Content Contributions
Bogdan Chitimus Marsha Buss
Stephanie Reuer Steve Buss
Greg Hartke Rich Ehrlich Rob Carter
James B Beavan III
Mark Miller
Photo Contributions
Bogdan Chitimus Ken Wilmers Jim McKee Jim Orrell Ryan Boxler Steve Wood
Marsha Buss
James B Beavan III Rob Carter Scott Johnson
Editor
Bogdan Chitimus
Bogdan Chitimus
Editor, Porsche Patter
Here is Cindy’s Turbo S, the un-official support vehicle of our tours (Rich we need to work on that). During the Safeway to the Bay Tour, I discovered a large screw in the front tire of one of our members parked next to me. I felt so bad to bring the bad news to him. He decided to continue the tour as I checked the tire pressure and was still at 34psi. Half way during the tour he pulled over and I knew why. But he got at least some good driving. Craig who was sweeping for our group followed him to a gas station. I hope all went well from that point. At lunch I
was telling this story to Cindy and somehow during the conversation she said that her car has a jack. What? I said let me see that. Fair enough she had a 1.5ton jack among several Milwaukee power tools, sockets, torque wrenches etc. And I said this is for sure a support vehicle. Then she showed me a sticker on the rear window that indeed said it was a “Support Vehicle”. Welcome Cindy to the Chesapeake region!
All the best, Bogdan.
All advertisements or changes to advertisements must be received no later than the 25th of the month prior to the month of publication.
S
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
Paul Koenigsmark, 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 B oxler
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
Hello All,
I am reminded every day that my role is to put smiles one everyone’s faces, but I want you to know – you’re all putting a smile on mine as well. I’m thrilled to share that we have welcomed 101 new members so far this year. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of them on our tours and at our social events, and it is wonderful getting to know them. So when you see someone you don’t recognize, please take a moment to introduce yourselves and welcome them to the club. That spirit of connection and camaraderie is what makes the Chesapeake Region so special.
In recognition of our 65th anniversary, we are especially honored that Bob Rassa, Club Historian and one of our original founding members will be commemorating our anniversary by sharing stories and events from the Chesapeake Region’s rich history. Thank you, Bob – we all look forward to reading them.
We have a very active club. Just how active, you ask? We have already held 24 events in the first 4 months of the year, with 8 more on the calendar for May! I am incredibly grateful to all the volunteers who work very hard to bring you these terrific events. Thank you, all!
The second New Member Party of the year will be held at our valued sponsor, Porsche Silver Spring on May 23rd starting at 9:30. Immediately following the event, the dealership will be hosting a Cars and Lunch Bunch and we will add on a People’s Choice Car Show. It should be a fun day to welcome our new members.
Our next Board Meeting will be on May 13th 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.
Autocross is off to a great start with their very successful AX#1. AX#2 is coming up on May 23rd. Our Tours Committee has already hosted 5 drives and there are two more scheduled for this month. Our Social Committee continues to keep us fed with their breakfasts and dinners. Our next social dinner will be at Boatyard restaurant in Annapolis on May 12th.
By the time you read this our annual drive to the Porsche Swap Meet, organized by our friends in the Central Pennsylvania Region at the Carlisle Fairgrounds will have taken place. 34 cars and 55 members registered. I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind everyone of PCA’s driving guidelines, with their emphasis on safety, courtesy, and having fun. Please remember to respect the local traffic laws and use good judgement at all times.
October 3rd is the date for our 57th annual Chesapeake Challenge. This year we will be returning to the historic equestrian club, the Elkridge Harford Hunt Club in Monkton.
* photo:
Greetings from the Brighton Dam Azalea Gardens
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
45 Years
25 Years
Mark Arnold Ronald & Valerie Bremer Paul Hahn Charles Halloran
40 Years
Gloria Arnold
35 Years
20 Years
Brian & Josie Rapp
Robert & Matt Laszewski 15 Years
30 Years
Sheree Bjornerud W & Joanne Hall
Philp & Diana Weglein
Sohie Papailiadis Jacob Roth Ivan Slavov Terrell & Lori Williams
10 Years
Mark Murdoch
by: Rob Payne
5 Years
Robert Bank Gorkem Sevinc Rick Shintani Kevin Woodward
1 Year
James Barrett Nick Baskette Peter Behrens III Michael Caha Sarah & Nathan Grafton Stephen Johnson Shannon Khan Andrew Lee Debbie Mayer Kevin & Chase Rader Sean Ricketson Maxfield Rodriguez Jessica Salvadori Brian Tawney Donald Wilcox
*** 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
Porsche Driver Assistance: Technology That Enhances, Not Replaces, the Drive
Our day started with a brief introduction from Rob Blizzard explain the why behind the session, its often very overlooked by consumers with a lot of confusion. When people think of Porsche, the first things that come to mind are precision engineering, unmistakable design, and performance that borders on obsession. Driver assistance systems aren’t usually part of that mental image—but they’ve quietly become one of the most important aspects of the modern Porsche experience.
What makes Porsche different in this space is its philosophy. While many automakers are racing toward full autonomy, Porsche has taken a more restrained— and arguably more thoughtful—approach. The goal isn’t to replace the driver. It’s to support them. Every system is designed to step in only when needed, working in the background to make driving safer, smoother, and less stressful without diluting the connection between car and driver.
words by Rick Hawver photos by Randall Richter
Take everyday driving, for example. In traffic or on long highway stretches, features like adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance subtly reduce fatigue. The car maintains a safe following distance, gently corrects small steering drifts, and even responds to changing traffic conditions. It’s not flashy, but over time, it makes a noticeable difference—especially on longer drives where concentration naturally dips.
Porsche’s more advanced systems build on this foundation in interesting ways. Porsche InnoDrive, for instance, goes beyond reactive assistance and begins to anticipate the road ahead. By combining navigation data with real-time inputs from sensors, it can adjust speed based on upcoming curves, elevation changes, and traffic flow. The result feels less like automation and more like driving with an exceptionally attentive co-pilot —one that’s always thinking a few steps ahead.
Safety, of course, remains at the core of these technologies. Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are designed to intervene in critical moments, helping to prevent or reduce the severity of accidents. At the same time, features like blind spot monitoring and traffic sign recognition add an extra layer of awareness, catching things a driver might miss in a split second.
What’s particularly impressive is how seamlessly these systems integrate into the driving experience. In a Porsche, assistance features rarely feel intrusive or overbearing. Alerts are measured, interventions are smooth, and control is always left in the driver’s hands. Even in more advanced scenarios—like stop-and-go traffic, where the car can assist with steering and braking—the experience still feels distinctly “Porsche,” not robotic or detached.
Parking, often the least enjoyable part of driving, has also been reimagined. Surround-view cameras and automated parking assistance take much of the guesswork out of tight spaces. In newer models, the car can even learn and repeat specific parking maneuvers, which feels like a small glimpse into the future without being overengineered.
