December 2015 - Rocky Mountain Region Porsche Club

COMMEMORATING PORSCHE FELLOWSHIP IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
RMR.PCA.ORG ● December 2015
This month:
Jerry’s Bleachers
Bucket List
Eiskhana
I Spy...
and More!
Features
26
14 16
20
23 26 Letters from the Editor
Rennsport V
Jerry’s Bleachers Project
I Spy ...
Bucket List
In case you missed it
Photo by Mike Pappas
11
17
Cones Are-a-Fallin’
OctoberFAST
20
In the werks
24 Eiskhana!
Departments
4
5 6
7
7
8
12
22
25
29
30
31
32
32
33
34
34
34
Presidential thoughts
Advertiser index
Pit stop
Membership social
Upcoming events calendar
Members’ Corral
Trivia quiz
In the zone
I get around
Classifieds
Tech talk
Advertising rates
Region coordinators/Technical resources
Board of directors
What we do
Take five
The rearview mirror
Trivia answers
Photo by Dan Carlson
Vol. 57, Edition 12 • December 2015
Managing Editor: Russ Rydberg, Editor: Phillip O’Brien,
Asst. Editor: Bill Terry,
Erik’s photo provided by Phil O’Brien
Cover photo by Erik Behrendsen
Erik is a problem solver. A broad range of talent and flexibility enable his
immediate response. He’s got it covered.
Send your high resolution images to HighGear.
D
Jim Widrig, President
riving season never ends in the Rocky
Mountain Region! Just when you thought
it was time to put your Porsche up for the
winter, another opportunity appears on the
RMR event calendar! November started off
with our monthly Membership Meeting held at Eurosport
Automotive. Dave Marshall treated the membership with
his famous pulled pork BBQ and entertained us with a
taste of bluegrass from his banjo and the musical quartet.
Thanks again to Dave Marshall for hosting us at his business!
Another happening in November was the groundbreaking
“Dig Day” and start of construction for the Jerry’s Bleachers
structure at High Plains Raceway. This special place will
be a very nice addition to HPR for spectators and a tribute
to our friend, Jerry Shouten. Thanks to Doug Bartlett for
managing this project as well as “Thanks” to all of the RMR
members for their support in providing generous donations
of time, materials, expertise, equipment, and funding.
at Georgetown Lake on January 24, 2016. Becoming more
than a social gathering, the January Membership Social at 3R
will be utilized to announce the Annual Membership Awards
and to welcome in the 2016 RMR Board.
Planning continues for the region events in 2016. A
Joint RMR/AMR Board Meeting was held in November to
work together on scheduling, event guidelines, and sharing
of ideas to best support both regions. It was great to see our
fellow board members from AMR, and we spent a couple
of hours in discussion on 2016. As the overall schedule is
finalized and event dates and venues are firmed up, we will
announce the details. As an additional note, many of you
have MotorsportReg Credits that are available for use to
pay for RMR events. The credits issued for “volunteering”
have an associated expiration date that is the end of the
next calendar year from the date of issue. The RMR Board
has approved an extension to the credits due to expire on
December 31, 2015 to July 31, 2016. Please plan to use
these credits by this new expiration date.
I am pleased to welcome in the new RMR Board and to
transition my duties as your new President John Mackin takes
over the helm. The nominees for 2016 remained unopposed
at our November Membership meeting. As our bylaws allow,
a motion from the floor was entertained by the President
and passed to elect these nominees by majority vote. The
provisions for balloting were waived and the nominees were
elected as your officers. Now elected to serve as your RMR
Board for 2016 are John Mackin as President, Rick Seiferth
as 1st Vice President, Jim Thorburn as 2nd Vice President,
Blair Whitaker as Treasurer, Holly Jackson as Membership
Chair, Russ Rydberg as Newsletter Editor, and Mark Taylor
as Secretary. I will continue to serve as an ex-officio member
in the capacity of Past President.
We have traditionally designated Toys for Tots as the
RMR charity for our Annual Holiday Party. Continuing
the spirit of giving back to our community, in its place we
have added an “RMR Toy Drive” on Saturday, December 19,
2015. The RMR Toy Drive will meet at The Perfect Landing
restaurant, drive out to the Toys for Tots Warehouse, and
then drive to Helga’s German Restaurant for lunch. After
this Drive, we will have a short recess before getting together
for our first official RMR events of the year, the Member
Social at 3R on January 14, 2016, followed by the Eiskhana
4
Presidential thoughts
I am thankful as well as humbled by the opportunity
to serve as the RMR President for 2014-2015. The twoyear term has gone by quickly. My goals upon being elected
were simply to stay on course, conduct the operation of the
region and our events in a manner in which they are fun,
safe, and financially sound, plus satisfy and grow the RMR
community. These goals have been accomplished through
the efforts of the RMR Board, the Committees, Event
Chairs, and all of the volunteers. Thanks to all of you, and a
special thanks to John Mackin as 1st VP, Joe Warren as 2nd
VP, Rick Seiferth as Treasurer, Alan Jones and Holly Jackson
as Membership Chairs, Phil O’Brien and David Schmidt as
Newsletter Editors, and Rick Gonçalves as Past President.
We can always use volunteers to help with putting on
events and to take on additional special projects and added
activities. If you have questions, suggestions, or would like
to volunteer, please contact a RMR Board or Committee
Member. You can always drop me (or any other board
member) an email or let me know at an event if you would
like to get more involved in the RMR Community!
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!
Be sure to check out the calendar each month in HighGear
and the latest updates on the RMR webpage, the FaceBook RMR
event calendar, and e-mail announcements.
If you are reading this, your
potential customers could be
reading it too. Advertise in
HighGear and target your peers
while helping your club at the same
time! Email the HighGear editor
(newsletter@rmrporscheclub.com)
to get your ad in next month’s issue!
Advertiser index
3R Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3Zero3 Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Autoworks Colorado. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Boulder Orthotics (Bob Egeland). . . . . 5
CarQuip/Remington West Carz. . . . . 13
Chris Sarian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Dan Fead, Sothebys Realty. . . . . . . . . 2
Dart Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Dave Brown, Targa Tops. . . . . . . . . . . 5
Eurosport Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Eisenbuds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Ferrari of Denver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
HM Brown (Paul Griffith). . . . . . . . . . . 5
Joe Rothman, Driver Coach . . . . . . . 31
Pedro’s Garage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Prestige Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Signature Select. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Storz Garage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
TomahawkP1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Tom Ludlow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Tom Radow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Winding Road Adventures . . . . . . . . 14
Wine Country Motor Sports. . . . . . . 10
Your ad here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . !
DECEMBER 2015
5
I
t’s about time... As I write these words, we are
planning the trip over the river and through the
woods to gramma’s house for Thanksgiving dinner.
As you read this, the Christmas carols in the mall
no longer sound premature. ‘Tis the season! And
my mind is already on the task of assisting Russ Rydberg,
The new Editor-in-chief for 2016, with deadlines for
the January Issue of HighGear! (I need your article for
January next week, by the way, Russ.) Time
flies when you drive a Porsche!
A few of the many Porsche people I’m
thankful for this holiday season:
Bill Terry, Assistant Editor, whose impeccable
skills keep your magazine excellent;
Cecil Morris, RMR CDI and the friend who
first approached me with the idea of becoming
editor. Despite minor difficulties ,the experience
to this point has been a good one for me.
