Lone Star Magazine - Issue 11

PHOTO: PHOTOPAAD

Greetings,

With 2022 in the rear-view mirror, 2023 is shaping up to be a year of exciting club events and plenty of opportunities to show off your impressive machines and driving skills.

Our driving events are extremely popular and consistently sell out.

Andy Cao Chairman of the High-Performance Driving Event, Shane Dosser Chairman of the Auto Cross Event, Erik Smith Chairman of the Driving Tours.

Thank you all for all your hard work and dedication to making these events fun, informative, and engaging. Our Car Control Schools are scheduled at the Houston Police Academy. Be sure to check out the calendar on LSRPCA.com or clubregistration.net for dates on upcoming events. The LSRPCA store is now open! Shop online and get your gear!

Concours de Elegance continues to be as popular as always. A huge thank you to Derek Robins, Concours Chair, and to all the participants who continue to show their support for the fun event through hot and freezing weather. Our Get Togethers (GTG) are having large turn outs and new faces every week. Danny Green, GTG Chair, bravo!

To all the Board Members 2022, thank you! This year we completed the Club Bylaws refresh, which took months to complete. Thank you all, again, for the help. Looking forward to a fantastic 2023.

Hector Z. Martinez, LSRPCA President

IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR FRIENDS AT COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE CAF, MAY THEY REST IN PEACE

Capt. Terry Barker B-17

Capt. Craig Hurtain P-63

Capt. Leonard (Len) Root B-17

Capt. Curt Rowe B-17 Kevin Michels B-17

FC-RO. Dan Ragan B-17

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT DIRECTORY

HECTOR Z. MARTINEZ

PRESIDENT president@lsrpca.com

ALASTAIR DONALD VICE PRESIDENT vp@lsrpca.com

DAVID BAXTER SECRETARY secretary@lsrpca.com

MICHAEL SERGI TREASURER treasurer@lsrpca.com

STAN TRIPP MEMBER AT LARGE memberatlarge@lsrpca.com

SHANE DOSSER AUTOCROSS ax@lsrpca.com

CARLOS GUEVERA PCA CLUB RACING clubrace@lsrpca.com

STEVE JACOBY COMMUNICATIONS comms@lsrpca.com

VIK DAY EDITOR editor@lsrpca.com

DEREK ROBINS CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE concours@lsrpca.com

ANDY CAO DRIVERS EDUCATION [DE] de@lsrpca.com

BILL LYONS DE-CHIEF INSTRUCTOR cdi@lsrpca.com

REYNALDO PAGAN DE-REGISTRAR registrar@lsrpca.com

SEAN LLOYD SAFETY CHAIR safety@lsrpca.com

DAVID DIULUS CAR CONTROL SCHOOL ccs@lsrpca.com

DANNY GREEN GET TOGETHERS gtg@lsrpca.com

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Contributing Photographers

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Contributing Writers ERIC SMITH ALEX BESZTERDA J. CURTISS JEFF GALLOWAY SEBASTIAN DENISON

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PARADE

PORSCHES AND PARADE IN THE POCONOS

As a Porsche enthusiast, close your eyes and picture this: embarking on a road trip with PCA friends in your trusty ride from Zuffenhausen that would cover just over 1800 miles (each way), traveling through ten states, ending in a resort nestled in the Poconos mountains where you join 3000 other PCA members from across the United States, and 1000 of their cars for a week of pure Porsche immersion. This is PCA Parade, and just like other Parades we have attended in the past, this one did not disappoint.

GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN

Perhaps one of the most enjoyable parts of Parade is actually taking the trip to get there. We had the pleasure of traveling to Parade this year with fellow LSRPCA members (and region secretary), Dave and Debbie Baxter. We departed on June 9th and traveled through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and into Alabama, where we stayed overnight. The next morning we headed north, traveling through more of Alabama and into Georgia, North Carolina and most of Virginia, where we spent our second night. Along the way, we saw some incredible parts of the country. Our last leg was shorter, traveling from Virginia and into Pennsylvania and up through the Poconos to the Kalahari Resort, the site of the 2022 PCA Parade.

Along the way, we were determined to enjoy nothing but local fares when it came time to dine. As we progressed, co-pilots from both vehicles would search for food options that came with great reviews and were locally known. While we were users of Yelp and TripAdvisor, we also consulted with staff at our hotels for local recommendations. None of our options disappointed us as we enjoyed a bit of Cajun at Crawfish Town, USA, to some fantastic local home cooking at The Local Goat in Alabama, along with a range of other great and tasty venues.

