Lone Star Magazine - Issue No 5

l o n e s ta r H

M A G A Z I N E

I S S U E

N º 0 5

WE'RE BAD...WE’RE NATIONWIDE.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF LONE STAR REGION : PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

06

CONTENTS

PHOTO: SIDELINE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

A WIN FOR LSRPCA

02 : FROM THE PRESIDENT

12 : THE QUEST

LSRPCA's New Guidelines During Covid-19

One Man's Search For Bliss

03 : DIRECTORY

14 : MY WIFE THINKS I RACE

2020 LSRPCA Board and Sponsors

The Differences Between HPDE and Racing

04 : FINDING THE PERFECT FIT

18 : FROM CAYMAN TO CARERRA

Is The 911 A Perfect Family Car?

My Road To A 911

06 : CARRERRA OF THE AMERICAS LSRPCA Members Win First, Second

20 : LSRPCA CALENDAR Upcoming Events & Tours

and Third At COTA

10 : FESTIVAL HILL The Porsches and Culture Tour

01

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT It goes without saying that our Spring events have not gone as planned due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus. On March 12th we started shutting down events, starting with the Bluebonnet Tours and the March HPDE, as guidance on large gatherings started to be released and sanitizing supplies became completely unavailable. We did not know at the time how long this disruption would last and had to make some quick decisions. The spring is normally a very busy time for us as we enjoy the moderate weather and wildflowers before the heat gets cranked up for the summer. Unfortunately, this spring we are enjoying the inside of our own houses.

As I write this, it is six weeks from that date. Hopefully we’ve been able to enjoy our cars on our own, but I, for one, am missing seeing all my PCA friends at our events. The unofficial PCA motto is, “it’s not the cars, it’s the people”, and that holds true during these times as the cars alone are fantastic, but it’s so much more fun to enjoy them with friends.

We are closely monitoring PCA national guidelines for the safe operation of events in the age of coronavirus. The details of how future events will be operated are still being determined. Expect there to be quite a few changes, including things like wearing masks during gettogethers, lots of hand sanitizer, and individually boxed lunches instead of any kind of buffet. We appreciate your understanding as we will be working through a lot of changes in everyday things from handshakes to right seat instruction.

Doug Carroll, LSRPCA President

LONE STAR:

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF LSRPCA MEMBERS lsrpca.com Facebook.com/groups/lsrpca Instagram @lsr.pca Publisher/Editor VIK DAY editor@lsrpca.com Art Director/Designer REBECCA CASHWELL Production Coordinator TARA DOTSON Sponsorships / Advertising VIK DAY HECTOR MARTINEZ editor@lsrpca.com Front Cover Photography SIDELINE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY Contributing Photographers AJ DAY CHRIS D’AGNOLO FIL NENNA JASON CURTISS NICOLE GOLDMAN RS-WERKS SAMEER RAO SIDELINE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY Contributing Writers AJ DAY CHRIS D’AGNOLO JASON CURTISS NICOLE GOLDMAN SAMEER RAO We want your submissions!

Submit articles, event coverage and photos: editor@lsrpca.com

PHOTO:CHRIS D'AGNOLO

02

PHOTO: RS-WERKS

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

DIRECTORY

DOUG CARROLL PRESIDENT

THOMAS ROY CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE

EDWIN GOLDMAN TOURING

president@lsrpca.com

concours@lsrpca.com

touring@lsrpca.com

ALASTAIR DONALD VICE PRESIDENT

TRA TOWNSEND DRIVERS EDUCATION [DE]

