AZPCA Autocross Season Event #5

STORY BY KENNETH MITCHELL PHOTO BY JIM BULTEMA

AZPCA Region Autocross Season Event #5 was held at Arizona Motorsports Park (AMP) in Litchfield Park on Saturday, January 29, 2022. As usual, the event was sold out, and there was a wait list with several members waiting to get into the event. This is a perfect example why it is very important to sign-up early, so you don’t get wait-listed.

The AZPCA Region autocross events are very popular because of the fun-packed and well-designed courses, smooth-running and safe event operation, the gathering of various Porsche type cars and their drivers, camaraderie, and of course the Region provided lunch. There is no other event that has a fun-packed package, as an AZPCA Region Autocross Event.

The weather was a tad cool and breezy in the early morning hours but, it did warm up to a beautiful mild day to please 40 drivers to another fun event. The course elements consisted of a couple of slaloms, sweepers, a couple of box turns, a few gates, and of course, the showcase straightaway.

The course designer for this event is a mystery and for some reason, no one would admit to being the course designer. So, the AZPCA Region Autocross Ace Correspondence Reporting Team (ACRT) was asked to investigate this mystery, and they were unable to uncover any leads/evidence as to who this mysterious course designer is. It appears to be a well-kept secret. The only information the ACRT was able to uncover was the fact this mysterious course designer may have been “STIG”. Some racecar drivers think “STIG” may be a myth but, no one is able to confirm/deny this fact. You can Google “STIG” and determine yourself.

There was a change in the Region provided lunch for this event. The Autocross Co-Chairs, Kim K. and Rick A., decided that it was time for a BBQ. The BBQ caterer provided pulled-pork sandwiches with the goodies and boy was it good.

During the lunch break, the drivers were raving about the lunch, and everyone kept asking who the course designer is. The drivers were also talking about the amazing lap times from the morning session.

There was one AZPCA Region member attending this event for his first time. Guillermo P.-V. drove his 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet and his best time was 57.758 seconds. Guillermo drove his best time on his second run in the afternoon session. For a first-timer, Guillermo drove very well. Good Job Guillermo and hopefully, we’ll see you at future events.

AZPCA A-X #5, January 29, 2022

DRIVER CAR

Kim K Eric S

2016 Porsche GT3 RS 2006 Porsche 911 C2S Robert T 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo (R) Cameron S 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S Eric T Joel S Scott O 2014 Porsche Cayman S 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S 2012 Porsche 911 James E 2009 Porsche Cayman S William P 2000 Porsche Boxster S Dave M Brian M Marc C Rick A 2014 Porsche Cayman S 2015 Porsche Cayman GTS 2014 Porsche Cayman S 1994 Porsche 968

KC M Chris M

2015 Porsche Cayman GTS 2019 Porsche 911 Guillermo P 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Jim B 2018 Porsche Cayman Top Time of Day

BEST RUN

44.134 45.603 46.551 46.918 47.962 48.346 48.895 49.993 50.131 50.359 50.457 52.309 52.416 53.296 56.81 57.758 59.45

DRIVER CAR GROUP X

Bruce H 2021 Tesla Model 3 44.406

Ealing J Jeff W 2015 Factory 5 GTM

44.891 2021 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE 45.599

Dave S Ken M Jeff W 2002 Ford Mustang GT 2013 Chevrolet Corvette GS 2006 Honda S2000 45.718 45.751 45.955

Dennis R 1970 Chevrolet Camaro (R)

46.137 Jonathan B 2016 Mercedes Benz AMG GTS 46.573 Aaron S 2019 Mazda Miata 46.743

Scott M 2015 Subaru BRZ 47.836

Dane T 1999 Mazda Miata

Jim E

2019 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Andrew T 2013 Suburu BRZ Travis M 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Mike C 2014 BMW 228i

Rob M

1996 Chevrolet Corvette Chuck N 1997 Panoz Roadster David E 2017 Chevrolet Camaro

Clint G

2017 BMW M2 Robert M 2010 Audi A5 Bruce T 2004-6 Ford GT Chaitanya S 2008 BMW Z4 Pritam B 2021 BMW M850xi Gran Coupe 49.015 49.152 49.568 49.729 51.068 51.464 51.682 52.015 53.304 53.6 54.837 56.931 59.095

Three Generations of race car drivers tearing up the track at the January Autocross. Right to left, Joel S., 74, his son Dave S., 50, and his son, Cameron S., 19. Great family of racers with Grandpa Joel getting it started years ago!

It is not unusual for the AZPCA Region events to have family members to enter and drive their Porsche cars. The family members usually consist of Father and Son and/or Daughter, Husband and Wives, or members in relationships.

On occasion, we are honored to have three generations of family members driving their Porsche cars. At this event, AZPCA Region member, Dave S. brought his son Cameron S. and his father, Joel S. to this event. Joel drove his 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and his best time was 48.346 seconds. Cameron drove his grandfather’s Porsche and his best time was 46.918 seconds which bested his grandfather’s time. Also, Cameron’s time placed him with the 4th best time in Group “P”. Dave S. drove in Group “X” and his best time was 45.718 seconds.

Both Dave and Joel possess several National Championship Titles from another Sports Car Organization. Cameron is only 19 years of age and well on his way to follow his father’s and grandfather’s paths to a National Championship title. Good luck Cameron, you will be a National Champion soon.

The morning session consisted of four-runs each individually timed, and the afternoon session had three-runs. The best lap time for the Group “P” drivers was driven by Kim K., in his 2016 Porsche GT3 RS, with 44.134 seconds. Eric S., in his 2006 Porsche 911 S, was second with his best time of 45.603 seconds, and the third best time was driven by Robert T., in his 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo, with 46.551 seconds.

The AZPCA Region members driving in Group “X” had some amazing times. Ealing J. was on fire and ran a blazing run of 44.891 seconds. Dave S. ran his best lap in 45.718 seconds for second place, Ken M. turned in a 45.571 and Jonathan B. on Ken’s heels with a time of 46.573 seconds. It was noted that Jonathan, in a failed attempt of improving his car’s performance, placed a Porsche sticker on his car’s hood. (no protests were lodged against him, LOL).

The “Cone Kills” for this event were kept to a minimum with only a few drivers hitting one or two cones for the event. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Scott O. and his season “clean run” streak came to an end as he was removed from the “clean run” list and placed on the “cone kill/dirty run” list. Scott killed five cones at this event, and this is the most “cone kills” that a driver has made in one event. There is no doubt that the five “cone kills” left a lot of cone marks on his car and he would be spending some time in the garage cleaning off those cone marks. Scott, get the wax out and start rubbin’, wax-on wax-off.

After the February sold out event, there are only three events left for the rest of the autocross season and all three events are now posted on the MSR program. Don’t hesitate to sign-up now so you don’t get waitlisted.

The next event is Saturday, March 19, 2022, and as of this writing, the entry list is only 15% full and that 85% will go quickly. You should not hesitate to sign-up. Go to your MSR account and signup today as either a driver, a Taste of Autocross, or as a volunteer. And maybe, if luck will have it, we may be treated to another AZPCA Region provided BBQ lunch again but, no promises.

We hope that you come out and join us for another fun-packed event.