FALL 2022
2022 Board Members
President Erik Apotheker
203.733.1470 president@fsrpca.org
Eastern Vice President
Jim Hamel
908.329.5845 eastvp@fsrpca.org
Assistant Eastern Vice President Pierre Hilaire asstvp-eastern@fsrpca.org
Western Vice President
Mike Ball
804.240.9296 westvp@fsrpca.org
Assistant Western Vice President & Tourmeister
Dave Wallace asstvp-western@fsrpca.org
Activities Officer
Greg Kahles
757.802.1890 activities@fsrpca.org
Secretary & Archivist
John Greene
757.663.8249 secretary@fsrpca.org
Treasurer Jerry Kent 757.971.7849 treasurer@fsrpca.org
HO Editor
Brad Jublou editor@fsrpca.org
Charity Chair
Josie Grandfield charity@fsrpca.org
Membership Chair
Ken Thomas membership@fsrpca.org
High Performance Driver Education Chair
Marco Estrada dechair@fsrpca.org
Safety Chair
Mark Hugel mark.hugel@cox.net
Past President
Melinda Cagle pastpresident@fsrpca.org
IN THIS
Horizontally Opposed (HO) is the official publication of First Settlers Region (FSR), Porsche Club of America (PCA). All opinions, views and information appearing in HO are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the PCA, FSR, its Officers or the Editor.
The HO Editor reserves the right to edit all material submitted for publication. Permission is granted to reprint any material provided that full credit is given to the author and to Horizontally Opposed.
This publication, and previous publications of Horizontally Opposed, are available to view on-line at www.fsrpca.org.
Advertising rates, schedules and commercial partner marketing support is available to all parties interested in engaging the members of the First Settlers Region of the Porsche Club of America. Please contact FSR Treasurer, Jerry Kent at treasurer@fsrpca.org or call 757.971.7849 for more information.
Presidential Musings, Erik Apotheker
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
It’s a bit awkward to type those words in August, but the HO production cycle, the advertisements for pumpkin spice lattes, and the Halloween decorations now on sale in many stores seemingly provide some defensive air cover. As I reflect on my goals for the club and our past months, I am reminded of lofty intentions, somewhat elusive goals, the reality of efforts that drove achievement, and the ever-dwindling time we have left in 2022. This has been an exciting, frustrating, rewarding year as we resumed a very ambitious schedule of member activities. We thought that membership was over-ready to engage, post pandemic, and wow, were we correct! Our joint club BBQ with BMWCCA, multi-region weekend tour with Potomac Region PCA, Fun Runs and New Member Social all received rave reviews and were sold out events. The photos (thank you Mike Ball for the continued contributions) of enthusiastic members sharing time with old and newly made friends are a single measure of success. Sadly, this success comes with some collateral damage. << insert shameless plug for volunteerism here>>. With upcoming HPDE, Fun Runs, Turkeys in the Trunk and more, please consider getting involved - whether for an hour, for a weekend, to plan an event, join a committee, form a new event, or more. Key contacts are published in this magazine, and we would love to hear from you. Your ideas and offers are always welcome.
Meet the New H.O. Editor
On behalf of the Board of Directors I am pleased to share the news of Brad Jublou’s recent appointment to Editor of the Horizontally Opposed Magazine. With an abundance of enthusiasm, Brad has already begun to craft the next evolution of this magazine as we endeavor to strike a balance of national news, articles of general interest, and local Porsche happenings. While I have no doubt that Brad will exceed all of our expectations, it cannot happen without membership support. So please share your ideas for articles and consider writing something from time to time. “Pets That Love Porsches” submissions, anyone?
They say a picture is worth a thousand words
We all love a good photo, and enjoy seeing them online and sharing them with friends. These days most of us carry a camera at all times thanks to some great minds who thoughtfully led their integration into our mobile phones. But such immediacy of access brings both opportunity and potential for peril. We seem to live in a time that ascribes to the never-ending quest to share experiences. Over the last few months we have noted the increase of posts containing “questionable images.” These images often suggest (or document) things that as individuals we may not truly want socialized, and as a club may find undesirable. While they may have great composition, or convey an amazing experience, some work against our mission and / or diminish our club’s brand equity in the eyes of others. Like the new drone policies, social media rules and guidelines can be found on the PCA National site; just search “Region Procedures Manual” for more. So before you post, please consider what the picture conveys.
Upcoming Elections
Each year FSR holds elections to vote in new officers to the Executive Council (affectionately called EXCOM, which would make much more sense to me if the group were called the Executive Committee in our bylaws ). The council consists of key leadership roles that focus on guiding the club forward to fun and prosperity while also managing the business side of the club. Yes, it takes a bunch of money and effort to put on all the events, publish this magazine, host HPDE and more. This year the roles of President, Eastern VP, Western VP, Treasurer and Activities Officer come up for election with voting to be conducted between October 10th and 15th. If you are interested in nominating someone for one of these roles (you can nominate yourself) now is the time. Look for more information via FSR eNews and on our Facebook page.
