Coastalaire
California Central Coast Region Porsche Club of America
July 2023 Issue
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A Porsche Club of America Award Winning Publicationn
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Club Information 4 5 6 7 37 38
Member Services Board of Directors Prez’s Corner Get Out & Drive Anniversaries Advertiser Information
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Porsche Parade 2023
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Winterbottom Porsche GT3RS
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Porsche 75th Anniversary
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Teststrecke 59
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New Members BBQ
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Annual Holiday Party
Club Events 10 14 15
Club Events Autocross 2023 Drivers Education 2023
PCA / Zone 8 News / Porsche Items 34 36 37 39 39
Porsche Tech - Pedro’s Stuttgart Market Letter July Anniversaries Zone 8 Staff - Officers CCCR Clothing
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Cover Story
California Central Coast Region of the Porsche Club of America Editor Bob “Kit” Kitamura
coastalaireeditor@gmail.com
Creative Editing and Layout Chris Kitamura The Coastalaire is available on the CCCR website at http//ccc.pca.org/. The Coastalaire is published online every month and printed in January, April, July and October
Photographer Walter Michajlenko This month’s cover shows Andy and Susan Winterbottom and their new Porsche GT3 RS at the recent 2023 Porsche Parade. Look for more photos of Andy’s new ride in this issue.
Contributors
Alfred Abken Pedro P. Bonilla Scott Burns Bob Bruington Bill Chadwick Ron Green Gil Igleheart Chuck Jennings Joe Shubitowski Bern Singsen Carol Walker David K. Whitlock
Photography
Alfred Abken Bob Bruington Tony Brizzolara Bill Gibson Chuck Jennings Joe Kuntze Walter Michajlenko Carol Walker
Member Services Classified Ads Classified ads are posted in the CCCR PCA website at http://ccc.pca.org. Submit your text and photo (if required) by email to: Joe Shubitowski at
CCCR / PCA Mailing Address: California Central Coast Region of Porsche Club of America (CCCR/PCA) 3030 Johnson Ave. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
joseph.shubitowski@gmail.com. The editor reserves the right to edit the ad if it is over 40 words. The ad is Free To Members. CCCR Name Badge California Central Coast Member Name Badges. Cost for your beautiful 5-color CCCR standard badge with pin, swivel clip or magnet closure: $20.00. First Name, Last Name, optional 2nd line, for example, your club office within the club, your Porsche model. To order contact Joe Shubitowski at joseph.shubitowski@gmail.com Coastalaire is the official publication of the Porsche Club of America, California Central Coast Region. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the California Central Coast Region of the Porsche Club of America, its officers or members. Permission is granted to charter regions to reprint if appropriate credit is given to the author and Coastalaire, with the exception of copyrighted material. Any material appearing in the Coastalaire is that of the author, and does not constitute an opinion of the Porsche Club of America, the California Central Coast Region, its Board or Appointees, the Coastalaire Editors, or its staff. The Editorial Staff reserves the right to edit all material submitted for publication. The deadline for submission of articles is the 5th of the month preceding the month of publication.
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2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS
SECRETARY Carol Walker
PRESIDENT Joseph Shubitowski
VICE-PRESIDENT/ DRIVERS EDUCATION Bob Bruington
TREASURER Bill Chadwick
joseph.shubitowski@gmail.com
aircooled911sc@gmail.com
treasurercccr@gmail.com
ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR Gil Igleheart
AUTOCROSS DIRECTOR Chuck Jennings
SAFETY DIRECTOR Jeff Bartel
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Sanja Brewer
gil.igleheart@gmail.com
concourschuck@gmail.com
jeffbartell00@gmail.com
sbrewer@eyesonly.com
glcarwal@yahoo.com
DIRECTORS
WEBMASTER Scot Burns
COASTALAIRE EDITOR Bob “Kit” Kitamura
PAST PRESIDENT Andy Winterbottom
sburns43@att.net
coastalaireeditor@gmail.com
awinterbottom@sbcglobal.net
DIRECTOR AT LARGE Mark Schilling
DIRECTOR AT LARGE Joe Kuntze
DIRECTOR AT LARGE Ron Green
mrkschilling@gmail.com
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k708388@aol.com
greenron1949@gmail.com
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The Prez’s Corner ....... by Joseph Shubitowski, President The summer is flying along and hopefully everyone is driving their Porsche(s) as much as they can. My wife and I attended our very first Porsche Parade in late June – and we have been PCA members for 22 years – shame on us! I took the 993 C4S to The Stable to get her ready for the trip – including a full recharge of the A/C – as we were heading for Palm Springs. Aside from an annoying sticking clutch pedal, the car worked flawlessly in 105 degree heat and 1200 miles driven in the week. I must say, Parade is something you have to experience. I have read many accounts of previous Parades, but we had to do it ourselves to now know what really goes on. Parade check-in was just like fall semester registration at university in the 70’s. Long lines at various tables/stations to sign waivers and pick up credentials, tour routes, banquet tickets, etc. All the volunteers were doing a great job, but we stood in the wrong lines multiple times, before being sent to the back of the proper line! We met lots of new folks, saw many old friends and colleagues from our days in PCA Los Angeles, and re-
ally enjoyed the camaraderie with like-minded Porsche folks over the week. We volunteered as Sweep vehicle for two of the driving tours and quickly realized that it is hard for a 1996 93 C4S to keep up with a bunch of 992 TurboS models heading up to Lake Arrowhead! We didn’t lose track of anyone in our group, so I guess we fulfilled our role! Parking at La Quinta was in lots on the street, so everyone’s Porsche sat out in the sun. I was up at 5:30am everyday to wipe the 993 off, check tire pressures, clean windscreens, etc. One can burn one’s hands very easily trying to touch the surfaces of one’s Porsche once the sun really comes up. It was hot!! I met all sorts of folks at 6:00am doing the same things! Parade 2024 is in Birmingham Alabama, and Parade 2025 is in Oklahoma City. Prepare now!!! Hope to see you at an event soon! Let’s drive!