On our way, we couldn't help but make one other stop – The Hershey Chocolate Factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Dave and Debbie had visited there a number of years before. However, I had no idea what to expect. It is a bit of a challenge to describe, as it is an entire city dedicated to the world of chocolate. We took some time and visited the museum and toured the process of creating some of the most well-known delicacies in the world. I'll again reiterate that the entire town is dedicated to the world of chocolate. Even the tops of the streetlamps through many portions of town are shaped like a Hershey's Kiss. From there, we departed for our final destination – the Kalahari Resort and Parade.

WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ERIC SMITH

ABOUT PARADE

If you have never been to a Parade before, it is an event that is hard to imagine as a Porsche enthusiast. Hosted at a resort, it is a full week of competitive events, banquets, seminars, local drives, tours, and of course, many, many Porsches. There is an event or a track for everyone, including a broad range of activities for kids. If seeing local attractions, enjoying a bit of wine tasting, and enjoying some self-guided driving excursions are your thing, there are a wealth of options at Parade. Perhaps you have a bit of a competitive bent. If so, there are the Concours, autocross, Time Distance Speed rally and Gimmick rally. Regardless of the events you participate in during the day, most evenings bring a happy hour and a banquet providing you an opportunity to both meet new friends and share your day's experiences. Most importantly, the entire event is run by volunteers. Volunteering at events or even the PCA Parade store is one of the more enjoyable parts of Parade, as you get to meet so many great people from all over, all with the same passion for PCA and Porsche.

THE EVENTS

We arrived at the Kalahari Resort, checked in, and went right to the car wash station to get 1,700 miles of road grime off as the first step in preparing for the Concours on Monday morning. While Parade officially did not start until Sunday morning, many competing in the Concours had arrived as early as Thursday night to begin the detailing ritual. While you have to be very focused on all of the details to get your own car prepared, you can't help but take a break and wander around to take in some of the most incredible Porsche vehicles, all assembled in one location. The level of painstaking work that is put into preparation is impressive. One of the more impressive vehicles there was presented by LSRPCA members Robert and Susie Schneider. They had just completed the restoration of a beautiful 1965 356C and took the opportunity to compete – and took 2nd place in their class! Concours is always something we have enjoyed, and this year at Parade, we competed our 2018 991.2 GTS Convertible. Our class was pretty competitive (as they all are), and while we didn't fare as well in the judging as the Schneider's, we learned a number of things to prepare us for the next Concours event. As the pictures indicate, there was a broad range of Porsche vehicles, from some of the rarest to wildly colorful, rally-inspired and off-road-focused examples to see.

The next day we enjoyed a driving tour to Jim Thorpe and a ride on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. The 56-mile drive took us through some fantastic scenery, ending up in the town of Jim Thorpe, where we boarded an open-air railcar and took a ride through the Lehigh Gorge. While we love our Porsche vehicles and the sounds they produce, there is something incredibly relaxing about riding on a train, and this tour was no exception. The scenery was incredible, and of course, it was great to enjoy it with PCA members from all parts of the country.

Our next adventure was a tour, tasting and lunch at the Mountain View Vineyard. While noted as a vineyard, it was actually much more. In addition to wine, they are also a distillery and a brewery, and as part of the tour, a wide range of tastings was available. Lunch was served and offered fantastic views of the vineyard along with some amazing weather to enjoy. We had the chance to meet a number of PCAers and created new friendships with folks from Colorado, Arizona, and Virginia.

The next day brought on the Gimmick Rally, one of the favorites of Parade. Despite some rainy, foggy weather, the team putting on the Rally did a fantastic job of taking the participants across many parts of the area and collecting clues to fill out the scoring sheet. But most importantly, we got to see the sites and get the opportunity to be exposed to areas that you might normally miss. Each stop had an activity or a clue to capture, with the focus being on the completeness of your adventure as well as scoring each event stop (who would have thought putt-putt would have been that difficult?). The Gimmick Rally took us to Big Pocono State Park, which afforded some fantastic views from the top of the mountain to the Dingman Falls area, where we enjoyed some waterfalls, and on to Shawnee Mountain Ski Resort. A wonderful day of driving and seeing the sites.

