Lone Star Magazine - Issue 8

PHOTO: @ GHOST STUDIOS

ISSUE 8

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF LONE STAR REGION : PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA

PROTECT EVERYTHING. CERAMIC COATING | PAINT PROTECTION FILM | WINDOW TINT TO FIND YOUR LONE STAR REGIONAL FACTORY TRAINED INSTALLER CONTACT 1-713-373-3546 OR EPETREE@XPEL.COM

W I N D O W

©2020 XPEL, Inc. All rights reserved.

T I N T

THE OFFICIAL &

C E R A M I C

C O A T I N G

2 0 2 0

O F

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

04

CONTENTS

PHOTO: OLIVIER CATHERINE

LSRPCA MEMBER SHARES HIS STORY

14 : SIM RACING EQUIPMENT

03 : DIRECTORY 2020 LSRPCA Board and Sponsors

Doug Atkinson/Lone Star Region

04 : MY PASSION FOR PORSCHE

18 : BLUE BONNET TOUR 2

Olivier Catherine Shares His Story

08 : FUN TOUR

LSRPCA Weekend

Thru Sam Houston Forest &

20 : XPEL

Chennault Flight Academy

A Winning Combination

12 : A 968 JOURNEY

24 : LSRPCA CALENDAR

David Bonds

Upcoming Events & Tours

101

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

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Greetings, 2021 has been a year for the ages and it's looking brighter every day.

The club has a number of exciting plans and activities coming up starting with a Night at the Museum 2021 and two Astros baseball games!

Please check your email or clubregistration.net for updated dates and times for these events.

Later this year we have Autocross with Jim

LONE STAR:

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF LSRPCA MEMBERS lsrpca.com Facebook.com/groups/lsrpca Instagram @lsr.pca

Publisher/Editor VIK DAY editor@lsrpca.com

Hendrick--he's currently doing a fantastic job and his numbers are going

Art Director/Designer

up; the High Performance Driving Event (HPDE) is scheduled for July 17th-

REBECCA CASHWELL

18th and October 9th-10th--our own Andy Cao will be driving; and Car

Production Manager

Control School (CCS) with David Dilulus will teach skills that apply to both everyday driving and spirited driving. Now that Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted, please check clubregistration.net for the next in-car instruction.

Great drivers and their routes have been a pinnacle part of the Porsche

LYNAE BRYANT

Sponsorships / Advertising VIK DAY LUIS ESCORCIA editor@lsrpca.com

Front Cover Photography

tours and there are a number of touring updates from Nicole and Edwin

GHOST STUDIOS

Goldman: upcoming tours include the Bluebonnet tour, the Piney Woods of

Contributing Photographers

East Texas & Jefferson TX tour, the 4th of July Parade Round Top and the San Antonio Mission Tours.

Thank you to our chair Tom Roy for the Concours d'Elegance event at the Kemah Boardwalk, it was a great event with over 55 events and more than 150 cars! Another big thank you to Stan Tripp for the Get Togethers (GTG), what a joy to see everyone and their vehicles: remember "it's not

GHOST STUDIOS OLIVIER CATHERINE DAVID BONDS NICOLE GOLDMAN DAVID LEUNG JASON STANLEY CLAUS NEILSEN CHRIS PAIZ KEN TUBMAN XPEL

Contributing Writers

the cars, it's the people."

OLIVIER CATHERINE NICOLE GOLDMAN DOUG ATKINSON ERIC PETREE DAVID BONDS XPEL

Please join me in welcoming our new chairpersons: Louis Escorcia, Member at Large Carlos Guevera, Club Race Chair Davin Baxter, Secretary Remember to submit any stories or outings you wish to share with LSRPCA Magazine to Vik Day at editor@lsrpca.com, we would love to hear from you!

Thank you all for your continued support and best wishes to all.

Hector Z. Martinez, LSRPCA President

2 02

We want your submissions!

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

PHOTO: DAVID LEUNG

HECTOR Z. MARTINEZ PRESIDENT

DIRECTORY

PHOTO: ??????

