This month issue is dedicated to the Porsche Parade in Lake Placid. This was a first parade for me and many others. We had a great time and met very nice people. One morning I was loading hiking gear in the frunk and somebody from the hotel came over asking: where is the engine and if I can show it. Not much to show but I explained. She said that never saw these cars ever and didn’t even know that Porsche had an suv.
Other fun activity was to sit by the fire pit with other members at a bbq place on the Main street across from
the Olympic Center looking at Porches zooming up and down the road. Fun times!
It was so nice to see Porsches everywhere you went in this little town: every side road, parked all over Main street, while driving around the lake, etc.
All the best, Bogdan.
P.S. See who can you spot on the front page photo...
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PRESIDENT Steve Buss president@pcachs.org
SECRETARY
Ken Wilmers secretary@pcachs.org
Executive VP
Steve Wood executivevicepresident@pcachs.org
Autocross
Greg Hartke / Michael autocross@pcachs.orgRicketts
Historian
Bob Rassa historian@pcachs.org
Driving Instructor
Ellen Beck instructor@pcachs.org
Community Service
Grace Carter communityservice@pcachs.org
Concours
Joel Elmer, Phil Andrews
Dan Zadra
concours@pcachs.org
Chesapeake Chlng
Kristen Allen chesapeakechallenge@pcachs.org
Insurance
Wayne Nelms insurance@pcachs.org
Membership
Mark Miller /Rob Payne
Rob Rohrbach
membership@pcachs.org
Registrar
Marsha Buss registrar@pcachs.org
Newsletter Editor
Bogdan Chitimus editor@pcachs.org
PCA License
Laurie & Bruce Tarsia pcalicenseplates@pcachs.org
PCA Zone 2 Rep
George Michaels zonerep@pcachs.org
Photography
Jim McKee / Ryan Boxler
Jim Orrell
photography@pcachs.org
VICE PRESIDENT
Rob Carter vicepresident@pcachs.org
TREASURER
Jessie Sanchez treasurer@pcachs.org
Publicity
James Beavan III publicity@pcachs.org
Safety
John Jensen safety@pcachs.org
Social
Stephanie Reuer and Randy Bruscup social@pcachs.org
Sunshine
Doug Ehmann sunshine@pcachs.org
Webmaster
Mark Richburg webmaster@pcachs.org
Tour & Rally
Rich Ehrlich
Andy Powell
tour@pcachs.org
Tech
Jim Earlbeck / Randall Richter
Rick Hawver tech@pcachs.org
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
Hello All,
Happy Independence Day! 250 years ago 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence united the 13 colonies and established the United States of America. These men devoted their time and energy hoping to build a stronger future. Similarly, Chesapeake members volunteer because they care about Club and the Porsche community. While the mission of PCA is far different, it does rely on the same principle – volunteers giving their time and talents and energy so members can enjoy the Porsche experience. Thank you to all the volunteers that help make Chesapeake an enjoyable and exciting experience.
Marsha and I attended our very first Porsche Parade in Lake Placid. Wow! Such an incredible experience. The weather could have been better, but it slowed no one down! Everything was so well organized and there were so many activities you just could not attend them all. And you know who made all this happen…. Volunteers! 718 of them. 1,485 three hour shifts, 5,200 volunteer hours for the week! Fueled By Volunteers!
The Chesapeake Region is off to a great first half and we are excited to keep our feet on the gas and keep the momentum going. Stay tuned as we have some great upcoming events including two member favorites, the Crab Feast on Aug 29th and the 57th annual Chesapeake Challenge on Oct 3rd. The Board is focused on creating more events and activities hopefully providing more fun and excitement. I would love to hear your ideas. Please send them to president@pcachs.org.
Here is a short Mid-Year summary. Financially, we are in fine shape. Membership is rising. In fact, thriving. Last year we welcomed 230 new members. This year, through June 30, we have welcomed 130 new members. Our events and activities are very well attended and will typically sell out and have a waitlist. Remember, it is not just the cars, it’s the people. I am very proud of the way our members welcome our newest members, are able to make new friends and enjoy social activities together.
Our next Board Meeting will be on July 15th at 6:30 at the Atlantic restaurant in Catonsville. As a reminder, board meetings are open to all members. I only ask you please let me know if you plan to attend so we can save you a seat at the table.
The next New Member Party will be held at our valued sponsor, Porsche Owings Mills on July 25th. All are welcome to attend, registration on https://msreg.com/ NMP072026. Swag bags will be presented to the new members and a $200 gift certificate will be raffled off. Additionally, Peter Simpson, Service Manager, will be revealing his two 911 964 entries into the Porsche Restoration Challenge. We got our first look at these cars on March 14th and look forward to seeing their transformation. I hope to see you there.
Thanks to all of you for making Chesapeake Region so much fun! It’s the cars that bring us together, but it is the people that make it special.
Let’s be careful out there.
Steve
Celebrating 250 Years - Happy Independence Day
President Chesapeake Region, PCA
Steve Buss
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Vu and Charles Navarro at the Parade
PROST!
Anniversaries
35 Years
Robert & Diane Mairs
30 Years
Mary Ashford
20 Years
Valerie Gardner
15 Years
Diana Barnes
Robert Samuelson
10 Years
Chris Gordon
Daniel Laurent
Patrick & Susan Nicola
5 Years
Michael Barney
Mark Brown
Nard Howard
Chris Jones
Robert Max
Irving Mcconnell
John Welch
Tom Zdanowicz
Craig & Kimberly Zwobot
*** Please excuse us for any inconsistencies in reports as PCA HQ continues to improve the system. See CHS PCA website for full Membership Committee Report or contact Mark Miller, Membership Chair, for any assistance. ***
It’s not just the cars, it’s the people.
by: Rob Payne
1 Year
Andrew Brave
Steven Cieri
Domenico Colella
George Geist
Joseph Geist
Abbey Goldman
Ross Hannon
Garrett Hasken &
Carter McLendon
Brigitte Hyde
Eugene Kenney
Philip Lathroum
Selvin Levons
Oliver Lippman
Benjamin Miles
Stephen Muirhead
Thomas Myers
Jeffrey Ratnow
David Smallwood
Todd Thropp
Alfredo Tuangco
Justin Woody
Christopher Wright
by: Rob Payne
STORY
Our First
Porsche Parade
This year’s PCA Porsche Parade took place from June 14 – June 20 in Lake Placid, NY, yet the process started much sooner than that. Parade registration was in two parts. Phase 1, which included registration and the hotel accommodations was on January 28. Phase 2, which included registrations for the events and banquets. Marsha took the lead and did her homework, lots of it. She watched the “how to” video a few times, listened to the podcast and spoke with veteran Parade goers and developed her strategy to register for events, banquets, and tours. Despite some registration glitches, we were successful getting all our events and volunteer jobs.
Our plan included driving our Lava Orange 911 on backroads to enjoy the Pennsylvania and New York countryside. We planned to leave Saturday and stay overnight in Saratoga Springs, but we were too excited. We were packed and ready to go by noon Friday so we got an early start. We stayed overnight in Scranton, PA. The next day all back roads to Saratoga Springs where we stayed at the Union Gables Inn then backroads to Lake Placid on Sunday. We arrived at the registration site around noon and started the check-in process. There were lots of people and many tables to register for the events, but the confusion was quickly calmed by an Parade Ambassador that explained the process and stayed with us while we walked through the auditorium and picked up our information packets and event tickets. That was extremely helpful. We quickly learned that Parade is more about the people as we said hello to many members we knew from across America from past Treffens. We completed registration and left to check into our hotel, The Mirror Lake Inn. Unlike other Parades there was not one host hotel, but many spread out along
by Steve Buss
Monday was Concours day at the outdoor Olympic Speed Skating oval, the site where Eric Heiden won a record 5 gold medals. Marsha and I were only spectators, but we had a terrific day viewing over 200 Porsches and socializing despite off and on rain and drizzle.