We ventured out on our own Friday and visited Bushkill Falls, a little over an hour away. It was a fantastic drive, and we spent a good portion of the day hiking through the park and enjoying the various waterfalls and the never-ending sounds of rushing water making its way through the lush landscape. While the hiking was intense, we took a number of pauses to enjoy the scenery and the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful weather.

The last major event at Parade is the Parade of Porsches. The Parade of Porsches this year took us on a roughly 24-mile, police-escorted route through the area and ended with a lap on the Pocono Raceway. I don't know if I was able to capture a total count, but there were easily 150+ cars that participated in the Parade of Porsches. An incredible site indeed to see them driving together and doing a lap on the speedway. The end of the Parade of Porsches culminated with an assembly of colorful versions of vehicles assembled for an aerial shot celebrating 70 years of Porsche clubs.

HEADING BACK TO HOUSTON

We departed on Sunday morning for our trip back to Texas. Our route back took us north through the western part of Pennsylvania and into Ohio, where we stayed the first night. On our second day, we took a side trip and stopped by the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. While a couple of German-made vehicles might have stood out a bit in the parking lot, the tour was very interesting, with a lot of history about the cars and the sinkhole that consumed a number of rare vehicles back in 2014. The museum has embraced the event, providing a lot of detail on the cause, the work done to restore a number of the Corvettes impacted by the collapse, and what they have done to prevent something like that from happening again. Overall, a stop is well worth the time should you find yourself in that part of the country. Our drive took us down through Tennessee and into Arkansas, where we spent the last night of our road trip in Little Rock. We had dinner at the Capital Hotel restaurant, across the street from where we were staying in the downtown area of Little Rock, capping off a fantastic trip. In the morning, we departed Little Rock, landing in the Houston area in the early afternoon. J

THE NEXT PARADE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

PCA Parade is a Porsche event like no other. If you have never taken the opportunity to go, I would highly encourage you to attend at least one. If you are like us, attend one, and you will be hooked. Parade 2022 was our third, with each unique not only in location but also in theme, with the PCA national committee putting on an incredibly well-planned and coordinated event. The events are fun, and the cars are special, as are the people. Parade 2023 will be in Palm Springs, and it is sure to be a pleasure. Make your plans now, as registration will open in January. And if you plan to go, let's talk about pairing it with an epic road trip with some Lone Star Region PCA friends!

V SPORTS CAR V V

Want to combine one of the top one-make racing series in the world with one of the world's most famous racetracks and add trackside activities for the whole family into a three-day festival? Then the Porsche Sports Car Together Fest held at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway is where you needed to be over Labor Day weekend. The second annual marque event for Porsche brought together some of the manufacturer's latest models, exciting racing, live artwork displays, classic restoration challenge, HPDE laps and parade laps for Porsche Club of America members to drive their own vehicles on track, and the world's largest gathering of Porsche GT cars. Oh, and seeing 4-four time NASCAR Cup Champion and 24 Hours of Daytona winner Jeff Gordon come out of retirement to race in his new Porsche GT3 Cup car was also a special mark to the weekend.

The three-day Porsche motorsports and culture festival is open to the public (tickets are required) and not limited to just Porsche owners, making it a great event for anyone from the serious racing fan to those just considering getting into Porsche ownership. The Sportscar Together Fest celebrates what the brand offers not only in terms of product but also in ownership experiences, brand history, motorsport, and of course, the largest

single marque car club in the world, the Porsche Club of America (PCA). While the event is organized by Porsche, the PCA did have an integral presence at the festival, with the Porscheplatz tent manned by PCA volunteers and PCA National Executive Director Vu Nguyen on hand. This was the area for PCA club members to gather before parade laps, kids to enjoy remote control cars and face-painting, and special autograph sessions by Porsche drivers (more on that later).

Naturally, there was a Porsche owners' parking corral and a separate, more exclusive Porsche GT model owners' paddock for those fortunate to drive the more racing-derived variants in Porsche's lineup. With this year being the 50th anniversary of the legendary Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7, the homologation special was built to allow Porsche to race the 911 in the FIA Group 4 GT/Special Sport Car class in the 1970s. The GT paddock was filled with an incredible assortment of Porsche track-focused models paying tribute to the original Porsche model to wear the RS (Rennsport, or "racing sport") designation.