Here’s the part many owners don’t think about until it’s too late: all of these systems depend on extremely precise calibration across a network of sensors, cameras, and control modules. They don’t operate independently —they’re interconnected, constantly sharing data to build an accurate picture of the world around the car. That means even relatively minor repairs can have outsized consequences.
A small fender bender, a mirror replacement, or even a routine paint job can introduce subtle changes that throw off sensor readings. The radar units used for lane change assist, for example, are often integrated into or near the side mirrors. Change the mounting position— even slightly—or alter the thickness of paint over a sensor, and you risk skewing the system’s perception of distance and speed.
The front-facing camera is even more critical. It acts as a central reference point for multiple systems, from lane keeping to traffic sign recognition and emergency braking. If that camera is misaligned by even a fraction, it can affect the entire driver assistance ecosystem. This is why proper post-repair calibration isn’t optional —it’s essential.
Specialized equipment, such as alignment and calibration systems developed by Hunter Engineering Company, is used to recalibrate these features after repairs. The process isn’t quick or casual. It requires a controlled environment where the vehicle is perfectly level, free from wind interference, and not exposed to direct sunlight, all of which can affect sensor accuracy.
Even then, the procedure can take several hours and must be performed by a highly trained technician— often someone with advanced certification, such as a Porsche Goldmeister-level expert.. These technicians ensure that every sensor, camera, and module is properly aligned and communicating as intended. Luis Ventura of Porsche of Annapolis took us through the system and even the calibration process and it was quite eye opening. We even had some of our members get some hands on involvement, Jim Foley and Bogdan Chitimus just to name a few.
Cutting corners here can lead to more than just warning lights. It can result in systems that behave unpredictably —or worse, fail to respond when you actually need them. You may want to think again for calling the budget glass repair place as they don’t not have the proper equipment to truly calibrate the sensors.
As Porsche continues to evolve its driver assistance technology, the sophistication behind the scenes will only increase. These systems make driving safer and more intuitive, but they also demand a higher standard of care when it comes to maintenance and repair.
It’s a trade-off worth understanding: the same technology that quietly protects you on the road also requires precision when something goes wrong.
Before our monthly social dinner in Westminster, Joe was super kind to open the garage for PCA to visit. Nested in the rural hills just outside Westminster, surrounded by gorgeous roads, the drive there was outstanding. Talking about a dream garage, with staff to clean the cars and a beautiful collection including unique air cooled and water cooled Porsches (Emory, Singer, 964, 993, 996 GT3, 997 GTS, 987 Spyder, Turbo S, GT3 Touring), a Jaguar E-type, Audi RS6 (the rain car) etc. Thank you Joe!
by Bogdan Chitimus
We are pleased to announce that after months of work by Chesapeake members Rich Bauer and myself, we have created the ultimate tribute to our 65th anniversary; a Chesapeake watch created in conjunction with Maryland’s own watch maker, Tsao Watch. Alan Tsao has created a line of watches that truly are incredible timepieces and pay tribute to many of our local hallmarks:
Baltimore Orioles, University of Maryland Athletics, Old Bay, and of course, their Torsk Diver Watch. It pays tribute to the WW2 era submarine docked in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. I personally own two of his watches and one of his first gen Torsk models. You can learn more about the history of the brand here: https://tsaobaltimore.com/pages/our-story
With all that in mind, we present to you the Porsche Club of America Chesapeake Region limited edition 65th anniversary GMT Automatic watch. It will be limited to 50 copies and once all of them are sold, that is it. Here is more info on it:
The PCA Chesapeake GMT is a celebration of craftsmanship, performance, and community — a timepiece born from the partnership between Baltimore Watch Company and the Porsche Club of America, Chesapeake Region.
Limited to only 50 pieces, this 39mm stainless steel GMT embodies the precision and spirit of Porsche engineering. Powered by the Miyota 9075 Automatic GMT movement, it offers true traveler functionality with independent local hour adjustment — perfect for those always on the move.
by Mark Miller
The dial, paint-matched enamel to Porsche’s signature Club Blau, features Speed Yellow accents and Carrera White indices, evoking the dynamic colors of Porsche’s racing legacy. Protected by a domed sapphire crystal and framed by a domed sapphire dive bezel, the design balances clarity with strength. With 200 meters of water resistance, a closed engraved caseback, and a robust stainless steel bracelet (come with one of two optional bracelets), this watch is built for both the road and beyond.
Preorders are live now and shipping will happen in spring of 2026. Here is a link to the watch, more info on it, and where you can pre-order it:
https://tsaobaltimore.com/products/pca-chesapeakegmt
I am truly excited to bring our members this one in a lifetime opportunity
Mark Miller former Vice President PCACHS / membership chair
Germany’s Best Porsche Roads. From PCA Members, for PCA Members.
As featured on PCA.org.
Chesapeake Region members know good roads. Two PCA couples, Dorian and Katharina Koch from Milwaukee and Torsten and Susanne Weckmann from Germany, are opening up their annual driving tour to a small group of fellow PCA members this September. Eight days, 900 miles, designed for couples, combining great roads, Porsche history, and new friends sharing the same passion.
The route runs from Frankfurt through the Black Forest, along Lake Constance, past Neuschwanstein, to Stuttgart for the Porsche factory tour and museum, through Heidelberg, and back. Local backroads and mountain passes on driving days, with Autobahn legs on the famous no-speed-limit sections. The final night is in Heidelberg, one of Germany’s most beautiful cities, with a farewell dinner in the old town. Many unique experiences that can only be experienced in small groups: 4 to 6 couples. That’s it.
Every morning, you can choose how you want to drive: on your own following the GPS route, with the sightseeing group at a relaxed pace, or with the spirited group on the roads Porsches were made for. Both groups drive the same route and end up at the same lunch stop, just at a different pace.
Our hotels are unique, local, boutique or castle properties: Schloss Eberstein is a Black Forest hilltop castle first recorded in 1272, with a Michelin-starred restaurant and its own vineyard.
by Dorian Koch Milwaukee PCA
The Seegut Zeppelin is a Design Hotels property on a four-hectare lakeside park in Friedrichshafen. In Stuttgart, the group stays at the Porsche Design Tower Hotel, Stuttgart’s tallest and most modern building, opened in 2023. In Heidelberg, the group stays at the Europäischer Hof, the city’s finest hotel, a five-star grand hotel from 1865, family-owned since 1906. Every property on this tour was chosen because it tells its own story.
“My wife was skeptical at first, but by Day 3 she was the one who didn’t want to leave. The hotels, the group dinners, the castles. She is already asking when the next one is.”
— Andre, Porsche 718 Cayman GTS
“The routes Dorian and Torsten pick are something else. Roads I have driven past a hundred times without knowing they existed. You cannot plan this from a guidebook, you need someone who grew up there.”