The Board of RMR (see page 32), which, as editor, I
have been a member of for the last 12 months. They do a
great job enabling the passion (addiction) Porsche people
have for their cars. My thanks, also, to the new board for
stepping up!
Beyond the people are, of course, my Porsche(s)! My
‘83 944 daily driver makes any commute or road trip a
pleasure. And the 968 “roadster” now has the suspension
and brakes and will soon have exhaust and a cage for safety
during nirvana at the apex of turn one. (Thanks Santa! [Jack
Ferguson, AMR, Co-owner of the Jack’s Racing 968!])
Pit stop
Phil O’Brien, Editor
While I know most of us are thankful for the gift of
Porsche ownership I’m sure there exists a soul who considers
it to be less than a blessing. Know that you have made
someone’s life better and that your mechanic loves you.
Know that the sacrifice of your weekends is worth the reward
of the cruise promised in return. And know that the club is
here for you. Drinking a few beers over Porsche talk makes
everything better!
Be sure to
move all those
rakes and brooms
away from the car
you’ve stored for
the winter. Don’t
let your bike lean
over and scratch
that finish. And
make sure your
snow tires meet
spec on your way up I-70 this winter. You don’t want a ticket
for failing a tech inspection! Find more tips for Porsche
storage on page 30.
Finally, thank you for your membership in RMR and
your participation in the many events which bring the special
cars and their people together. I consider it a gift to feel the
pride in ownership of a great car and to share the friendship
of these great car people. Together the membership of RMR
has dreamed up and produced some great events of all
kinds and in the process has supported several worthy
causes. A toast to our past, present, and future together!
Cheers!
Get involved!
Contribute to your newsletter!
HighGear needs your articles and photos! Please submit
your content and ideas to the Newsletter Editor by the 15th
of the month at newsletter@rmrporscheclub.com.
Join RMR-PCA
Not a member yet? Join RMR-PCA by visiting our website
at www.pca.org and simply click the “Join PCA” link.
Advertise in HighGear
Please see page three for advertising rates details.
6
RMR online discussion groups
Would you like to discuss Porsches, RMR or anything else
of interest to other Porschephiles? Check out the RMR
online discussion groups.
Yahoo: groups.yahoo.com/group/rmr_pca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/pcarmr
Get your newsletter on the go!
To read HighGear in PDF format on the Web, go to the
RMR Web site at rmr.pca.org and click the Newsletter
link. Back issues are also available on the Web site.
December Social is a Toys for Tots Drive!
We are having our last monthly Membership Social for the year on Saturday, December
19th at 10:30 a.m. We will meet in the parking lot at the Perfect Landing
Restaurant, located at 7625 S Peoria St, Englewood, CO 80112. We
will then drive to the Toys for Tots warehouse in northeast Denver
and give the Marines our donations. Afterwards, we will drive to
Helga’s German Restaurant & Deli for lunch. Please bring a new
unwrapped toy (for “tots” of any age, with a focus on teenagers up
to age 15) for our U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots drive.
Checks are also encouraged. If you can’t come in person
and still want to donate, go to www.toysfortots.org. Any
questions, please email Holly Jackson.
Hobars911@hotmail.com.
Upcoming Events Calendar
December
5
AMR Holiday Party
Black Forest
Denise Jordan, denisej1@mindspring.com
Cars & Coffee Car Show
Lafayette, CO
12
19
January
2
9
14
20
Breakfast Club
The Perfect Landing Restaurant at
Centennial Airport
RMR Social
The Perfect Landing Restaurant at
Centennial Airport
Cars & Coffee Car Show
Lafayette, CO
Breakfast Club
The Perfect Landing Restaurant at
Centennial Airport
RMR Social
3R Raing
Englewood, CO
For a comprehensive list of all upcoming RMR events,
click the “Events” link on our web site at rmr.pca.org!
24
February 4
6
13
17
20
Eiskhana!
Georgetown Lake
RMR Social
Ferrari of Denver
Highlands Ranch, CO
Cars & Coffee Car Show
Lafayette, CO
Breakfast Club
The Perfect Landing Restaurant at
Centennial Airport
AMR social
Denise Jordan, denisej1@mindspring.com
AMR Tech Session
TBD
RMR Event Chair Training
TBD
26
Zone 9 Presidents Meeting
TBD
AMR social
Denise Jordan, denisej1@mindspring.com
DECEMBER 2015
7
W
Members’ Corral
Holly Jackson, Interim Membership Chair
e have had a mild fall, and now winter
is upon us. It is not too late to protect
your cars from “yuck” on the roads. Use
a good glass sealer for your windshield,
an underbody spray for easier cleanup in the wheel
wells, and don’t forget to keep those headlights clear
and shiny so you can see! It is a good idea, if you haven’t
done so yet, to check your tire tread depth and either
replace worn tires with new tires or swap out for your
winter tires. Drive safely for the holidays!
We have our last monthly social event for the year
on December 19th. We also have the Breakfast Club
on December 12. I sure hope you had a great year
with your fellow RMR and AMR club members! I am
looking forward to next year and maybe a new event
or two!
Welcome our newest members!
October New Members
Do you have any thoughts on future events we
should have? I would like to hear your suggestions.
Send me an email to membership@rmrporscheclub.
com. Remember to go the RMR store for your gift
shopping. Visit http://www.pcawebstore.com/index.
php/regional-stores/rocky-mountain.html.!
Mike Pappas
Pappas photo
photo
Mike
RMR merchandise at the PCA web store!
Douglas Bertie, Denver
John Boyd, Greeley
George Courcier, Highlands Ranch
Robert Gardner, Evergreen
Andy Gold, Tabernash Jerry Gonto, Denver
Thomas Kobayashi, Denver
Sung Lee, Westminster
Tony May, New Castle
A.J. Montes, Boulder
Mike Parrottino, Castle Rock
Kevin Prendeville, Golden
Scott Setera, Arvada
Alevtina Shepelev, Arvada
Scott & Nancy Stapp, Arvada
Larry Goodwin, Denver
Michael & Dane Land, Erie
2010 911 Targa 4S
2016 911 Turbo S Cabriolet & 2014 911 Carrera 4S
1982 911 Turbo
2016 911 Turbo S Cabriolet
2006 Boxster S
1980 924
2016 911 Turbo S
2010 911 GT3
2016 911 Carrera 4S
2014 Cayenne S
2005 Cayenne
2014 911 Carrera 4S
2004 911 40th Anniversary
2008 Cayenne S
2002 Boxster
1974 911 (Transfer from Loma Prieta Region)
2003 Boxster (Transfer from Heart O’ Dixie Region)
“It’s not just the cars, It’s the people!”
Your beloved Rocky Mountain Region Porsche Club of America has its
own merchandise store! There are many items elegantly branded with
the RMR-PCA logo and of top quality and modern design. Simply go to
www.pcawebstore.com/ROCKY MOUNTAIN and shop to your heart’s
content. Show off your RMR membership with pride!
New to RMR-PCA?
Page 33 describes the various types of activities
our club members regularly enjoy. Come to our
next event and get involved!
Tours, Rallies, Autocrosses,
Driver Education Events,
Club Races, Car Shows,
Socials and Gatherings,
Charity Support and more!
8
NOVEMBER 2015
In Case You Missed It...