STEVEN BUKOSKI PAST PRESIDENT

vp@lsrpca.com

de@lsrpca.com

KATHY KENDALL SECRETARY

PHILIPPE OBERTI DE-CHIEF INSTRUCTOR

secretary@lsrpca.com

cdi@lsrpca.com

ROB VAN LANDINGHAM TREASURER

REYNALDO PAGAN DE-REGISTRAR

pastpres@lsrpca.com

2020 LONE STAR MAGAZINE SPONSORS

treasurer@lsrpca.com

registrar@lsrpca.com

NEW HOME DUDE

IFC

HECTOR MARTINEZ MEMBER AT LARGE

STAN TRIPP GET TOGETHERS

EINAR’S GARAGE

P. 05

memberatlarge@lsrpca.com

gtg@lsrpca.com

JIM HEDDERICK AUTOCROSS

LYNN FRIEDMAN HISTORIAN

HECTOR MARTINEZ PCA CLUB RACING

STAN TRIPP MEMBERSHIP

membership@lsrpca.com

XPEL

P. 16

TRACE ENGLAND COMMUNICATIONS

PAM FITZGERALD SOCIAL EVENTS

DE BOULLE JEWELRY

IBC

EUROCAR WERK

OBC

ax@lsrpca.com

clubrace@lsrpca.com

MOMENTUM PORSCHE

P. 11

historian@lsrpca.com

comms@lsrpca.com

activities@lsrpca.com

VIK DAY EDITOR

NICOLE GOLDMAN STORE

editor@lsrpca.com

RIVER OAKS ROYAL CIGARS P. 07

store@lsrpca.com

03

GULF COAST AUTO SHIELD P. 13

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : M Y J O U R N E Y ]

MY JOURNEY TO

PORSCHE WRITER & PHOTOS: AJ DAY

I grew up in a home that loved cool cars. We never actually

beauties with no miles, and lots of heavily-modded and

had any, but we had all of the posters, magazines and Hot

worn examples.

Wheels. On road trips, my family would play the “car game”,

Why was it so difficult to find someone that bought a nice

identifying the make and model of other cars on the road,

car, drove it, enjoyed it, took good care of it, and was now

while keeping tally of our scores. I never won, but I did get

ready to give me a great deal on it?!

pretty darn good at identifying various design aspects.

The obvious question to answer that question was “why

My cars were always pre-owned Japanese family sedans.

would they sell that car?!”, but that didn’t stop me from

They had an affordable entry cost, were reliable, and were

searching. Unwilling to settle, I shopped for over a year

not too expensive to maintain –more maintenance than a

before finding my ideal 911.

Chevy, but way less than European cars.

Eventually, I came across something that made my heart

When I was finally ready to start the long process to

go pitter-patter. It was not exactly what I was looking for,

purchasing my first Porsche, my initial thought was to go

but only because it was a 997.2 C2S, and it was still in my

with a Cayman for the balance. My wife then pointed out

budget!

that I needed the 911 for the backseats – I had two kids

It had more power, no IMS, an updated interior, and

after all! Once I decided to go with the 911, I had to narrow

ventilated seats! I loved the color scheme, the option list,

my search. What generation should I get? What options are

the mileage, and it was a fair deal!

best? Depending on the generation and its various quirks,

It also checked all of my boxes: daily driver – check, kid

how much should I budget for maintenance? How bad is the

hauler – check, grocery runs – check, track car – check,

IMS issue really?

gorgeous to look at – check, and not having to drive three

I focused on 997.1 C2S models with no mods, no garage

coworkers to lunch – check!

queens and nothing beat-up. Unfortunately, the market

This beauty was absolutely my dream car, and it fit my

was not offering what I was looking for. I found lots of

life perfectly… And then we had kid number three.

04

J

YOUR PASSION IS OUR PROFESSION.

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE A NEW CENTRAL LOCATION TO BETTER SERVE OUR CLIENTS.

832.755.6774 // 1102 OLIVER ST. HOUSTON, TX 77007 // EINARSGARAGE.COM

05

photo: carl fehres

PORSCHE-SPECIFIC SERVICE, RESTORATIONS AND PARTS SERVICING VINTAGE AND CURRENT MODELS

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : C LU B RAC E ]

CIRCUIT OF AMERICAS

2020 CLUB RACE WEEKEND WRITER : CHRIS D’AGNOLO

PHOTO: SIDELINE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Carrera of the Americas was the spring 2020 Club Race

While helping folks realize their dreams, as well as their

weekend at the only F1 track in the United States; Circuit

car’s true potential, I continue to make more and more

of the Americas (COTA). As usual, there was also a High

friends in this wonderful car scene that we all share. Carrera

Performance Driver Education (HPDE) event that coincided

of the Americas is a little different from our typical event.

with this event. As a PCA HPDE instructor, I try to attend

They are three day events (compared to the typical two-

each event. Not just because I want to get on track at every

day), they are farther from home for me (re: hotel / personal

available opportunity, but to help the club fill up the events.

days) and in effect, more expensive. At the Club Race events,

Instructors are needed to coach new and inexperienced

they don’t ‘need’ instructors as, they are open to solo drivers

drivers as they navigate this brave new world! These events

only. Therefore, since I’m cheap, or what I prefer to call it, a

are the most rewarding ‘car thing’ that I do.

poor-boy racer, this is an event that I will sometimes skip. I

06

photos: terry blackburn

RIVER OAKS ROYAL CIGARS - SINCE 1981 From the planting of a fine tobacco seed to the delicate art of wrapping the fermented leaves into exquisite completion, River Oaks Royal Cigars dedicates time and passion into making the most exclusive cigars.