Main Street. Parade kicked off in earnest that evening with a welcome happy hour and dinner in the famous Herb Brooks Arena, site of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice”. Wow, for those of us old enough to have watched that game against the USSR, it was a goosebump moment.
Monday evening was the Region’s Presidents Dinner at the Olympic Ski Jumping Center. We took a gondola up to the base of the ski jumping towers, then an elevator ride ascending to the top of the 128 meter ski jump. The panoramic views from the top were incredible. During dinner, we were treated to a ski jumping exhibition from athletes in training. It was a great opportunity to watch the sport close up and see ski jumpers in action. It was quite the experience.
We had open morning on Tuesday as we chose not to do the 120 mile TSD Rally. We took advantage of the sunny weather and drove one of the Parade Tour routes and ascended to the top of Whiteface Mountain to take in the spectacular views. Off in the distance is Vermont and Canada. The drive up took us to a parking area, then we took a hike through a tunnel to reach an elevator that
took us to the top at 4,867 ft. That afternoon we met at the ice rink for a curling class. This was one of the highlights for me. Having watched this sport many times in the Olympics, I finally got to push that 45 pound stone down the ice towards the “house”. I was very lucky to once land a stone in the “button”. We pushed and swept the bumpy ice for two hours. So much fun! Unfortunately, we somehow missed the traditional ice cream social.
Wednesday we led a driving tour to the Revolution Rail in North Creek, NY. We rode a bike/rail cart along the old railroad tracks bordering the Hudson River, 3.5 miles each way. Fortunately, the ride was relatively flat.
Thursday we volunteered to help Ellen and Bob with their infamous Gimmick Rally. Unfortunately, the tentative weather we had been having finally let loose and we ended up staging 240 cars in heavy downpours. We started setting up before 7am and the last car rolled out around 11:30. Well done everyone and especially the drivers and navigators who didn’t mind getting their cars wet! It took two days to dry our sneakers though!
Friday, we led another tour to the famous Tumblehome Boatshop where Reuben and his team restore high end, classic wooden boats. Absolutely stunningly, beautiful boats in various stages of restoration. We learned about the various woods used for different purposes, like white oak for bending to white cedar and cypress for planking materials. It certainly was an enjoyable learning experience.
Late Friday afternoon was the Cars and Community event at Saranac Lake, about 10 miles away. Main Street was closed off and filled with hundreds of Porsches. This event kicked off Saranac Lake’s annual Cruisin’ car show weekend. And as the event was nearing its conclusion, the rain came in earnest again putting a quick ending to an otherwise terrific day.
Saturday morning’s event was the annual Parade of Porsches where hundreds of us drove around the people lined streets in town. Again, the rain put a damper on the morning but there were many spectators from Lake Placid and nearby towns. Our afternoon was open and we checked out the Art Show and the Parade Store. Unfortunately, there was not much merchandise left so a lesson learned….get to the store early in the week!
Saturday night was the closing banquet and there was a full house at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. After a wonderful meal, there were many awards presented, raffle prizes distributed and venues announced for future National events. Next year’s Parade is in Boise, Idaho and the 2028 Parade will be held in Traverse City, Michigan. Also announced was the March 2027 Treffen in San Antonio.
All in all the Lake Placid Parade was a huge, overall success. For Marsha and I, it was an amazing, wonderful experience. We have been to 12 Treffens so we know many PCA members from many regions across the country, but we didn’t get to see them very often. Why? There are so many people, over 2,500, so many cars, over 1300, and so many great events that made this Parade the largest Parade in the event’s history. See you in Boise!
Holding the Olympic torch from the 1980 games.
STORY Porsche Parade:
Lake Placid in Review
I’ve been a PCA member for 9 years now and have missed Porsche Parade (PP) every year until now. I’ve attended 2 Treffen at Sea cruises, Treffen in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and tons of our local tours and events, but never PCA National’s biggest and longest running annual event. This year was the 70th annual PP at Lake Placid New York, PP was also held there in 1994.
The drive from central Maryland was about 500 miles or 8 hours non-stop. Since check-in closed at 3pm, I knew we couldn’t make it by leaving early Sunday morning, so we left Saturday afternoon stopping in Newburgh NY for the night. On Sunday we (Anna & I) left a bit late but made it to Saranac Lake HS by 2pm for check-in…about an hour before arrival it started raining, which would be a constant theme throughout the week. Check-in for PP was very well organized and went smoothly for us. The giveaway Orange Hiking Backpack is nice and came in handy throughout the week.
We checked into High Peaks Resort on Main St. right across from Mirror Lake, which is about ½ a mile from the Olympic Convention Center area where most of the PCA activities would be taking place during the week. Sunday evening, we attended the pre-Banquet social at the Herb Brooks Arena seeing quite a few fellow Chesapeake members. Since we weren’t attending the banquet we had dinner with Bogdan and his wife across the street.
The rain continued all night and into the early morning but that didn’t stop over 200 cars heading out to the concrete Olympic Speed Skating Oval to set up for display and judging. I ended up heading down that way
by James B Beavan III
at 9am but got sidetracked when my friend Wayne Nelms spotted me across the street. By 10am I made it to the convention center to participate in some Sim Racing. Since many of these events are run by volunteers, there was some confusion about who signed up and such. I did get to do my practice on the machine, but never did the timed laps and the volunteers didn’t have access to any list of who was signed up.
After Sim Racing, I made my way to the huge Concours event, which you might say is the premier event at PP. There were so many generations of Porsche models on display including 1 each of the heavy hitters 959, Carrera GT, 918 Spyder. Of the 200 plus Porsche’s, less than a dozen represented the 4-door models, but there was a
really cool Cayenne Transsyberia in Black with all the Orange accent goodies. It took me about 3 hours to walk the entire field as there were so many cars I wanted to take photos of and so many Chesapeake members to chat with. While there were plenty of puddles of water, the rain held off during the time I was there. Should I mention Porsche brought out the new Toy Story 5 triplets? Yes, Jessie, Buzz and Woody were parked in the center grass area along with some of the new 992.2 variants and you could open the doors and sit in them if you wanted to. That evening I had dinner with Wayne and his wife Christine at a great Chinese buffet in Saranac Lake.
Tuesday was the start of the weekday tours, and we had Ausable Chasm at 7:30am on our itinerary. Somehow, we had 2 tour sweepers, me being 1 of them, but no tour leader for either group. By 8:30 a couple folks from Potomac region volunteered to lead and we were able to get on the road by 8:45. The drive to Ausable Chasm was decent enough and certainly the destination turned out to be worth it. Ausable Chasm is called the Grand
Canyon of the East…well that’s quite the exaggeration, but it still was quite a cool place to visit and walk the river and ridge paths. The more adventurous did rafting and climbing around the cliff walls for an extra fee.
On the way back to Lake Placid we made the smart decision to drive up Whiteface Mountain. Normally they charge $45 per car but gave us the PCA group discount of $20. The drive up the mountain reminded me of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, but not as scary/extreme or as tall (Whiteface is about 1400 feet shorter). At the top you parked and could either hike to the top or take the 27-story elevator up. We took the elevator, which was originally built to honor the disabled from the Great War (WWI) as mandated by President Roosevelt. The views from the top were amazing, 360 degrees around with dozens of miles of visibility on a clear day. We decided to hike back down to the parking area, the first 1/3 of the hike down was quite steep and dangerous before it leveled out a bit and when we got to the bottom the park had closed the path due to weather coming in.
The weather report didn’t look good for Wednesday’s tour to The Wild Center, but the day turned out beautiful after all. Our tour gathered at 9:30 and left by 10:30, I was the sweeper again, but this time the tour leader left us behind as we went through town. So 3 of us just went directly to The Wild Center where we met the first group and had lunch. While the inside exhibits were interesting, what we really liked were the walking paths. The musical path had a ton of painted bird houses in the woods with music playing in the background, it really didn’t make much sense until we came upon the large wooden troll whose role was to continuously place bird houses in the woods. The next walking path had the most creative ball rolling wooden track games(called Raquette River Roll) throughout it to play with as you made your way down to the riverfront. There were several more gigantic wooden trolls to be found, which are part of the Trolls: Save The Humans display that just opened in June 2026. In the evening we took advantage of the free paddle boating High Peaks Resort offers and took a nice ride around Mirror Lake for a different perspective of the lake front homes and mountains in the distance.