Joe
If you missed it, here is our article in the June Panorama, in the From the Regions section.
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PANORAMA - From the Regions
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Get Out & Drive ........ by Bob Kitamura, Editor It looks like many of you had a great time at this year’s Porsche Parade at La Quinta / Palm Springs. Every story I have heard from those that went included how hot it was at least 3 or 4 times during the conversation. It still sounded like everyone had a good time! This has been a busy summer for local Porsche afficianados. If you are going up to Rennsport Reunion 7 at the end of September it will be quite a shindig. The other Rennsports they have had at Laguna Seca have been incredible with about 80,000 people in attendance. This year will probably be even more. Watching both old and new Porsche race cars on the track at Laguna Seca is awesome as well as seeing them in the paddock area up close. I think the special Porsche parking is sold out but I believe there are still entry tickets with general parking. The best thing is to get there early to get a good parking spot in your assigned area. Oh yeah, …….. and take a lot of $$$$ if you are into Porsche “goodies” because there are a lot of “goodies” at the stand-alone Porsche Design store as well as the booths.
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Don’t forget about our great upcoming events we have planned for all of you. Have a great time enjoying your Porsche and always remember to do that you need to……. Get Out and Drive!,
Bob “Kit”
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CCCR Events Calendar Gil Igleheart, Activities Director Chuck Jennings, Autocross Director - Bob Bruington, Driving Events Director
http://ccc.pca.org
JULY 15th
TESTSTRECKE 60 (AutoX) @ Santa Maria Airport
JULY 29th
BROOKS BURGERS @ 11am
AUGUST 12th
DRIVE N’ DINE TO CYPRESS RIDGE
AUGUST 11-20
MONTEREY CAR WEEK & WERKS REUNION 2023
AUGUST 19th
TESTSTRECKE 61 (AutoX) @ Santa Maria Airport
AUGUST 25th
DRIVERS EDUCATION @ Weathertech Laguna Seca See page 15 for more details.
SEPT. 28-OCT. 1
Zone 8 PORSCHE RENNSPORT REUNION VII - LAGUNA SECA Event
OCTOBER 21st
TESTSTRECKE 62 (AutoX) @ Santa Maria Airport
OCTOBER 28th
NEW MEMBERS BBQ - SEE FLYER ON PAGE 32
NOVEMBER 17-26
L.A. AUTO SHOW
DECEMBER 2
CCCR HOLIDAY DINNER SEE FLYER ON PAGE 33
Please note, these activities are planned subject to “clearances” from all PCA, Federal, State and local authorities.
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CCCR-PCA presents
UTOCROSS 2023 The 2023 Dates for our Autocrosses are: Autocross School April 15 Teststrecke 57 April 16 Teststrecke 58 May 13 Teststrecke 59 June 11 Teststrecke 60 July 15 Teststrecke 61 August 19 Teststrecke 62 October 21 Example of Track Layout at Santa Maria Airport for AutoX
Details and Registration at MotorsportReg.com or contact Chuck Jennings, Autocross Director @ (805) 459-7416
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Porsche San Luis Obispo Our major sponsor for our Autocross and Drivers Education Events
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PORSCHE PARADE 2023 Story by Alfred Abken
The 67th Porsche Parade is now history. Although it was referred to as in Palm Springs, in actuality, it was held in nearby La Quinta. The La Quinta resort is a rather remarkable establishment, originally built in 1926. It was originally constructed of adobe brick, which I imagine being in California, it must have been reinforced by some means for it to still be standing today. My Parade adventure began the night before I was due to leave. Last fall I had tickets to see Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band at the Vina Robles Amphitheatre. Ringo managed to come down with Covid, and that show was postponed. The show was rescheduled for June 16. If that had not happened, I would have departed for Parade that day. So, not as early as I would have liked, I got underway Saturday, June 17 for the approximate 335-mile drive to La Quinta. Oh, Ringo’s still got it. The show was Fabulous! But that is not what this is about. I finally got underway at 8:45 Saturday morning. As there were no car washing facilities to be offered at the La Quinta Resort, I had planned on driving down to Coachella to use a self-service car wash. Going south on I-5, traffic came to a stop just south of Highway 223. I crept along stop and go for a bit more than 10 minutes as there was only one lane open. A while after I got into L A County, the stop and go became a much more common event. If you have traveled lately by car to So. Cal., you know there is a lot of construction going on. I took the 210 east to avoid going through L A. It was clear until almost
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Pasadena when the stop and go started again. I heard on the radio that the I-10 was closed in the Ontario area, so I stayed on the 210 to the 15. The 15 was fine, but it cuts back a bit to the west. The 10 east was stop and go for quite a while too. So, by the time I got near Palm Springs, I was pretty bored with sitting. My energy level was low, and I no longer felt like driving out to Coachella to wash my car. So, at 3:30 I was finally in La Quinta. Check in for the resort was scheduled for 4. As I was only half an hour early, I managed to get checked in. My original registration was for a room with 2 queen beds. There were none ready at that time, and I asked about a room with a single bed, and was provided with one. I was in one of the original units from 1926. It was a cute room, and turned out to be quite the comfortable place to spend the week. After unpacking my car, I had an early Chicken Mole dinner at La Quinta’s Adobe Grill. I had no idea how big the serving would be, so I also ordered a side of rice and beans. It turned out I needn’t have ordered the two sides. However, I ended up saving them and eating them for breakfast Sunday morning. Sunday began Check-in at Parade, and I was scheduled to work a double shift. It was nice to spend the day inside where it was air conditioned. Following my second shift, I dropped off my artwork for the Parade Art Show. While Check-in was going on, PCA Sim Racing was going on, and there were various meetings taking place for Concours judges, Tour Volunteers, etc. The Parade Store also opened. That evening, prior to the