The authentic taste of River Oaks Royal Cigars defines the natural process in which we create our treasured product. Only the prime tobacco seeds from the Dominican Republic are planted to be harvested with care. Once the leaves are dried, we age them to supreme perfection. The fermented leaves are hand-rolled with masterful precision to allow you to thoroughly enjoy our distinct flavor. The finishing touch of wrapping the cigar ensures that our end product is as magnificent as the interior.

We value your experience with our cigars, so our finest blends are a step above the common cigar. We invite you to treat yourself to the authentic taste that is the River Oaks Royal Cigar.

Available for Special Events 5930 Westheimer Rd. Houston, Texas 77057 713.977.5350 | RiverOaksRoyalCigars.com

PHOTO: SIDELINE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : C LU B RAC E ]

decided to skip this Spring's Club Race, but it wasn’t long before

experts like Guillaume Thomas-Collignon and Haas Fogle!

I was beginning to regret my decision. Recently, the Formula One

Philippe Oberti even drove his race car to and from the event —a

and Moto GP folks had been complaining about worsening track

feat few fellow racers, if any, attempt! When I attend this race,

undulations so much that, the track folks decided that they’d

I’m not only expecting to get my hands dirty —I’m hoping to!

better do some serious fix and repair. From what I was hearing,

Sometimes it’s re-filling fuel jugs, other times swapping out race

they’d really done it right this time!

tires or assisting with on-site string alignments. It’s truly all for

When I do skip driving at this event, I still like to go up to the

one and one for all.

track and watch, as well as harass my friends who are driving

There are always problems when you’re racing, but the guys

and competing in this event. They are mostly driving old-school,

come prepared for all that they foresee, and then some! But 30+

air-cooled 911s. It’s a rag-tag group of guys that range from their

year-old cars, pushed to their limits, will still surprise! It was a

20’s to...well, let’s just say that it’s a wide range of folks! Age

team effort to get the cars ready for the ensuing races. Fellow

means little in this group. Relative youngsters like Justin Styer and

racers like Ray Ramirez, generously shared parts. Trips were

Philippe Oberti possessing a depth and breadth of knowledge

made to local auto parts stores, and emergency part deliveries

and experience on these old cars rivaling the (somewhat) older

were even made by Einar Goerland of Einar’s Garage. As usual,

08

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : C LU B RAC E ]

PHOTO: SIDELINE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: FIL NENNA

PHOTO: CHRIS D’AGNOLO

the races were intense. Haas Fogle tends to be the strategist

know. He said that they sat them all together at the awards

as well as the calming factor, throughout the surrounding

ceremony and everyone just celebrated together! You’ll have

calamity. Proper planning as well as proper on-track intensity

to ask the boys. I was eager to find out so I asked Philippe.

gets the job done!

He wasn’t sure either. There was something about how they

In the end, my garage buddies all did great. Between Philippe

average the finishing positions from the sprint races and how

Oberti, Carl Fehres and Guillaume Thomas- Collignon, they

Carl and Guillaume had waited for him to catch up so that they

brought home a beautiful set of First, Second and Third-place

could all compete together and he may have accidentally won

trophies! When the guy’s cars were weighed, post race, they

that race, skewing the overall results. He said that he’d have to

were each one to eight pounds above the class minimum.

ask Carl and Guillaume, and get back with me.

Proper planning, indeed!

I then realized that not only do I not NEED to know, I don’t

As I was putting this article together and, I gazed at the

even WANT to know! That’s when I realized that the greatest

gleaming red, white and blue trophies sitting in a stack off to

thing about this rag-tag bunch of driving enthusiasts is that it

the side of Haas’ garage. I asked, “Who won the first-place

really doesn’t matter! Three trophies came back to Haas’ garage

trophy? Who won the second and, who the third?” Haas didn’t

and all contributed in some way, shape or form!

