: BIG C PHOTOGRAPHY
Location: Tyler, Texas Date: October 25-26, 2020 Registration via LSRPCA.com
Location: MSR Houston Dates: December 5-6, 2020 *Advanced Solo Drivers Only
24
We Buy, Sell & Trade- the World’s Finest Timepieces Precise, sleek, distinctive and exceptional. de Boulle is a family-owned business established in 1983. Along with de Boulle Motorsports, both are a living and moving illustration of the passion for excellence for jewelry, watches and racing. de Boulle is an authorized dealer for major brands including: Patek Philippe, Rolex, Bell & Ross, Blancpain, Corum, Girard Perregaux, Greubel Forsey and Tudor. de Boulle also provides the options of preowned timepieces, which includes vintage watches of notable brands. Visit deBoulle.com to view our extensive collection.
A Curated Selection of Pre-owned Timepieces 6821 Preston Rd., Dallas, TX 75205 214.522.2400 River Oaks District Houston, TX 77027 713.621.2400 deBoulle.com
201911LSRPCA.indd 1
10/15/2019 1:59:43 PM