I was scheduled to do Autocross on Thursday and all week the weather report was 100% chance of rain; even worse, the autocross course was at an airport more than an hour away. I considered not going even though I had spent $80 on registration but got up early that morning and made the drive anyway. I didn’t get a chance to do a course walk, but what I saw on paper was a lot tighter in person and on a wet course I took it easy starting out at 69 seconds and finally down to 53 seconds by my fourth and final run. That time would have been solid in P4, but PP runs different rules and made me and another fellow in Boxter S move to P5 a more competitive and fuller group. The rain in the afternoon session I was working on got worse as things went along and the standing water slowed down the cars and made it more dangerous for those trying to go near their limits, the rain also soaked our shoes and clothes completely. The only positive thing about the day was something I thought lost/stolen, my Valentine 1 radar detector suddenly appeared at the end of the day on the passenger floor, I hadn’t seen it in several years.
Thursday night we attended the only Banquet of the week we had registered for, the PCA Juniors buffet. We arrived a few minutes after the Banquet had started and everyone was already seated or going through the line for some Italian food…somehow, they had no rolls/bread and only 1 desert option. The food was good, not $75 per person, good, mind you and it only included water/tea/ coffee. The night’s entertainment was announcing a bunch of awards and PCA Junior related winners and history. These banquets run for 3 hours, but we managed our escape after 2 hours.
Friday we were lucky and the predicted rain moved on by early morning, which was good because we were doing the North Creek Driving Tour to Revolution Rail. This was my favorite of the driving tours, and it took us straight to lunch at a ski lodge area. After lunch we left early and joined the earlier group on the Revolution Rail tour. This was a fun 8-mile round trip on a recumbent bike style lightweight aluminum railway cart. At the middle turn around, we stopped for a break and walked down to the Hudson River. Upon leaving we were looking for a way to watch the World Cup game between team USA and Australia at 3pm, a few miles away was a biker bar that had a small tv, a few locals came in to watch the game too with USA winning 2-0, a happy day all around.
Saturday morning, we checked out of High Peaks and headed South just past Lake George to Six Flags Great Escape, which was purchased a few months ago by Enchanted Parks. This is the most family friendly Six Flags I’ve ever seen, majority parents with kids. The “thrill” rides were mostly kid friendly unlike most amusement parks and very few of the critical 16–30year-old crowd was to be found. Within a few hours I had ridden all 5 coasters at least twice and was ready to go…that never happens to me…usually I’m the one helping close the park getting in that last ride. The White-Water Canyon might be the best I’ve been on, but the coasters are all ancient.
With all this said, there were many events during the week we never saw or had time to attend/participate in. If I had to do it again, I would attend PP, but probably do the tours on my own or with a small group with a better driving pace. None of our 3 tours was led by someone who knew the roads or liked to drive more than 5 over the posted limit. PP chooses great locations and they give you unbeatable hotel rates at nice places you want to stay at. Even though there were a ton of Chesapeake members in attendance, after Monday I barely saw anyone much and the Signal chat was mostly used to share what you did that day not who wants to meet up. I don’t think I would attend another Banquet, just not our thing and not on the same level as the banquets at Boardwalk Reunion. I’m glad we got to try a lot of different things, but like many other people, I just wish it was small enough where we were more together as a group. Hopefully next year our region will enter more of the awards contests. Boise looks like a great location for PP, though I won’t be attending unfortunately. I did, however, sign up for Treffen at Sea 2027 and will likely also attend the Blueridge Boxster Summit #25 the first week of June 2027.
For photos from Porsche Parade please check out our social media:
For the 20th consecutive year, the Chesapeake Region Crab Feast, sponsored by Porsche Silver Spring, will be held at Kemptown Park in Monrovia, MD on Saturday, August 29th- rain or shine! Bring your appetite and your Porsche for a wonderful, relaxing outing with friends and family.
There will be tons of crab, shrimp, burgers, dogs and drinks that the Region will provide - not to mention tables of side dishes and desserts that you will provide. Lighthouse Seafood of New Market will once again be steaming our crabs and jumbo shrimp. We’ll have two pavilions at Kemptown Park, with reserved parking, and we have been assured the lovely breezes that have graced the event in the past will be returning for the 18th repeat of this event! A large playground will keep your young Porsche enthusiasts occupied and a real, honest-to-goodness bathroom with running water will appeal to the most persnickety of crab feast clean freaks.
One of the fun traditions of the Crab Feast is our noncompetitive car show where cleanliness and condition have never mattered for cars to receive the attention of the judges. It’s all tongue and cheek- the awards are always fun and unpredictable, and will be based on your Porsche’s unique curb appeal.
This year’s event is once again scheduled on its traditional date the weekend before Labor Day.
WHEN and WHERE
When: Saturday, August 29th
Meeting time: 3:00pm
End of social: 7:00pm
Meeting Point: Kemptown Park, 3456 Kemptown Church Rd, Monrovia, MD 21170
Parking: Large lot next to the pavilions reserved for CHS only; Porsches have priority parking
REGISTRATION
Registration will open July 5, 2026 at 1pm and closes August Seating24th.
is limited to 125 people (you will be placed on the waitlist if the limit is met but may be contacted should anyone cancel and there is availability).
Cost:
$50 per adult (limit 4 per registration), $20 children aged 13-17 years old, free children 12 years old and under
This includes: AYCE Crabs and Jumbo shrimp, burgers, dogs, soft drinks, beer, seltzers, bottled water, and everything else for an awesome Crabfeast! Bring your "Crabby" name badges from previous years, or we will make you one.
What you bring: Your Porsche! And a side dish, salad, or dessert option available on registration, but is first come first serve; if there is a disproportionate amount of one dish, later registrants will be asked to bring a different dish. Please remember to bring serving utensils.
The entry list and count will only show primary registrant's name for each additional attendee which reflects the total registrant count. Don't wait too long to register! We sold out last year!
Questions? Contact the registrar, Marsha Buss, by clicking the "Contact" button.
If you have already registered and need help to cancel your registration, refer to this link for detailed instructions.
For cancelations after the August 20th registration close date, refunds will be given only if your registration can be filled by someone on the wait list.
To preview and register for upcoming social events, visit the Monthly Socials page on PCACHS.org: https:// pcachs.org/monthly-social/
PCA 70th Event:
Car Stories
Mark Miller 2018 Porsche Cayman GTS 2.5T Guards Red
In 2017, Porsche moved all their Cayman/Boxster models to 4 cylinder engines. That move was considered controversial, mostly based on engine sound. The performance, fuel mileage, handling, and efficiency of the car were all better than the 981 series, but lacked the guttural sound of a flat six.
In 2018, Porsche came out with the GTS model. Horsepower increased from 350 to 365 through the use of a different turbo and intake manifold along with slightly higher boost pressure. The car sits 10mm lower that an “S” model and has different sway bars. You automatically got performance features like PASM, limited slip rear differential, Sport Chrono, Sport exhaust, Porsche Torque Vectoring, and active motor mounts.
In 2020, Porsche introduced the GTS 4.0 model that went back to a 4 liter naturally aspirated flat six. The sound and upper end power were truly tremendous and people loved it.
Having owned both a 2.5T and a 4.0 Cayman, I actually prefer the 2.5 for it’s 120 pound lower weight and wider powerband. While it loses the flat six sound, I have come to appreciate the sound of their flat four and for me, it harkens back to their 356 days.
This car only had a few options such as the Premium Package that got you 18-way heated and cooled seats, keyless go, and seat memory. It also has a PDK transmission, and Sport Classic wheels, but they didn’t come on the car originally.