Some of the rare Porsche cars seen here, spanning several generations, included a 996 GT3 RS with the blue accents on a white paint scheme, a 997.1 GT3 RS in the rare RS Green, a 997.2

TOGETHERNESS

GT3 RS in blue with silver graphics, to a multitude of 991 series GT3 and RS cars, a 991 Speedster, along with a Carrera GT and a pair of 918 Spyders.

Demonstrating that Porsche sports cars are meant to be driven, Nick Kwan road-tripped over 3,500 miles one way from Vancouver, Canada, in his black 918 Spyder. The hybrid hypercars were on prime display at the GT paddock, just outside the Porscheplatz tent, along with a great example of the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 in green. Although the GT owners' paddock and Porsche displays had several examples of the new 992 generation GT3 car, sadly, the latest 992 GT3 RS was nowhere to be found at the Porsche festival, having just completed a major global showing at the Monterey Car Week in California.

The main Porsche Zentrum display is where fans and current customers could check out some of the latest special edition models, see available accessories and optional equipment, shop for Porsche merchandise, and learn about other Porsche programs and facilities such as the Porsche Experience Centers in Los Angeles and Atlanta. The limited edition (1250 being made) Porsche Heritage Design 992 Sport Classic was the ambassador for Porsche's Exclusive Manufaktur customization program. It was

BESZTERDA

great seeing all the design details, such as the retro gauge styling and wood trim interior, up close.

As the festival did center around the sporting nature of Porsche, another very special and rare model displayed the optional track-focused modifications of the Manthey Performance Kit for the 992 gen 911 GT3 available through Porsche Tequipment. If you follow Nurburgring lap times, you may already know Manthey-Racing is responsible for producing record-holding Porsche lap times in the form of the 911 GT2 RS MR. Founded in 1996 by Olaf Manthey, the company has been a leader in performance cars for road and race use and has been responsible for running GT works competition for Porsche Motorsport since 2013, with Porsche owning 51% of Manthey. The Performance Kit for the 992 GT3 consists of a larger front spoiler and side flaps for enhanced downforce, a lightweight wheelset reducing unsprung mass by 16.09 lbs, a wider rear wing in carbon fiber with enlarged end plates, brake system enhancements including optional track pads, four-way adjustable oil over suspension system, appearance items such as Manthey door sills and graphics, and my personal favorite carbon fiber aero discs over the rear wheels.

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEX

At the time of the festival, this was the only 992 GT3 with the Manthey Performance Kit, which is available through Porsche dealers and maintains the full factory warranty.

Fans of older and air-cooled Porsches were not left out, with the Zentrum display hall also hosting the finals of the second annual Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge. Pitting over 60 dealerships across the country to restore vehicles using the Porsche Classic Genuine Parts catalog, the Sportscar Together Fest showcased three regional finalists and six additional classic restoration competitors vying for People's Choice. With months of work spent on every detail of the car and touting a final check ride from legend racing driver Hurley Haywood, the 1989 911 Turbo Type 930 of Champion Porsche beat out the 1996 911 Carrera 4S Type 993 from Porsche Exchange and 1982 911 SC G-Model from Porsche Palm Springs. The national People's Choice award went to the 1982 911 SC G-Model of Porsche Louisville, with fan support garnered by the super chill canine Porsche ambassador Simon (Great Pyrenees dog of Service Manager – Stephen Almond and wife Christy). You can Sports Car Together with your furry family too, of course.

One other car that stood out to me here was the 1993 911 RS America Type 964 prepared by the 2021 Restoration Challenge winner Porsche Ontario (California). This 964 was used as a track car and came from Ontario, Canada, with 127,314 miles. The team at Porsche Ontario took the opportunity to make several upgrades with components from the European version 964 Carrera RS (engine and transmission mountings, lightweight flywheel and clutch assembly, lightweight aluminum hood, short shift kit, adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars, RS Suspension wishbones and bushes, RS washer bottle and RS strut brace to name a few). Combined with the complete paint respray, interior refinement of Maritime Blue stitching accents and matching tachometer with the RS America model script gave this classic a fresh look with performance and handling worthy of the RS badge.