There is gasoline and then there is aviation fuel.
Andy Labout putting a few gallons of the good stuff in
his Formula Vee. Andy had the only open-wheel car at
the RMR PCA autocross.
2002 911 C4S with sunroof. Lapis blue metallic, grey interior. Beautiful car, perfect paint. Manual 6-speed. Professionally maintained,
always garaged. Proactive upgrades done for known 996 issues, including replacement of IMS bearing, rear main seal, coolant bottle &
ignition key fix. New clutch and radiators. 150,000 miles. Car is in perfect condition, needs nothing. Service records. $23,950. Contact
Peggy at penglert@q.com, 303-399-3357 or cell 720-312-3467.
The starting grid for the Cones are a Fallin’ autocross.
Photos are courtesy of RMR Member Jack Chestnutt.
DECEMBER 2015
11
On every first Saturday of each month
(rain or shine), a glorious gathering of
cars puts on an impromptu show dubbed
“Cars & Coffee” in Boulder/Lafayette in
the parking lot at 95th and Arapahoe.
Porsches, Ferraris, Cobras, Bentleys
and Lamborghinis have all been known to
show up as well as more American Muscle
Cars than you can shake a stick(shift) at!
It’s a great time, very casual, and lots of
fun. The show starts at 8:00 a.m., so grab
a cup of java, a bagel, and a camera and
come check out the biggest little car show
in Colorado!
?
Take the RMR Trivia Challenge! Answers are posted at the bottom of the
“Rearview Mirror” in the very back of this issue. No peeking!
1. True or false: The earliest 912 was referred to as the 356D.
2. Who designed the first Porsche showroom in the U.S.?
3. True or false: More than 100 Porsche dealerships opened
simultaneously on Nov. 1, 1969.
4. What does the “E” stand for in the 912E designation?
5. What nationality was the designer of the 924/944 water-cooled
models?
12
To whom it may concern ...
Good morning Mr. Gale,
I want to thank you for granting
us access to your wonderful car and
memorabilia collection at the Rambler
Ranch. You have amassed a stunning
array of automotive history. The AMC
building was just a treat to me as it is
filled with the cars that I remember
from my high school days. Particularly
attractive to me were the Gremlins. You
have to understand—my love affair with
those cars has a back story. In 1971,
my dad entered and was a winner in a
Russ Rydberg, RMR Board member and Managing Editor
Russ Rydberg photos.
The Ultimate D-Day Experience
April 29 – May 5, 2016
Sign up now to be part of an exclusive and amazing tour of Normandy
and Paris. Join PCA Tourmasters Chris and Kathleen Lennon, and see the
major sites of D-Day, learn personal stories of those who were part of it, and
stay in a historic 14th-century Manor House. Then, enjoy Paris, one of the
world’s great cities, and all its beauty.
Only $6K per couple, excluding airfare. Space is extremely limited, so
sign up now.
www.windingroadadventures.com
See our website for our September tour of Germany (Nurburgring,
Porsche, Mercedes, and Audi).
14
promotional contest that was a joint
venture between Levi’s and American
Motors! The car my father won was a
Maxi Blue Gremlin with Levi’s badging
on the fenders and denim seats. I know
you are aware of these cars, as I found
one in your boneyard! Which leads me
to the other part of the tour I enjoyed.
I am a bit of an odd duck as I tend to
relish wandering through junkyards. I
enjoy imagining the old hulks in their
glory and prime! And while I was
walking among the fallen warriors, I
caught a glimpse of my unicorn, up
the hill, under a carport. Yet another
car that took me back to my childhood
was a 1966 Chrysler New Yorker twodoor. In 1966, my father purchased a
two door New Port and to date, that
is the only brand new car he has ever
purchased. It was quite thrilling to
walk around it and be enveloped in
memories.
Thank you again, and if you ever
feel like parting with that ‘66 Chrysler,
please look me up!
Russ Rydberg, RMR PCA
Editor’s note: Please welcome Russ
to the Board as the Managing Editor
of HighGear! He will be the business
manager of the magazine while I will
remain on staff as the Creative Director/
Assistant Editor. Phil
If you are reading this, your potential customers could be reading it
too. Advertise in HighGear and target your peers while helping your
club at the same time! Email the HighGear editor (newsletter@
rmrporscheclub.com) to get your ad in next month’s issue!
NOVEMBER 20 DECEMBER 201515
15
RENNSPORT REUNION V
- My Take
By Dan H. Carlson
If you have any interest in Porsches, this is a mandatory
BUCKET LIST item!
Move over, LeMans, Porsche Factory and Museum tour,
and laps around the Nürburgring!
WOW!
I never thought that this could happen, but it was
Porsche sensory overload:
• 7- and 8-figure-dollar (that’s right—two commas!)
historic Porsches racing fender-to-fender all day long
• Open access to all race car pit stalls
• An overflowing parking lot filled with hundreds of
detailed Porsches organized by car type
• “Rubbing elbows” with most of the famous Porsche
racers of all time—Elford, Long, Bell, Haywood, Donahue,
and Webber to name a few
• A huge display of several of the most significant
Porsches in racing history
• All of the “nines” on display—917, 919, 904, 906,
908, 935, 959, 962, 956, 944, 924, 951, 993, 996, 997, 991
• All of the letters, too—GT, RS, S, K, R, RSR
• And a few names—Brumos, Andial, Dyson,
Rothmans, Jules, Kelly-Moss, Racer’s Group, and Leyton
House
• No fewer than 30 new GT3s and GT3 RSs in the
parking lot of the Baja Cantina Grill.
And all of this was happening in beautiful Carmel-bythe-Sea and Monterey at the fantastic Mazda Laguna Seca
Raceway under beautiful blue skies.
16
OctoberFAST DE
RMR PROUD!
Our club was there in force!
Our own Vicki Earnshaw was often seen walking the
paddock sporting her lime green Head of National PCA
Racing shirt—how could you miss her! She organized and
oversaw all of the PCA Club Races at this event. Well done,
Vicki!
There were very strong showings by our club’s best
racers—Joe Long, Alex Welch, Alan Benjamin, Adam Jaspers,
Mike McGrath, and Kim and Paul Gutowski.
More on Alan Benjami: Besides doing his own fine
driving, he had none other than Patrick Long and Hurley
Haywood racing his cars. His pal Justin Wilson, who
recently passed away in a freak IndyCar incident, was also
supposed to be a part of his stable of drivers. But he was
there in spirit: Alan honored him with a specially made
window sticker for his car. If you don’t know Alan, this is
just another example of him being a “class act.” Alan, all
of us in the RMR community are so sorry for your loss of a
good friend.
There were so many RMR Club members there—easily
over 100. I kept running into them everywhere, and they
found a bunch of us sharing a huge blanket at the famous
“Corkscrew” during Saturday’s races!
There are several colorful stories to tell—hanging with
friends in Monterey and Carmel, the various journeys to and
from Denver, etc. But you know the rules: “What goes on
on the road stays on the road!”
The next Rennsport Reunion is already on my “To-do
List.” Put it on yours as well—in INK!
Check out Dan’s photos in this months center spread.