News from the Secretary, John Greene
Happy driving everyone! As I mentioned in last quarter’s H.O., I’ll be providing a quarterly summary of the Board’s activities here. Because we’ve changed to a bi-monthly “rhythm,” there was only one meeting this past quarter (April), but we met in July and I’m “squeezing” the results in before print deadline. The Executive Committee continues to meet monthly and, between EXCOM and BOD, the events you’ve all seen advertised have been planned, staffed and attended by members and volunteers such as yourselves!
Of note, and not in any particular order:
• FSR’s checkbook balance continues to be healthy, and membership improved over the last quarter with year-to-date growth at 1.1%, and 815 primary and 1264 total members.
• Attendance at the monthly breakfasts has been down lately, most likely due to continuing COVID concerns; come on out, though, and wear a mask if you feel more comfortable.
• The New Member Social held August 6th was a great success; you can read about that separately.
• October DE registration will open soon, if not already. Register now to claim your spot in your run group. FSR DE dates for 2023, subject to approval, will be April 28-30 and October 13-14.
• The Air and Auto 2022 has been postponed until October 7, 2023, making this event now a bi-annual one.
• There will be a Fun Run in November, so look for details soon; register early and please show up if you do; there will be a penalty if you don’t—besides denying someone else your slot.
• Our magazine, Horizontally Opposed, has a new editor—Brad Jublou. Thanks to Brad, and to EXCOM and other members for carrying the load the last few editions.
• And, last but not least, fall elections will be coming up soon. The call for nominations will open September 15th; nominations close October 10th; voting will open and close on October 15th and 30th, respectively; and results will be posted November 5th. This election will refresh all EXCOM positions except Secretary; some Appointed Chairpersons positions will also need filling so please consider volunteering your time and talents. It is only through volunteers’ help that the Club keeps running and offering activities to its members.
As always, thanks to everyone who volunteers for your Board!
“Zone Whaaat??”
By Phil Grandfield, Zone 2 Representative
Since you’re reading this article, in the “Horizontally Opposed” newsletter, odds are you are a member of PCA and know that you are part of the First Settlers Region. The odds are also in favor of predicting that, if given a pop-quiz, you don’t know what a PCA Zone is, which Zone you are a part of, or how many other Regions are in the same Zone. I’ll try to shed some light on the PCA organization and what it means to you as a member.
The Zone Rep system was put in place in 1969; 14 years after PCA was established by 12 enthusiasts at Blackie’s House of Beef in Washington, D.C. The idea was to include another level of organization between the Regions and the National Executive Council to improve communications both up and down the growing organization. It was recognized that managing the growing club was limited by geography with the presidents and members not always able to attend the annual meetings at Parade. Zoom was still decades away!
The Zone Reps’ job, along with the National Committee chairs, is to pass along information to the Region Presidents for dissemination to the members. The flip side is true with questions, comments or suggestions from the members and Region Presidents passed to the Executive Council via the Zone Reps. The process is very well organized with lessons learned, no doubt, over the past 67 years. An important point is that all the people involved in this process are volunteers.
Back to the pop quiz. The First Settlers Region is one of 10 Regions that comprise Zone 2. The others are Shenandoah, Blue Ridge, Potomac, Delaware, Chesapeake, Riesentoter, Central Pennsylvania, Pocono, and Keystone. Potomac is the largest Region with 2847 members, and Keystone is one of the smallest with just 88 Porsche enthusiasts. Overall, Zone 2 includes about 12,000 PCA members. The geography stretches from Hampton Roads, across Virginia into parts of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and most of Pennsylvania.
The first iteration of the Zone Rep system established eight original Zones. As the club rapidly approaches 100,000 primary members and 150,000 total members the management infrastructure includes 14 Zones with the most recent one established in 2017. The PCA organization will certainly continue to adapt as the both the Regions and Zones add more and more members.
Without going into excruciating (and boring) details, the job of the Zone Rep is communication. Zone Reps attend the annual winter meeting and more meetings held during Parade. The Reps also attend monthly meetings with the Executive Council and National Chairs.
PCA Executive Council meetings start with important information shared by the EC that is of interest to the membership. The National Committee Chairs have an opportunity to brief topics from their areas of responsibility and the Zone Reps have an opportunity to pose questions to the Executive Council. After the Executive Council signs off, the Zone Reps have an opportunity to share ideas, questions, and comments amongst each other.
Why does all this matter to you? The Zone Rep system is the way PCA manages communications to 147 Region Presidents and 150,000 people. If you have a question or comment about the club that should be addressed by the Executive Council, going through your regional President or the Zone Rep is the best way to make that happen.
Another advantage of “knowing your Zone” is access to events. While any PCA member is welcome at any event, coordination between Regions in Zone 2 makes it easier to learn about what is going on in the other local Regions. A great example is the Boardwalk Reunion cochaired by Zone 1 and Zone 2 and held in Ocean City, NJ. The gathering of Porsches on the boardwalk of the iconic Jersey shore includes hundreds of Porsches and hundreds of people just having fun. The next one is on Saturday, October 15th. See you there!