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

THOMAS ROY CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE

PAM FITZGERALD SOCIAL EVENTS

president@lsrpca.com

concours@lsrpca.com

activities@lsrpca.com

ALASTAIR DONALD VICE PRESIDENT

ANDY CAO DRIVERS EDUCATION [DE]

NICOLE GOLDMAN STORE

vp@lsrpca.com

de@lsrpca.com

DAVID BAXTER SECRETARY

PHILIPPE OBERTI DE-CHIEF INSTRUCTOR

secretary@lsrpca.com

cdi@lsrpca.com

ROB VAN LANDINGHAM TREASURER

REYNALDO PAGAN DE-REGISTRAR

store@lsrpca.com

2020 LONE STAR MAGAZINE SPONSORS

treasurer@lsrpca.com

registrar@lsrpca.com

XPEL IFC

LOUIS ESCORCIA MEMBER AT LARGE

SEAN LLOYD SAFETY CHAIR

NEW HOME DUDE

memberatlarge@lsrpca.com

safety@lsrpca.com

JIM HEDDERICK AUTOCROSS

DAVID DIULUS CAR CONTROL SCHOOL

ax@lsrpca.com

ccs@lsrpca.com

CARLOS GUEVERA PCA CLUB RACING

STAN TRIPP GET TOGETHERS

P. 05

GULF COAST AUTO SHIELD P. 11 GARAGES OF TEXAS

P. 19

FORMULA GARAGE

P. 21

clubrace@lsrpca.com

gtg@lsrpca.com

THE GARAGISTI

P. 21

TRACE ENGLAND COMMUNICATIONS

LYNN FRIEDMAN HISTORIAN

PORSCHE CLUB

P. 22

ULTIMATE MANCAVE

IBC

EUROCAR WERK

OBC

comms@lsrpca.com

VIK DAY EDITOR

editor@lsrpca.com

historian@lsrpca.com

STAN TRIPP MEMBERSHIP

membership@lsrpca.com

3 03

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : M Y PAS S I O N FO R P O R S C H E ]

my passion for

porsche WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY: OLIVIER CATHERINE

Like many, I got to discover and appreciate the Porsche

was absolutely blown. It was 1984, and Porsche dominated the

brand with my Dad. However, he did not have a Porsche and

race with the private Joest Porsche 956 driven by Pescarolo

was driving a Citroën GS! I grew up in France and was very

and Ludwig. I did not know at the time, but the race was

lucky to live in a town named Angers, located only about 65

boycotted by the official Porsche team. Anyway, I remember

miles from Le Mans. So, at eight years old, I went for the first

vividly that the crowd invaded the racetrack at the end of the

time with my Dad to watch the famous 24-hour race, and I

race, the safety around the track was not what it is today!

404

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : M Y PAS S I O N FO R P O R S C H E ]

It was absolutely crazy, and I remember touching the filthy winning car with my hand as it was surrounded by the crowd.

My dad was so worried I would burn my hand.

Today, I have the 1/48 scale Joest Porsche 956 model with that famous yellow and black livery sitting on my desk!

I moved to Boston from France in 2004 and worked as a research engineer, and later moved to Texas. I bought my first Porsche, a new Macan S in Houston in 2016. It was a great and fun daily driver, but I always wanted a 911 at some point. I took the Porsche Driving School at Barber in Birmingham, AL and that was a first revelation. But it is really during an impromptu visit of Luftgekühlt 4 in Los Angeles that I fell in love with the aircooled madness. I was absolutely “done” gravitating around the 911 and I was ready! Back home, I decided to sell the Macan, found an alternative daily driver and started

searching

for

the

perfect aircooled 911. Well, it was not as easy as it sounds, and I almost bought two “bad cars” and thankfully walked away from the deals after pre-purchase inspections. My friends really helped: in fact, I bought my 1988 Carrera from someone who became a really good friend. For sure, I feel that I jumped into a

I feel that I jumped into a community of ultra-passionate enthusiasts and this is one of my favorite aspects of this experience.

community of ultra-passionate enthusiasts and this is one of my favorite aspects of this experience.

This feeling has been reinforced as I participated for the first time to the 2020 Hill Country Rallye. This event was an absolute blast: combining amazing cars and great people taking over the Y.O. Ranch Hotel in Kerrville, with the incredible drives on the Hill Country back roads and Ranch roads. The car got dirty and abused a little, but also has shown how perfect it is for this type of driving: I am still so impressed by how much grip this car has and how fast it can corner! This event was also the occasion to have fun with the camera – Porsche cars are truly inspirational when it comes to photography and I rarely drive without my camera!