Upcoming Events - A Closer Look
Sat, Jul 18, 2026
Battlefields and Backroads Tour
Fri, Jul 24, 2026
The NB Center Tour
Join us on Saturday, July 18th for our route that will take us through 58 miles of some of the best backroads that the Gettysburg area and Michaux State Forest have to offer. Get your Porsche out on the beautiful mountain roads above Gettysburg this summer tour season. Our route, created by our Guest Tour Master Dan McNally, will start just outside of Gettysburg and journey up to the mountains under a shady green canopy of the Michaux State Forest and Caledonia State Park before winding back down the mountains into the historic battlefields of Gettysburg. Come and join us for a not to be forgotten drive with your fellow PCA members.
Get more info here.
The NB Center is a private foundation focused on preservation, restoration, and education. Its mission is to safeguard the cars, craftsmanship, and stories that defined the American automotive middle market—especially from the early to mid-20th century.
Unlike traditional museums where vehicles sit behind ropes, the philosophy here is simple: cars are meant to run and be driven.
The main U.S. campus is in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it’s designed almost like a small automotive village on 27 acres, 14 buildings, and even a drive-in movie theater.
It’s not just for display—the entire site is engineered to keep cars active and in motion, which is rare among collections. NB Center is not open to the public but does invite car clubs. PCA Chesapeake has been invited to tour the facilities on July 24th.
Get more info here.
Sat, Jul 25, 2026
New Member Party & POM
Fri, Aug 7 - Sun, Aug 9, 2026
Zum Schulhaus Fahren
New Member Party:
Please join us on Saturday, July 25th, from 9 AM to 11 AM. We’ll have display cars for you to view and explore, along with delicious food and refreshments.
We look forward to celebrating this exciting milestone with you!
Project Final Reveal:
The Porsche Club of America Chesapeake Region is excited to invite you back to Porsche Owings Mills for the next chapter of the Porsche Restoration Challenge 2026. Following our first event, where these two incredible project cars were introduced and their restoration journeys began, we are thrilled to unveil the completed builds and celebrate the results with fellow enthusiasts.
Get more info here.
Join the Tour & Rally Committee for an unforgettable weekend getaway to West Virginia, the state often called "almost heaven" for its rolling hills, scenic byways, and charming small towns. Our base for the weekend will be the Schoolhouse Hotel, a boutique hotel located in White Sulphur Springs, WV, created from a historic high school. We spend the weekend enjoying some of the fantastic roads in West Virginia, and spending time with your fellow Porsche enthusiasts.
Get more info here.
Socials
Events
On Tuesday, July 21 we will return to Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia/Ellicott City. We’ve been to this restaurant quite a few times as a group, the last of which was in 2024. We will gather in the Seven Sisters room for both cocktails (5:30) and dinner (6:30). The menu is focused on innovative pub fare that stresses quality and freshness with every recipe and every ingredient. As of this writing, we do have a waitlist, but people’s plans do change, so go ahead and register if you remain interested.
For August, we will be visiting a new restaurant in a very interesting, historic building for our Social Dinner on Tuesday, August 18th. We’ll be dining at The Barn and Lodge at the Rotunda in the Roland Park area of Baltimore, conveniently located just off of I-83. We’ll enjoy premiere parking for our members on the rooftop of the building’s garage.
Built in 1921 to generate energy for the Maryland Casualty Insurance Company’s expansive campus, the historic Power House now brings people together in a different way – through the warmth of rustic dining, locally sourced ingredients and wholesome dishes that celebrate the richness of the land and the enduring spirit of the building itself.
by Stephanie Reuer
We are changing up the timing a bit for this event: cocktails, as usual, start at 5:30 pm, but we are seating for dinner starting at 7 pm – we want to ensure everyone has enough time to park, get a picture of all the Porsches on the roof, have a cocktail and dine at a leisurely pace. Also, please add the address to your GPS: 729 W 40th St., Baltimore, MD 21211.
In September, we are returning to the Boatyard Bar & Grill in Annapolis – because so many members were waitlisted for the prior dinner at the restaurant and weren’t able to be accommodated, we promised to set up a second dinner and offer registration to those folks first. Once they’ve had a chance to RSVP, we will open up the registration to everyone.
Also for September, keep an eye out for an announcement for our first Singles Gathering to be held at the Dive Bar & Grill in the old Savage Mill. The format is a casual happy hour on Friday, starting at 5 pm. The Dive Bar offers great beverages (of all kinds) and a good happy hour menu. One of our newer members suggested and has enthusiastically supported this concept - to promote the opportunity for the single people in our membership to have an opportunity to have a conversation and get to know each other a bit better. The Gathering isn’t focused on potential dating, it’s just a time for folks to have the opportunity to chat about topics that are meaningful to their cohort of members. This first meet-up is intended to be a “proof of concept,” to see how it goes and to learn about any tweaks we need to make for the future.
We've been at work, booking several months into the future. We are adhering to the new rotation we outlined last month in an attempt to equalize the distance to the Dinners more of the time, while providing some events for those in the far North and South in our very long Region. The schedule for the remainder of 2026 is as follows:
June - Howard County
The Blackwall Barn & Lodge (Columbia)
July - Howard County --In Work--
August - North Region
The Barn & Lodge at the Rotunda (Baltimore)
September - South Region
Boatyard Bar & Grill (Annapolis)
October - Howard County --In Work--
November - Howard County --In Work--
December - North Region
Black Forest Tap House (Fallston)
In some exciting personal news, Stephanie is finally retiring after 51 years of working. Granted, she started part-time when she was 14, so that long tenure is a bit misleading. Regardless, she is so looking forward to be able to concentrate on some personal things - and importantly, being able to increase and improve our Social activities within the Club.
It's good to be enjoying the warmer weather after this cold and wet Spring. This is truly the best time to experience "The Land of Pleasant Living."
Hoping to see you all very soon at the Social Dinners!
TOUR &
RALLY
words by Rich Ehrlich
For the 2026 tour and rally season, The Chesapeake Region Tour and Rally Committee is planning several events for this year. We will have some great new destinations as well as some old favorites. Registration will open several weeks in advance of each event and will be announced via email, www.pcachs.org, The Porsche Patter, and www.motorsportreg.com.
March 28 Tour Lead, Sweep, and Development Academy at Porsche Silver Spring
April 11&12 Off We Go tour (Saturday and Sunday)
April 22 Weekday Wander #3
April 25 Safeway to the Bay, Guest Tour master Hank Lucas
May 2 Drive to the Porsche Swap Meet
May 27 Weekday Wander #4, Guest Tour master Eric Tipton
June 6 Wags, Wings and Wheels, Guest Tour master Tom Divillo
June 10 Weekday Wander #5
June 28 Ladew Topiary Gardens, Guest Tour master Marsha Buss
July 18 Battlefields and Backroads, Guest Tour master Dan McNally
Aug 7-9 Zum Schulhaus Fahren, an overnight tour in WV
Aug 19 Weekday Wander #6
Aug 22 Off-Road Tour
Sept 17 Weekday Wander #7 by Tour master Andy Powell
Sept 26 Motor to the Museum, a visit to Barry’s Car Barn with the Central PA Reg
Oct 3 Chesapeake Challenge 57 Gimmick Rally
Oct 11 A tour by Guest Tour masters Craig and Linda Davidson
Nov 7 West Virginia Fall Colors tour
Dec 5 Linda’s Legacy
*Please note that all dates and events are tentative and may be changed.
Send questions to tour@pcachs.org
Tour & Rally Committee
To preview and register for upcoming Tours, visit the Tour and Rally page on PCACHS.org: https:// pcachs.org/tour-andrally/
Tour News
Believe it or not, at the time I am writing this, the Tour & Rally Committee has hosted eight events that have had a total of 257 cars and 382 people attend. We still have 11 more events scheduled for this year, including the Ladew Topiary Gardens tour with Guest Tour master Marsha Buss on June 28 (which will have occurred by the time you read this), the Battlefields and Backroads tour with Guest Tour master Dan McNally on July 18, and our now sold out multi-day tour in West Virginia, the Zum Schulhaus Fahren on August 7-9. I have also finalized the details for our Off-Road tour on September 6, so the announcement should be out soon.