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Photos by Alfred Abken, Joe Shubitowski Parade Welcome Party Zone Gatherings were held outside, as well as the social gathering before the Welcome Party Dinner. At the social, Parade MC Mark Shevitz introduced Adrienne Janic (AJ) from the TV show “Overhaulin’”. There were so many people there for the Welcome Party, the main ballroom was not able to accommodate everyone. I was one of many that were in an overflow room. It was a late night for me. The dinner was scheduled to begin at 8:15. I am used to going to bed between 8:30 and 9. Monday morning, I was up and out early to take the short drive to the PGA West Pete Dye Mountain Course for the Concours d’Elegance. I was required to be on the field between 5:30 and 6 AM. Judging began at 7:30. This golf course is in a truly remarkable setting. I do not know if the rolling terrain is natural, but where the Santa Rosa Mountains begin, is incredible. These outcrops of rocky mountains push up quickly and dramatically from the valley floor. If Concourse is not your thing, ClearPlex was doing installation demonstrations, Sim Racing continued, the Parade Store was open and the Hospitality room opened and a TSD Rally School was held. As I was in a class by myself in the Concours, PP10 Street, I was awarded first place! Following the Concours, a reception was held in the Art Show for the participating artists. There I discovered I was awarded a second place in the painting category for a painting I began at the Pocono Parade last year in Kelly Telfer’s “Porsches and Prosecco” class. Kelly provided stretched and primed canvases that had the outline of the Porsche 917 already drawn on it. All you had to do was fill in the spaces. Sort of like a paint by numbers, without the numbers. He was again offering the classes in La Quinta but having a Porsche at the Parade is quite different from being at Parade without your Porsche, like last year in Pennsylvania. I never had the time this year. Perhaps next year? Following the Artists Reception, I took one of 4 buses that took folks to the Palm Springs Air Museum where a catered pasta dinner was offered. I had never been to this museum before. They primarily have WWII, Korean and Vietnam era aircraft on display,
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both outside, and inside several hangers. I was especially intrigued by all the information they had about the Aleutian Islands campaign as my father was stationed there in WWII. In a hanger by itself was the Lockheed Martin F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter. It was remarkable seeing this close up. It barely looks like it would be able to fly, but apparently, it does that quite well. Back at La Quinta, Princess Cruises sponsored the After Hours Lounge from 9-11PM. Way past my bedtime… Tuesday morning various tours took place. There were destinations like Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear Lake and Julian to name a few. The Time, Speed, and Distance Rally also departed. I took part in the RC event. This was originally started several years ago as a kid’s activity, but bigger kids have been taking part in it. Years ago, I had bought a second hand “Porsche 944”, as the stickers on it said, that did not come with a controller. This year I bought another RC car and cut up the body on what was more accurately a 924 Carrera GT than a 944, and put that on the RC chassis. I also removed the “944” stickers. It is a smaller scale body, so it looks pretty funny with its big wheels and tires sticking out of the body. Anyway, I am used to slot cars where you only have to think about the speed of the vehicle. This car turned out to be much faster than my brain could handle. Anyway, I had a lot of fun. I even got to race against Chris Jacobs (another “Overhaulin’” host). Also, in the lobby of the Flores Ballroom was the Ice Cream Social. This is held on the day of the TSD Rally for participants to get a chance to cool off. It is open to all attendees. Later in the afternoon, classes were offered in making pasta, and a tequila tasting took place. Sadly, I did not partake in either of these events… That evening, the