06

J

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : M Y PAS S I O N FO R P O R S C H E ]

7 07

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : SA M H O U STO N TO U R ]

FUN TOUR

It’s not about the destination but the journey.

On Sunday morning, February 28, a big crowd of Porsche owners gathered together at the Buc cees in Waller to sign waivers and attend the Drivers Meeting for an exciting Lone Star PCA Road Trip through South East Texas.

WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY: NICOLE GOLDMAN

08

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : SA M H O U STO N TO U R ]

THROUGH SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL FOREST & VISIT TO THE CHENNAULT FLIGHT ACADEMY IN CONROE

PHOTO: NICOLE GOLDMAN

For Edwin Goldman, Lone Star Region PCA Tour Chair,

undeniable beautiful cars to find out what South East Texas has

“Safety” is very important and he shares with the attendees that

to offer. Texas is one of the best places for road trips, it size and

the safe trips are always the best trips.

diversity provide so many options. There is probably nothing more American than packing up your car and hitting the open road.

The group of 30 Porsches was ready to climb in their

09

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : SA M H O U STO N TO U R ]

In the good old days, farm-to-market (FM) roads were made so farmers could get crops to the county seat without having to drive the tractor. When some FMs were paved, farmers didn’t want concrete mucking up their patches of land. The result was roads built between those patches, with straight sections connected by a sharp 90-degree turn.

We drove some of the best spirited roads that morning that lead us right to

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE CARS BUT THE PEOPLE.

‘Yankee’s Tavern’ in Carlos, well known

evidence of human occupation dating back 12,000 years.

From Montgomery, we drove to Conroe North to visit the Chennault Aviation Academy at the Conroe North Houston Regional Airport. The Chennault Aviation Academy (CAA) is a full-service flight training academy, carrying on the legacy of Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault and the American Volunteer Group, knowing as the Flying Tigers.

We were allowed to park our cars on

from the popular TV series The Texas Bucket List. Honoring

the tarmac in front of the Academy. The view of 30 undeniable

social distancing Yankee’s Tavern had a nice open outdoor space

beautiful Porsches lined up on the tarmac of the Conroe North

available for us for a real Texas BBQ lunch.

Houston Regional Airport was extraordinary.

After lunch, we turned eastwards to drive the back roads

With the Road Trip coming to an end everybody went

through Sam Houston National Forest to Montgomery.

home with an experience that becomes a memory, and from my

The Sam Houston National Forest, one of four National

own experience, some of my best memories come from road

Forests in Texas, is located 50 miles north of Houston. The forest

trips. You get to see so much in a short amount of time, and

contains 163, 037 acres between Huntsville, Conroe, Cleveland

there’s always something unexpected happening that you get to

and Richards, Texas.

laugh at later on.

With land in Montgomery, Walker, and San Jacinto counties,

A big “Thank You” to Edwin Goldman, LSR PCA Tour Chair

the Sam Houston National Forest is intermingled with privately

and his helper Ed Fenner, who made this Road Trip an amazing

owned timber lands and small farms.

experience.

The three counties that contain the Sam Houston National

Marselles Avery did a great job of assisting everybody to get

Forest - Montgomery, San Jacinto, and Walker - have yielded

lined up in the Buc-ees parking lot at the start of our trip.

10

J

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : SA M H O U STO N TO U R ]

PROTECT YOUR PAINT PROTECTION FILM CERAMIC COATING WINDOW TINT BUILT-IN RADAR & LASER DEFENSE SOLUTIONS

INVESTMENT

GCAUTOSHIELD.COM | 832-930-5655

11

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : A 968 J O U R N E Y ]