You can learn more about the Zone and upcoming events at “Zone2.pca.org” or on Facebook at Zone 2 PCA.
On this month’s cover:
This month’s cover provided by Steve Marcom
If you wish to submit a photo or original piece of art to be considered for a future cover, please email editor@fsrpca.org.
FSR is fueled by volunteers and we need your help to continue our award-winning ways. We are currently looking to fill the following roles.
Event planners – FSR has ambitious goals and currently offers 2-3 times the number of events that we did just a year or two ago, but we need committed helpers to help plan and organize future events, if this is to continue. Commit to help with 1 event, or many, we want you.
Marketing & Communications Chair – FSR has presence in print & online and we need help to uplevel our member communications. All you need is strong communication skills and a few hours a month and we have a rewarding role awaiting you.
If you would like to learn more, just reach out to any of our board members listed in the front of HO. This is your club, consider getting involved.
Ken Thomas
First Settlers Region: A Great Place for You and Your Porsche to Hang Out
In spite of the headwinds from COVID, inflation and limited inventories of new and preowned Porsches, First Settlers Region has grown to over 815 primary members and 447 co-members. This growth has been consistently ranging from 2% to 9% in recent years and has placed First Settlers in PCA’s largest class of regions.
So why is First Settlers growing? Member referrals are our best tool. Our dealers and independent shops do a great job of recommending membership, and FSR offers a great and diverse schedule of events. PCA offers a long list of member benefits that offer direct and indirect value to members, but there are local benefits that offer enhanced value to First Settlers members. These benefits include:
• Membership in a region that has won PCA’s Region of the Year Award and numerous PCA awards for its website and its charity program.
• A busy schedule of driving, tech, social and charity events. Many events are no cost or low cost.
• A very popular Drivers Education program at Virginia International Raceway.
• A great support network of First Settlers members who are always willing to respond to Porsche ownership questions.
• Great communication tools including e-blasts, our Facebook group page and the FSR website. Additionally, a First Settlers App is in the testing phase.
• Discounts on parts and services. Don’t forget to ask for the discount.
• Outstanding support from our regional dealers Checkered Flag Porsche and Euroclassics Porsche.
• Excellent independent shops committed to the Porsche marque.
• A First Settlers Goodie Store.
• A First Settlers Region window sticker.
• The opportunity to make lifelong friends.
The Board and the many FSR member volunteers work hard to provide a great member experience and are always open to member suggestions to improve their experience. We don’t like to lose members. That is why we run a member renewal contest each quarter. The odds of winning are about 1: 160 and the winning member receives a Griot’s Garage Concours kit valued at $100. We have members with over 50 years in the club and our members come from all walks of life. We are bound together by our common interest in the Porsche marque. Come out to an event and see what your club has to offer.
Making My Porsche “Mine” (part 1)
Buying my Porsche 968 by Jim Hamel
I had been “between” Porsches for too long. I was suffering withdrawl symptoms. Something needed to be done. I started to decide what I needed to cure my ills (or at least my lack of Porsche ones). I wanted something reasonably affordable but mostly modern, a cabriolet, and with the potential for upgrades to bring it closer to my expectations.
I concluded that the 968 was the car for me. It was the final iteration of the 924/944/968 series normally referred to as the “transaxle cars,” even though all aircooled Porsches also carry transaxles. After a bit of searching, I found and purchased a car that looked promising that lived in Akron, Ohio. It was a 1994 Grand Prix White car with a dark blue top and a midnight blue interior. It was in extremely good condition with low mileage for its age. Because I frequently traveled to Pittsburgh for work and I usually drove when I went there, I made arrangements to pick up the car by driving a rental one-way to Akron, picking up the 968, then going east to Pittsburgh for work.
all the basic fluids including oil, coolant, brake, and transmission/transaxle. Along with the fluids I changed the addressable filters, including the oil, air and cabin filters. None of the minor repairs needed to resolve the common 944/968 issues were difficult nor time consuming to complete.
Thankfully in this digital age there are several resources available to guide and assist any DIYer in their tasks. For the 968 I used two Internet forums, 968Forums. com and the Rennlist 968 forum. Additionally, Pelican Parts has many excellent DIY project instructions, as does Clark’s Garage. Although Clark’s Garage focuses on 944s, many of the projects apply to the 968 as well. I also used the Porsche 968 Factory Workshop Manual extensively.
My overall approach to modifications and upgrades
When considering any modifications to my cars, I usually start by looking at what options the original manufacturer offered at the time for that model, or were available for other model lines in their product offerings. I also join whatever user groups or forums exist on the Internet and use these sources for researching what can be done, along with the pros and cons of the various potential approaches. I have tons of respect for Porsche’s engineers and designers, so I usually prefer their products when available and practical.