— Andreas W., Porsche 911 Carrera
Dorian grew up near Wolfsburg and worked for Volkswagen Group and Porsche in StuttgartZuffenhausen before moving to Wisconsin. The two couples have been doing driving tours in Europe for over ten years, always as a passion project. Over 20 tours for 200+ guests since 2017. This is the first one explicitly opened up for PCA members. After joining PCA, Dorian kept hearing how many members wanted a real driving tour in Germany but found the $15,000+ trips too expensive and not focused enough on driving. This one is $4,000 per person (plus Porsche rental), with locals showing you the country that brought out the cars we love.
Founders’ Tour, September 5–12, 2026. 5 of 6 spots taken. Only one remains.
See the full route and book at : autobahngrandtouring.com dorian@autobahngrandtouring.com | (262) 295-2511
Dorian and Katharina Koch on their wedding day, with a Porsche, naturally
Educational information on the GT4 RS:
The Boxster/Cayman platform is an exciting, dynamic mid-engine performer. 911 goodness at a lower price point., It has been said that the Cayman GT 4 was held back from greatness by lack of a proper GT car engine.
In 2022 it was announced that the wait for the midengine car we have always wanted was over. Porsche built a lightweight, reinforced Cayman GT4 with a 911 GT 3 engine in it!
Not only does it have 493 hp @ 8400 rpm and torque of 331 lb-ft @ 6750 rpm from its naturally aspirated 4.0 liter engine, it also revs to a super high 9000 rpm. This with the top of the engine protruding into the passenger compartment and the air intake scoops right behind the doors near your ears. The sound is soul-stirring.
The track-focused goodness of this car incorporates a modified coil over system with 4-way adjustable shock absorbers and stiffer spring rates (+20% at the front) compared to the standard GT4. The front suspension is a hybrid, using elements from the 991.2 GT3 and GT3 RS, while retaining the MacPherson strut design. Additionally, the rear axle is fully ball-jointed (monoball) to handle the increased grip and forces generated by the car's performance.
This particular car has the Weissach package of additional carbon fiber elements and the Magnesium wheels that combine to keep the weight to the barest minimum. It also has the Carbon Bucket seats however it has steel brakes.
Overall this car is a halo-car for the mid-engined Porsche lover and just begs to be brought to redline at every chance you get. Just be ready, this car is LOUD!!!!
Let’s meet at Boatyard Bar & Grill! Please mark your calendars for Tuesday night, May 12th, at 6:30pm (5:30 cocktails) at Boatyard Bar & Grill located in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County. The Boatyard is where local sailors, fishermen and lovers of the Chesapeake enjoy pint drinks, great crab cakes and the freshest local seafood. Specialties include smoked fish of the day (on premise), cream of crab and Maryland crab soups and an extensive list of crab and seafood specialties. The Boatyard has the most extensive raw bar in the area including a variety of oysters, clams, shrimp and mussels. The Boatyard receives awards for being most family friendly and having the best crab cakes and burger on the Bay. Check out their menu here.
Get more info here.
Are you ready to join the fun? As a member of the PCA Chesapeake Region, we have all kinds of events to help you enjoy the club and your Porsche. As a new or recently new member, it would be great if you could join us at our upcoming New Member Meeting on Saturday, May 23rd.
You’ll get a chance to meet the officers and hear from and talk to Chesapeake’s many different Event Chairs and find out about all the activities that are being planned for the year. You’ll also get a swag bag full of Chesapeake goodies and participate in the raffles for additional door prizes. This party is not to be missed if you are new or fairly new to Chesapeake and want to find out what we are all about.
Get more info here.
Join us on Wednesday, May 27th, for a unique Weekday Wander tour. We will begin at the Paul Reed Smith Guitars factory in Stevensville, MD for a special factory tour where you will see these exceptional guitars being made right here in Maryland. Then we will depart the factory for a scenic drive through Maryland’s Eastern Shore, ending in historic Chestertown. You can then explore this important cultural and economic center on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and the many restaurants and attractions.
Get more info here.
Join us for the 2026 edition of the Wags, Wings & Wheels, a special tour on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with a route created by Guest Tour Master Tom Divilio to benefit the Baywater Animal Rescue. Using a different route, we will drive some of the picturesque roads of Dorchester County and going by some of Maryland’s oldest and most remote farms. We will end at the Cambridge-Dorchester Regional Airport for the fundraising event for Baywater Animal Rescue.
Get more info here.
Happy Spring! It was terrific to see all the May Day baskets adorning the doors of businesses and homes in historic downtown Annapolis on May 1. Then the important “May the 4th be with You” celebration and, of course, Cinco do Mayo the next day. May always seems to start with a bang to welcome the coming Summer months in our region.
But first, let’s revisit where we had fun in April!
We held our last “Winter” breakfast at Eggcellence in Annapolis. In prior years, these later breakfast gatherings have been a bit sparsely attended. Not so this year. We came in strong with around 35 folks. The restaurant is always excited to see us and they do a tremendous job with great food and quick service. We are now putting together the breakfast schedule for next Fall and beyond. And this year we will be including breakfast gatherings in Howard County as well.
This month’s social dinner was held at Bud’s at Silver Run in Westminster and it was truly a memorable experience. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves and had a terrific dinner. Ken, the owner, created a oneof-a-kind experience for us and his waitstaff were totally on point. They certainly went out of their way to ensure we all had fabulous food and a wonderful time. We will be back, although it is a long haul for our members in the south.
by Stephanie Reuer
Joe Hikel opened his garage to us prior to the dinner and needless to say all the cars were spectacular and looked like they came straight off the showroom floor. Each car seemed to come with a story and Joe brought them to life as he walked us through the collection. Thanks for sharing, Joe.
Upcoming events
Our next Social Dinner will be Tuesday, May 12 at the award-winning Boatyard Bar & Grill in Eastport, Annapolis, MD. We’ll be taking over an entire side of the restaurant with our own bar. Drinks and mingling start at 5:30 and we will be seated for dinner by 6:15. There has been a tremendous response to this dinner and we are squeezing in 50 folks – with another 50 still on our waitlist.
A couple of notes about parking. The restaurant has a few free parking spots behind the building on 4th St., however, I’m not sure it’s worth the hassle of having to turn around. The best parking closest to the restaurant is in the Annapolis City Marina lot on Severn Ave, on the left, just before you get to The Boatyard. This lot does require payment, but it is minimal and is both convenient and appropriate for our Porsches – it holds 140 cars. There is also valet parking at the Annapolis Waterfront hotel on Compromise Street. It is garage parking and you may either self-park or use the valet.
From there you walk over the Eastport bridge (with a nice view of Spa Creek), turn left on Severn Ave and look for the Boatyard on the right on the Corner of 4th St. and Severn Ave. This is a beautiful and safe area, but the streets are quite narrow. If you choose to park
When you arrive at the restaurant, do take a moment to look at all of the great sailing memorabilia all over the restaurant. The front bar area is pretty much dedicated to all things sailboat racing. Make sure to catch their Mount Gay “Red Hat” collection. If you own one, you might want to wear it to this event. You’ll fit right in.