968 A 968 JOURNEY WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY: DAVID BONDS

I’ve always been a “car guy”, and as a teenager in the 80s, one

I did have a few friends and coworkers (and perhaps even my

of my favorites was the 1989 Porsche 928 S4. While I hoped to

wife once or twice) joke a bit about my Cayenne being my “mid-

own a Porsche someday, it was out of reach for me at that time. I

life crisis SUV”, but one wise friend pointed out that my Cayenne

did have a friend with a 914 and have fond memories of us having

couldn’t truly be a “mid-life crisis” car as it had 4 doors. I took

fun with that car. As I aged into my 20s and 30s I progressed thru

this as a personal challenge and started looking more into the

a series of Ford Taurus SHOs – a 1989 and then a 1995 model -

928 I had wanted so many years ago. My research on the 928

both manuals, with rather exotic engines (compared to everything

led me into looking at the other “transaxle” models Porsche

else Ford offered), both bought several years used. I felt each of

offered in the 80s-90s, and I fell in love with the looks of the

those cars had much more “personality” than anything I had driven

968 when I first discovered it. With the 968 only having been

to that point. I also became involved in the “SHO community” and

sold over the 1992-1995 years and with only 1,811 6-speed

learned to enjoy my passion for those cars with others – both

coupes coming to North America during the entire production

online and by going to several national conventions.

run, I knew I would have a hard time finding one.

At the

After many

conventions I was able to participate in HPDE events at Road

months of research, getting involved in online forums specific to

Atlanta and Mid-Ohio, as well as the opportunity to participate

that model, and watching online sites, I finally located a 1992

in "a parade lap" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – When

968 coupe being sold in Mississippi that met my criteria (coupe,

Ford exited that market (high horsepower sedans with manual

manual transmission, decent records and in decent running/

transmissions), I bought my first “new” car, a 2004 Infiniti G35,

cosmetic shape). After some negotiation with the seller, I drove

with a 6-speed manual.

my wife’s truck there, did a test drive/inspection, rented a car

While that car was nice (with more

power than the SHOs and RWD), it lacked the “personality” of

trailer, and trailered that 968 back home.

my previous SHOs.

After that car, I went back to Ford, with

year and a half ago, and I still smile every time I drive it. As I plan

first a 2010 and then a 2014 Taurus SHO which had significantly

to keep this car for quite a while, I’ve done quite a bit of catch-

more power and AWD as well. While great highway cruisers, I

up maintenance (some myself, some via local shops) – owning a

wanted something different, and my mind (after all those years)

nearly 30-year-old car certainly presents plenty of opportunities

came back to my desire for a Porsche.

in that space.

At that point (in my late 40s) I had a family and was attending

That was roughly a

My 1992 968 was produced only a few years

after I started driving, and it certainly has the “analog” feel you

kids sporting events, hauling pets and everything else that life

cannot find in today’s more modern cars.

throws at you to prevent one from having “a sports car”. I solved

relative rarity and nostalgic feel of the car and at the same time

this dilemma by searching for several months until I found a used

feel the styling has aged very gracefully over the years. People

2016 Cayenne S - Moonlight Blue Metallic over a Saddle Brown

who don’t know the model (which is nearly everyone outside

interior, and after a quick test drive, traded in my 2014 SHO. That

the Porsche community) are often interested in the story behind

Cayenne is my “daily driver” today – it served a dual role as my

the 968 as many are familiar with the much more common 944s,

“family hauler” while also introducing me into the Porsche world.

but seldom have heard of, much less seen, a 968. I hope to

The Cayenne has been a great car for the three years I’ve had it,

keep my example running for many years to come, both to enjoy

and introduced me into PCA as well as LSRPCA, which felt much

myself and to share the history behind the Porsche transaxle

like the community I’d been part of years ago with the SHOs.

evolution with others.

12

J

I enjoy both the

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : A 968 J O U R N E Y ]

My 1992, 968 was produced only a few years after I started driving, and it certainly has the “analog” feel you cannot find in today’s more modern cars.

13

P H OTO: JA SON STA N L E Y

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : S I M RAC I N G ]

SIM racing

INTRODUCTION Just as you need tools and equipment in PCA Club Racing, so do you in PCA Sim Racing.

Broken down to a few basic categories, you'll need:

equipment

1. Sim racing software

2. A desktop or laptop PC

3. Sim racing controllers

4. An Internet wired connection (Ethernet)

5. A computer monitor

6. Headset with microphone

7. A place to race

LET'S DELVE INTO EACH OF THESE IN DETAIL:

BY DOUG ATKINSON, LONE STAR REGION

14

LAP 1/8 7.1 -9.4 SOFTWARE At the current time, PCA Sim Racing uses the iRacing service for

Beyond the sim racing software, you will also need to download and install Discord.

all of our events. iRacing has an annual subscription fee and beyond the basic

Discord is a communications package the integrates a traditional message board,

starter set of several cars and race tracks, each additional car and track must be

live voice-based chatting, and video stream and playback formats.

purchased.

