Member Musings

No, this isn’t an essay on how to trim a second or a tenth off your lap time. That information can be found elsewhere in the magazine (don’t rip up the pages looking for it). I’m talking about the standard issue, geez I’m getting older, lack of time management skills. When Matt Hollander asked me to contribute an article, my first question was “when is my deadline”? Pathetic, especially for the reigning GT5 club champ. Ever since I joined the club 5 years ago, I’ve wanted to contribute a little more. It’s such a great club. What I’ve found is that there is always something more to do if you can set aside a little time. Just like getting your car ready for the next event. You could put that new wrap on…right after you scare up a couple more old vulcanized donuts with a veil of cover over the cords. And get that oil leak stopped. And fix that engine cough that seems to come at the most inopportune moment. Yeah, there’s always something else that steals away the time that you wanted to put toward contributing more. But for us club plebians, it’s rather easy to help. Commit to a session of instructing, weigh a car or two, give away event shirts…etc. The magic is the real work that’s getting done behind the scenes by our Club higher ups. Planning events, organizing people, getting one computer system to talk to another…It’s a wonder to me that the information on those simple colored window stickers makes the trip from your laptop to the car almost seamlessly. All we have to do is DO OUR SPEED WAIVER BEFORE REGISTRATION which is practically laid in our laps when we register. We’ve got it rough. That’s just one example. Thanks to the Club BOD and it’s minions that contribute the time, all of you past and present.

My story? Oh, glad you asked. Standard issue 55 year old guy discovers you can actually go race cars in real life. PDS a year, TT a year, Racers Clinic and boom, you’re in the Orange group mixing it up a bit. Cool. Then it occurs to me. Hey, there aren’t too many competitors in GT5. So I asked Mr. Momeyer…All I have to do is go to 2/3 of the events (which no one Larry at Fontana with his favorite competitor in GT5, Scott Matz else seemed to be doing in GT5), finish some races and help out here and there and it’s trophy time? Yep, easy peasy. Well, sort of. The person that seems to conspire against us the most is ourselves. Why do we mess with our cars when they worked just fine the last time? If I just had a (your current headache placed here), I could get a little closer to the pointy end. There’s a learning curve to this hobby for sure. Did I mention that I was GT5 Champion? The racing part is the real payoff though. Even though my view of events is usually from the latter portion of the events competitors, there seems to always be someone around to mix it up with a bit. Yeah, we aren’t really supposed to race “between classes” but hey, when it’s just you two out there in proximity, it’s game on. It seems every race presents a unique array of different cars and driving talents, so there’s very few dull moments. There’s always someone out there to try to hunt down, and someone to try to keep from catching you. If you’re a PDS or TT driver now, I recommend giving it a try when you can. Watch out though…it seems to occupy all your “spare” time. Larry

At Velocity we’re always looking for stories and photos to share with our members. Do you have any?

How kind of you to think of me as someone who could contribute anything of interest to Velocity. My last race was the next to last race of the season in 2009. That was when I had my first Grand Mal Leonard and Maia now seizure. After that I made the decienjoying life In Arizona sion to immediately stop competitive driving. My concern was not just for myself, but also for other drivers

I’m reminded of my good friend Bill (Brake Less More

Often) Fox, who calmly pulled off the Cork Screw at

Laguna Seca and died of a heart attack. That is why it is now written in the GCRs that you must signal the corner worker that you are ok if you exit the track for any reason.

A famous WWII general once said, “Old Generals never die, they just fade away”. Well, for many of us you could replace the word Generals with Racers, it still works, doesn’t it?

I am now living in the Salldebrooke Rancha retirement resort in Arizona. That doesn’t mean I’ve given up my love of driving Porsches. My racing career started in 1968 at a Santa Barbara Road race with SCCA and for the next 41 years I competed on tracks throughout the country…many of which no longer exist. I got to

Kansas and went on to drive Road Atlanta. Mike Hammond can tell you more about that era.

My wife Maia and I still drive our Porsches. We have an E1 Cayenne which we love to take off-roading. And the 356 which we drove recently in support of Ferry

Porsche’s 112th birthday. We also have a 991.1 for fun trips with PCA. I still have an original POC sticker on the rear window of the Cayenne…can’t get rid of that one! And I stay connected to the club by reading

Velocity each month. A few of you guys I can remember, but many have faded away. What I am most impressed with is the number of women racers now in the club and how well they are driving. Impressive! I appreciate your consideration by allowing me to “check in”. Maia and I wish you all the best of luck with your racing careers. Len