09

J

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : F E ST I VA L H I L L ]

FESTIVAL HILL

PORSCHES & CULTURE TOUR WRITER & PHOTOS : NICOLE GOLDMAN

There is no feeling quite like driving through Texas country roads in good company. At 11 A.M. on Saturday, March 7th, a group of car enthusiasts, gathered at Buc-cees in Waller, Texas for a Hill Country road trip.

Nineteen cars, with road maps and roaring engines, would soon be on their way for an adventure through rural Hill Country to the Festival Hill Institute in Round Top for a piano recital.

The sun was shining brightly on the caravan as they embarked on their journey. Old Barns, miles of white fences, stone ranch houses, courthouse squares, and even some

pre-season Bluebonnets

were showing their beauty on the side of the road.

Feeling happy and hungry upon arrival in Round Top, the group enjoyed a delicious lunch at Menke Haus, a renovated three-level Victorian style home, which dates back to 1902. Dining together at long wooden tables, old friends and new, chatted, laughed and shared stories about past adventures. After lunch, the group stretched their legs during a walk through Treasure Hunter’s Mecca in Round Top Center.

Finally, just before 3PM, the caravan arrived at the Festival Concert Hall for the piano recital. Once inside, the group observed the hall’s ornate woodwork, grand staircases, and hand-crafted chandeliers. A stunning performance by Steinway pianist, James Dick, was the perfect end to a culturally-infused Hill Country road trip with friends.

10

J

Contactless Delivery.

Purchase your Porsche from the comfort of your driveway.

Momentum Porsche 10155 Southwest Freeway Houston, Texas 77074 (855) 294-3099 momentumporsche.com

Š 2020 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E Q U E ST ]

THE QUEST FOR A PORSCHE W R I T E R & P H OTO S : SA M E E R R AO

Like many of you, my quest for a Porsche begin with a poster on a teenage bedroom wall. In my case, there

that the car had to meet. It took a year of elimination to arrive at a short list:

were two: an F40 and a 930. Therefore, it is no surprise

• Budget: Less than $65K - This eliminated the

that I eventually ended up owning a representative of each

997/991 GTS, 991 Carrera S, and sadly all GT3/4

marque. I bought the Ferrari (348) first and had a fantastic time with it for 8 years —I did track days, road trips, early morning drives, etc. I eventually sold it in 2013, as the poor

cars.

• It had to be a “Daily driver” with good air conditioning.

This killed the pre-1998 cars.

thing had become a garage ornament due to incessant work-

• PDK: This was a concession so that my wife would

related travel. I then went on a 6-year sports car abstinence

also partake in the driving enjoyment. I didn’t want a

until October 2019, when our 981 Cayman GTS showed up

traditional automatic. This killed the pre-2009 cars.

• Should be fun at the track. This eliminated the Targa

at our door.

Why the fixation on Ferrari or Porsche? Answer: Unwavering commitment to racing and the way by which

and 911 convertible – too weighty. It didn’t eliminate the Boxster, as it’s quite light.

learnings from the racetrack are constantly injected into their

• RWD only: Eliminated all the AWD variants of the 911.

street cars. This is why I will never own a Lamborghini or a

• Naturally aspirated engines: Eliminated 718s.

• 0 to 60 in less than 5 secs: Eliminated the base 981.

Maserati.

As I had achieved my Ferrari dream, the next step was

I was left with 5 models: 997.2 C2, C2S (high mile), 991

deciding which Porsche to buy. All Porsche owners know that

C2 (early), 981 S/GTS. I then switched off the consulting

this is a difficult decision as there are so many generations of

brain and used my intuition and feelings thereafter. The

911s, Caymans and Boxsters with myriad trims and specs to

997 C2/C2S drove and felt a bit remote and GT car like to

choose from.

me. I couldn’t hear the exhaust. The 991 is a step further

I put on my consulting hat to build relevant use cases

12

in the GT car direction —so I didn’t bother trying it. This

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E Q U E ST ]

left me with a 981 Boxster and

color. A suitable car slipped away

Cayman S/GTS.

when the owner had second

I drove both types of 981s

thoughts of selling it. The car I

and loved their agile handling and

eventually bought was picked

compact interior relative to the

sight unseen from a dealer in

997. The GTS trim level spoke to

California, as I was busy at the

me the best —great seats, manic

time and didn’t have the time

sports exhaust, great suspension

to do a 2000-mile trip to drive

choices —PASM or X73, etc.

it home. I thoroughly researched the dealer, checked the Carfax,

Finding a S version with these

and called up all the service

options was proving quite difficult.