Basic repairs & and initial maintenance
I’ve basically accepted when buying used cars with any kind of age or real mileage to perform some repairs, hopefully minor, and a level of initial maintenance. With my 968, to establish a known baseline, I changed
Audio system
Listening to music has always been important to me, both in my homes and cars. Whenever I moved apartments or homes the first thing I would do at my new place was set up my stereo system. That made the rest of moving-in much more pleasant because my tunes were blasting. The same is true of my cars. Among the first upgrades I usually perform is a sound system upgrade. This gets
me my music, but also allows me to add navigation, hands-free phone capabilities, and more. A buddy of mine gave me a double DIN head unit so I started the cutting, wiring and physical manipulation necessary to install it in a car that wasn’t intended to house a double DIN stereo.
Interior
One thing I knew I intended to do even before I closed the deal on my car was to add a back seat. Due to changing safety regulations when Porsche introduced the 968 line, the cabriolet version didn’t include a rear seat, even though the 944S2 cabs had them. Porsche added a storage box in the back interior area of the 968 in place of the previously existing seats. I saw a complete set of dark blue rear seats from a 944S2 cab on eBay and ordered it, prior to actually closing on my 968. I installed the rear seat bottom (the top seat back was already part of the rear seat delete from Porsche in the 968s) into my car, and after drilling two holes for the lap belts I had rear seats that my middle school daughters could fit in. The color match with the new seat bottoms was not perfect but almost no one noticed the mismatch if I didn’t point it out.
I love the Porsche sport seats from the 996/986 series, particularly with seat backs painted in the exterior color of the car. I bought a torn set of 996 sport seats off eBay, had them reupholstered and the backs painted Grand Prix white. I also had the center console covered with the same leather as the seats. I loved the
look once installed, and the seats are definitely more body-hugging. I also changed from the 968’s blocky steering wheel to a 4-spoke 996 wheel.
Exterior
My progression regarding exterior mods started with more minor steps and then became more significant as time went by. Since the paint on the car was in such good shape and I wanted to protect it as soon as I could, I acquired a brand new Porsche OEM bra for the front off eBay (one of my favorite sources by the way). My next change could be covered in this section or in the later “Performance” section, but I will keep it here. I bought a full set of 17-inch Porsche Cup 2 wheels and had new Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 tires mounted. I selected the A/S 3 because they seemed to be the highest performance tires available that were rated for our winter temperatures here in southeastern Virginia to use year-round.
As I was planning on using my cabriolet for HPDE events I installed a roll bar from Design 1 Racing. I initially installed it to meet the HPDE requirements, but as I drove my car more and more I realized it added substantial rigidity to the whole car. The handling was sharper, lots of body movements were reduced or eliminated, and the car was notably quieter and smoother. I also think it looked cooler!
Although I would like to think the front air dam/ spoiler by Design 1 Racing I installed added to the performance of the car, it was probably more effective changing the looks of the car. Either way I thought it looked great and brought the car closer to my ultimate vision.
Performance
Although there’s not a ton of mods you can make to the 968’s engine to make significantly more horsepower & torque without forced induction, there are a couple of easy mods that add of bit more grunt. First is to add a computer chip that remaps the car’s fuel & timing, and in conjunction with the chip you can modify the air box to increase input air. I did both mods together early in my ownership, and they seemed to add a bit more performance according to my butt-dyno.
Next on the performance upgrade list were improved brakes. I bought a set of 928S4 brakes on eBay, overhauled and painted them red, and added these to the car along with higher performance brake pads. These are the same brakes Porsche installed on the 944 Turbo S’s and 968’s with the optional M030 Sport Suspension. Handling upgrades included 968 M030 anti-sway bars to get my cornering flatter and a Design 1 Racing strut brace to maintain front end geometry.
While the chip & air box mod added a little performance, I wanted more! To get more I had to add forced induction. I bought a supercharger kit from Design 1 Racing and set about the installation. This was the most drastic project I had done to any of my cars in my life. I knew I reached the point of no return when I got to the instruction step that said to completely cut the engine’s wiring harness to extend the length. I took a deep breath and cut it in two. Luckily in the end everything worked as designed. Thank heaven. The supercharger transformed the car’s performance, and got it as close to my original vision as I would ultimately get.
Summary
I loved my 968, and still think they’re awesome cars. There was one thing, though, that bothered me about the car that eventually drove me to consider alternatives. The cabriolet version of the 968, and the 944 before it, was created many years after the basic platform emerged as the 924 in 1977. As a result, the folding of the top, and in particular the installation and removal of the boot cover when it was down, was pretty cumbersome, time consuming, and rather unpleasant when a rainstorm suddenly appeared. It meant there were several times I avoided driving the car if it was in the garage with the top in the wrong position for the outside weather.
Perhaps a goofy reason to decide to sell a car but for me that was probably the number one reason. Nobody said the owning a Porsche is a strictly rational decision!
In part 2 I’ll cover my next chapter in Porschehood.
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Member Profile: “In My Own Words”
by Brandon Hull
I moved from New Jersey to East Beach in Norfolk four years ago with my wife Lynette, to be closer to daughter Lucy who lives nearby with her Navy officer husband, Chase.