I do my best to accommodate as many people as possible on the tours. But as I’ve mentioned before, there are always limitations on how many cars and people can participate in any event. So, if a tour is announced, and you are thinking that you want to attend, you are far better off registering and having to cancel. However, I also encourage you to register even if the tour is full because I can often clear some people from the waitlist. When I clear the waitlist, I generally do it in the order people registered.
The tradeoff for this is that if you are registered for a tour, and learn you can’t attend, please cancel your registration as soon as possible so I can fill it from the wait list.
I have been working on an online seminar on using the Scenic app, and general radio information. This event should be announced soon.
Along those lines, I encourage everyone to get a radio/ walkie-talkie and have it in your car while we are on a tour. This way, you can hear the lead driver advise of any hazards on the road, or other important information, such as the presence of cows. Basically, any kind of FRS/ GMRS radio will work, you can find the BaoFeng UV-5R (8-watt), Radioddity FS-T1, and the Midland LXT630VP3,
as well as several others, are generally $30 or less on Amazon. As we use channel 17, which is frequency 462.600, the only real requirement is to ensure the radio can access this channel.
Thank you all for your continued support of Andy and I for the Tour & Rally Committee. I can always use help organizing people into groups on the day of the tour, as well as people to be lead and sweep drivers. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have, or if you want to volunteer to help.+
Special shout-out to Marty Boegner for his new sticker. Everyone should bear in mind though that this sticker is false advertising. We all know the red ones are faster! Thanks, Marty. I really appreciate your effort on this one.
Wags, Wings & Wheels
PCA-CHS
2026 Tour & Rally Event No. 7– Saturday, June 6th
Somehow, Tom Divilio managed to outdo himself again and make this event even better than last year’s event. Tom organizes the annual Wags, Wings & Wheels, which is a fabulous fundraising event for Baywater Animal Rescue, the Eastern Shore’s leading no-kill animal welfare organization. Baywater Animal Rescue was founded in 1947 and has served as the Eastern Shore by providing safe shelter for companion animals and helping those animals find their forever home.
Much like last year, a few of us met at Ava's Pizzeria & Wine Bar located in Cambridge, MD, for dinner and some spent the night at the nearby Holiday Inn Express. After spending the night there, I was suddenly able to offer to fly people in airplanes, despite not being a pilot.
We started bright and early Saturday morning with 38 cars and 58 people attending the driving tour. Tom manages to take the allegedly dull roads of the Eastern Shore and turns them into some fantastic drives. I really can’t express what a fantastic job Tom did in arranging this event. The Baywater Animal Rescue is a fantastic organization that is wholly reliant on donations to fund their shelter and adoption services
Since I pre-drove the route, and had Kathy as my navigator, I managed to not miss any turns this time and made it to the Cambridge-Dorchester Regional Airport without beating Tom in the first group this time. Again, the festival featured a great car show, aircraft displays, food trucks and other vendors, as well as furry friends looking for their forever home.
I was a little disappointed because our Vice-President, Rob Carter, was going to get flown into the airport on a small helicopter, but the winds were too strong for the flight to be safe, so he was compelled to drive like the rest of us. But he was there to present the $500 donation to the Baywater Animal Rescue from the Chesapeake Region. Keep an eye out for this event on next year’s schedule. It’s always a great event in support of a great cause.
More Photos:
2026-06-06 Wings, Wags and Wheels, Cambridge MD | Flickr
Weekday Wander #5 – The Waffle Wander Tour
PCA-CHS 2026 Tour & Rally Event No. 8 – Wednesday, June 10th
The day started off with some heavy rains, and about a dozen messages in a range of formats asking me if the tour was going to go on. It is often a difficult call as to whether to cancel a tour or not. I kept checking the weather, and the weather app promised that the rain would stop by 9:15 am, but it was horribly wrong. The rain stopped at 9:16 am! I will be filing a formal complaint with the app provider. While the roads were a little damp for the start, the weather quickly turned nice enough that all the convertibles ended up putting their tops down for the tour.
Our Secretary, Ken Wilmers was supposed to attend this tour, but the gremlins got his car and caused a radiator hose to break. I wanted to let it be known that I was going to introduce him first, but he was not there to see it. Maybe next time, Ken.
Unlike the two practice runs, the day of the actual event we encountered some of the slowest drivers known to humans, as well as having to dodge one massive piece of farm equipment. What was even worse was the unexpected appearance of a lot of gravel on the route.
Despite the slowdowns caused by the slow drivers and the gravel, 28 people in 20 cars still enjoyed a wonderful drive to the Waffle House.
Why Waffle House? Well, I have loved Waffle House for many years and always enjoy a visit. But I try to keep it as a treat, so I only go when I’m on a road trip or other special occasions. A PCA tour certainly qualifies as a special occasion. So, I thought I would share this treat with all the region.
I did subtitle this tour as the “Waffle Wander,” but given the number of one-lane bridges we crossed, I also could have used that as a naming basis.
One of the amazing things about this tour was the number of people who had either never been to a Waffle House (crazy, huh?) or hadn’t been to one in years, if not decades. The crew at the Waffle House was fantastic, taking our orders and getting everyone their food in what had to be record time. If you want to get the full experience, you should order the All- Star Special, and don’t forget to order toppings for your hash browns, especially “smothered” in onions and “covered” in cheese.
If you did not get a chance to go on the Waffle Wander, have no fear. I will likely run this one again and make it a regular feature on the schedule.
Gravel on the Route:
When the tours are planned, we do our best to avoid having too much gravel on the route. However, this is often something beyond our control, as many of our routes are by construction sites and working farms.
The best thing to do when there is gravel on the road is to slow your pace a bit and increase the distance between cars. This is also why it’s a good idea to have a radio so you can hear the lead driver advise that there is gravel on the road and react accordingly.
Ladew Topiary Gardens Tour
PCA-CHS 2026 Tour & Rally Event No. 9 – Sunday, June 28th
Battlefield and Backroads Tour
PCA-CHS 2026 Tour & Rally Event No. 10 – Saturday July 18th
Join us on Saturday, July 18th for our route that will take us through 58 miles of some of the best backroads that the Gettysburg area and Michaux State Forest have to offer. Get your Porsche out on the beautiful mountain roads above Gettysburg this summer tour season. Our route, created by our Guest Tour Master Dan McNally, will start just outside of Gettysburg and journey up to the mountains under a shady green canopy of the Michaux State Forest and Caledonia State Park before winding back down the mountains into the historic battlefields of Gettysburg. Come and join us for a not to be forgotten drive with your fellow PCA members.
We look forward to seeing you on this tour.
Post-Tour Lunch Options
As Gettysburg is a tourist town there are plenty of good lunch options to be found. Unfortunately, because of that factor no one location was able to accommodate us. Registrants will receive a list of some recommended options in downtown Gettysburg to enjoy, as well as some good places to park (garages, lots, and street parking options).
WHEN and WHERE
Assembly Point: The Gettysburg, PA, address will be sent to confirmed registrants by July 17th
When: July 18th, Saturday, at 9:30 am
Driver’s Meeting: 9:45 am
Departure: First cars off at 10:00 am
Destination: Gettysburg College, Constitution Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Distance: 58 miles
ETA: Approximately 90 minutes
PARTICIPATION
By signing up for and joining any of our driving events, registrants acknowledge and assume all the risks in and full responsibility for their participation. PCA waiver forms must be completed and signed by all, online or on paper. Note that planned events are subject to change, for weather-related or other reasons.