shops to verify what work was

My wife liked the Boxster’s

done on the car. NADA price

looks. I preferred the Cayman’s

guides helped in quickly settling on a suitable

visibility and looks, and it sounded better than

price. The car got its 40k service done as part of the sale and

the Boxster with the roof up. Roof down though, the Boxster was

got shipped to me.

sublime. In the end, we decided on the Cayman GTS (CGTS). I

I have since put about 2000 miles on it with a HPDE and

researched on Rennlist and planet 9 forums and found no major

two autocrosses included.

issues. I quizzed a couple owners on LSRPCA to capture their

Overall, I am really enjoying my ownership experience

experiences and help figure out the right spec for me.

and the fact that it is a passport to having a great time meeting

From that point on, it took two months to find the right car.

with like-minded enthusiasts from the LSRPCA at AutoXs,

My hands hurt from scanning the interwebs daily for suitable

HPDEs, weekend G2Gs, and more.

cars. One thing that helped was that we weren’t very picky about

J

Membership Discount 10% OFF XPEL PPF FEYNLAB SELF-HEALING COATINGS EXOSHIELD WINDSHIELD PROTECTION XPEL WINDOW TINT

GCAUTOSHIELD.COM

832-930-5655 13

WHAT IS RACING?

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : W H AT I S RAC I N G ? ]

WRITER & PHOTOS : CHRIS D’AGNOLO

14

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : W H AT I S RAC I N G ? ]

My wife and I have taught 3-4yr old Sunday School classes for about 35 years now. Our Sunday School kids all know that when I’m missing from class, my wife is probably going to tell them that I’m ‘racing my car’.

On some Sundays, that would be true. When I do PCA autocross events, that’s definitely a form of racing. It’s a full-blown competition that folks can do at their desired level of competitiveness, be it ultrahigh or totally laid back.

Many of the most competitive autocrossers and even some of the less competitive participants enjoy it so much that they desire to take it to the next level by learning to drive their cars on a racetrack.

Of course, this is what PCA calls High Performance Driver Education (HPDE). THIS is the ‘other event’ that I might be missing Sunday School for. When my wife calls HPDE ‘racing’, THAT’S when it bothers me just a little bit.

You see, there’s a huge difference between HPDE, which teaches you how to drive fast on a track, and racing. It basically comes down to one thing, which is passing!

Practically the entire key to HPDE, being as safe as it is, relates to the fact that every pass is a coordinated effort between the person passing and the person being passed. Drivers use very specific and clear signals to pass one another to ensure successful completion.

In racing, the polar opposite is true! Not only is there the obvious total lack of collaboration but (within classes), there is a very active resistance to this overtaking operation! The driver making the pass often times has to make a plan, laps in advance, to set up and even surprise their opponent with ‘where’ and / or ‘when’ the pass attempt is made. This is typically referred to as ‘racecraft’. It’s basic principals are taught in competition schools, but successfully putting those principles to work, really requires experience —on the track! For this reason, there’s a great sense of satisfaction when a racer overtakes his opponents, and an even greater satisfaction when he or she manages to finish ahead of ALL of their class competitors!

If all of this sounds hugely fun, but maybe a tad intimidating, consider coming to one of our events as a spectator. You’ll see a bunch of excited folks who long to be able to wring every ounce of performance out of their cars, in a way that simply is not possible on public streets. Even the long-time instructors are trying to figure out how to drop fractions of seconds off their lap times, looking for what they call the perfect lap.

It’s out there somewhere… Can you see it?

And if you need further inspiration, I recommend that you watch the movie Ford VS Ferrari! J

15

There’s a huge difference between HPDE and racing

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : W H AT I S RAC I N G ? ]

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : 911 J O U R N E Y ]

MY ROAD TO A 911 WRITER & PHOTOS: JASON CURTISS

One day back in 1971, a high school classmate and I excitedly called

it had gorgeous lines and a phenomenal dashboard layout. In my

a Volkswagen dealership to inquire about the price of the newly

mind, this was among the most functional and elegant instrument

introduced Porsche 914. Ironically, what grabbed our attention

and switch layouts that had ever adorned an automobile dashboard.

about this new 914 was that it had a Volkswagen engine, which was

A year or so after purchasing the Jaguar, I found myself next to a

absolute blasphemy to Porsche “purists”. However, to us cash-poor

Porsche while driving east-bound at I-10 near the west loop. This

high school students, it offered a glimmer of hope that we could

strange looking Porsche was equipped with a whale tail that was

possibly now afford what we considered to be an exotic sports car.