I’ve loved sportscars for as long as I can remember. My cousins and I used to listen to my uncle’s “Sounds of Sebring” Riverside records and play Batman in the 300SL Gullwing parked in the garage. Another Uncle gave me a memorable (and probably life changing) ride in his Austin Healey 100 the night he finished swapping in a Buick 215 V8. I bought my first car from an ad in the Sunday New York Times at age 15; it was a Jaguar XKE failed restoration project, basically in boxes and coffee cans. I paid $600 for it, and it taught me a lot! I’ve bought and sold many cars over the years—American, British, Italian, and finally German. I’ve always been interested in “Automotive Anthropology,” the way sportscars seem to embody something of the values and psyche of their countries of origin.
I got my first Porsche just after I got married. My Lotus Elan daily driver was too unreliable to inflict on a new wife, and my parents were pressuring me to get rid of the Alfa Romeo 2600 project car in their garage. So I sold them both and bought a four-year-old 911SC Targa, with platinum paint and brown leather. It was a revelation to drive such a capable sportscar and also have electric windows and air conditioning!
The Porsche had to be sacrificed a few years later to help pay for business school, and a new career and growing family required a monastic retreat to Volkswagens, Hondas, and a series of Volvo wagons. In the 90’s I became enamored of the Audi Rally cars and began a comprehensive conversion of a US Coupe Quattro into a European-Spec S2. The project would have been impossible without this newfangled innovation—the Internet—and the Audi “listservs” e-mail group. I sourced parts from all over the world, using as a reference a parts microfiche mailed to me by a Porsche-Audi parts counter guy from South Africa. When my project was completed, someone on the Quattro List invited me to an Audi track event, and after that first event at Mid-Ohio I was hooked. I did track events as often as I could, but after nosing my beloved “ersatz S2” into the Armco at Pocono, I realized the disadvantages of driving one’s street car on a racetrack. Also, by that time, I knew I wanted to go racing, so I joined the Schattenbaum Club in South Jersey, networked my way to a 911SC racecar that was for sale, and started racing.
I loved motorsports and wanted to share my infatuation. So, when my son Forrest turned eight, I bought him an Italian made Gold Kart in the Yamaha 100 junior class and I graduated from driver to team manager. We raced all over the eastern regions of the World Karting Association (WKA), winning regional championships and consistently ranking in the
top ten nationally for 5-6 years. Quite a few kids we raced with have national prominence today in IndyCar, IMSA and NASCAR. When Forrest turned 15, we graduated to open wheel racing, in a Van Diemen Formula Ford. We raced a year of regional Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, a year of their national series, and a year of the F1600 Championship - a Pro Series where we finished 6th overall despite missing a couple races.
Since Forrest went off to college, I’ve confined myself to the occasional PCA race, especially anything with an enduro so we could co-drive, and
particularly if it was hosted at NJ Motorsports Park where I still keep the racecars. I also focused on my other car passions, including collecting and restoring. I had managed to obtain one of the very few L-Head Mercer Raceabouts and after a multi-year restoration it won an Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) national award.
Today my Porsches include a ‘96 993 SuperCup, an ‘80 911SC racecar, a ‘76 Turbo Carrera, and a ‘78 Turbo (which I have never driven; it’s been in a 5+ year restoration effort!). I just sold a ‘96 turbo I’d bought from a friend 12 years
back. I’m not very interested in Porsches newer than ‘99 and, for whatever reasons, the longhood 911s have never appealed to me. However, I would still like to own a 356 Speedster one day. After moving to Norfolk, by divine providence, I guess, Phil Smith (last quarter’s Member Profile) moved in almost next door a week later, and we quickly established that we were kindred spirit car guys. To my great benefit, he was also the sole non-retiring owner of a pair of E30 BMW racecars, so I happily stepped back into racing, this time in the ChampCar Endurance series. We recruited a PCA friend, Trevor Dawe (son of legendary ex-Porsche Factory Wrench & Race prep shop founder, Peter Dawe) and of course my son, Forrest, as co-drivers. We are in our second year of racing and having a great time. Our most recent event was Daytona where we had a 5th place finish in a 14-hour Enduro in a field of 120+ entries.
I’m delighted to have a new Porsche home here at First Settlers, and eager to dust off the 911 for some local events. As wonderful as cars can be as interesting mechanical objects and things of beauty, their true value lies in the relationships and community that forms around them, whether it’s racing, rallying, or showing. My personal automotive website is www.motorpla.net
Wonderful Waynesboro Weekend
by Brad Jublou / photos by author & Shawn Faherty
On 16 and 17 July, 26 members from across the First Settlers Region participated in two days of incredible driving fun. Ed Merry pulled his best Twisty and Very Twisty roads out of his kit bag to provide attendees with some wonderful drives in the foothills, mountains, and valleys of the Virginia Blue Ridge area. On Friday night, check-in was held between 7 and 9 p.m. at the host hotel, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Waynesboro just off I-64. On Saturday at 9 at the Drivers’ Meeting, the 15 cars were split into two groups, and after the obligatory Safety Brief and an explanation of the day’s preand post-lunch runs, Group 1 set off from the host hotel to be followed by Group 2 about 15 minutes later. Bob and Diane Levendakes led Group 1 and Ed Merry with his pal Sam Fowler led Group 2.