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Concours and PCA National Awards Banquet was held in the Flores Ballroom. Wednesday morning, I went out to my car to discover that the heat had released the adhesive on my after-market interior rear-view mirror. The mirror has a GPS screen in it, so it was hanging from its cable. I taped it up to keep it from flailing around, and was off to take the Aerial Tramway up to Mt. San Jacinto. (Since I returned home, I have the mirror re-installed.) While there, lunch was offered at Peaks Restaurant. There had been some prescribed burns in the area, and it was rather smoky, but the view from the top of the mountain was just spectacular! I did not linger very long after lunch as I had a beer tasting to attend back in La Quinta. I just did manage to get there as things were winding down. I got to taste one of the local IPAs. It seems the promised beer steins were not available. Supposedly they are to be mailed out at some future date, so perhaps I will get one after all. CCCR members Richard and Kathy Zacky opened their Rancho Mirage home for a gathering that evening. I was planning on stopping in briefly as I was going to the TSD Rally Banquest that evening. However, with my interior mirror not being correctly mounted, I decided not to drive over to Rancho Mirage. The TSD Rally proved to be rather remarkable. Not only did Jessica Toney, driver, and Lisa Gould, navigator score a perfect 0 score in the R01 Equipped class, so did Paul Young, driver, and Paul Young Jr, navigator, in the same class. Remarkable! Thursday morning, I was up and out early to drive the 24 miles to the Palm Springs Convention Center to drive in the autocross. I needed to be there at 6 AM to walk the course. I was working during the first run
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group, and drove in the second group. I had not driven in an autocross since the Spokane Parade in 2017. I got a little confused while walking the course, so when my first run came, I elected to have someone ride with me to show me the course. This constituted as a DNF, and was not timed. That meant I had 3 timed runs left. I was tentative during my first timed run, and only did a 79.791. During my second timed run, I had a complete brain fart, and almost came to a complete stop on the eastern end of the course. I did manage to be almost a second quicker with a 78.656. My final timed run was a 69.349. I realized after my final run that I had not pressed very hard in a big right-hand, slightly more than 180-degree sweeper, and wished I had another timed run… Following the timed runs, winners of their respective classes were given the opportunity to ride along with an experienced race driver from the Porsche Experience Center in a new 911 Turbo S Cabriolet! As the autocross concluded relatively early, it was time to look for some lunch. Things being what they were, I decided to seek out the Reef Tiki Bar. A little history: Many years ago (2004), in an episode of “Get Out”, Lindsay Clubine and some of her friends were at the Caliente Tropics Resort, and visited the Reef. It looked like a fun place to me, so I have hoped someday I might be near there, and stop by to check it out. I think the chances of Lindsay Clubine seeing this are extremely remote, but many thanks Lindsay! The Reef is still there, and still FABULOUS after all those years! I had Palm Springs Punch, and their Coconut Shrimp. There menu is available at: thereefpalmsprings.com Sorry, but I am not able to distinguish the ingredients for the P S Punch. It was however served with a pineapple wedge, and an orchid on top. It was quite tasty. The shrimp came with a wonderful sauce too. There appeared to be red pepper flakes in it, but I did not notice it being overly hot. I was seated at the far end of the bar, and on the opposite wall they had a TV on with what appeared to be a mid-60’s Frank Sinatra movie. The volume was turned down, and they were playing 60’s surf music. I was in heaven… That evening, back in La Quinta, I had the Seared Salmon at Twenty6 for dinner. The perfect end to a
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Continued perfect day. Friday morning, once again, more tours departed. Once again, I was up and out early for a run around the grounds and near the golf course, along Avenida Vista Bonita, and it was truly a vista bonita! I was also out early Tuesday morning. A dark sky, with stars, and although the street lights seemed barely adequate, a lot of the palm trees along the streets had lights near their bases that were aimed up at their fronds. This made for a truly other worldly landscape. Later I was off to the Fiesta Ballroom where checkin had been held. This time for the LN Engineering Historical & Technical Quiz. There was a glitch with the software, so as of this writing, I still have not seen the results. As I took the time to write my responses on the question sheet, I know how I did, I just have no idea how it relates to any of the other scores. Something I missed, which sounded like fun, was the Salsa, Guacamole & Margaritas held in the Adobe Restaurant. In the evening, the PCA Juniors awards were presented, and the Autocross Awards Banquet was held. This brings us to Saturday morning. Another early morning as I participated in the 5K run/walk. So too did David and Ellen Ferguson. Check-in was at the golf course at 6AM. Following the run, I was talking to Cathy Robson, from the Nord Stern Region. She used to be in San Gabriel Valley Region, which is how I know her. She was supplying the water and ice to events. She asked me if I wanted a ride to go see the start of the Parade of Porsches. Initially I declined, as I had no idea how far the start at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church was. (Turns out it is 10 miles.) I am glad I changed my mind, and rode along with Cathy to Palm Desert. We got there just before 300 Porsches hit the road. It was quite the remarkable sight to see. After the cars had departed, one of the members of the church approached Cathy and I and asked us if we would like to see the interior of the church? What an interesting church. Most of the interior is finished in a pale color oak, and they have a magnificent pipe organ. There was another woman from the church that joined us, and they were quite pleasant and extended an open invitation to stop by if you are ever in the area.