The main attraction at Sports Car Together Fest was, of course, the racing and the 14-turn road course layout at the hallowed Indianapolis Motor Speedway stayed busy from Friday through Sunday. With three distinct racing series holding practice, qualifying, and racing sessions interspersed with the PCA parade laps and Advance Solo Only HPDE track sessions, you could watch Porsche sports and racing cars nearly non-stop every day. The Porsche Sprint Challenge North America (PSCNA), itself consisting of three classes, and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America (PCCNA) were the racing series featured over the weekend. The Sprint Challenge is broken up into the Cayman GT4 Clubsport, 991 GT3 Cup, and 992 GT3 Cup classes, with the Cayman cars competing separately from the PCSNA GT3 Cup cars (both the 991/992 GT3 Cup cars are on track together during GT3 Cup races). The Sprint Challenge is the first step on the Porsche Motorsports pyramid and is intended as a step between club racing and the Carrera Cup North America. The Carrera Cup NA pits competitors in identical Porsche 992 generation GT3 Cup cars, with driver skill being the sole differentiator, making for close, exciting racing action.

The level of access throughout the Indianapolis Motor Speedway facilities was incredible, with fans able to see the teams working in the Paddock garages, walk the grid before races, access premium grandstands near the famed Pagoda and masterclass info sessions with some of the teams. At the 911 GT3 Cup car walkaround session, the Team Principal of JDX Racing, Jeremy Dale, described how closely related the race car is to the road car, with the engines virtually identical but the transmission being a purpose-built racing gearbox. There is very little that teams can adjust on the 992 GT3 Cup cars, which are purchased by qualified racing customers from Porsche Motorsport North America at the cost of around $315,000 (the carbon fiber steering wheel alone is $12,000). Pro Canadian driver of the No.9 JDX Racing team car, Parker Thompson, was the fastest in Carrera Cup qualifying on Friday and went on to win Carrera Cup Race 1 of the weekend on Saturday. However,

as is often the case in racing, fortunes can easily change from day to day, and Parker was knocked out of Race 2, with Texas native Riley Dickinson from New Braunfels taking the Sunday win with the No. 53 Kelly-Moss Road and Race/Racing for Children's team cars. While Parker Thompson went on to win the 2022 PCCNA Pro Class championship with the final season race at Road Atlanta, Riley Dickinson was a threat in every race since the series began in 2021, so keep an eye on both these young racers as they are sure to move up the Porsche Motorsport ranks.

And what of NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon coming out of retirement and partnering with former crew chief Ray Evernham to race a Porsche at Indianapolis over the weekend? While visiting the Thermal Club race track in California, Gordon test-drove a friend's Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car and immediately wanted one to use for track days. One of the stipulations in owning a GT3 Cup car was that it has to be raced in the one-make series, so naturally, Jeff chose the famed Brickyard and the Sports Car Together Fest to make his temporary return to racing. Gordon finished 22nd on Saturday and 16th on Sunday out of a field of 33 cars but surely had fun testing his new amid of field of tight competitors. While at the PCA autograph session with Pro Porsche racer and Safari 911 builder Leh Keen, Gordon and Evernham were welcomed with honorary membership in the Porsche Club of America.

What more could you expect to pack into such an action-filled three days? There was an E-sports racing tournament, a multiday mural painting by famed motorsport artist Bill Patterson, unique Porsche x Pretty Cool ice cream flavors such as Frozen Berry Metallic, and if you still felt the "need for speed," an evening viewing of Top Gun: Maverick on the Pagoda big screen. A final highlight of the festival was a pretty epic sight at the famous "Racing Capital of the World" on Sunday; as part of the tribute to Porsche's GT cars, 115 of the various GT models produced were lined up for a group photo to commemorate the occasion. Ranging from 996 GT3s, Cayman GT4s, 997 and 991 generation GT3 RS, 918 Spyders, Carrera GT, to the latest 992 gen GT3, and near the front of the pack, the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 without which we may not have the successful brand allowing us to Sports Car Together.

In conjunction with the Sports Car Together Fest at Indianapolis, numerous Porsche dealerships across the country held smaller local Sports Car Together gatherings. Porsche River Oaks and Garage Ultimate of Friendswood hosted a Sports Car Together Fest on September 11th with tasty beverages and delicious bites for local Porsche owners and LSRPCA club members to enjoy while sharing stories of this brand we have such a passion for. Thank you to all the Porsche Club of America volunteers that make such national and local events possible and to our local club sponsors.J

I know you may have heard folks say that Texas wine is in a class all by itself. But keep reading as there is more to the story, and I think you'll be surprised and even like the wine.