Bill Allen, RMR/PCA
There was more than a little hint of fall in
the air as we headed east from Denver out to
High Plains Raceway for the last DE event
of the season. Over the years, we’d seen this
track in many conditions—midsummer hot
and dry, wet, and even once with snow and
and driver became one, with smooth, fast
performance. As the weather cooled and
the track went cold, cars got some rest and
drivers and the great team who ran the event
had a chance to kick back at Beer:Thirty.
David Allen Photos.
hail on the way out. Weather was perfect for
spirited driving. The track is great for the
Boxster S, with a mix of tight technical turns
like turn 8 into the Bobsled, as well as a few
places where we can really get some speed—
and where the point-bys to the GT3s are
obligatory. The car and the track got warm
as the day progressed. More importantly, car
DECEMBER 2015
17
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DECEMBER 2015
19
Jerry’s Bleachers Project
Doug Bartlett RMR Member, 2014 Enthusiast of the Year
A huge thank-you goes out to
all of the weekend volunteers and
especially to those who have donated
professional services, equipment
and materials:
Rick Goncalves
(RG Engineering), Bill Kubilus
(Peterson Steel), James Long
(Earthtech Landscaping) and Steve
Dunn (Engineered Demolition).
RMS Rigging and Brett Leveque
donated the shade structure.
Scott Durham, PCA SPB#83
Ten hearty volunteers from
RMR PCA and SCCA gave their
time Sunday November 15th to
break ground on “Jerry’s Bleachers
Project” at High Plains Raceway.
This project was launched over two
years ago to erect a shade structure
over the observation bleachers
that overlook the “corkscrew”
feature, turns 13, 14 and 15. It is
being built as a memorial to Jerry
Schouten, a long time PCA member
and club racer. Jerry helped bring
High Plains Raceway to fruition
and he personally transported those
very bleachers from the old Second
Creek Raceway to HPR on the back
of his open racecar trailer!
The original vision for the
project was to build a pergola type
structure, similar to the one at
the east end of the paddock used
by the grid staff. Then a lucky
20
coincidence happened. A huge
40x40-foot fabric shade canopy
structure that had been removed
from the Colorado State University
Lory Student Center was offered to
HPR. At the 2013 RMR Holiday
Party, HPR General Manager
Glenn Conser called me over to
share the news. The two concepts
immediately merged into one.
Our crew of volunteers dug four
giant holes for the shade structure
corner post support caissons – 42” in
diameter and 5 1/2’ deep! Hard clay
layers and a broken auger extension
presented us with some serious
challenges. We expect to have the
holes expanded in diameter, rebar
cages dropped in, soil inspections
and county approvals completed
once we have some more nice
weather. Then we will order the
concrete to be poured.
DECEMBER 2015
21
H
In the zone
Liz Shaw, PCA Zone 9 Representative
ello, Zone 9ers,
Hard to believe I’m already writing the
December Zone Report! It’s still November,
since I have to provide the report to the
newsletter editors and webmasters early enough for
publication in December, but I don’t remember what
happened to October! The only Zone 9 Region event I was
able to attend in October was Carrera Region’s OktoberFiesta.
As in the last few years, the weekend’s events were centered
in Las Cruces and Deming, and the fun got started on Friday
evening. Things were a little low-key, which was good so that
everyone could get some rest before the next day.
We had planned to have PCA President Caren Cooper
join us, but, unfortunately, her sinuses had other ideas and
she was not able to make the trip from Austin. As it was,
Hurricane Patricia was wreaking havoc in Austin, so she might
not have been able to fly out anyway. On Saturday, about 22
cars headed out on a day-long tour, led by Andy Medley. If
you’ve never gone on a tour from this excellent leader, you’re
really missing out! We headed north on I-25 and then got on
backroads, which led us through the little towns northwest
of Las Cruces. We were able to see lots of pecan groves, chili
fields and cotton fields. The road through the Gila National
Forest was twisty and hilly—perfect for Porsches! Lunch was
in Silver City, and then we made our way back to Las Cruces
through more forested roads and then through the flatter
areas outside of Deming. Some people opted to head straight
to Las Cruces, and some of us stopped at the Arroyo Seco
I Spy...
Dennis Pierce, Colorado Heli-Ops
track to meet up with the drivers who had spent their day
with the High Speed Driver Education event. As you can see
in the picture below, Brian Leduc saw a gopher snake on the
track, crossing behind a 911.
On Saturday night, we enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner
at the Hotel Encanto, complete with door prizes and free
posters. Then on Sunday, Carrera Region hosted an autocross
and a most yummy barbecue lunch at Arroyo Seco. Big
thanks to President Dan Thomas, Lenny Loftin, and Andy
Medley for putting on another successful OktoberFiesta!
Still to come in November is Roadrunner Region’s
Ladies’ Luncheon and PCA’s Tech Tactics West, and then in
December, let the partying begin!
Hope to see many of you before the end of the year!
Liz Shaw, Zone 9 Rep.
Photo by Andy Medley
Photo by Brian Leduc
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
DECEMBER 2015
23
Time for Eiskhana 2016!
Location: Georgetown Lake
Date: Sunday, January 24
Registration at the lake: 8:00 a.m.
Start time: 9:00 a.m.
Cost: $30 per driver
Come out and join in the fun at the Eiskhana.
It is a great way to enjoy the unique experience
of driving on ice. This is a cool opportunity to
test your car, your tires and your skills.
24
I get around
Stick It to Me
Danielle Badler, RMR/PCA Columnist
There will be an autocross with timed runs
and a skid pad. Porsches are desired but not
required; feel free to bring your winter driver
with snow tires or studded tires. Pre-tech will
not be required, and there will be no top-tech
on site, but we highly recommend de-cluttering
your car before you drive. Since speeds
and g-forces are low, we will not be wearing
helmets. Restroom facilities will be available at
the lake. There is pre-registration this year on
motorsportsreg.
It may be very cold out on the ice, so dress
warmly. There will be a warming trailer with
hot cocoa and breakfast items. Bring your
family and friends to this fun low-key event!
After the runs finish at the lake we will meet
for a late lunch in Idaho Springs and announce
the results. There will be some great prizes for
fastest times, provided by our sponsor Rennstall.
We also need some volunteers, so please contact
me if you would like to help with this event.
Please email aahill9@gmail.com with any
questions.
T
he Wall Street Journal did it to me yet again.
There it was, this time on the front page.
“Drivers Stuck on the Stick Hold Out Against
Shift to Automatics.”
They quoted a 33-year old man from, of all
places, Michigan. Who’s a designer at Jeep. “I had just had
enough of driving this soulless refrigerator,” he said.
What did he do? He helped found The Manual Gearbox
Preservation Society, which, according to the article, has 27
likes on Facebook. I went to the site, liked it, and it said I
was No. 22.
Whatever. I think I should go ahead and join. And, if
you’re reading this, you probably should too.
Here’s my story. At 17 I was given, for free, a ’61 Ford
Falcon automatic. Talk about a drooling bow-wow. The
thing overheated so often I kept a Clorox bottle of water in
the trunk. And it had one straight, flat bench seat in front,
clad with 100% plastic that was so strong your bare skin
stuck like superglue, no matter how hard you had the thing
hunched over in a curve.
Which was a lot. The hunching, I mean, not the speed
in the curve.
Then deliverance came when a family friend decided to
sell his ’64 Triumph TR-4, for $800. The Falcon was pawned
off to another family member, and … I used every cent of
my savings from waiting on tables to make the Triumph my
own.