We will have a varied menu, but we’ve made sure to include their crab cakes, which a certain First Lady declared were the best she’d ever eaten. We’ve also arranged for you to select an assortment of oysters, for which the restaurant is famous. For libations, you can’t go wrong with a Dark n’ Stormy or a Painkiller. But they have lots of beer on tap, a good wine selection and they’ll make anything you call out for at the bar.
Finally, we are happy to announce a change to the rotation of our Social Dinners within our Chesapeake Region. Our Board of Directors did a study to locate the center of our region based on the addresses of our Members. Turns out that is generally within the confines of Howard County. So, to make driving times a bit more tolerable for all, we will immediately implement a 4 month rotating schedule, which will repeat.
We do reserve the right to change the schedule conditions (like restaurant availability) warrant, but we hope to stick to this rotation.
· North Region
· South Region
· Middle Region
· Middle Region
Please remember you need to register on MotorsportReg.com to attend Social Events - you can use MotorsportReg.com to do so. If, after you have registered, you find you cannot attend, please go back into MotorsportReg.com and cancel your reservation. As these events have been selling out, it will allow members on the waitlist to be confirmed. Also, please note that we always do try to accommodate people on the wait list when we can. Sometimes, restaurants are eager to increase our party’s size, but other times they have space constraints. Like the Boatyard, they are bursting at the seams for 50 of us.
Do you have restaurant recommendations or interesting ideas for Socials? Send us an email social@pcachs.org. We’d love to hear from you!
Thanks, Stephanie & Randy Social Co-Chairs
Social Dinner at Boatyard Bar & Grill May 12 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
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/
This is my first event what should I expect?
You should expect to see some cool cars, meet some nice people, and have an enjoyable drive.
A day or two before the event, you will receive an email that contains all the information you will need for the event, including the address for the start point. Make sure you bring a copy of the route instructions and make sure you and your passenger(s) have completed the appropriate Release and Waiver of Liability form. While the digital SpeedWaiver is preferred, a paper waiver printed in color and signed in ink, may also be used.
Please arrive by the announced gathering time and plan to attend the required participants meeting beforehand. When you arrive, you will generally be guided as to where to park your car, as everyone will drive the tour in groups of approximately ten cars including a lead and sweep driver.
The participants meeting will cover important information related to the event and is mandatory to attend. After the meeting, you will go to your car and then follow your lead driver on the tour. At the end of the tour, park with your group at the finish.
This is my first Rally, what should I expect?
While tours and rallies have the same steps, such as a participant’s meeting, waivers, and so on, rallies are a little different than tours. As you are in competition with your fellow rally-goers, you will generally drive the route on your own.
Once you complete the rally route and arrive at the finish line, standby for the awards ceremony and enjoy a wellearned celebration for finishing.
Tell me about a Tour. What is it?
A tour is a drive to a destination by the most indirect route possible. Some of the possible destinations include, restaurants, museums, wineries, ice cream stands, and so on. Most of the route will consist of the better driving roads in the area. While some tours may include stretches on a highway or suburban roads, this is kept to a minimum.
The routes, in addition to some great driving roads, will also feature some wonderful scenery and views.
Tell me a little more about the different kinds of rallies.
A rally differs from a tour primarily in that there is some level of competition. In the traditional rally, called a TSD, or time-speed-distance rally - you need to maintain a certain average speed throughout the rally, which changes regularly as you execute route instructions. For a gimmick rally, your precise time through segments of the route are not important (but you can’t delay too much and mot make it to the end) but there will be gimmicks along the route that you must complete, such as answering questions that relate to the route of things seen along the route, or possibly getting random cards along the route such as in a poker rally.
We sometimes run a “Choose Your Own Adventure” Rally where you must plot your own route to the various locations. Or a Speed Limit Sign rally, where you must add and subtract the values of the speed limit signs along the route.
However, no rally will use top speed or fastest time as a condition of winning.
When will I get the meeting location, directions and other tour documents?
The tour documents, which include the written directions, meeting notes and the exact starting address will be emailed no later than 6:00 pm the night before the event. Often, I can get those documents out a few days beforehand after registration has closed for the event. Generally, we do not publicly announce the exact starting location ahead of time.
If it is after 6:00 pm the night before the event, and you have not received the email with the tour documents, email tours@pcachs.org and let me know. But please check your spam or junk mail folder first.
What is a SpeedWaiver, and when is the best time to sign it??
The SpeedWaiver is the online version of the Release and Waiver of Liability form for the event. It is always best to sign the waiver before the day of the event.
It is preferred for adults to sign the online version of SpeedWaiver (verses hand signing a paper copy the day of). On Tour Day your Group Leader will expect to see your completed SpeedWaiver (from your phone) prior to departure.
Every participant is required to complete a waiver. Adults may use the electronic SpeedWaiver, and minors must have a paper waiver signed by at least one parent or guardian.
What kind of driving will we do? I mean we are all driving a Porsche.
To paraphrase Manny Alban, Roger Penske is not at our tours looking to recruit new drivers. We are driving on public roads and have event insurance through the National PCA. This means that while we will have some fun, we must comply with the rules of the road and make safety the primary focus.
In the end, the driver of each car is responsible for their own decisions.
While it is unlikely that you get lost, it is no big deal if you do. Lead and sweep drivers work hard to try to keep this from happening, but if you do get lost, you can use your favorite navigation method to make your way to the ending location. You will be given the exact address for the destination with the tour documents.
What do I need to do to get my car ready for a tour or rally?
Please make sure your car is properly registered and insured, and that the driver is an adult PCA member with a valid license. As well, make sure your car and driver are in good operating condition. Check the tire pressure and condition, along with your oil and other fluids, giving the car a good once over.
It’s up to you if you want to wash your car or not. As Magnus Walker says, “dirt don’t slow you down.”
Most importantly, be sure you arrive with a full tank of gas and an empty bladder.
If you cancel before registration closes, you will certainly get a refund. For most tours, if we can fill the spot from the waitlist, we will still give you a refund, but this really depends on the tour. Don’t rely on getting a refund from the region if you cancel after registration closes.
Motorsport.reg does offers event insurance that you can purchase at an extra cost when you register. This event insurance can provide you a refund even after the cut-off date, based on their terms and conditions. that you can potentially receive a refund from.
Please see this link for more information on the Motorsport.reg event insurance: https:// support.motorsportreg.com/event-cancellationinsurance.
I’m on the waitlist; will I be able to go to the event?
For many of our events, we can accommodate everyone from the waitlist. So, if you are interested in a tour, it is worthwhile to register so you can be on the waitlist. We clear the waitlist in the order that you registered for the event.
As the day of the event approaches, I will often send an email reminding people to cancel their registration if they cannot make the event so I can offer the spot to someone on the waitlist.
Why can’t more people attend this event?