Discord is what PCA Sim Racing uses for its day-to-day communications, and there

While the pay-as-you-go approach can be controversial, significant benefits offset

is an entire section on our Discord server dedicated to hardware and software

most concerns. iRacing offers several entry levels and the starter package provides

discussion among members. Our page on installing Discord is here.

multiple tracks for road racing such as Laguna Seca, Summit Point, Lime Rock Park,

PC COMPUTER Depending on what computer you already have at home, you may

Oulton Park, Oran Park, Okayama, and Daytona, and Charlotte rovals.

If you just aren't into the idea of running iRacing right now, I suggest Assetto Corsa

or may not need to buy a new computer for sim racing. An easy way to check

with the Porsche car packs. It can be purchased on the website Steam. Steam is

is to run the iRacing system requirements software. That will tell you how close

free to download and can be found here. The page for Assetto Corsa is here. Note

your current machine is to get on the sim track. Many people already have a

the significant number of Porsches that you can drive with Assetto Corsa! From

computer that will work just fine with iRacing!

the 356 to the 917, and many 911 and 930 variants in between.

Should you need to buy a new computer, your options are an x86-based Intel

The sim racing website Race Department has a multitude of free tracks and cars

or AMD processor desktop (tower) system or a gaming laptop. Yes, Mac lovers,

for Assetto Corsa. There is a multiplayer component to Assetto Corsa. I suggest

you can run iRacing with Bootcamp, but there are varying degrees of success

Champion Motorsports if you want to pursue online racing in Assetto Corsa or its

reported. Proceed with caution as to your expected success especially with

sister title, Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Apple's reported future stance regarding Bootcamp.

15

P H OTO: CL AU S N I E L SE N

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : S I M RAC I N G ]

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : S I M RAC I N G ]

PH OTO : K E N TU BM A N

PHOTO: CH R I S PA I Z .

P H OTO: JA SON STA N L E Y

PCs, again like real-world racing, can vary greatly in cost. Expect to spend $1500

there is a local computer shop that sells refurbished systems, check them over. But

for a "decent" computer, not including the sim racing controllers, monitor, or iRacing

buyer beware.

software. You can go lower in price, but not by much. Going too low will not provide you with enough computing power to get a good experience. You'll struggle to get

BOUTIQUE BUYING Last desktop suggestion, go to a small "boutique" system integrator.

smooth driving and less than a desirable number of cars and details viewable.

Typically, great personal service. Usually, top-quality components. But you pay for the

If you build computers for fun (raising my hand!) or for profit, you can build a more

hand-holding. If you're interested in going this route, contact me on Discord and I'll

robust computer for $1500 than you can buy from a hardware supplier.

offer a few names of companies for you to contact.

If you want to buy a pre-built computer, you have several options currently available. All options have benefits and some drawbacks. Let's go through some options available.

LAPTOP If you want to go laptop, be prepared to pay more for less than you will get on a desktop, but the flexibility and maneuverability may make it worth pursuing. That's

GAMING COMPUTER COMPANIES Purchase from one of the gaming computer

not to say that current gaming laptops are bad. They are usually good, but just not as

companies. These companies cater to the computer gaming community and can offer

powerful especially graphics-wise as a desktop system for the same price.

premium components not offered by mainstream companies. Most of the mainstream

Two suggestions. Check the Asus ROG product line and the MSI gaming laptops.

companies offer subsidiaries that sell gaming computers.

Gaming computer companies tend to have huge sales periodically and you can get

CONTROLLERS Besides the obvious mouse and keyboard, you will need a

quite a deal on a machine, but don't trip over the sizzle. There's lots of RGB flash at

sim racing steering wheel and pedals. The same point again as made earlier. You can

some of the sites to look past that rivals a Las Vegas casino slot machine area.

spend a nominal amount on controllers or a lot on controllers. First, I suggest you take

Here's a good article on the 9 Best Custom PC Builders of 2021.

a few minutes and look at the Sim Racing Paddock video primer on controllers.