That night, my father drove the car home. Of course he
did. I couldn’t drive a stick. Once safely on the driveway,
I humored myself by playing the radio. Presetting stations.
Starting it up. Putting in the clutch. Imagining I was
downshifting for the Mulsanne Curve.
The next day, we took the TR ou … er … my father took
it out. But he pulled over to let me try.
And I proceed to lurch the thing so hard that the fuel
lines jerked off the carburetors.
How did we know? We smelled gasoline. We opened
the hood. And we stared at raw fuel, running out and onto
the engine block. A small toxic pool was forming beneath
the car.
So we simply pushed the fuel lines back on, and we were
good to go.
Although I wasn’t. I just couldn’t get the hang of it.
For the next week, I made a point to roll, roll, roll up to
stoplights, trying to time their change to green, before I
actually had to come to a complete halt.
I also rolled through stop signs. Intersections.
Until, one day, I got it. I just got it. And, from then on,
I’m very proud to say, I have felt like I could drive anything.
I like that feeling. I earned it. And I don’t want it to
go away. To say nothing about the control, the satisfaction
of a perfectly executed rev-timed heel-and-toe dow …. You
know the story.
Now this is fascinating. The story in the Journal said
“Three-pedal purists have made an impact on the high-end
sports-car market. Used Ferraris and Lamborghinis with
manuals now sell for $15,000 to $20,000 more than those
with paddle-shift gear boxes.”
My word. Let’s all send this article to Ferrari and
Lamborghini and … yes … Porsche!
Apparently, according to the article, the Silicon Valley
elite have caught on, too. Which is probably one reason
for the price differential among exotics. Because “wealthy
tech entrepreneurs crave such flashy rides … [yet salesmen]
describe test drives with prospective buyers stuck in the
passenger seat because they hadn’t mastered the stick. Yet,
they made the sale.”
To which I say, just keep at it. It will come. It will come.
You know, there’s a middle ground. Rev-matching
manual gearboxes. I’ve driven two, the one on the Nissan
Z-cars and the one on the new Corvettes.
For all I know, the gizmos come from the same supplier.
Because they operate the same way. You flick a switch and,
presto, no more manual throttle blipping. Just brake, clutch
and slip it into the next lower gear, or two. The engine goes
whaa or whaa whaa and, what do you know, you’ve executed
perfectly timed downshifts that are smoother than anything
you could possibly engineer on your own.
Except for the fact that old habits die hard. I couldn’t
stop involuntarily blipping the throttle … and messing up
the algorithm. It felt, God forbid, a bit like the jerking I did
with my Triumph, so many years ago.
Which is a bit of the point, isn’t it? At the end of the day,
manual shifting is yet another way we drivers of a certain age
keep time … on our side.
Of course we know that manu-matics are faster shifting,
up and down, that they enable you to think about one less
thing, so you can concentrate on the driving job at hand and,
in turn, deliver faster lap times.
We don’t care. Some things, like a perfectly executed
downshift, are meant to be savored, forever. Just ask the
Preservation Society.
DECEMBER 2015
25
How to Empty Your Car-Guy Bucket List in Eight Short Days
By John Duclos, Vice President, Alpine Mountain Region
When you reach a certain age, bucket lists seem to take
on a heightened sense of urgency. So, when the opportunity
came to check off a number of the items on my car-guy list
in a span of only eight days, may wife and I jumped at it.
In those eight days, we got to drive the fabled Nürburgring
racetrack at speed in rented racecars (two evening sessions),
had a guided “backstage” tour of both the Nürburgring and
Hockenheim racetracks, and got to visit the Porsche and Audi
factories and the Porsche, Audi and Mercedes museums. The
agenda also included visits to the historic town of Nuremberg
and a fascinating automotive and technical museum in the
town of Sinsheim. Then there was driving the autobahn,
which was an experience in itself.
This all came about by way of Alpine Mountain Region
members Chris and Kathleen Lennon, who, through their
company Winding Road Adventures, offer a car-centric
travel package to Germany each year in September.
The tour starts in Frankfurt, the arrival point. At the
Frankfurt airport, we rented a car (be sure to get one
with navigation) and spent the night getting over jet lag
in an airport hotel. The next morning, we proceeded
directly to the town of Nürburg. The hotel the Lennons
selected is a traditional German country inn that also
happens to be the place where a number of the racing
and factory engineering teams stay when they’re testing
at the nearby Nürburgring racetrack (one of those teams
was there during our stay).
The legendary Nürburgring racetrack is a must-visit
destination for any true car enthusiast. Approaching
the track, you can’t help but notice the major investment
that the auto and tire manufacturers and race teams have
made in the area. They all have a major presence there
adjacent to the track. You’re also immediately overwhelmed
by just how large the track is. The actual length of the
Nordschleife (north course) is almost 21 km (12.9 miles).
Our days at the track started with a “backstage” guided tour
of the Nürburgring facility and museum, followed by lunch
at the trackside “Devil’s Diner.” From there we left to find
good vantage points (there are many) from which to watch
the factory teams (who rent the track by the day) do their
testing. We didn’t note any race teams on the track while
we were watching, but we did see plenty of the latest (and
possibly future) Porsches, BMWs and Audis strutting their
stuff. Finally, late in the afternoon, we met just outside the
track where our rented racecars (Suzuki Swifts) were waiting
for us. After a quick orientation, we were off to the track.
The racecar rentals were part of our tour package, as were
four laps on each of the two evenings we were there.
26
The actual track experience is amazing, if a bit
frustrating. With more than 70 turns in each lap, it was
impossible (at least for me) to learn the track sufficiently to
turn a consistently quick lap. However, once I decided to
concentrate on learning portions of the track, my confidence
level, lines and speed picked up accordingly. I’m already
looking forward to coming back in the future and doing it
all over again.
Dinner both nights in Nürburg was at the Pistenklause
restaurant. Aside from the outstanding food, the restaurant
is a destination in itself for race teams and enthusiasts. The
walls are festooned with signed posters and photos of just
about every notable racecar driver for the past 50 years. It’s
owned by the parents of Sabine Schmitz, the acknowledged
“Queen of the Nürburgring.” Sabine is a former racecar
driver who now offers advanced driver training on the ‘Ring
and runs a “Ring Taxi” service. By her own estimates, she has
more 30,000 laps on the ‘Ring. Lucky her.
Next up, following a “spirited” drive on the autobahn,
was the Auto & Technik Museum in the town of Sinsheim.
This amazing facility, the largest privately owned museum
in Europe, has more than 3,000 exhibits, both indoors and
outdoors. In addition to a large collection of race and classic
cars (including more than a few American cars from the 50s
and 60s), the facility also has on display a number of aircraft,
including a Concorde and its Russian equivalent, a Tupolev
Tu-144. After a delightful dinner at the Sinsheim hotel
(adjacent to the museum), it was time to rest up for the next
day’s adventure, the Hockenheimring.
The Hockenheim race track is one of the world’s truly
legendary racing facilities, both for auto and motorcycle
racing. Dating to 1932, the track once wound its way through
heavily forested countryside using public roads as part of the
track. It has since been shortened and reconfigured several
times to improve safety and spectator viewing. While we
were not allowed on the track itself, we received a private
tour of the entire facility, including the victory podium,
still littered with champagne corks from a race the previous
weekend. The Hockenheim museum
has a number of interesting racecars,
but if you’re into motorcycles, this is the
place to be. The facility is jam-packed
with historic racing motorcycles dating
back many decades.