First, I want to extend a BIG thank you to Fredna and Gary Manney for organizing our Porsche driving tour to the Kiepersol Winery, located in the piney woods near Tyler, Texas. Notably, this is their fourth annual tour to Kiepersol, and I'm already looking forward to next year's tour. There were thirteen cars registered for this event, and our starting point was the ubiquitous Buc-ee's off Highway 290 in Waller.

We departed around 8:15 AM with Fredna and Gary leading the way in their stunning all-black Cayman S. Their route took us on multiple twisted ribbons of asphalt and through small towns to our first stop, the Lone Star Olive Ranch near Madisonville, Texas. This remarkable enterprise is owned and operated by two tenacious ladies: Christine and Cathy. Their website tells us that: "From 2005 until February of 2021, Lone Star Olive Ranch was not only successful, it became a business enterprise recognized and respected among peers and consumers in Texas and across the United States for its products, services, expertise, values, and integrity."

Sadly, the freeze of 2021 killed virtually all their 14,000 olive trees. However, they have replanted and have purchased and pressed olives from others in an effort to continue to make Lone Star Olive products. They also use their equipment to press olives for other growers and have an olive-growing consulting business. During our stop at the Olive Ranch, we were treated to olive oil candied bacon skewers, olive oil infused chocolate fudge cake and various seasoned olive oils. All these olive products and oils were available for tasting, and my wife and I were impressed to the extent that we bought four bottles of olive oil—two roasted garlic and two Italian medleys seasoned.

With our appetites now wetted, we drove into Madisonville for lunch at TX Burger. Our trip through town just happened to coincide with their annual mushroom festival, and I bet many of the folks that saw our procession of thirteen Porsches thought we were somehow part of the festival. I would never have associated Madisonville with mushrooms, but reportedly they grow a variety of mushrooms there and produce some 28 million pounds of white mushrooms each year. It's no wonder that Madisonville has a mushroom festival each year!

WRITTEN BY: J. CURTISS

PHOTOS BY: IVAN HRISTOV, ED FINNER, KANDACE HEIMER

From Madisonville, our string of Porsches snaked their way to the Kiepersol winery near Tyler, Texas. This is actually an estate winery, which means their wine is comprised of grapes grown only on their property. Reportedly, this is the only estate winery in Texas. Kiepersol has so many fascinating qualities that I don't know where to start, and I also don't have the space in this article to cover them all, so the following is super abbreviated. The winery was started by an extraordinary man, Pierre de Wet, from South Africa, who immigrated to the United States in 1988 with his two young daughters, Marnelle and Velmay, clinging to each pant leg. Pierre didn't know how to speak English, but he knew how to grow things and was hired by various farmers to help grow and harvest their crops. In short order, his exceptional knowledge of growth translated into substantial wealth. After comfortable savings had been accumulated, Pierre and his oldest daughter, Marnelle, collaborated on establishing a winery. Marnelle actually spent a year or so as an apprentice at a winery in California. As Marnelle gained knowledge of the wine-making business, she would submit notes and sketches of the California winery to Pierre back in the Piney woods of Tyler, and he would execute the ideas into reality. Soon a winery coupled with a bed and breakfast facility and restaurant emerged and was named Kiepersol

after a tree in South Africa. The origin of the name Kiepersol is intriguing, and I encourage you to read about it and the Kiepersol story at: Kiepersol.com. In addition to wine, they have expanded to making spirits, including Bourbon, Rum, Vodka, Gin and Tequila.

Our Porsche group engaged in a private tour of the winemaking facilities, and our tour guide provided an overview of the fascinating history behind the origins and ongoing operations of Kiepersol. We were also served samples of their various wines and bourbon. I'm not a bourbon drinker, but after the tasting session, we purchased a bottle of bourbon along with a bottle of Syrah.