Despite the deluge of rain that happened Saturday morning prior to the Drivers’ Meeting, the rain that threatened only manifested in one more short shower mid-morning, leaving the cool day partly cloudy with excellent road conditions after drying. The morning legs were filled with exciting roads; when Ed Merry’s directions repeatedly say, “Blind
Humps” and “Sharp Curves,” you know you’re in for some thrills. Several stretches of the morning run resembled nothing so much as a rollercoaster, with verdant mountainsides and meadows hemming the roads.
After crossing three mountains and traversing numerous twisty roads, the groups rolled into the little town of Monterey for a delicious lunch break at High’s Restaurant and Hull’s Hideaway.
After lunch, the groups continued into the heavily forested mountains, with more curvy roads inducing the Porscherelated condition called “Permagrin” in many of the participants. One of Ed’s very favorite and very scenic twisty roads eventually led to the Goshen Pass Overlook, where all stopped to enjoy the view.
Happily exhausted after a long day of twisty fun running, the drivers and navigators got back to their hotels in the late afternoon - time enough for a nap or a dip in the pool before a 6:30 rendezvous at the Edelweiss
The locals seemed to like us!
Lunchtime in Monterey
GoshenPassOverlook
German Restaurant, just a short drive south of Waynesboro. Setting us up in an outdoor tent with plenty of room, the restaurant provided the diners with their German Sampler - a Chef’s choice of five of their most popular dishes: Sauerbraten, Goulash, Wiener Schnitzel, Rahm schnitzel, and Jäger schnitzel, along with sides of spätzle (yum!) German cabbage and green beans. Iced tea and soft drinks were included, but many chose to quaff one of the great German beers they had on draft. Later in the meal the accordion player was “coaxed” out of the main restaurant and into our tent for a brief bit of Bavarian music to further set the mood.
Day 2 saw the two groups cover some fresh ground, including two particularly steep ascents with sharp switchbacks that challenged many of the cars and drivers (Author’s Note: In retrospect, I’m pretty sure I should never have taken my car out of second gear!). After several more twisty runs around the mountains, the groups headed up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway to experience the beautiful roads and awesome views along that historic byway. At the end of the run was a delicious catered lunch of pulled pork bar-b-que (with a variety of wonderful sauces), cole slaw, baked beans and brownies graciously hosted by Tom Godfrey at his beautiful home in Nellysford.
Of note, there was one rogue participant among our contingent: Scott Orr apparently forgot to pack his Porsche when he travelled to Waynesboro for the Fun Run because he showed up in a 2004 Ford Mustang GT! No matter as it was plain that both pony and driver had a great time.
Speaking of wild animals, this fun run may have clocked the greatest variety in recent memory: there were deer
(both live and deceased), black snakes, possum (deceased), turtles, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and even two curious cows who apparently wandered off the farm and stood at the roadside intently watching as we carefully rolled past.
During the weekend, Shawn Faherty introduced the participants to a particularly handy app called “Relive,” which presented a bird’s eye view of the runs we made over a relief map of the mountainous terrain. Shawn posted the app’s products on the FSR Facebook page to give our membership an appreciation of its usefulness. Thanks Shawn!
Overnight fun runs are a great way to get more time with tires on asphalt, while also providing extra time for everyone to get better acquainted with their club mates. And overnight trips are a particular necessity if FSR members want a chance to play in the mountains and valleys of the Blue Ridge. The Waynesboro Weekend checked all the boxes! So, a big Tyrolean “hats off!” to Ed Merry, Sam Fowler, Tom Godfrey, Cedric Wiggins, Bret Jacobsen, Melinda Cagle, and Bob and Diane Levendakes for an exceptionally memorable weekend of great roads, fantastic scenery, and spirited camaraderie.
One of these things is not like the others
Enjoying the conversation and entertainment at Edelweiss
Werks Reunion 2022
by Mike Ball
During January and February, the holiday season becomes a distant memory. Many FSR sports cars suffer from the trickle charged doldrums as they languish in their winter garages.
But come March, spring approaches. Our members and their cars begin to stir. And the Porsche Club of America has come up with the ideal destination for the winter-weary Porschephiles and their rides: that event is the Werks Reunion! The Werks Reunion was held March 4th at Amelia Island, Florida, in conjunction with the Amelia Concours d’Elegance. The Werks Reunion occurs on Friday during the week of The Amelia. This affords the Porschephile the opportunity to have a Porsche-intensive experience on Friday and then enjoy the smorgasbord of incredible cars available for viewing at The Amelia on Saturday and Sunday.
This year the Werks Reunion returned to its traditional first week of March date after moving to May in 2021 to accommodate COVID pandemic concerns. The weather was ideal.
Over 750 Porsches were present in the judged and corral lots and over 3500 Porsche enthusiasts attended.