REGISTRATION:
Register Here
The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage
Collection and Workshops Tour
The NB Center is a private foundation focused on preservation, restoration, and education. Its mission is to safeguard the cars, craftsmanship, and stories that defined the American automotive middle market— especially from the early to mid-20th century.
Unlike traditional museums where vehicles sit behind ropes, the philosophy here is simple: cars are meant to run and be driven.
The main U.S. campus is in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it’s designed almost like a small automotive village on 27 acres, 14 buildings, and even a drive-in movie theater.
It’s not just for display—the entire site is engineered to keep cars active and in motion, which is rare among collections. NB Center is not open to the public but does invite car clubs. PCA Chesapeake has been invited to tour the facilities on July 24th. It is approximately 3 hours away, so think of it as a Tech Tactics East type event and drive up and back same day or spend the night. This is a very exciting opportunity. Checkout their website. Register now!
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Friday, July 24, 2026
Location: The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage
570 Union Blvd, Allentown, PA 18109
Time: 1pm to 4pm
Cost: Free
If you have already registered and need help to cancel your registration, refer to this link for detailed instructions.
QUESTIONS
Feel free to reach out to Steve Buss, President at president@pcachs.org
Weekday Wander #6, A Tour of a Different Sort
PCA-CHS 2026 Tour & Rally Event No. 12 – Wednesday, August 19th
Weekday Wander #6 brings a very special kind of tour that does not actually include a formal driving tour. Rather, we will get a private tour of Classic Motor Museum located in St. Michaels, MD followed by lunch at the Talbot St. Tavern.
The Classic Motor Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to appreciating, preserving and showcasing the rich history of automotive design and engineering. For more information on the museum, see their webpage here: https://classicmotormuseum.org/.
We look forward to seeing you at this event but register soon, as there is a very limited capacity.
WHEN and WHERE
When: Wednesday, August 19th, at 9:45 am
Assembly Point: The Classic Motor Museum, St. Michaels, MD.
Participant’s Meeting: 9:45 am
Departure: The private tour will begin approximately 10:00 am.
Final Destination: Talbot St. Tavern, 209 S Talbot St, St Michaels, MD 21663
Distance: Approximately 0.5-mile walk
PARTICIPATION
By signing up for and joining any of our events, registrants acknowledge and assume all the risks in and full responsibility for their participation. Note that planned events are subject to change, for weatherrelated or other reasons.
LUNCH
After the tour of the museum, we will travel to the Talbot St. Tavern, which is approximately a ½ mile walk from the museum. There we will enjoy lunch as a group. Each participant is responsible for their own meal and individual checks will be available.
More on the Talbot St. Tavern can be found here: https:// www.talbotsttavern.com/
REGISTRATION
https://msreg.com/WeWa6cmm.
Zum Schulhaus Fahren
The Drive to the Schoolhouse
PCA-CHS 2026 Tour & Rally Event No. 12 – August 7-9
Click Here to Register
Join the Tour & Rally Committee for an unforgettable weekend getaway to West Virginia, the state often called "almost heaven" for its rolling hills, scenic byways, and charming small towns. Our base for the weekend will be the Schoolhouse Hotel, a boutique hotel located in White Sulphur Springs, WV, created from a historic high school. We spend the weekend enjoying some of the fantastic roads in West Virgina, and spending time with your fellow Porsche enthusiasts.
We will start the event with a reception and buffet dinner on Friday night. After a continental breakfast on Saturday, we will spend the day driving, with a stop for lunch, as well as a visit to the New River Gorge. We will end the day with a sit-down dinner. On Sunday, we will enjoy a continental breakfast, then we will make our way over to the Back of the Dragon, ending our event in Tazwell, VA.
While the details such as the exact route and lunch stops, are still being finalized, there will be swag for tour participants, as well as an option for a tour to the Schoolhouse Hotel on Friday morning.
Don’t miss out on this tour and register today, as we a limited capacity.
For more on the Schoolhouse Hotel, visit their website: https://theschoolhousehotelwv.com/.
WHEN and WHERE
Assembly Point: Schoolhouse Hotel, 125 Schoolhouse Way White Sulphur Springs, WV
When: Friday, August 7th thru Sunday, August 9th
Welcome Reception: 5:30 pm on August 7th
Tour End: Back of the Dragon, 592 Main St, Tazewell, VA, on Sunday, August 9th.
PARTICIPATION
By signing up for and joining any of our driving events, registrants acknowledge and assume all the risks in and full responsibility for their participation. PCA waiver forms must be completed and signed by all, online or on paper. Note that planned events are subject to change, for weather-related or other reasons.
REGISTRATION
Log on to your MotorsportReg account at msreg.com/schoolhousetour.
Registration is open and will close at 1:00 pm on July 19th.
PCA members and their guests must be registered and confirmed to join this event.
Drivers must be adult PCA members with a valid driver’s license.
Registration is $375 for each driver and $350 per each passenger.
MotorsportReg charges a $2 booking fee for every registration (not for every person).
While the Schoolhouse Hotel is holding a block of rooms for us at a special rate, you are responsible for booking your own accommodations.
Instructions on how to register for a room will be sent via email after you have registered.
Route instructions and other documents will be sent to confirmed registrants via e-mail by 6:00 pm on August 5th.
All PCA members and their family are welcome.
This event has capacity limits for cars and people.
To obtain a refund, cancellations must be made before the closing of registration on July 19th. No refunds will be granted after this time.
If you have already registered and need help to cancel your registration, refer to this link for detailed instructions.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
Your registration fee will include the following:
Continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning
Cocktail reception on Friday night
Buffet dinner on Friday night
Cocktail hour/seated dinner on Saturday night
Tour swag- each registered driver will receive a special limited edition grille badge. There will be additional swag for all participants.
Incredible drives on Saturday and Sunday.
Once finalized, the daily schedule and other details, such as lunch on Saturday and Sunday will be published.
You are responsible for your own hotel reservation.
You are encouraged to have a radio in your car, as this makes the drive safer and easier. Recommended models include the BaoFeng UV-5R (8-watt), Radioddity FS-T1, and the Midland LXT630VP3, as well as others, which can be found inexpensively on Amazon.
Room rates:
Arriving on August 7, Departing August 9, 2026
Rate per night
STDQ Standard Queen – 4 guest rooms $210
STDK Standard King – 4 guest rooms $215
PRMQ Premium Queen – 3 guest rooms $225
PRMK Premium King – 5 guest rooms $230
SPK Superior King – 2 guest rooms $245
SPQQ Superior Queen (2 beds) – 6 guest rooms $250
DXK Deluxe King – 2 guest rooms $290
DXJSK Deluxe Junior Suite – 2 guest rooms $340
STEK King Suite – 1 guest room $360
STEQQ Queen Suite (2 beds) – 1 guest room $360
Sales and occupancy tax additional.
Check in is 3pm, Check out is 11am. Early arrivals will be honored based on availability.
QUESTIONS: Send tour-related questions to the Tour & Rally Committee, at tour@pcachs.org.
To preview and register for upcoming Tours, visit the Tour & Rally page on PCACHS.org: https://pcachs.org/ tour-and-rally/
AUTOCROSS
2026
AXAutocross is back! After the Ripken Stadium fiasco that led to the postponement of AX#2 in May, we were back on June 6th with what I was calling AX#2redux. This time, the weather was fine. It was warm with a bit of a breeze, which means excellent autocross weather.
This date was not originally available for a “parking lot event” (in the Ripken events vernacular) because there was an Ironbirds game that evening, but it was made available as compensation for our inconvenience and because management was confident that we would be done before they needed to prepare for the game. Because of the night game, we had a hard stop at 3:00 PM and were required to be completely clear of the lot by 3:30 PM. For that reason, I made sure the course design (a collaboration between Mark Hubley and me) was such that we could get a second car on the course quickly and indeed we had 3 cars on the course at one time all day: a car starting, a car mid-course, and a car finishing. The heats progress rather quickly if the course is designed specifically with that in mind!