Dinner that night was scrumptious, entailing four courses that were expertly paired with wines and spirits. After dinner, we merely walked to our bedroom suites conveniently located on campus—no driving in the dark! The next morning Debbie and I were treated to Kiepersol Eggs Benedict, a variation on the traditional eggs benedict, with breakfast potatoes and filet mignon. After our delicious breakfast, we decided to cap off this sensational tour with a drive on a portion of the historic Camino Real or King's Highway on our way home in Katy, Texas. We already look forward to next year's Kiepersol tour and hope you will join us! J

LET'S GOAD

GET OUT & DRIVE

Back in 2015, I came across an article in Men's Health Magazine titled "The Most Important Thing You Can Do This Weekend Is Take a Long Drive by Yourself." After reading the article, I realized why my Sunday morning backroads drives in my 1999 Porsche Boxster manual were so important! These solo drives with no phone calls, work appointments, deadlines, rules, or just hitting the backroads with only a breakfast or lunch destination in mind was my therapy. The complete solitude of just driving, shifting the gears, listening to music, navigating the turns, managing the curves, and just being present was

both meditative and energizing. Although I truly enjoyed the complete solitude of going solo, there was always the desire and interest to share this same experience with others, perhaps introducing more enthusiasts to the pure joy of just Get Out And Drive. As a result, the GOAD was born. Driver and car safety is priority #1. Routes are pre-driven several times before the event, the route is shared with other drivers using the CaliMoto App, 2-way radios are used, if necessary, we will have several lead drivers and groups, there is no passing other participants, and nobody gets left behind.

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF GALLOWAY

We are blessed with an incredible PCA team; the Lonestar Region Porsche Club of America provides events and activities for every type of car and driver, from beginner to veteran. Over the years, I have always enjoyed meeting other Porsche owners at the GTG events, Concurs, social events and destination drives, but I felt like our club was missing organized drives that could be done locally, maybe take 3 hours, typically 125 – 150 miles total and include a social component such as breakfast, lunch, and destination stops along the way. At first, the GOAD drives were just a small group of local Katy Porsche buddies, usually around 6-8 of us and would leave from the Starbucks at LaCenterra here in Katy. I personally took ownership of organizing the events, mapping out the routes (no highways), and pre-driving the routes to ensure safety and familiarization to make the drives professional in nature.

GOAD events ranged from routes to and from Newman's Bakery in Bellville for Breakfast, Coopers BBQ in College Station for Lunch, Chappell Hill Bakery for breakfast, Washington on the Brazos State Park, and San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site. After a short period of time and posting pictures and maps of our events on the LSRPCA FaceBook page, word spread quickly. Most comments included "how can I be invited to the next event," "please include me on your list," "I am new to town and have been looking for backroads routes," and "how did I miss this?" "I did not see this on

the LSRPCA calendar." The interest and passion to just Get Out and Drive was awesome, and I knew it was time to finally attempt an "Open Invitation" on the LSRPCA website, but as my good friend Alberto said to me, "be careful what you wish for." The first Open Invite GOAD was back in June, with around 35 cars meeting in Fulshear at the Middle School, all makes and models, and an incredibly diverse group of drivers. From there, the true GOAD event took shape and grew. Our most recent event, on Monday, September 5th, Labor Day, was what I call the Chappell Hill Breakfast Run, and it had over 50 cars. For this event, we met at Buc-ee's on 290. We drove backroads through Whitehall, Navasota, the Texas Independence Trail through Washington, GTG stop at Washington on the Brazos, then through Whitman to Chappell Hill, where we had breakfast at the Chappell Hill Bakery & Deli, ultimately finishing back at Buc-ee's.

The 1999 Porsche Boxster is long gone, and now my 2014 Racing Yellow Cayman S leads the way, but the joy and passion have not changed. The old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is so true and can be seen in so many of the pictures members take and share from our GOAD events. No phone calls, no work appointments, no deadlines, no rules, just old friends and new friends hitting the backroads to share in the camaraderie, joy, blessing, and peace of driving these beautiful cars. It's The Journey, Not The Destination. J

CAR CONTROL SCHOOL

I have read many stories about what made us want a Porsche and the first experience of seeing, driving and owning our dream car. My father's colleague had a Guards Red 911 in the early '80s that made me really understand the magic, but I have yearned for the Boxster-mainly due to the idea of cruising up the Sea to Sky highway (Vancouver to Whistler), but that's another story. So instead, I wanted to share what was my first PCA event experience. When I was a younger driver, whenever I got the chance, I would have fun and push the car I had to its limit on back roads and snow-covered parking lots, doing my best to emulate TV show driving slides and spins (Fall Guy, Rockford Files, etc.), definitely not as well executed, but boy was it fun! What was different this time was I had a car that could be pushed much harder,

with the intent to find the limit (safely) with a large group of equally enthusiastic PCA members. The Houston weather forecast indicated it was going to be hot, very hot, and very sunny. Not ideal conditions for a long day driving in a 2007 Boxster convertible, but I was more than excited to get out the door early. I had signed up for the PCA skid control day course held at the Houston Police Department training facility, along with my friend AJ, and I fully expected it to be a great day.