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I am saddened to report that Margie Smith-Haas’ Boxster spontaneously combusted during the Parade of Porsches. I later heard from several people that had passed her car, and they said it was completely engulfed in flames. Apparently, Margie was able to get herself and her Le Mans memorabilia out of the car. Unfortunately, I have no further information about this. Upon returning to La Quinta, there was still plenty of time before the Volunteer Worker’s lunch, so I went and jumped into one of La Quinta’s 40 some odd pools. I had not been in a swimming pool since 2019, so I was especially happy to do so. I did not win any of the big prizes at the Volunteer Lunch, but it was fun just the same. Following the lunch, I was hoping to take a nap, but I got started packing my suitcase for my return trip. All too soon, the 2023 Porsche Parade had come to an end. Sunday morning, guess what? I was up and out early again. There were lots of options for the return home, and I did not want to get caught in traffic through Santa Barbara as I was planning on driving home on US 101. I stopped in Cabazon to photograph my car in front of one of the dinosaurs. The last time I had done that, for some reason unknown to me, the photos did not come out. I was also thinking of stopping at Some Crust Bakery in Claremont. If you ever get down there, they make a Mocha Cookie that is out of this world. This time I did not stop. They open at 8 on Sunday, and at 8 I was well west of there. Another possible option was to stop in L A at the Petersen Museum to see the Porsche 75th Anniversary display. They do not open until 10, and at 10 I was in Santa Barbara County. I was home at 12:30. I had a much nicer drive home than I did heading south. See you next year in Birmingham, Alabama from June 9-15. Is that too far for you? How about
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Winterbottom Porsche GT3 RS Story by Andy Winterbottom On a whim back in October 2022, I specified a 2023 Porsche GT3 RS on the Porsche website. I did this hardly believing that I could score a new Porsche that was being released in such small build quantities to North America. I directed the build to Porsche Santa Barbara being where I had previously purchased our 2014 Boxster and 2019 GT3 RS. Their feedback to me was that I was number seventeen on the “wish list of dreamers” and no encouragement was offered. To my amazing surprise, I received a Saturday telephone call from Rene Verbrugge in early November. Rene’s offer was for me to review the specifications I had previously submitted and commit to making an order for a new GT3 RS. Rene explained that Porsche of Santa Barbara had been awarded another GT3 RS allocation due to their adherence to MSRP. Well, before I consulted my spousal unit, I made the commitment. What could go wrong? So, Porsche of Santa Barbara submitted the order and it was accepted by Porsche AG.
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Photos by Chuck Jennings & Walter Michajlenko
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Porsche - 75th Anniversary Story by Alfred Abken Back on June 6, 1948, the first auto to wear the name Porsche on it received its certification. That model, 356-001, began a long line of automobiles that continue to inspire and delight people all over the world. To mark this event, Porsche had quite the celebration that was broadcast over the internet. If you did not see it, or perhaps you did, and would like to see it again, it is at: newstv.porsche.com Locally, Porsche San Luis Obispo hosted the 75th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 10. Porsche SLO put on a fantastic party! So many folks showed up that overflow parking was behind the AT&T Store next door. They had raffle prizes, and food was catered by Taqueria 805. I found out too late that our Gil Igleheart had arranged for black, red and yellow Porsches to be parked together in honor of the German flag. He also had red, white and blue Porsches parked next to each other in honor of the American flag. I got photos of a couple of the cars, but their significance escaped me at the time. Gil was able to take some photos of it. Also happening that day was the start of the 100th Anniversary of the first running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Porsche SLO had the race on inside on a GIANT TV screen. Porsche even led the race, however only briefly. Ferrari ended up winning overall, completing 320 laps. Toyota was second, and Cadillac filled out the podium. Penske Porsche finished in 6th and 11th. The third Penske Porsche retired, and Hertz Team Jota finished in 13th in the Hypercar class. In GTE AM, Corvette Racing won the class, with Aston Martin second. Porsche GR Racing filled out the podium third, and Iron Dames, also driving a Porsche, came in 4th. It turned out to be quite a beautiful day, and the sun even came out! Many thanks to Porsche San Luis Obispo for hosting this event. Speaking for myself, I had a wonderful time.