For 2022, the Porsche 911 996 was the featured model. There was a separate Porsche Corral Lot for owners of the 996 Porsche 911 and during the event, PCA took the opportunity to introduce their Porsche 996 Classic Club Coupe.
Werks Reunion is held at the Amelia River Golf Club.
As you drive into the Porsche Corral Lot, one can’t help but be dumbstruck by the fairway filled with Porsches all arranged according to their models. It would be easy to spend the entire day simply savoring the cars in the Porsche Corral. The number, variety, and quality of models available for perusal is simply stunning. Many owners sit by their cars and are
Those who displayed their cars on the judged field found a less intense concours experience than they would at Porsche Parade. The objective is to have an enjoyable gathering. The well maintained and presented cars were rewarded; the presence of a little dust, while not encouraged, was tolerated. There were no protest committees.
delighted to tell you all about them.
But eventually you make your way across the street to the display field where the judged cars are lined up for inspection.
This year PCA arranged for several stunning displays, including the 918 Spyder, Carrera GT, several 959‘s, and a blue Ruf CTR.
One highlight of this year’s Porsche Werks Reunion was the opportunity to see a 993 GT, the forerunner of all current Porsche GT cars.
PCA had a booth with information and seating. Two SIM racing rigs were available. They combined with Hagerty to offer Youth Judging of the judged cars. It was great fun to see the enthusiastic young Porsche fans making their choices.
First Settlers Region had two winners this year: Lee Weber placed second with his White G body and Alex Llorente placed third with his 60th anniversary GTS. Well done!
The 996 Classic Club Coupe was introduced to the world at this year’s Werks Reunion. The project began life several years ago over a few adult beverages shared by PCA executives.
They conceived a restoration of an unloved 996. PCA procured the car, and it was sent to Germany where Porsche Classic and Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur did their magic. They removed the standard engine and replaced it with the 996.2 generation GT3 flat six. The chassis, brakes and suspension were replaced with those from the 996.2 generation GT3.
The Classic Club Coupe was then modified with a ducktail spoiler which evokes the 1972 Carrera RS 2.7, a double bubble roof and 18-inch Fuchs wheels.
The interior features seats and door panels with woven black and grey leather! The information unit features Apple Car Play, Android Auto and Sirius XM as well as GPS.
This stunning car will be displayed at a number of national PCA meetings this year, and then may find its way into the home of a lucky PCA member!
Werks Reunion at Amelia Island is a tremendous event. And when it’s over, you still have Saturday and Sunday to attend The Amelia.
On Saturday, the Cars and Coffee featured many fine Porsches. And the Porsche display on the Concours field showcased the 996 Classic Club Coupe and a wide variety of Porsches. A green Ruf CTR was parked at the entrance to the Ritz Carlton.
The Sunday Concours featured a variety of Porsches including cars from the highlighted 60th anniversary of the Daytona 24 Hours Race. There was a spectacular 1969 917K in Gulf livery, a 1973 Porsche 911 RSR, and a 1995 Porsche K8 Spyder.
There were also examples of the 1959 Porsche RSK-718 and a shocking winged 1955 Porsche 1500 RS Spyder that would make Jim Hall proud!
And that is just the tip of the iceberg; everywhere you looked, stunning cars!
Perhaps the most amazing car was part of the 75th anniversary Ferrari display. The very rare and incredibly beautiful 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO was there in all its glory.
Make your plans to attend next year! You will not be disappointed!
Rennsport Rendezvous: A Family Affair
by Rich “Smash” Cao
Like many of my fellow “Porschephiles” I can’t wait for the next Porsche Club event. Awesome Fun Runs, Saturday morning breakfasts, overnight driving tours, and the annual FSR charity event “Turkeys-in-theTrunk” just to name a few. As soon as I see it on the First Settler’s Region calendar, I put it on the family calendar and eagerly wait for it to come around. And these events have been phenomenal bonding opportunities with my two young kids who are still small enough to ride in the back of my 911. However, during the Fall and Spring seasons it’s also time for soccer and little league baseball. As most of you can attest to, getting to spend that time on the field coaching my kids is a memorable opportunity that I know only comes around
once in a lifetime. And while I don’t regret for a second being with my kids during their Saturday games, I still miss my Fun Runs and hanging out with my FSR friends. So, I’ll gladly put Porsche Club events to the side and wait for the summer and winter PCA seasons… but what if I could still “sneak in” an event or two after our Saturday morning kids’ sporting events? What if we could do a relatively easy event that doesn’t take place on Saturday mornings?