unfamiliar to me. Of course, it was a Porsche 930 Turbo, but I did

Sadly, our phone call ended with a price that was beyond our revenue

not know that at the time. It was around 1977 and the car had only

stream. Consequently, my classmate bought a Toyota Corolla and I

been out for a few years, and they were quite rare on the streets of

managed to patch together a well-used Plymouth Valiant. So much

Houston. In addition, I had simply not kept abreast of the evolution

for impressing the girls at school!

of the Porsche 911 over the years and therefore thought that the

As I got older and became employed at a “real” job, I still lusted

whale tail was merely a pretentious, aftermarket, nonfunctional

after the 914 with its mid-engine layout. Yes, there were faster and

spoiler.

more affordable cars available, but my desire for that 1971 914 had

As fate would have it, we ended up driving side by side and

not dwindled. However, it seems that prices for them, even used

soon made eye contact. Mentally fueled by what I felt was a silly

ones, were always just beyond my budget.

pretentious spoiler, I sneered and shook my head at the Porsche

So, in an effort to satisfy my sports car desires, I purchased a 1970

driver. Well, before I could turn my eyes back to the road ahead, the

Plymouth GTX with a honking 440 cubic-inch V-8. It was plenty fast

driver of that arrow blue 930 downshifted, pinned the throttle and

in a straight line, but handled like a small barge on wheels. It did not

accelerated at a rate that seemed phenomenal for the time.

satisfy my vision of a sports car, and in the middle of the 1970’s gas

I was super impressed with its performance, so during the following

crisis, I sold it and bought a boring Ford Pinto to weather the fuel

days I investigated the whale tail Porsche and found it to be a 930

embargo.

Turbo. I also discovered that the whale tail was actually a functional

Next up was an MGB which was also fuel efficient and had

spoiler and that the 930 was reportedly the fastest car from Europe

pretentions of being a nimble handling sports car. Eventually, I had

at the time. I naively had to have one. Of course, it was unaffordable,

an opportunity to trade the MGB and a thousand in cash for a used

despite my having had a “real” job for several years, but the 911 spell

E-Type Jaguar.

was surreptitiously cast.

I jumped on the opportunity and suddenly I was the owner of a

As time progressed, I got married and had a company-car for

proper sports car! Not only was this car fast with agile handling, but

years. But during that timeframe I managed to have several fun and

18

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : 911 J O U R N E Y ]

relatively sporty cars. My wife surprised me on my birthday one

after. However, the physics argument was slowly beginning to lose

year with a Triumph Spitfire and some years later I bought a Mazda

traction on my psyche.

RX7, followed by a 5-series BMW and a C5 Corvette. These were

Also, my participation in the Concours d’Eleance got me thinking

all fun cars, especially the C5, but not Porsche-fun cars.

more and more about the iconic 911, with roots extending back

As I neared retirement age I began to think more seriously

to the Porsche 356. Conveniently, the Concours provides a side-

about Porsches again. And I realized that this stage of my life was

by-side comparison of the 356 and 911 and many similarities are

analogous to having more sand in the bottom of an hourglass than at

visible. Sports cars with styling that can still be identified with the

the top. So, rationalizing with a “now or never mind set”, I bought a

original model some 60 years later are exceedingly rare and special.

new, 2015 Porsche. Not the 911 Turbo that embarrassed me years

Notwithstanding its quirky handling, the 911 has an extraordinary

ago on Katy Freeway, but a Guards Red Cayman. This car seemed

racing pedigree. Since its introduction in 1963 the 911 has won

like a phenomenal evolution of the 914 that I lusted after when

races at Monte Carlo, Targa Florio, Daytona and Sebring. In 1979 a

a teenager. After all, like the 914 the Cayman has a mid-engine

935 won the prestigious Le Mans. And the 911 continues its racing

layout, which in my mind results in near perfect handling—ideal

legacy today.

physics at work.