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Photos by Gil Igleheart, Chuck Jennings, & Alfred Abken
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Teststrecke 59 Photos by Alfred Abken
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Teststrecke 59 continued
Autocross at Santa Maria Airport
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CCCRPCA Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2023 Board Meeting The meeting was called to order at 5:04 PM at Porsche SLO. Our Board: Attending were Ron Green, Chuck Jennings, Bob Bruington, Joe Shubitowski, Carol Walker, Bill Chadwick, Gil Igleheart, Jeff Bartel, Scot Burns, Andy Winterbottom, Joe Kuntze, Sanja Brewer and Mark Schilling. Absent was Bob Kitamura. President: Joe Shubitowski brought in Kurt Keener to talk about the 75th Anniversary celebration for Porsche on June 10 at the dealership in SLO. The theme will be “Dream in Full Color” and they are seeking vehicles that represent Porsches over the decades in unique colors. It will be held from 10 AM to 3 PM. Joe received the sponsorship money from the SLO dealership and the first quarter refund from national arrived. The Zone 8 President’s meeting lost $10,000 on the awards banquet so there will be no banquet held for 2024. Porsche Ontario has graciously offered to host the January 2024 President’s meeting at their facility. Porsche wants all zones to be unincorporated. Any remaining Zone 8 funds in the treasury will be split up and distributed to the regions in Zone 8 following the unincorporation. There are 38 people from our region heading to the Porsche Parade at La Quinta in June. Vice President: Bob Bruington had no report this month. Secretary: Carol sent the minutes by email. Sanja moved to accept the minutes, Joe K. seconded, and all approved to accept the minutes. Treasurer: Bill Chadwick reported we had $37,597 at the beginning of the year and as of the end of April we have $38,787. He thinks Laguna Seca money will start coming in soon. So far, there is a profit of $3,400 for Buttonwillow, but expenses will be coming in for that event. All advertisers are paid up to date now. Our first quarter refund of $2,200 came in April 26. Andy moved to accept the report, Joe seconded, and all approved. Membership: Sanja Brewer reported there are four new members, 1 transfer in, 1 transfer out, and five lapsed, which Sanja will contact. We have 722 total members, 435 primary and 287 affiliate. Activities: Gil Igleheart thanked Bob Bruington for the Baywood event on Sunday and Joe Kuntze for the last minute wildflower run that had 28 cars. The workshop at Rock Chip Armor on 4/29 went well. They offer an XPEL paint protection finish which has a 10 year warranty and lifetime on his work. Gil presented the award to Ali Khan at Mercedes SLO for hosting us prior to our driving events and would like to give one to Jonathan Crabtree for always helping out early in the mornings with coffee and donuts. The Audi club wants to join us in some of our drives, so Jeff will check with our insurance on that possibility. The Healdsburg trip went well with eleven people attending and next year we will offer more options with less structure. The Redwood region would like to do an event with us, like maybe meet up at Half Moon Bay, since PCA is encouraging inter-regional and inter-zone events. There is no event set for June 10 as that is the 75th Anniversary of Porsche at the dealership in SLO.
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Safety: Jeff Bartel has submitted the insurance for the 5/13 drive and dine, for the autocross on 5/13, and for the drive to Longbranch on 5/27. Driving: Autocross: Chuck Jennings said the Autocross school had the best turnout of students and instructors. There were 57 people for Sunday’s autocross with ten runs. The Corvette club has offered to help with the cost of the track resurfacing and they will pay in three installments. There are 44 people signed up for the next one on 5/13. Jeff remarked that the track resurfacing came out really well. Driver’s Education: Bob Bruington reports there are 63 drivers registered for Buttonwillow with 30 people signed up for the dinner there on Thursday night. He feels we will profit around $2,000. Laguna Seca came online for registration on 5/1 and there are 16 people signed up to date. We will accept 25 drivers per group with a $425 entry fee. The break even point is 65 cars. A ladies special will be offered again. Newsletter: Bob Kitamura was absent and communicated to the board for articles for the May Coastalaire. We may publish a combined May/June issue as they are both digital. Website: Scot Burns is ready to get bids for the new web page. Director at Large: Joe Kuntze would like to schedule a trip to Cass Winery for wine and pizza on a Wednesday in the near future. Old Business: None New Business: Joe Kuntze is involved in a fundraiser for a not for profit in Mexico and wondered if Bob Bruington would donate two hours of driving time. The next meeting will be June 7 at Porsche SLO. The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 pm. Respectfully submitted, Carol Walker Secretary, CCCR-PCA
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OCTOBER 28
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The Fire Suit by Pedro P. Bonilla - Suncoast Florida PCA One of my first articles dealt with the safety helmet. Some years after that I revised it to make it up-to-date but I never wrote about the driver’s fire suit.
Gloves, Socks, Shoes, Balaclava
Fire Suits If you’re attending a Driver Education event at your local track in your Porsche sports car or SUV you probably won’t have the need for a fire suit, unless you’re driving a racecar in which case, even if not required by the Club or the Track, it is a wise choice.
protective garments worn by racers are The SFI Foundation (SFI) and The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) under it’s Driver’s Section. For the most part both entities have very similar safety targets and require that safety gear worn by the drivers protect them from heat and flame when in automobile competitions. These standards concern outer garments, undergarments, socks, gloves, shoes and balaclava hoods, but not helmets. (Helmet safety standards are managed by: The Snell Foundation (which we discussed in previous articles).
If you are a PCA Club Racer, you are required to don one when on the track. Under the Driver Requirements section of the 2023 PCA Club Racing Rules, bullet point #4 states: 4.- A one-piece approved fire-retardant driving suit which meets or exceeds SFI 3.2A/5 or FIA 8856-2000 or 2018 or their successors is required. The suit may meet SFI 3.2A/1 if fire retardant long underwear is also worn. The display of the PCA Club Racing patch on the driving suit at every PCA is strongly encouraged. Driving shoes and gloves meeting SFI 3.3/5 or FIA 8856-2000 or 2018 or their successors are required. Fire retardant sox are required. Drivers with mustaches, beards or long hair extending below the helmet must wear a fire-retardant balaclava.
FIA/SFI The creation of auto racing fire suits follows a meticulous process that combines advanced materials, craftsmanship, and stringent quality control measures. These specialized safety garments are not only designed to protect drivers from the intense heat and potential hazards on the track but also to provide them with peace of mind.
But what exactly do the SFI and FIA specifications mean?