Our hotel for this part of
the tour was a real treat. It’s
located on the grounds of the
Monrepos palace and estate in
Ludwigsburg, and although it
is still owned by the House of
Wurttemberg, it now is a resort
and park completely open to the
public for receptions, golf, wine
tasting, equestrian events, and
the like. Unlike the baroque
palace, our hotel on the grounds was
in the Bauhaus school of architectural
design—simple, modern and elegant.
A truly stunning facility.
Next, it was time to push on to
the Porsche factory and museum. My
last visit to the factory was some forty
years ago, so approaching the complex
in the Zuffenhausen neighborhood of
the city of Stuttgart was a completely
new experience. The original low brick
Stuttgart factory is still there but is
now used as a parts warehouse and is
surrounded on all sides by the current
Porsche factory and design facilities.
At the heart of the complex is the
museum, truly an architectural gem and
a perfect setting to display examples
of the Porsche marque throughout its
history. Part of the museum facility
includes a peek into the restoration
facility. On the day we were there, there
were two 550 Spyders, one of which
was in its Carrera
Pa n a m e r i c a n a
livery,
being
freshened
up.
(If
I’m
not
mistaken,
the
Pa n a m e r i c a n a
example
was
flown
shortly
thereafter
for display at
Rennsport V, as
was a 917 Mark
Donohue-driven
Sunoco-liveried
917 on display
in the museum.)
The real highlight of our visit for
me was the guided tour of the Porsche
factory. We were able to see much
of the final assembly process and the
engine building line. While many of
the factory processes are automated,
not so the engine assembly. There are
approximately 70 separate workstations
for each engine, with two workers at
each station, without a robot in sight.
Rest assured, if you’re buying a Porsche,
your engine is hand assembled, though
by a very large team.
Our next stop was the Mercedes
museum, also located in Stuttgart. This
is an extremely impressive museum,
with many of the most significant
examples of the Mercedes brand
throughout its 125-year history. There
are more than 160 cars on display along
with approximately 1,500 exhibits,
including original documents dating
to the earliest points in the Mercedes
history. The museum finishes with a
large display of the Mercedes Silver
Arrow racecars throughout their
history, mounted on a unique banked
curve display.
Our final car-centric stop was
the Audi museum. As interesting as
the cars on display were, even more
interesting to me was the history of
the Audi brand. Its founder, August
Horch, started a company named
“Horch,” but after a conflict with the
board of directors, left the company
and started another one, and since
the name “Horch” was already in use
and trademarked, he named his new
company “Audi” (the Latin translation
of his name). Audi eventually merged
with three other companies (including
the original Horch company), to form
Auto Union (hence the four interlinked
rings, signifying the merger). Later,
after additional acquisitions, the
company was renamed Audi, which
remains to this day.
Our trip was capped off with a
day of sightseeing in the historic town
of Nurembrg, with its walled historic
city center complete with castle. We
also visited the “Rally Grounds,” site of
Hitler’s huge nighttime rallies you’ve
undoubtedly seen on old documentaries
of the World War II era.
So there you have it. Eight
days and several items checked
off my personal automotive
bucket list. The Lennons are
already planning for their next
Germany tour in September
2016 (they also do a tour to
Normandy in the Spring). If
you’re interested, check it out
at windingroadadventures.com.
DECEMBER 2015
27
Classifieds
Classified ads are free to RMR/PCA members for items personally owned by the member. No commercial ads. Ads for non-members are $10 for each month
(send payment to RMR Treasurer - Rick Seiferth, 7889 Canvasback Cr. Littleton, CO 80125). Ads must be 75 words or less. Deadline for classified ad submission is
the 15th of the previous month. Member ads will run for two issues. Ads will also appear with an optional photo on the rmr.pca.org Web site. E-mail your ad to
newsletter@rmrporscheclub.com.
porsches
2002 911 C4S with sunroof. Lapis blue
metallic, grey interior. Beautiful car, perfect paint.
Manual 6-speed. Professionally maintained,
always garaged. Proactive upgrades done for
known 996 issues, including replacement of IMS
bearing, rear main seal, coolant bottle & ignition
key fix. New clutch and radiators. 150,000 miles.
Car is in perfect condition, needs nothing. Service
records. $26,950. Contact Peggy at penglert@q.
com, 303-399-3357 or cell 720-312-3467. (Oct)
18’ open car carrier. 2004 Featherlite
2013 911: PDK, Premium Package Plus, sunroof,
Momo Prototipo steering wheel, black
20” wheels, Bose, 14-way seats, PSM, Sport
Chrono package. $75,000. Rick Nelson. 308250-4219 (Dec)
miscellaneous
lightweight clutch pressure plate,
by Patrick Motorsports. 240mm, G50 and
G50-50, Kep Stage 1. Fits 1984 to 1989 3.2l
911. Weighs 13.3 pounds; save 8.4 pounds
of rotating mass. Torque capacity to 550 ft/
lbs with stock disk. Perfect condition. $495
Contact Peggy at penglert@q.com, 303-3993357 or cell 720-312-3467. (Nov)
Four 19-inch Porsche Sport Design
Wheels, staggered widths with Michelin
Pilot Sport tires. $1,000. Will deliver within
a 50-mile radius of Denver. Jonathan Richter;
Cell: (512) 965-2596. (Nov)
2010 Airstream Trailer. Lovingly cared-for
19’ Airstream Flying Cloud. Stored indoors in
Denver when not on the road. Just detailed,
in & out, & serviced by Airstream dealer;
upgraded ceiling lights to LEDs; new tires last
fall. Showroom condition. Only reason for sale
is to move up to a new 23FB. Photos available.
$39,000.00. Contact robert@theunlawfirm.
com. (Nov)
28
3010 model aluminum . Front-mounted rack
for extra wheel/tire set, large locking tonguemounted storage box, mounted spare wheel &
tire, all 4 new trailer tires in 2014, brand new
tongue jack, incl. race ramps to get your low
baby on the trailer, great overall shape, low
miles. $6,000. Jay, 303-859-6779, jayk1@
comcast.net. (Dec)
leather, white stitching, desirable rare brushed
silver spokes, as new condition, incl Porsche
logo horn button, $150. Porsche wheels:
Full set 18” OEM turbo twists (Cup 3’s),
silver, came stock on a 2001 Boxster S, good
condition, 7.5” Front & 9.0” Rear, fit many late
model Porsches, no tires, $700. Jay, 303-8596779, jayk1@comcast.net (Nov)
2002 996 Carrera 18“ Wheel Set for
Boxster. Off Boxster S. 5-Spoke 18” silver
wheels that are stunning and easy to clean.
7.5” front and 9” rear. Come with Continental
Extreme Contact DW tires. Originally
purchased from Wheel Enhancement. Buyer
pays shipping. Located in Denver metro area.
$800. mike@carnick.com, 720-509-3551.
(Dec)
Cayenne Roof Transport System/Ski
Rack (2009-13 Models). Perfect Shape and
in time for ski season! Porsche OEM parts
that fit into the roof rail system. Dan Carlson
303.520.4567 / dcarlson@rgare.com. (Dec)
DECEMBER 2015
29
Tech talk
Pedro P. Bonilla, PCA GCR Columnist
Storing a Porsche
Here is the procedure for storing:
1-Find a suitable storage facility.