When the 991.1 version of the 911 came out, nine years ago,

After purchasing my first Cayman I joined the Porsche Club of

one of the issues of Road & Track carried a fold-out poster of that

America (PCA). And not long after joining the PCA I purchased my

newest 911 iteration. Upon receiving that issue, I promptly removed

second Cayman, a 718S, which was the quickest and best handling

the poster, unfolded and stapled it to my garage wall. Notably, I did

car I had ever owned up to that point in time.

not take down the 991.1 poster after buying my first Cayman. And

Of course, the PCA led me to the Lone Star Region and I began to

when the second Cayman came along, the poster still remained on

participate in some of its many activities. For instance, I currently

the garage wall.

enjoy participating in Concours d’Elegance, social events, Get-

At some point, I discovered that I no longer cared about the location

Togethers and Road Tours. I have even become one of the judges

of the engine and gave in to my growing desire for the rear engine

at the Concours d’Elegance. Owing to my continued participation

911. On that poster, Porsche refers to the 911 as their identity and

in Lone Star events, thoughts of owning a 911 began to re-emerge.

promises the 911 to be: “forever the sports car.”

I attempted to shake loose those 911 thoughts by saying to myself,

Finally, I was sold. So, in August of 2019 I became the proud owner

and to anyone within earshot for that matter, that the 911 engine

of a new black Carrera —the car I should have never owned. This car

was simply in the wrong place for optimum handling. Instead, my

is remarkable: it can haul groceries, haul my bicycle or haul ass. What

718S with its mid-engine layout resulted in the physics that I was

more could I want? Finally, my journey to the 911 is over…Or is it? J

19

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : CA L E N DA R ]

LSRPCA EVENT CALENDAR Our club hosts a number of fun and engaging events.

If you’ve never been to one of our events, come out and say howdy and more importantly—DRIVE! You can always see what is happening in real time by checking out LSRPCA.COM

[GTG] NORTH

[GTG] CENTRAL

Every Fourth Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen, 4526 Research Forest Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77381

Every First Saturday: 8:30am – 10:30am The Paper Co., 1100 Elder St, Houston, TX 77007

[GTG] SOUTHEAST

Every Second Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Dunn Brothers Coffee, 201 S Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546

[HPDE] HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER’S EDUCATION Location: MSR Houston Dates: July 18-19, 2020 *Advanced Solo Drivers Only

[GTG] WEST

[AX] AUTO CROSS

Every Second Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar, 23139 Grand Cir Blvd, Katy, TX 77449

Name: 2020 LSR AX #4 Location: Houston Police Academy Date: June 14, 2020 Registration Open

[GTG] SOUTHWEST

CONCOURSE D’ELEGANCE

Every Third Saturday: 8:30am - 10:30am Starbucks 18802 University Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77479

Location: Kemah Boardwalk 215 Kipp Ave, Kemah, TX 77565 Date: June 6, 2020 Registration via LSRPCA.com

[GTG] NORTHWEST

PHOTO: RS-WERKS

Every Third Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Starbucks, 25615 Hwy 29, Cypress, TX 77249

20

We Buy, Sell & Trade- the World’s Finest Timepieces Precise, sleek, distinctive and exceptional. de Boulle is a family-owned business established in 1983. Along with de Boulle Motorsports, both are a living and moving illustration of the passion for excellence for jewelry, watches and racing. de Boulle is an authorized dealer for major brands including: Patek Philippe, Rolex, Bell & Ross, Blancpain, Corum, Girard Perregaux, Greubel Forsey and Tudor. de Boulle also provides the options of preowned timepieces, which includes vintage watches of notable brands.

Visit deBoulle.com to view our extensive collection.

A Curated Selection of Pre-owned Timepieces 6821 Preston Rd., Dallas, TX 75205 214.522.2400 River Oaks District Houston, TX 77027 713.621.2400 deBoulle.com

201911LSRPCA.indd 1

10/15/2019 1:59:43 PM

Modern or Vintage.

We Know Porsche.

Leonard Rejcek

Houstonian since 1980 Porsche owner since 1995

Eurocar-Werk has been setting the standard in Porsche auto repair for 40 years. We are proud to call ourselves Houstonians, and as a family-owned and operated business we understand the importance of honesty, integrity and work excellence.

We are specialists with vintage air-cooled Porsche models, as well as modern versions.

Visit Eurocar-Werk for a more personal experience with a team who truly cares about customers and Porsche.

Everyone at Eurocar-Werk is passionate about Porsche, from the owner to our Bosch and ASE Certified technicians.

5103 Gulfton @ South Rice / Phone: 713.661.6428 Monday - Friday 8-6 ¡ Saturday by Appointment ¡ eurocarwerk.com