With only 2 weeks to advertise this event after the postponement of AX#2, I was worried about the turnout. As it happened, we did just fine. As of the Monday before the event (and much to my relief), there were 83 registered and Confirmed against a registration cap of 80. While fewer than usual, I considered this to be an excellent turnout under the circumstances. Believe me, I was very worried about attendance when I rescheduled the original AX#2. With last-minute cancellations, we eventually wound up with 80 Confirmed for race day and we
words by Greg Hartke
had 2 no-shows, so 78 drivers. One of the no-shows (I later learned) was an entrant who locked their keys in their car. Ouch!
I received an email from Gavin Locklear (the Ripken Event Coordinator) on Tuesday afternoon before the Saturday AX informing me that due to fireworks scheduled for after the ballgame on our event day, the players would have to park in a roped-off players lot at the far end of the main parking lot. That was quite a problem since the course as originally designed ran thru the player parking. Oops! Obviously, I would have liked to have known about this sooner, but at least I did have some time to revamp the course design.
On event day, I arrived at 4:45 AM to find that Cochair Michael Ricketts and AX Team Members Pinto Soin and John Cho were already there and had started unloading the trailer. Very impressive! They were aware of the time constraints that day and had adjusted their schedules to arrive a little early. It’s worth mentioning that we were working a little short-handed for this one because two of the Team (Phong Nguyen and Doug Slocum) couldn’t be there for this make-up date. That made it tough on the Team, but they dealt with it and did a great job, as always. I should also mention that Pinto’s son (Salem) arrived early to help and was fantastic lending a hand wherever needed. Reminds me of his Dad. ;)
We initially had trouble with the timing display – it wouldn’t display the times at all when we tested it that morning by breaking the beams at Start and Stop. After much fussing and fiddling, we eventually figured out that a cable in the trailer was not plugged in. At AX#1 with its wet conditions, we had disconnected the display cable from where it passes through the trailer wall and just brought it directly in through the window. The timing display had shown flakiness before under wet conditions and we believe part of the problem was the pass-through, so we just brought the cable into the trailer directly. Unfortunately, we forgot to plug the connection in the trailer back in after AX#1. D’oh! That took a while to diagnose.
When Michael and I did the test runs for the course after build completion, we surprisingly did not change the course at all, though we did add quite a few navigation aids. We did a bunch of test runs (I feel as if I drove it over and over trying to decide
what I wanted to do) because the course as built was not quite what I had drawn on the map, but I decided I liked it the way it was and left it in place. More specifically, the rounded corners on the course map going around Worker Station 3 (WS-3), WS-4, and WS-5 were built narrower and “pointier” than I intended, but that provided more of a driving challenge to the design without ruining the flow. As built, those course elements would provide discrimination between the inexperienced driver and the experienced driver.
The entry to the course at the start was straightforward, but did require those of us with three pedals to decide where to shift to second gear. I hammered out of the start and actually shortshifted, grabbing second somewhere around the first gate. I did this for two reasons: I was wary that there would be too much torque available in first gear to keep from upsetting the stability of the car if I stayed there past the turn up towards the skidpad and, secondly, my foot coordination isn’t so hot after my back surgery in January, so I thought it would be more prudent to avoid a fast shift in tough circumstances.
As I exited that first corner, I rolled on full throttle as quickly as I could to prepare to turn in to the skidpad. I pushed the throttle, but stayed nice and tight around the skidpad until the final cone before the double gate, where I widened the line just a bit to set up the corner around WS-3. That corner was actually built a bit differently than the map with the first two cones as you enter pulled in towards WS-3 compared to the map. That made this a slow corner if you stayed tight at entry, but that was not the line I chose. Instead, I entered a little wide and took a late apex around the WS-3 corner so I could carry much more speed for the downline that crosses the drainage crease (indicated by the dotted red line on the map).
I used this same strategy for the next two corners because they were pinched compared to the map in the same way, with narrower entries resulting in a
“pointier” corner. I talked to Dave Critcher and some other drivers at lunch after the event and they did the same thing, so I’d like to think I made the proper choice.
Anyway, exiting the corner around WS-3, I rolled on throttle and crossed the crease, being careful to keep the steering wheel centered as I crossed the crease and allowing a trice for the car to settle before lifting a hair to help rotate the car to finish the run up towards the WS-4 corner. Again, I took a late apex and pointed the car down towards the corner around WS-5.
There were a lot of cars getting sideways turning up after crossing the crease as well as taking the curve around WS-4. (Great fun to watch!) The first was probably preventable if you let the car settle, but I think I should have braked later and kicked the rear out a bit, rotating the car more aggressively around WS-4. I’m sure I left time on the table there.
By taking a late apex around WS-5, I was well placed for the chicane above WS-5 and again took a late apex around WS-6. It was important to do that because to be fast, you needed to backside the cone that marked the beginning of the kink before the Stop box and the late apex around WS-6 was the ticket to do that. If you did it that way, you were set up for a fast run into the Stop box. Great fun!
We had significant problems with the wi-fi at AX#2redux, failing to consistently get the cars queued up by the Starter. We tried moving the Starter’s tablet closer to the trailer and ultimately right next to the trailer, but it would not work reliably. In the end, Timing queued the cars, which was a nightmare. The action in the Timing trailer was really intense queueing cars as well as the usual work recording times and infractions. I had two heats of fun doing that and it was exhausting!
The first car was off at 9:20 AM, we finished at 2:00 PM, and were packed and out the door about 2:35 PM with 6 runs. I would have liked to have done more runs, but I had to leave margin in case another big wi-fi problem (like a complete failure) showed up. Fortunately, nothing further happened and we finished comfortably before our deadline. I eventually discovered that Phong had the same wi-fi problem during heat 2 of AX#1 and he fixed the problem by unplugging and replugging the exterior cable for the access point. Drat! If I had known that, chances are I could have fixed the problem we were having that day, but instead we were left with Timing queueing the cars all day. Ugh! Not the best, but we managed.
After the event, AX Team Member Phong Nguyen quickly assembled the results (even though he wasn’t there that day) and the top 10 placing Porsches for AX#2redux were:
1. 3rd overall, 1st in Class I2, 51.068 sec:
Dave Critcher, 2016 GT3
2. 4th overall, 1st in Class S5, 51.330 sec:
Jason Harnish, 2018 718 Cayman GTS
3. 5th overall, 1st in Class M, 51.342 sec:
Norm Flowers, 2018 GT3
4. 6th overall, 1st in Class P5, 51.735 sec:
Chris Nolan, 2013 Carrera S
5. 7th overall, 2nd in Class S5, 51.964 sec:
Howard Leikin, 2021 718 Boxster GTS 4.0
6. 10th overall, 2nd in Class I1, 52.993 sec:
Damon Lowney, 2007 Cayman
7. 12th overall, 2nd in Class I2, 53.389 sec:
Niels Johnson, 2018 718 Cayman S
8. 13th overall, 1st in Class P4, 53.432 sec:
Mark Hubley, 2015 Cayman GTS
9. 15th overall, 1st in Class S3, 53.539 sec:
Justin Carney, 2006 Cayman S
10. 16th overall, 2nd in Class I1, 53.693 sec:
John Cho, 2002 Carrera 4S
In addition, Dan Mattes was 1st in Class P2, Sam Ricketts was 1st in Class P3, James Schneider was 1st in Class S1, and Justin Howard was 1st in Class S4.
There were a couple of entrants co-driving an Exomotive Exocet and they were certainly fun to watch. After all, we don’t often see purpose-built open wheel cars at these events. They came in 1-2 for FTD with Dave Critcher behind in his GT3.
After my back surgery, it’s still a struggle (and painful) for me to get around much and bend, so Michael and Sam Ricketts did everything they could to help me prep my car during the day. Thanks guys! You were a huge help to me and it was very much appreciated.