Pretty much all our events do have a capacity limit. Things like the availability of lead and sweep drivers, size of the starting and ending locations, as well as the capacity of our destination all play a role in the maximum number of cars and/or people that can attend.
This is why it is important to cancel your registration if you cannot make it, as it not only allows me to clear the waitlist, but also means that I can give our destination an accurate count of attendees.
How important is it to have a navigator?
You do not have to have a navigator and can certainly participate solo. We usually try to put single drivers midpack in the group. In addition to the written turn-byturn directions, the club uses the Scenic app for navigation, which can provide turn-by-turn guidance. There is also a gpx file that can be used in other navigation systems.
More on Scenic can be found here: https://scenic.app/
However, rallies generally require a navigator. Don’t worry though, we will do our best to pair up people who do not have navigators on the day of the rally.
I want to attend the post tour social, however I don't like tours; may I still attend the social lunch/dinner?
If there is space at the post tour social, you are certainly welcome to attend without going on the tour. But in general, if you did not go on the tour, it is unlikely that there will be available space since our tours generally sell out.
Do I have to drive a Porsche?
Since this is the Porsche Club of America, it is always preferred that you drive a Porsche. We do run some events, such as the Off-Road tour where any capable vehicle can participate, and a Porsche is not required.
However, we also understand that sometimes your Porsche may be in the shop for a repair or service. So, if you have another sports car or similar vehicle that can keep pace, you may still join the tour.
Scenic app and Navigation
What is the Scenic app and why do we use it?
Scenic was originally developed for motorcycle navigation but has become very popular for all road users. Scenic provides audio and visual route guidance on a phone or through Apple Car Play or Android Auto. Not only does Scenic provide very strong route planning tools, but it is also able to provide accurate navigation even if you do not have a mobile signal for your phone.
How do I download the Scenic app?
You can download Scenic from the App Store or Google Play.
Is there a discount code for the Scenic app?
Yes, use: PCACHSPK50 for a 50% discount on the first year of Scenic.
To redeem it, open the app and go to profile picture in the side menu > premium status. There you will see "redeem code" at the bottom. Tap that and follow the steps.
Is there a Scenic tutorial?
The Scenic website and forum, found at https:// scenic.app/, contain an amazing amount of information. The person who develops and maintains Scenic is very active on the forum and will personally respond to questions.
Keep your eyes out for a Chesapeake webinar on using Scenic.
Is there a correlation between waypoints in Scenic and the turn number?
No. There is no direct correlation between the turn numbers and the waypoints in the Scenic App. Do not try to link these to each other.
What about Google Maps or some other navigation app?
Google Maps is an excellent app, but the technical limitations make it not the best app to use to plan routes.
However, when you use the link to the route in the Scenic App, you can download a gpx file of the route that can be used with other navigation apps. While there is a way to use the gpx with Google, it is complicated.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Am I required to have an FRS/GMRS radio during a tour or rally?
Unless you are a lead or sweep driver, you are not required to have a radio.
However, having a radio in the car will help improve your awareness of the road ahead and improve the overall safety and enjoyment of the drive. With a radio in your car, you can hear when there are debris on the road, cyclist, or other potential hazards.
In general, you do not need a radio for a rally.
While 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 others, are generally $30 or less on Amazon.
We use channel 17, which is frequency 462.600. Your radio will have instructions on how to program it. Also, keep an eye out for a video tutorial.
Unless you are a lead or sweep driver, please try to avoid talking on the radio unless it is something directly related to the drive, such as an emergency in your vehicle, or a road hazard that has not been already announced.
What will others say over the radio?
Since all the tour groups operate on the same radio channel, you will at times, be able to hear the other groups. So, listen for either your group number or the name of your lead/sweep driver and then whatever the information is.
While lead drivers will generally not call out the next turn, they will advise about potholes and other road hazards, cyclists, and sometimes provide interesting facts about the area.
Also note that the frequency is open to the public, so it is not uncommon to hear others on the same channel.
Tour Planning
I have an idea for a tour.
Fantastic! I am always looking for Guest Tour masters. Send me an email or talk to me about your idea and we can work together to make it happen.
I want to lead or sweep.
That’s awesome, thank you for volunteering! The best thing to do is to reach out to me ahead of the event and let me know. As well as answering the questions when you register. I will be happy to work with you to help build your skills up to be able to lead a group on a tour. It’s always best to start out as a sweeper.
If you have not attended our Tour School, it is recommended but not required that you do so.
This is awesome! I want to volunteer to help. What else can I do?
Thank you for volunteering! Even if you do not want to plan a tour, there are plenty of things that need to be done, such as organizing the groups when people arrive at the start location, confirming route instructions, checking waivers and counting participants and so on. Please contact me and we can certainly work the details out. I am grateful for all the help I can get.
You have mentioned several national PCA policies. Where can I read these for myself?
If you log into your account on https://www.pca.org/, look for the entry titled, “Forms & Docs” under “Commonly Used Links.”
While there is significant debate on this issue, all the facts support the conclusion that red Porsches are, in fact, faster than ones that are not red. There is a decal that also proves that red cars are faster.
Several years ago, while on a family road trip, I failed to point out that we were driving by a field of cows. As a direct result, my children have informed me that I am legally obligated to point out when there are cows visible from the road. I do ask your support in accomplishing this.
Our 2026 tour season shifted into gear with the Off We Go tour held on April 11th and 12th. While this tour was originally only scheduled for the 11th, it sold out so quickly, I was able to add a second day. For next year, I am going plan it for both Saturday and Sunday from the start.
On Saturday, 46 cars and 73 people staged under glorious weather for the first day of the tour. While the tour covered some new roads, we also drove some old favorites, but in the opposite direction. In fact, some people pointed out that they were glad to finally get a look at the other side of some of the houses. This route also took us past a good friend of mine (who has a Golf R), and you may have seen him and his family waving as you went by both days.
Sunday, which was a little colder, saw 32 cars and 50 people line up to drive the route. Strangely enough, the route was just as good on Sunday.
For those not keeping score, that means this tour has 78 cars and 103 people attend it over the weekend! I can’t thank you all enough for your support. And a special thank you to all my lead and sweep drivers. These events could not happen without their support. I want to give a special thanks to Mike Myers for being willing to lead, even though we ended up with slightly fewer cars than I expected due to some last-minute mechanical issues.
Lunch at Kecco’s was fantastic on both days, as is to be expected. And Kecco’s donated a $100 gift certificate for the raffle at the Zum Schulhaus Fahren in August.
These first tours have us off to a great start, and Andy and I are looking forward to a lot more great events this year. Several new tours should be announced soon, so keep your eye out for those.
And, if you have any comments or observations on the tours, please feel free to email or call me to share them. I am appreciative of any constructive criticisms you may have to offer.
– April 11-12
The Tour & Rally Committee hosted the third edition of our mid-week tours, called “Weekday Wanders,” on April 22nd. 23 cars with 33 people met at Jimmy Joy's Log Cabin Inn in Hancock, MD, where we enjoyed a terrific lunch.