During the COVID-19 pandemic I saw a lot of Facebook posts from old friends at my former PCA Diablo region in California doing simple events where the members drive out to a designated coffee shop for an hour or two just to check out each other’s Porsches. Wait… we can we do that at FSR, can’t we?! Within the last year I started going to a new coffee shop in Carrollton on a weekly basis and became friends with the owners, Chemerre and Travis Wells. Their coffee shop, 54 Beans Café, is a great spot to relax and drink some of their famous iced lattes. It’s centrally located in Hampton Roads on Highway 17 just south of the James River Bridge. I started to wonder: Would they be receptive to having the club come out once a month to show off our cars and drink coffee while socializing and kicking tires? Would our FSR Board consider starting a new monthly event there at a time that isn’t on a Saturday morning? So, I just asked the question. Chemerre was immediately receptive to the idea, and so we talked through some minor details and came up with a plan, and I brought the idea to our FSR Activities Officer, Greg Kahles. Greg agreed that it was a great idea and, after going through a few of the details, he pitched the idea to gain concurrence from the FSR Board to try this new event. Once specific questions
were answered, a little more coordination was done with 54 Beans Café, and a solid plan was formed, and our FSR Board approved a trial run of this cars-and-coffee-type event!
Now the only thing left was to come up with a good name for the event, and this was probably the toughest part of getting it established. After discussing some names with Greg during breakfast at Pop’s Diner, he paused mid-thought, looked at me and said: “How about Rennsport Rendezvous?” Yes, that’s it! “Rennsport Rendezvous: a Porsche Cars and Coffee Event!” taking place at 54 Beans Café (13478 Carrollton Blvd, Suite N, Carrollton, VA 23314) on the last Saturday of every month from 2pm-4pm.
The initial trail run in November was well-attended and allowed us an opportunity to iron out some details we hadn’t considered. Since, we have held the event the last Saturday of each month since February and, despite the initial chilly weather, we have had great turn outs! As the weather got warmer, we’ve have seen even greater participation and maybe even have been responsible for a couple new prospective members to join us. Chemerre said she’ll make sure she has plenty of coffee on hand and she has even started to come up with special lattes just for FSR (February was the “Spyder” and March was the “Cayenne”)!
Hopefully we’ll see you all at the next Rennsport Rendezvous!
(l-r) Cooper and Graham
Isabella and Antonio
Pets That Love Porsches
Featured Pet: Zoey, Domestic Medium Hair “Dilute Tortie”
Pet Parents: George and Pam Michaels
Car: 1991 928GT
Zoey joined the family in late May from a pet rescue in Carrollton. She spent her first couple of weeks in our “cat indoctrination” room (one of our spare bedrooms) and I slept in that room during that time. She’s a youngster and was still quite nocturnal at the time, so needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep. As a result, however, she has become rather attached to her daddy.
Now that I’m retired and spending more time at home, she hangs out with me most of the day, including in the garage. We let both her and our Maine Coon cat Leo in the main bay as long as there are no active hazards, so that includes even when I’m doing some car work. On this particular day I was under the dash of the 928GT working on the ignition switch. Intent on supervising my work, she decided to join me in the car to keep an eye on things. Of course, when the tough job of supervising was over and she was satisfied with my work, it was time for a nap. What better place to do that than Porsche’s luxuriously appointed flagship GT, the 928?
Hey Dad! Let’s burn rubber!
Announcing the Porsche Pet Challenge
Do you have a pet that likes to accompany you on your Porsche adventures? If so, we’d like to hear about it! Send us a picture or two of your pet on, in, or near your car and a short description (no more than 200 words or so) of how you include your pet in the enjoyment of your Porsche, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming issue of HO! Be sure to include your name, your pet’s name, and your model of Porsche. Format of the submission should be a Word document with full-size JPEG pictures sent along with it. Send your submissions to editor@fsrpca.org.
An Overview of Upcoming 2022
Greetings fellow FSR-ians! The FSR Activities season is slowly starting to wind down. Soon, we will only have our regularly scheduled breakfasts and Rennsport Rendezvous to look forward to over the colder months. There is hope, however! The 2023 season is right around the corner! By the time you read this, you will likely know that my tenure as the FSR Activities Officer will conclude at the end of this year, and I do not intend to seek reelection. I trust that we’ll all learn the name of the new ’23-‘24 Activities Officer in the near future! I want to thank each and every person who came out and participated in our events – I hope you enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed being a part of the team who made them possible.
I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who stepped up to the plate and volunteered to put on these events. Events don’t happen on their own, folks…we need and rely on members just like you to say, “I’ll help, what can I do?”. So, if you were one of those who gave us some of your time to make our events successful… THANK YOU!!!!!
Here is the latest list of planned activities on the horizon for the rest of this year. Please contact me if interested in helping with any of these events (activities@fsrpca.org)!!
Reminder: Regularly scheduled events (Eastern, Central and Western Breakfasts and Rennsport Rendezvous) are confirmed for their usual days each month. Locations (and day) are Carrot Tree Restaurant, Williamsburg (1st Saturday), Joe’s Inn Bon Air in Richmond and Pop’s Diner in Chesapeake (2nd Saturday), and 54 Beans Coffee (last Saturday). More info on these venues has already been published to the FSR Activities Calendar (https://www.fsrpca.org/calendar). No registration is required for these regularly scheduled events.
Updated Activities list provided below. All dates for FSR events are DRAFT and subject to change. We’ll list the firm dates on MotorsportReg.com.