It should be dry, free from pests (mice)
and preferably humidity-controlled,
clean and secure.
2-Thoroughly wash the exterior
and finish with a nice coat of wax. Do
this the day before storage so that the
car has a chance to dry completely.
3-Clean the interior by vacuuming
carpets and seats and clean & treat
the leather. Clean all glass inside and
out.
4- Really clean the wheels. Brake
dust is corrosive. The best way is to
remove each one and clean the inside
as well. Use a product such as P21-S.
Waxing the wheels afterwards is a
great idea
5- Condition all the rubber
including tires and all rubber gaskets.
Use a good conditioner such as
Gummi Phledge. Stay away from
silicone-based “protectants”.
6- Flush the brake/clutch fluid.
This fluid is very hygroscopic,
meaning that it absorbs water and
must be replaced every 2 years or
sooner.
7-Change the Oil and Oil
Filter. Old oil can have corrosive
characteristics (acid). Top off all other
fluids as well (coolant/antifreeze,
windshield washer, power steering
fluid, etc.).
8-Fill the tank half way with
gasoline. Add a good fuel stabilizer,
such as StaBil and finish filling
completely. By driving the car from
the gas station to your storage facility,
the new stabilized gas will run through
the system, especially the injectors.
9-Fully extract and lubricate the
radio antenna mast (if present) then
retract.
30
10-Close all openings such as
windows, doors and A/C vents. You
may want to put some cedar chips or
moth balls in the cabin and around
the outside to repel mice and other
vermin. If storing in non-humiditycontrolled conditions, place a couple
of desiccant bags in the cabin. Put
plastic bags secured with rubber
bands over the exhaust tips when they
have cooled off.
11-Over inflate the tires to 45-50
psi and leave the car on the ground.
Don’t raise the car off the ground on
stands. The suspension components
are meant to bear the weight of the
car, not hang from it.
12-Leave the car in gear (or in
Park for an automatic). Do not set the
parking brake.
13-For convertible tops leave
them relaxed by opening the main
latch. This won’t keep the fabric
stretched over an extended time.
Same for Targa tops.
14-Prop up the windshield wipers
off the glass with a small block of
wood or similar.
15-Make sure you have any radio
or alarm codes noted, then disconnect
and remove the battery. On newer
Porsches that have electrically
operated trunks, make sure that the
trunk cannot be closed completely by
using a block of wood or similar to
keep it propped open.
16-The removed battery should
be connected with a smart charger
such as the TechnoCharger from
CTEK. Also top off battery fluid with
distilled water. It should be kept in a
cool, dry place and not on a cement
floor.
17- Cover the vehicle with a good
quality car cover.
18-Give her a goodbye kiss.
I’m of the school that thinks
that not starting the car during
storage is best. I say this because
most engine wear happens during the
first few seconds after startup, while
the oil builds up pressure and starts
lubricating the engine internals.
When you’re ready to take her out
again, there’s very little that needs
to be done, because most was done
before:
1-Remove the cover
2-Remove the plastic bags over
the exhaust tips
3-Remove desiccant bags and
vermin repellent from cabin
4-Remove windshield wiper props
5-Secure the convertible or Targa
top
6-Replace and connect the battery
7-Drop
tire
pressures
to
recommended psi
8-Start the engine and let it warm
up a bit
9-Go for a drive!
If you’re really concerned about
that initial startup wear, the following
is the procedure that the Porsche
Museum uses for their cars on display:
1-Remove the spark plugs
2-Spray WD-40 into each cylinder
through the spark plug hole
3-Spray WD-40 into the air
intakes
4-Turn over the engine by hand a
couple of turns with a wrench on the
main pulley
5-Every 3 months repeat above
(leave spark plugs out of the engine)
6-Every 3 months move the car a
bit to change the position of the wheel
bearings
7-On a manual gearbox, shift
into gear when doing above (No. 6) to
move the transmission internals
8-Drive the car every 6 months
Happy Porsche’ing,
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HighGear is printed in Englewood, CO by
HighGear (ISSN1061-1746) is the official magazine of the Rocky Mountain Region Porsche Club
of America (RMR/ PCA) and is published monthly. Non-RMR subscriptions are $35.00 per year.
The opinions and views appearing in HighGear are those of the individual writers and do not
necessarily reflect the official opinions of the RMR/PCA, PCA National, or this magazine as
an official RMR/PCA publication. Additionally, none of these organizations nor this publication
assumes any responsibility for the accuracy of material provided by individual writers and
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HighGear entire contents copyright © 2015 by Rocky Mountain Region Porsche Club of America,
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DECEMBER 2015
31
Monthly board meetings are always open to club members. See the list
of upcoming events for schedule. You may contact the entire board at
board@rmrporscheclub.com. To volunteer to be an RMR Board member, submit your intent by September so the Nomination Committee
can add you to the ballot in November for club voting in November.
Most positions are two-year terms.
CAMA Representative
Walt Fricke: 303.499.6540, walterfricke@msn.com
Charity/Good Works
Luann Dodge: charitycommittee@rmrporscheclub.com
Chief Driving Instructor
Cecil Morris: 303-399-2482, cecilmorrisCDI@outlook.com
Control Chief
George Strimbu: 303.736.9114, strimbug@gmail.com
Equipment
Keith Hall: 303.940.7958, keith_hal@msn.com
Goodie Store Chair
Mike Hebert: 360-202-5830, superdont@comcast.net
Historian
Amy Legg-Rogers: 970.686.0538, a1queen@frii.com
Insurance
Troy Nakatani: 720.402.1080, troy_n@yahoo.com
Programs/Socials
Erik Behrendsen: 303.840.7361, ebehrendsen@comcast.net
Registration
Nancy Warren: 303.604.1289, nanru@hotmail.com
Safety
Scott Henderson: 303.521.9007, sshjd@aol.com
Tech Inspection
Hank Padilla: 303.470.1850, hank@hanksvillehotrods.com
Timing
Joe Warren: 303.604.1289, warrenjoee@comcast.net
Webmaster
Scott Rogers: 970.686.0538, scottr@wirestone.com
Zone 9 Representative
Liz Shaw: 505-231-7003, lizshawsf@msn.com
Technical resources
356
Jim Kellogg: 303.840.2356, twingril62@aol.com
911
Dave Stribling: 303.238.8101, davestribling@prestigeimports.net
912
Rob Heath: 303.995.1147, robheath912@gmail.com
914
Dale Tuety: 303.670.1279, d2t@aol.com
924
Dan Semborski: 303.420.2708, dansemborski@yahoo.com
928
Volunteer to be the RMR 928 specialist and help others!
944
Richard Winnick: 303.429.5213, rewinnick@cs.com
968
Zach Schroeder: 970.229.0990, info@poudresportscar.com
Boxster/Cayman
Doug Bartlett: 970.214.7279, doug.bartlett@comcast.net
Cayenne
Zach Schroeder: 970.229.0990, info@poudresportscar.com
GT2, GT3, Cup Cars
32
Chris Cervelli: 303.809.6173, chriscervelli@msn.com
RMR-PCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Region coordinators
President
Jim Widrig
president@rmrporscheclub.com
H: 303.655.7495
C: 720.883.6071
Vice President
John Mackin
1stvicepresident@rmrporscheclub.com
H: 303.665.9579
C: 303.641.6479
Second
Vice President
Joe Warren
2ndvicepresident@rmrporscheclub.com
H: 303.604.1289
C: 303.902.3045
Treasurer
Rick Seiferth
treasurer@rmrporscheclub.com
W: 720.472.9032
What we do
Whether your tastes are social, technical, or competitive, RMR has something for you! You can have fun in your Porsche by particip
ating in driver education and time trials at area tracks, autocrosses, rallies, tours, tech sessions, car shows and more.