After lunch, we divided into our flights to drive one of the best roads in the area, PA-26 through Everett, PA. I first learned of this route from our Past President, Ron Farb, who recommended it to drive home from the Flight 93 Memorial. Well, it is such a fantastic road that I built my very first tour around it. And, it has featured in several other tours since then, including the tour I ran to celebrate my retirement. While perhaps not as twisty as Tail of the Dragon, PA-26 is not nearly as saturated with vehicles or speed enforcement, so it is worth the drive out there.
We had perfect weather for our drive, and I saw almost no other traffic on our route, except for the other groups that we passed going in the opposite direction on PA-26. Another highlight of this tour is the vintage Amoco gas sign on the side of the road. The only glitch is that we turn around at a school in Everett, PA, and the last group got delayed by the busses. Never fear though, as we have a solution for the next time we run this tour.
While the ice cream stand is no longer at the end point, the store does have a freezer full of ice cream treats, which were well-deserved after this tour.
Wednesday, April 22nd
The Safeway to the Bay Tour is an annual tour designed by Hank Lucas that showcases the surprisingly good roads in the Annapolis area. This year, we ran the tour in the opposite direction than we normally do and ended at either Rams Head Roadhouse or Lures Bar & Grille for lunch. While the forecast was initially iffy for the tour, it eventually settled and gave us a cool, overcast day. Which we all know that cold air, especially for turbocharged cars, helps performance.
This tour is always popular, and it was not a surprise that we had a waitlist for this tour. However, I was able to get enough lead and sweep drivers that I was able to offer a spot to everyone on the waitlist.
On a side note, please check your spam folder, as many email providers treat the emails that I send as spam. So, please consider adding my email to your safe senders list to avoid this from happening and to minimize your chance of missing an email.
Thank you all again for your support of the Tour & Rally Committee. I am grateful for all my volunteers and for the participants who make these events so good.
– Saturday, April 25th
Drive to the Porsche Swap Meet
Chesapeake 2026 Tour & Rally Event No. 5 – May 2nd
Join us for the 2026 edition of the Wags, Wings & Wheels, a special tour on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with a route created by Guest Tour Master Tom Divilio to benefit the Baywater Animal Rescue. Using a different route, we will drive some of the picturesque roads of Dorchester County and going by some of Maryland’s oldest and most remote farms. We will end at the Cambridge-Dorchester Regional Airport for the fundraising event for Baywater Animal Rescue. Optional hotel information for Friday/Saturday is below.
Once at the airport, there will be a range of food and craft vendors, as well as aircraft display featuring antique, modern and some experimental aircraft, and a car show, which will feature our Porsches. This event is pet-friendly, and there will be opportunities to adopt a new pet. Think of this as a very large outdoor lawn party, with live music, food and craft vendors as well as an aircraft display.
The Wags, Wings and Wheels event is a fundraiser for Baywater Animal Rescue, the Eastern Shore’s leading no-kill animal welfare organization. Baywater has been a safe place for homeless companion animals since 1947 and is totally dependent on donations as it receives no government funding. Your registration fee will go to Baywater. Additional donations are encouraged and tax deductible.
To donate directly, or purchase items from their wish list for donation, please see their website; https:// www.baywateranimalrescue.org/
When: Saturday, June 6th, 9:00 am
Where: The Cambridge, MD address will be sent to confirmed registrants by June 5th
Participant’s Meeting: 8:30 am
Departure: First cars off at 9:00 am
Driving time and distance: approximately 1 1/2 hours and XX miles total
Destination: Cambridge-Dorchester Regional Airport, 5263 Bucktown Rd, Cambridge, MD 21613
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.
To register, log on to your account at Motorsport.reg: msreg.com/WWW2026.
How much Horsepower (HP) do we need? Should we buy the base, the S, the GTS the Turbo or the Turbo S? Mark Donoahue, the famous Porsche works driver that conquered the Can-Am series with the 917 in the early 1970s, once said that "If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower."
Have you ever seen or heard a car that can produce upwards of 12,000 HP? If you have not, then this is your chance to experience something that is almost un- worldly. The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is holding their Potomac Nationals at Maryland Internation Raceway (MIR) the end of May. Your Tech Team thought that maybe you’d like to expand your automotive adventures by making the journey with us on May 30th to see Top Fuel cars and other car classes that race at this event.
Top Fuel drag cars produce so much HP that there is no dynamometer in the world that can measure it. Engineers calculate that they produce somewhere between 11,000 and 12,000 HP with 12,000 ft lbs of torque. These cars consume approximately 15 gallons of fuel, 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol, during their 3.6 second run over 1000 feet of asphalt. The exhaust alone produces approximately 1,100 pounds of downforce. (The aero devices of a 2016 GT3RS produce 750 pounds). Top fuel cars hit the 100 MPH mark in 0.8 seconds. 2026 Turbo S can do 0-60MPH in 2.5seconds.
While the Turbo S will hit an impressive 20 PSI of boost, Top Fuel cars will hit 74 PSI. At the end of the 3.6 second run Top Fuel cars will hit 330 MPH.
After each run Top Fuel cars require a full engine rebuild! Drag racing allows the fans far more access to the cars and the teams in the pits. You’ll be able to watch the crews do the rebuilds and engine swaps in a matter of hours as they prep for the next run.
These are violent pieces of automotive technology. These cars do not go quietly into the darkness. Bring your ear plugs as they will generate 150dB, which is enough to do physical damage. Not only will you see and hear these beasts, but you will feel the exhaust shock waves hitting your chest. This is a very visceral experience and will not be soon forgotten. This event is a bit out of the box for PCA Chesapeake. MIR is in Mechanicsville Maryland, which is about a 1-1/2 hour drive out of Baltimore. MIR’s gates open at 9AM. We plan to leave Baltimore about 8 AM. Our launch location will be announced later once we get a feel for how many of us will be going. Parking will be on the grass, so you may not want to drive your GT4RS.
You need to register on MotorsportsReg so that we can get a head count and notify you directly of any changes. You can register here: https://www.motorsportreg.com/ events/nhra-potomac-nationals-2026-marylandinternational-raceway-pca-chesapeake-947683
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.
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.
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.
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/
AXThe Chesapeake PCA had its first autocross of the year on Saturday April 25th at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. This one had its challenges, but in the end, we managed to get through it in good fashion. The good news is that we had a really large total registration (115, which is probably up there with the largest we’ve ever had). That’s a great show of support and we really appreciate it! There were early cancellations, as always, when people who registered early discovered they couldn’t make it when something else came up, but that’s normal attrition and totally expected. By a week before the race, the registration stood at 88 Confirmed (registration is actually capped at 80) with a substantial waitlist. The registration grew that large because after the entry list was filled, I kept getting late entrants who are regulars that I really wanted to accommodate.