The collection of cars would have made the cut at any Coffee and Cars Saturday Porsche event; 911- GTs, daily drivers, pure track Turbos, Panameras, Caymans, Macans, Cayenne and more. If you have never felt car envy, this type of event might change that.

WRITTEN BY: SEBASTIAN DENISON & PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY LSRPCA FB PAGE

One of the instructors asked if we were nervous, and I figured this was as good a time to be honest, indicated I was because when you take your car to the limit, things can go wrong. The instructors chuckled and mentioned it was good to see one honest answer and then divided us into groups for our training stations. I should mention the track cars were the instructors' cars, so I knew the experience would be intense, but what I was not expecting was to have every instructor make you feel safe, welcome and very quickly relaxed while learning to push your car. I was also blown away that the same instructors were fully inclusive of all the different rides there. Every car they seemed to know how to get the most out of it, from a brand new Ford Bronco Sport to my Boxster, to a Corvette and then back to a pure track car; they made every driver proud of their machine.

There were different track stations that we moved through, practicing shuffle steering and proper visual cues, a soap and water skid pad (that does not get boring ever), braking and steering and a short lap course to put it all together. I don't think I got over 50 miles per hour for the entire day, but it felt as though I was pushing the envelope of what the car could do very quickly. But what I also found out was just how much performance is in Porsche. These cars are designed with this intent, to be driven, to be enjoyed, and with a pure grin of excitement, all the while performing flawlessly what you ask of them. That moment you first remember your reason for wanting a Porsche comes to life, not just owning, but being able to fully enjoy and drive the hell out of your car! This is an event for every driver to learn and have so much fun and also to discover what Porsche intended for these machines. This was a great day, and I can't wait for the next PCA event. J

I DON'T THINK I GOT OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, BUT IT FELT AS THOUGH I WAS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE OF WHAT THE CAR COULD DO VERY QUICKLY.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEREK ROBINS

CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

DIVISION 3 911 & 912 (1965 TO 1973)

1 ST Sascha Trummer 1966 912 177.1

DIVISION 4 911 & 912 (1974 TO 1989)

1 ST Eric Lipper 1987 930 179.5

2 ND Mike Van Sicklen 1987 911 178.9

3 RD Reynaldo Matos 1979 930 175.6

DIVISION 5 964 & 993 (1989 TO 1998)

1 ST Claudio Duran 1990 964 180

2 ND Ivan Hristov 1994 964 179.8

3 RD Nicolas Garcia 1996 964 178.4

DIVISION 6 996 & 997 (1999 T O 2012)

1 ST Jim Mullins 2007 997 179.7 Interior Tie Breaker

2 ND Kevin Harwerth 2006 997 179.7

3 RD Tom Bauer 1999 996 179.6 Exterior Tie Breaker

Derek Robins 2004 996 179.6

DIVISION 7 991 (2012 ON)

1 ST Rodrigo Nascimento 2022 911 180

2 ND Jorge Machnizh 2015 Carrera 4 GTS 179.8

3 RD Suja Yusuf 2014 Carrera 4S 178.9

DIVISION 8 924, 944, 968, AND 928 (1977 TO 1995)

1 ST Michael Barrow 1984 944S 179.3

DIVISION 9 BOXSTER & AMP; CAYMAN (1997 TO 2012)

1 ST Robb Wilcox 2004 Boxster S 176.5

DIVISION 12 LIMITED PRODUCTION

1 ST Harley Tuble 2007 997 GT3RS 178.2

DIVISION 13 MODIFIED

1 ST Hector Martinez 2006 Carrera S 178.5

JUDGE’S CHOICE AWARD

Rodrigo Nascimento 2022 911 Green Tiebreaker

Claidio Duran 1990 911 Red

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Eric Lipper 1987 930 Red

EVENT SPONSORS – THANK YOU!

King’s Bierhaus www.kingsbierhaus.com

European Auto Techniks https://www.etechniks.com

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