Material selection: The first and foremost consideration is safety so manufacturers opt for specialized flame-resistant fabrics such as Nomex, Kevlar and carbon fiber blends. These fabrics possess exceptional fire-retardant properties, allowing drivers precious seconds to escape a burning vehicle and minimizing the risk of serious injuries.
The two major worldwide entities that administer the standards of safety for
Pattern Design and Cutting: Once a suitable fabric is chosen, the next step involves
The Coastalaire
July 2023
pattern design and cutting. Highly skilled pattern makers create intricate designs that cater to the specific needs of drivers, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit. These patterns are then carefully laid out on the fabric, and with precision cutting techniques, the individual pieces that will form the suit are crafted. Assembly and Stitching: The cut fabric pieces are now ready for assembly. Experienced seamstresses and tailors skillfully sew the various components together, using heat-resistant and fire-retardant threads. The stitching process requires meticulous attention to detail, ensuring the integrity
and strength of the fire suit. Reinforcement and Layering: To enhance protection, certain areas of the fire suit, such as elbows, knees and shoulders, undergo additional reinforcement. Reinforcement materials like Kevlar patches or carbon fiber inserts are carefully integrated into these high-wear zones, ensuring enhanced durability and resistance to abrasion. Closure Systems and Customization: Fire suits employ innovative closure systems, such as high-quality zippers and Velcro fasteners, which provide a secure fit while allowing for quick removal if needed. Additionally, manufacturers often accommodate customization requests from drivers, including the incorporation of sponsor logos, team colors and personalized patches and embroidery, which adds a touch of individuality to the suits.
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www.pedrosgarage.com Quality Control and Testing: Manufacturers follow strict quality control protocols throughout the production process. Multiple inspections are conducted to ensure that the fire suits meet rigorous safety standards. Additionally, various tests are performed to evaluate their flame resistance, heat insulation, and durability. These tests simulate extreme racing conditions, validating the reliability and performance of the suits.
TPP Chart standards. Testing These are the specific parameters and requirements for SFI 3.2/A5: 1.- Flame Resistance: The material(s) used in the construction of the suit must be inherently flame-resistant and must meet or exceed the specific flame propagation and afterflame time requirements. 2.- Thermal Protection: The fire suit must minimize the transfer of heat and protect against burns in case of exposure to intense heat and or flames. TPP (Thermal Protective Performance): SFI 3.2/A5 fire suits must achieve a minimum TPP of 20. TPP Measures the ability of the fabric to insulate against heat transfer and indicates the time it takes for the heat to penetrate through the material. 3.- Construction and Stitching: The fire suit must be constructed using high-quality flame-resistant materials and sewn with fire-retardant thread. The stitching should be strong and secure to maintaining the integrity of the suit during racing conditions. Customization options such as sponsor logos and personalization may be available while still meeting the required standards. 4.- Certification and Compliance: SFI 3.2/A5 fire suits must be certified by the Safety Equipment Institute and comply with all of the relevant regulations and
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It’s important to note that the SFI 3.2/ A5 rating is just one of several SFI standards for auto racing fire suits, each with its own specific parameters and requirements. These standards are continuously updated to endure the highest level of safety for auto racing drivers. Similar to what we described above, there are standards and requirements for driving gloves, driving shoes, balaclava hoods and underwear garments. These are covered under SFI 3.3/5. While racing suits are most commonly identified by their SFI or FIA rating, the TPP rating is the best measure of particular racing suit’s protection level. TPP is an indication of how long a suit will protect you before you would incur a second-degree burn. The TPP rating is divided in half to determine the number of seconds until human tissue reaches a second-degree burn. For example, if a particular fabric has a TPP rating of 35, it takes 17.5 seconds until a second-degree burn occurs in a flashover situation. In the past, racing suits were classified as single-layer and multi-layer, and that determined the TPP protection, but in today’s world there are some single-layer suits that attain a higher TPP than some multi-layer ones. The easiest and best way to increase your driving suit’s TPP is to wear fire-retardant underwear under your suit.
July 2023
Finally, proof that fire suits do a great job of protecting drivers, just look at the inferno where Romain Grosjean escaped from at the 2020 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix. He was trapped in his car for 28 seconds before escaping. He had to break the headrest with his helmet and pull hard with his trapped foot to remove it from the chassis. He was transported to the hospital and was treated for second degree burns on his hands and ankles. Stay safe, wear your fire suit! Happy Porsche’ing, Pedro
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Stuttgart Market Letter
Written by David K. Whitlock
slide with an average selling price of $255,000 and a market low of $177,250. We also saw the first 2023 992 GT3 RS come up for auction, failing to sell at a high bid of $415,000. GT4 RS’ also continued its downward trend, with one example failing to sell at a high bid of $230,000 and the other finding a home at $245,000. On the classic side of the market, 356s showed mixed results with a 64% sell-through rate compared to last month’s 88%, but those that did sell kept the momentum going price-wise as they continued to trend up. Notable 356 auctions this month include a 1964 356 SC Cabriolet that sold for $215,600 and a 1958 356A Sunroof Coupe built by Rod Emory that failed to sell at an eye-watering $699,356.