Last year, the weather at our first autocross of the season was less appealing than desired. It started off cold, rainy, and breezy, which is not exactly a winning combination for AX. Then again, that’s what can happen with these early season races. It is spring, after all. This year, a week out and the forecast for race day was less than thrilling with substantial rain expected. As the week wore on, though, the forecast improved with the expected rain moving to later in the day to the point where I thought we might just have a dry event.
As the week prior to the race rolled along, the cancellations started coming in because the weather forecast was not perfect. It’s really funny how so
words by Greg Hartke
many people suddenly say “I can’t make it” or have mechanical problems when rain is in the forecast. IIRC, only one person actually said they didn’t want to race in the rain, the others just backed out. No big deal, it was cool either way. I understand and it’s fine.
They were dropping like flies by the end of the week, so I sent out an email to the entire waitlist telling them to let me know if they were still willing and able. That strategy worked well and, in the end, I wound up getting back to 81 Confirmed for the race. I was inundated with last-minute requests and car changes, which certainly made life complicated because of the substantial changes that can be required for the heat and work assignments, but I got it all straightened out and we were good to go on race day.
What was especially entertaining about this was that the forecast improved to the point where it looked as if by managing the event properly, we’d likely be dry for the entire racing period. I emphasized in the info packet I sent out that we had to move things along on race day and we actually wound up starting a little early. It was a fast course and we did indeed manage to get 6 runs for everyone with no rain. In fact, the rain started literally just as we finished packing the trailer after the race. Ha! How’s that for good timing? I had to chuckle at all those who missed the fun and cancelled on the basis of the early forecast, though.
It’s always tough dealing with the ramifications of a rainy race day, but what made this one especially challenging was that I didn’t have a course design available and, in the end, I had to design the course myself. Heaven help us! I make no claims to being competent as a course designer and I do not want to add this particular chore to my duties, but I was stuck with it for this one. The good news is that (by a whisker), the participants survived the experience. Hopefully, they won’t have to put up with that again.
On race day, I arrived on site at 4:40 AM, followed almost immediately by the rest of the stellar AX Team (Co-chair Michael Ricketts, Pinto Soin, John Cho, and Phong Nguyen with Doug Slocum coming along later). I’m still not physically able to do much, so the guys did all the hard work while I took care of the small stuff in and around the trailer. Knowing that rain would be coming later in the day, we
wanted to get started quickly and that’s what was done. The cones were dropped out on the lot and the course build was quickly begun.
It didn’t take that long to build the course and once complete, Michael and I immediately went out for the test runs in my car. We cruised a couple of laps and it was quickly apparent that a lot of changes were going to be necessary. Oddly, it seemed to me as if there were a number of places where the course hadn’t been built at all the way I wanted and I ascribe that to not having the course designer (me) out there during the building process. It’s not at all easy to translate a paper design to the real thing and the builders can only guess without the course designer there to validate their choices in placing the cones.
Michael and I quickly fixed the easy parts, but we bogged down on the final section of the course from the Chicago box onward. We must have rebuilt the Chicago box 4 or 5 times and changed the approach to the finish several times before we decided we had done enough. Even so, when we went in, I was still uneasy with the course, so I went out with Mark Hubley for yet another round of modifications.
Mark is very experienced at this and we made further changes to the course. We rebuilt the Chicago box a couple more times, but were still not happy with the finish. What’s not evident is that the vertical dotted line on the map is the location of a dip for drainage that runs all the way across the lot and there are only certain spots where it can be crossed when driving with any kind of speed. As you approach the finish on the map, it can only be crossed in a limited area and at an angle, but there’s a hump that destabilizes cars and that also had to be dealt with. In the end, John Cho made the key observation that if we angled the stop box maybe 10 deg the car would be moving nearly straight into the stop box and would have no trouble staying stable. That’s what we did and it worked fine.
All of this rework took well over an hour to do (15 or 20 minutes is more typical, sometimes less) and I was sweating bullets because we couldn’t afford to waste time with everyone waiting for us to open the course for walking. When we finally finished, the drivers quickly went out to walk as we finished up the pre-race prep work. In the end, the course was actually fun to drive and I was happy with everything except that the Chicago box was too slow and the finish over the hump left something to be desired. Oh, well.
I knew I was going to have an interesting day driving because I had new tires on the car that are well known to be terrible in the cold. I can now vouch for that. ;) I had a terrible time hooking up off the line and the tires never really had nearly the grip I would like to have had, even after they warmed up a bit. These tires are, however, known to be very good when it gets warm, which means for the majority of the racing season they’ll be fine. I hope.
My examination of the portents had me expecting rain around 3:00 PM – not bad because I was sure we could get done by then and still give everyone 6 dry runs. Even with all the difficulties getting the course ready, we somehow managed to get the first car off a little early at 9:25 AM (scheduled for 9:30 AM). As expected, run times were rather short on this course, so during the first heat I was contemplating going to 7 runs, but in the end, I decided to stick to 6 because I wanted to have some margin and we had been having some wi-fi problems during heat 1, which was slowing us down. Ah, the wi-fi problems. This was something new. Ordinarily, the starter uses a tablet to queue the cars from their station at the start line, but for some reason, we were having trouble at times with the tablet connecting to the timing PC via wi-fi. We’re not sure why this was happening (it hasn’t happened before), but we suspect it was interference because there were a lot of other people at Ripken that day for two other events (cheerleading and youth baseball). We’re going to change the wi-fi frequency next time to see if that stops this little difficulty, but we worked around it for AX#1 by having one of the Team queue the cars from a spot much closer to the timing trailer. That’s not a desirable long-term solution, but it got us through this race.
The big crowd present for the other events was certainly exasperating! With so many others at Ripken, parking was at a premium so some of those folks decided they could park on the lot where we were racing. Ugh! During the first heat, a big SUV drove through the lot entrance (bottom left on the
map) and started around the periphery of the lot. I was in the trailer, so didn’t see this immediately (I was facing into the course) but when the vehicle got up near the Chicago box, the captain at Station 1 (Elizabeth Kapinos) saw it and went running out to take charge. She convinced them to turn around and get off the lot and racing resumed with a couple of cars getting reruns because they had stopped on the course due to safety concerns with the unauthorized vehicle out there.
After that incident, the entrance to the lot was blocked off using cones, but that didn’t deter the interlopers. During the second heat, someone moved the cones and cars came onto the lot, parking in our parking area. I didn’t see this right away but Mark Miller did and he went down to talk to them. I was driving that heat and didn’t see this immediately, but when I did, I went down to see what was going on and Mark filled me in. Mark had gotten them off the lot, but apparently one person got pretty hot about it. Mark calmed them down and got them off the lot, explaining that we had rented the entire lot for the day and that our insurance required that only authorized drivers were allowed on the lot. Tell you what… Mark did a great job handling this little problem and I’m glad it was him instead of me. ;)
That was actually the last of the crowd problems. I talked to Gavin Locklear (Ripken operations) and he told me that if people had parked where they were supposed to park, none of this would have ever happened. He, too, was a bit exasperated that they just wouldn’t listen as he was trying to herd the cats and get it straightened out. Shocking, huh? ;)
In the past, there have been a lot of cars and a lot of competition in Classes S4 and S5, which are the highest performance stock classes. This year, much to my surprise, a lot of drivers moved to Class I (Improved). (The performance progression is Stock, Production, Improved, Modified.) Our class structure is derived from guidelines from PCA National for small AX events, for which there are 5 levels in S and P, but only 1 in I and M. We suddenly have gotten ourselves into the situation where Class I is really large.