Marcus Frank and I drove up to Aberdeen on the Thursday following this AX to examine the wi-fi problem. We pulled equipment out of the trailer, connected up the generator, and set up the laptop with the AXTime software running. We checked the configuration of the router and access point and both seemed correct. I expected the problem to be caused by poor wi-fi signal strength, but I measured the signal strength at a reasonable range and it was excellent. I had discussed the problem with Phong the previous night and (as I already mentioned) learned that he had overcome connectivity problems with the Starter tablet at AX#1 by unplugging and reconnecting the access point ethernet cable running to the pass-through. I tested the system
end-to-end by (successfully) queueing cars from the tablet at long range (between 200 and 300 ft), even when the antenna was not directly in the line-ofsight. Connectivity was excellent throughout and I had no trouble queueing cars. Don’t you just hate trying to diagnose intermittent problems? Anyway, all this leads us to suspect it was a connector problem, so I ordered some DeOxit connector cleaner to have on hand for AX#3.
By the time you read this, AX#3 (Saturday, June 27th) will already be in the books and we’ll be on a bit of a hiatus before AX#4, which will be held on Saturday August 15th (there were no open dates for us at Ripken during July). There are still plenty of spots open for AX#4 (and subsequent events), so if you’d like to get out and legally tear around like your hair’s on fire at a CHS PCA AX, come on out and take a shot at it with us.
I don’t know if you’ve seen it yet, but National Technical Director (and past National President) Manny Alban and National Digital Media Coordinator Damon Lowney attended AX#3 and in their weekly PCA Podcast, talked about AX at Parade in Lake Placid as well as our AX#3. It was pretty interesting, so if you have the time, check it out. Before the season is out, I’m hoping we can lure Executive Director Vu Nguyen to one of our events. Vu is an experienced AXer, but doesn’t have the time with his national and family responsibilities to attend very often. I prod him at every opportunity, though!
Don’t forget our Taste of Autocross program! If you’d like to stick a toe in the water and see what autocross is really like, for a $5.00 fee (mandated by National) you can have all the rides you’d like in the passenger seat for hot laps with one of our Instructors. Those that try it certainly seem to have a great time. Come join us!
Greg Hartke
CHS AX Chair
Benefiting Camp Sunrise — Crownsville, MD
Join us for an unforgettable summer evening of cars, community, and compassion! �� Tuesday, July 28, 2026 |
⏰ 6–8 PM
We’re coming together to support Camp Sunrise, a week‑long overnight summer camp for children diagnosed with or surviving cancer — giving these amazing kids laughter, friendship, and memories that last a lifetime.
�� Two Ways to Participate
1️ Bring Your Porsche — Show off your ride and enjoy a FREE snowball from GiGi’s Snowball Truck, courtesy of PCA Chesapeake Region.
People's Choice award will be presented to the car with the most votes.
2️ Support Remotely — Can’t make it? You can still help by purchasing items from the Camp Sunrise Amazon Wish List.
�� Register by July 24 on MSR
Once registered, you’ll receive directions and full event details. All proceeds benefit Camp Sunrise.
Let’s drive hope together! ��
WHEN and WHERE
When: July 28, 2026, Tuesday
6PM to 8PM
Event Location: Crownsville, MD (address included in confirmed registration)
REGISTRATION
QUESTIONS: Send questions to Grace Carter at communityservice@pcachs.org
STUTTGART
MARKET
LETTER
By: David K. Whitlock
SPOTLIGHT
This 2007 911 GT3 was built for the 2014 SEMA Show, and I can honestly say I’ve never seen a 997 GT3 modified quite like this. The one-off build featured a Vollkommen Design carbon-fiber widebody that added 2.5 inches up front and 4.5 inches in the rear, along with a GT3 Cup-style rear wing, matte Gold DPE forged wheels, and an Audi Nardo Gray finish with Red accents. Inside, the cabin was equally unique with Red diamondstitched Alcantara sport seats, a body-color center console, a 997.2 Alcantara steering wheel, Numeric Racing short shifter, and more.
The factory Mezger engine gave way to a twinturbocharged 997 GT2 long block featuring Garrett G25-660 turbochargers, a SpeedFactory Racing waterto-air intercooler, Syvecs engine management, and a custom titanium exhaust system. Supporting upgrades included JRZ RS Pro remote-reservoir coilovers, an RSS Tarmac Stage 2 suspension, H&R lowering springs, and a new clutch, flywheel, and slave cylinder installed earlier this year.
Like I said, I’ve never seen a 997 GT3 this modified, so as you’d expect I have 0 comps. Even for stock examples, comps are slim as only one 997.1 GT3 has sold online over the past twelve months. That car was an 8,000mile example that sold for $185,000 back in September of last year. Our Spotlight Car was right up there, selling for $185,900 all-in. With prices of stock examples where they are now, you’d have a hard time justifying a build like this. Plus, I can only imagine the cost of the modifications.
Production numbers don’t always mean more money. Case-in-point: The 356B Notchback. Porsche built roughly a few thousand T5 Notchback Coupes vs. over 10,000 standard Coupes, yet Notchbacks typically track lower with average prices sitting around $55,000 while Standard Coupes average almost $70,000. This 1961 356B Notchback comes out of 62 years of family ownership and has been repainted in its factory shade of Slate Gray over a Red leatherette interior. The replacement flat-four was installed prior to the selling family’s acquisition in 1964 and was rebuilt by Vic Skirmant in 2012. It previously failed to sell at a final bid of $69,999 back in July of last year, which would have been at the top of the Notchback market. We’ll see if it can bring similar money this time around.
Another car out of long-term family ownership is this 1973 911T Coupe 5-Speed that came out of 48 years of family ownership. Finished in Sepia Brown over a Brown leatherette interior, this 911T had plenty of work completed in 2025 including refreshing the fuel system and ignition components, as well as reconditioning the throttle body, resealing the air box, and replacing vacuum hoses, shifter bushings, sway bar bushings, and much more. The core market for LWB 2.4-liter T Coupes sits at $69,400-96,400, with this car currently bid to $73,911. But with all the work completed on this one there’s a good chance it breaks out.
PHOTO CREDIT: BARRETT-JACKSON
PHOTO CREDIT: BRING A TRAILER
PCA Plates & Badges
What are PCA License Plates
Chesapeake Region PCA coordinates the purchase
of PCA Organizational License Plates issued through the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). The PCA License Plate Program promotes the visibility and camaraderie of PCA. PCA Maryland License Plates are prenumbered Organizational Plates, not vanity plates. PCA License Plates are available for all cars, trucks and minivans, but not for motorcycles or trailers.
Cost: The one-time cost for the PCA License Plates is $45.00, which includes the $30.00 MVA fee and a $15 Chesapeake PCA fundraising fee to support the PCA License Plate Program and Chesapeake Region events.
If you have any questions regarding the purchase of PCA Maryland Organizational License Plates, please contact us at: pcaLicensePlates@pcachs.org. Safe and Happy Motoring.
How To Apply: The only way to apply for PCA Organizational License Plates is to complete the online PCA Maryland License Web Form at https:// pcachs.org/pca-maryland-license-plate/ and submit it electronically. Please click on the above link to learn the details and requirements to apply for PCA License Plates.
Requirements: You must be a PCA Member and the car must be registered in Maryland. The PCA Plates are not limited to Porsches. You can apply for PCA plates for all your cars registered in Maryland!
Chesapeake Region Grill Badge Chesapeake Region Name Badge
Get a heavy “gold- plated” Chesapeake Region metal car badge. Each metal car badge comes
complete with stainless steel slotted retaining plate, screws, washers and nuts to mount it through your car grille or separate mounting
plate.
The cost per metal car badge is $30 or two for $50, inclusive of shipping and handling. To order: Go to
www.pcachs.org and use the “STORE” menu from the main page. Click the button and complete the order form page and make your payment.
Get your Chesapeake Region Name Badge!
Go to www.pcachs.org and use the “STORE” menu from the main page. Click the button and complete the order form page. The Name Badge cost is $25, inclusive of shipping and handling.