If we’re taking the market’s temperature, June would appear hot as we achieved 2023 highs in our dollar volume and unit volume, thanks to $20m in sales and nine new auction records at Broad Arrow Auction’s 75th Anniversary Porsche sale held in Atlanta mid-month. But take out this once-every-five-year auction event, and the market looks as cool as it did in May, with a 70% sell-through rate and just over $30m in sales. Highlights from the 75th Anniversary sale were plenty, but one real standout was the sale of a 1999 996 Coupe for $1.2m. This car wasn’t just any 996 for that kind of money, but the 996 Classic Club Coupe project dreamed up by the Porsche Club of America and Porsche’s Sonderwunsch department. Built to showcase what Porsche’s “Special Wishes” program is capable of, the Classic Club Coupe features a GT3 engine and drivetrain, a custom interior, and an exterior designed with nods to the 911 Carrera 2.7 RS and Carrera GT. And the buyer of this world record 996? None other than Jerry Seinfeld.
The modern classics, especially the 993 market, were the biggest mover in June, with a 993 Turbo S selling for an above-average price of $560,000 and your standard 993 coupes averaging $100,000. We also saw a new five-year record for 993 Turbos, with a 645-mile example selling for $486,000 on Bring a Trailer. With no headlining auctions on the calendar for July, it will be interesting to see if the market stays consistent at its ~70% sell-through rate and $30m in sales before we head into the summer heat of August with Pebble Beach where all major auction houses will be bringing out the big guns. We’ll see our first 911 reimagined by Singer we’ve seen in a while, crossing the block at RM Sothebys and a 1966 906 at Bonhams.
We also saw this auction buck the trend of historic Porsche race cars failing to sell this year, with a 1964 904 Carrera GTS selling for $2,535,000 and a 1984 962 in Coke-Cola livery with both 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring history selling for $1,270,000. One notable no-sale, however, was a 1967 910 that failed to sell at a final bid of $2,300,000. $200,000 short of the recent 910 sale on Bring a Trailer. The Carrera GT market continued to soften as two examples crossed the block this month. The first, a 2005 example with 16,765 miles, sold for just over $1m at $1,028,000, about $200k shy of where comps with similar mileage were not too long ago. And the second, a 2004 example finished in Speedster Blue by Porsche Classic partner Porsche North Houston sold for $1,462,500. An impressive number, but considering rare colors were all $2m cars this time last year, reasonably light. Also showing signs of softening for the second month in a row is the 992 GT3 market. Save for the one example that sold at the Broad Arrow sale for $300,000, all others continued to
The Coastalaire
July 2023
David K. Whitlock is a writer for The Stuttgart Market Letter, a daily market update for Porschephiles, by Porschefiles, delivered to your inbox.
https://www.stuttgartmarketletter.com/
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PCA-CCCR Anniversaries
1 Year Garry Holdgrafer David Mellish Tony Torres 2 Year Kayla Hammer Terry Robinson Robert Sanders Sam Schmitt 3 Years Thomas Nyznyk James Voysey 4 Years Daniel Thompson 5 Years Christian Fuller Antonio Varia 6 Years Stephan Asseo 7 Years John Lawrence Richard Polinsky
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8 Years Mitchell Nichter
11 Years Christopher Edwards Gavin Payne
13 Years Ken Shinpo
14 Yearsr Jean-Marc Bellemin Ken Finney
15 Years Jerry Ulrich
18 Years Ronald Ayers Sam Gardali
July 2023
22 Years Martin Etcheverry
24 Years Andy Winterbottom
28 Years Mel Stahlman
38 Years Bob Mayberry
Total CCCR Membership 756 Members JULY 2023
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Advertiser Index and Rates Ad Page Location 2........ Porsche San Luis Obispo 8.........Adara 8.........Pedro’s Garage 9 ........Baywood Inn 9.........Vintage Autobody 11........Porsche Santa Barbara 12........The Stable (formerly SGS) 12........Rock Chip Armor 13........Butler Hotel 38........German Auto 38........The Tire Store
Advertising Rates All rates are for 12 monthly issues from the date started. Full Page.....$ 950 / year 1/2 page.......$ 600 / year 1/4 page......$ 400 / year 1/8 page or Business Card $ 300 /year
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS and SPONSORS Their support of our club is greatly appreciated, so you are encouraged to make your first call to those advertising in the Coastalaire. Let them know that you saw their ad in our newsletter. We also encourage you to advertise your business in our newsletter. If you are interested please contact Bob Kitamura at coastalaireeditor@gmail.com
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Zone 8 Contacts
CCCR Logo Store
2023 Zone 8 Officers Lori DeCristo Zone 8 Representative California Inland Region Monica Asbury Secretary Orange Coast Region Linda Cobarrubias Trreasurer Grand Prix Region
Zone 8 Chairs David Witteried Concours Judge Administartor Cal Inland Trgion Vinita Khinani Social Media & Communications Chair Los Angeles Region Tom Brown Rules Coordinator / Webmaster San Diego Region Russel Shon Rules Technical Advisor San Diego Region
Embroidered Porsche and CCCR Logos available at Poor Richard’s Press in San Luis Obispo.
For more details call Ken Finney at (805) 542-9671
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CCCR Coastalaire 3030 Johnson Ave. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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The Hamp and Sue Miller Family at Parade
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