It struck me that asking Caymans, Boxsters, and early-model 911’s to compete against GT3’s, GT4’s, RS models, and Turbos was not fair, so I looked into breaking up the Improved class into subclasses as for Stock and Production. PCA National had a recommendation for how to do that, but after I socialized it a bit, Scott Borden suggested instead that it be broken up into those cars that would have been in S5 if unmodified, with all others in a second
subclass. That seemed eminently fair to me (it avoided moving some cars that really didn’t belong there into competition with really high-performance types), so I adopted it. The Improved Class is now broken up into I2 (cars that would be in S5 if unmodified) and I1 (all others).
We’ll see how this works out. I hedged my bets and put the cars from both Classes in the same heat so that I could go back and retroactively unsplit the Class if that turned out to be necessary.
The first car went off at 9:25 AM and the last car came through at 2:04 PM with no rain at all while we raced. Ha! We did it! It was a quick course, so the event moved along at a nice pace with everyone getting 6 runs. AX Team Member Phong Nguyen quickly assembled the results after the event and the top 10 placing Porsches for AX#1 were:
1. 1st overall, 1st in Class S5, 42.215 sec:
Chris Drabouski, 2024 GT4 RS
2. 6th overall, 2nd in Class S5, 43.269 sec:
Howard Leikin, 2021 718 Boxster GTS 4.0
3. 7th overall, 1st in Class I2, 43.548 sec:
Niels Johnson, 2018 718 Cayman S
4. 8th overall, 2nd in Class I2, 43.684 sec:
Dave Critcher, 2016 GT3
5. 9th overall, 3rd in Class I2, 44.118 sec:
Ken Wojcik, 2018 GT3
6. 13th overall, 4th in Class I2, 44.413 sec:
Pinto Soin, 2014 Carrera S
7. 14th overall, 1st in Class P5, 44.438 sec:
Leonard Roy, 2025 718 Cayman S 4.0
8. 15th overall, 2nd in Class P3, 44.550 sec:
Sam Ricketts, 2005 Carrera
9. 16th overall, 1st in Class I1, 44.554 sec:
Marcus Frank, 2006 Cayman
10. 17th overall, 2nd in Class P5, 44.583 sec:
Mark Miller, 2018 718 Cayman GTS
In addition, Dan Mattes was 1st in Class P2, Dan Ruddick was 1st in Class P4, Billy Duck was 1st in Class S1, Dennis Allen was 1st in Class S2, Peter Windsor 1st in Class S3, and Mark Hubley was 1st in Class S4.
As you can see, there was some mighty close racing, but none closer than Sam Ricketts and Marcus Frank. If you assume an average speed of 40 mph around the course (a good assumption for this course), you find that for the 0.004 sec difference in their times (that’s 1/250th of a second), the difference at the finish between the two cars is less than 3 in. Yup! I’d call that close!
It stayed chilly all day and I think the temps actually dropped as the day wore on. We were fortunate. Just as we finished packing all the equipment back into the trailer, it started to drizzle and it didn’t take long for that drizzle to turn into a steady rain. In other words, our timing was perfect. Good thing I managed to stave off that temptation to do 7 runs! None of the equipment got wet and everyone got 6 dry runs. Just what we wanted!
Our next autocross (AX#2) will be Saturday May 23rd at (as always) Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. The registration is already filled, but the waitlist is short right now and there are always cancellations, so if you have a hankering to get out for AX#2, go ahead and register. Looking ahead, AX#3 will be Saturday June 27th and the registration for that race is only half-full right now, so plenty of openings are available. The bottom line is that if you’d like to get out and drive like your hair’s on fire at a CHS PCA AX, there are plenty of opportunities ahead!
Hope to see you soon!
Greg Hartke CHS AX Chair
By: David K. Whitlock
The 987 Cayman R was introduced for the 2012 model year as a lighter, more focused version of the Cayman S. Power from the 3.4-liter flat-six was bumped to 330 horsepower, but the real story was weight reduction, roughly 120 pounds lighter thanks to less sound deadening, aluminum doors, and the removal of certain comforts. It also sat lower on PASM Sport Suspension and came standard with a limited-slip differential, giving it sharper turn-in and a more connected feel. With its simple formula and driver-first setup, the Cayman R has become one of the most sought-after mid-engined Porsches.
This 2012 Cayman R came finished in the excellent launch color of Peridot Metallic over Black leather and showed 65,000 miles. It featured Sport Seats with bodycolored shells along with matching trim on the dashboard and painted center console for plenty of Peridot goodness. Service included a serpentine belt in September 2022, transaxle fluid pan, filter, and gasket in May 2023, and an oil change in March 2026.
Over the past twelve months, Cayman R values have averaged $75,800, with a low of $61,000 and a high of $93,500 for a 1,900-mile example finished in White. Our Spotlight Car was just the second PDK-equipped example to cross the block in that time, following a 40,000-mile White car that sold for $61,000. While this one had more miles, being finished in Peridot helped, as it brought a final bid of $68,000.
It wasn’t the car that caught my eye here, but the name in the title, as this 1975 911S Coupe Sportomatic belongs to Keith Martin, publisher of Sports Car Market magazine. Refinished in Desert Beige, this G-body sports a Beige interior with cloth inserts and shows 52,000 miles on the clock, It appears to be in very nice condition with plenty of service records in the gallery along with engine rebuilt pics, and I’m sure some excellent stories of adventures from the owner. The current twelvemonth high sits at $64,500, which this one should have no trouble besting.
Paint-to-Sample Gulf Blue looks fantastic on this 2018 911 Carrera 4S Coupe 7-Speed, especially with the White Gold-finished BBS wheels. Other modifications on this 26,000-mile example include a Cobb ECU tune, Soul X-pipe exhaust, H&R lowering springs, and includes the removed components should one wish to put it back to stock. Mileage comps put it in the $92,400-108,600 range, but PTS should top those, maybe even challenge the $119,000 twelve-month high.
21” color-matched wheels on a White 2014 Cayenne GTS? While it sounds like too much White, I think it looks pretty good. Showing 137,000 miles on the clock, this GTS features plenty of options including the SportDesign Package, Pano-roof, and more along with plenty of recent service over the last two years. It previously sold back in October for $14,000, and should bring similar money this time around.
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!
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.