DRIVING EVENTS
Tour
A tour is a non-competitive driving event in which
participants follow a given route to a destination
(which may or may not be known in advance). A
tour may vary in length from a day trip to a long
weekend with an overnight stay or two. Tours
usually follow scenic routes (which are plentiful
in Colorado) and/or visit interesting or obscure
destinations. Tours are sometimes combined with
rallies to add variety and a dose of competition to
the event.
RMR hosts at least one tour each year; AMR
typically offers several. A number of tours are
usually offered at Porsche Parade as well.
Rally
A rally is a competitive event in which
contestants attempt to follow a course specified
by a set of instructions. Rallies are typically run on
public, paved roads, and speed limits are always
observed. The two major types of rallies are the
Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) rally and the Gimmick
rally. In a TSD rally, participants attempt to follow
the instructions precisely, maintaining the correct
speed, as points are deducted for arriving at
checkpoints (the locations of which are not known
in advance) early or late. A Gimmick rally is typically
a bit less rigid and usually involves solving puzzles
of some type.
Between RMR and AMR, a handful of rallies—
at least one of each type—are offered. Porsche
Parade also hosts a TSD rally, and sometimes a
Gimmick rally, each year.
Autocross (AX)
An autocross is a competition in which drivers
navigate their cars through a course defined
by orange cones, usually in a large parking lot.
Top speeds are generally moderate, topping out
around 40-65 MPH (no higher than second gear
for many cars). Competing cars are spaced at long
intervals — typically only two or three cars are on
the course at the same time. Autocross is a safe
way to experience high-performance driving while
learning to drive your car at its limit.
Together, RMR and AMR host several autocross
events each year, including Eiskhana (essentially
an autocross on the ice!) in the winter and an AX
school in the spring. Additionally, autocross is a
major event at Porsche Parade.
Driver Education (DE)
A driver education event provides a safe,
controlled environment for high-performance
driving instruction. DE offers drivers of all skill levels
the opportunity to hone their driving skills, with the
help of an experienced instructor, in a controlled,
closed-course environment. In keeping with PCA
philosophy, the primary emphasis at all times is
on safety. A word of warning, though: the DE
experience may be habit-forming!
As DE events are not racing, nor preparation for
racing, lap times are not recorded. However, some
DE events are followed immediately by a time trial
event, which gives drivers a chance to quantify
their performance. Lap times may then be used
to measure personal improvement or for bragging
rights amongst your peers, etc.
RMR hosts six DE’s each year at High Plains
Raceway, with AMR hosting several more at the
La Junta, Pueblo and (possibly in the future) Pike’s
Peak International Raceway tracks.
Club Race
A club race is a wheel-to-wheel racing event.
A race weekend consists of a number of practice
sessions and “heats” (race sessions), often
involving both “sprint” and “endurance” races.
Since a Club Racing license (issued by PCA
National) is required for competition, club racers are
serious and experienced drivers. The cars they bring
with them to the track can be quite impressive! As
a point of interest, the PCA Club Racing program
was inaugurated with the RMR-hosted “First Ever
Anywhere” club race at Second Creek in 1992.
Because of the logistics involved in an event
of this magnitude, a club race requires a legion of
volunteers. However, it is also one of most exciting
events to participate in, so be sure to sign up!
RMR hosts one club race each autumn at High
Plains Raceway which, when combined with a
Driver Education event, adds up to one thrilling
weekend!
NON-DRIVING EVENTS
Secretary
Mike Pappas
secretary@rmrporscheclub.com
C: 303-988-0976
Interim
Membership Chair
Holly Jackson
membership@rmrporscheclub.com
H: 303.775.1198
Membership Social
Membership socials provide an opportunity
to reconnect with old friends and meet new
members. Historically, a membership meeting
begins with a social hour with a cash bar, followed
by the evening’s program. The content of the
program varies, sometimes featuring a “slide
show” from a recent event, or a guest speaker
such as accomplished Speed World Challenge
racer Randy Pobst.
Membership socials, unless otherwise stated,
are held the first Thursday of the month. Different
venues and topics will keep the meetings fresh and
inviting. Watch HighGear and the RMR Web site for
details. If you have any ideas for a program, talk to
the Committee Chair or a Board member!
Tech Session
A tech session is just what it sounds like–a
session in which a technical topic is discussed. Not
just for gearheads, a tech session may demonstrate
practical, “do-it-yourself” procedures such as brake
bleeding. Tech sessions are usually presented by
experienced Porsche technicians, many of whom
are sponsors of RMR events and High Gear.
RMR hosts a few tech sessions each year,
typically in the “off months” when few driving
events take place. In addition, numerous
tech sessions are offered at Porsche Parade.
Concours d’Elegance
A concours is essentially a car show, in which
contestants endeavor to present their cars in
as close to “perfect” condition as possible. A
number of judged categories usually exist, typically
differentiating between types of cars (e.g. 356,
Boxster) and level of preparation (“daily driver” or
“full preparation” or somewhere in between). Cars
sometimes may be entered as “display only,” for
owners who wish to participate but not compete.
RMR participates in a handful of local
concours events each year, including the annual
Exotic Sports Car Show and Concours d’Elegance,
benefiting United Cerebral Palsy Colorado. The
annual Porsche Parade also hosts a major concours
each year.
Newsletter Editor
Russ Rydberg
newsletter@rmrporscheclub.com
Past President
Rick Gonçalves
pastpresident@rmrporscheclub.com
H: 303.697.1960
DECEMBER 2015
33
In the rearview mirror - 1975
Amy Legg-Rogers, Historian
The 1975 Rocky Mountain
Region’s Annual Christmas Party was
held on December 6 at the Tiffin Inn,
with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and filet
mignon at 8 p.m. The cost was $10
per person. One hundred twentynine RMR-ers attended the event.
Door prizes included such items as
a Porsche Mirror, a martini set, and
a case of Valvoline. The Grand Prize
of $100 towards the 1976 Parade
went to Lee Sammons.
Frank Barrett Photos
This month’s random
question asked to five
random members:
“Dear Santa;”
(Porsche related, of
course)
Trivia Answers:
1. True;
2. Frank Lloyd Wright;
3. True;
4. Einspritzung, meaning
“fuel injection,” because the car had
Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection;
5. An American, Tony Lapine.
34
Joe Warren
“Give me tons of fast!!!”
J.C. Whitfield
“Please put enough rubber under my tree so
that I can have several DE days next year!”
Krista Turner
“Keep my speed racer and her speed racer
buddies safe doing what they love. Oh, and a
new Cayman S in sherbet green.
Mark Stolberg
“A new 968 crank with an offset undersized
grind to get to 3.2 litres would be grand.”
Mark Andersen
Can you build a cheaper turbo kit for my
Cayman S?