Make sure you check with a friend who knows computers or post in our Discord area

Now that you have a good idea of what is out there, find the price point that works

to get other members' feedback on your selection. The YouTube computer technical

best for you. You can purchase sim racing controllers directly from the manufacturers

channel LinusTechTips recently ran a couple of very interesting 4-part series called

or Best Buy, Amazon, etc. Pricing can vary considerably for the same unit among

Secret Shopper 1 and Secret Shopper 2. Take the time and look at them.

different resellers, so shop wisely.

As a reference point, and not to scare anyone off (!), but look at the Sim Racing Garage

A FRIENDLY BUILD That friend mentioned earlier in the discussion above may be your

YouTube channel which caters to typically "higher end" sim racing controllers. The

best bet to build a computer. Some people actually like doing it (raising my hand again)

technology is there and depending on your wallet, really desirable! Just like we know

and consider it fun. Have them put together a system specifications list from PC Parts

real Porsche racing is!

Picker. Depending on their knowledge, and your trust in them (!) they may be your best bet to build a computer. If you have an interest, ask them to supervise as you build it.

INTERNET Very important that you have a hard-wired connection from your computer

If that makes you queasy, take the parts list to a Micro Center (and we have one in Houston on South Rice!) and ask their in-house build service to do it.

to your modem/router. Sorry, wifi is not acceptable for PCA Sim Racing events.

While they suffer from the same malady regarding video cards as the rest of business,

that most people have moved on from it due to the convenience and popularity of wifi.

Everyone has a CAT 5 or CAT 6 cable connection on their modem or router. It's just Time to go back to it if you plan to do sim racing. If your modem/router is at the other

they are the only local store that offers everything to build your computer, and their in-

end of the house, get a longer cable and connect it when you're online racing, then

store pricing can be dramatically lower that anywhere else and even better than online.

roll it back up when you're done.

I am a big fan of Micro Center. No, I am not affiliated with them in any way but I have spent an embarrassingly large amount of money in their Houston store.

MONITOR

If you enjoy building a computer, their DIY area is “droolable”.

You need at least one 24" or larger monitor. Preferably with specifications

of 2560 pixels x 1440 pixels resolution, a 144 MHz refresh rate, and 1 ms response

BUY USED Okay, you know that Carrera listing that looks just too good to be true, then

time. Even if you use a virtual reality headset, you'll need at least one good monitor.

you investigate it and find out its nasty accident history? Same thing here. You may

While HDMI is acceptable, DisplayPort is the preferred connection for best quality.

do just fine, or you may get a piece of junk. Again, look in our Discord section and if

Most modern computers and laptops provide both as do most monitors. Alternately,

16

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : S I M RAC I N G ]

Thunderbolt 3 can be used.

Some racers prefer to use their large television or use 3 monitors for a wraparound

If the office desk/chair works, great! If not, don't do that to yourself!

effect, or one monitor with a VR headset. Start with one good monitor and expand from that. I use a 3440 x 1440 monitor as my primary and a second monitor to the left for Discord, notes, and other references. Again, our Discord server has a lot of racers setups and discussion on what has worked and hasn't worked for them.

HEADSET

COCKPITS

Welcome to where it gets interesting in a sim racing environment.

Presuming you have a corner of the world you can do a permanent setup, and you're sure you want to stick with sim racing, a cockpit is one of the first things to consider.

Like the person who gets their first garage door opener, you never knew what you

Gaming headsets, like gaming computers, can be a mashup of great

were missing till you got it. Yeah, the cynics will tout you with comments like, "you

technology, flashing lights, and overpriced products. I am partial to JBL, Poly

wearing your helmet in that?", just consider them "unenlightened" and move on.

(formerly Plantronics), and Sennheiser gaming headsets.

Sim racing cockpits vary in price (as said before!) but you do not have to spend a lot

I have had such nasty luck with Bluetooth (I hate Bluetooth. Okay, I said it.) that I

of money to get a good entry-level cockpit. One of

stay far away from it. My current JBL Quantum 600 headset is perfect for me – soon

my favorites is the Obutto oZone for around $400.

as I turned off the cheesy RGB lighting effects.

It has been around for a decade and the technology

If you go wired, you have the option of a USB or an audio jack. Arguments for both,

is dated, but it is solid and very durable.

but I prefer USB.

A visit to Sim Racing Garage's YouTube Channel will show you several reviews of variously priced cockpits.

A PLACE TO RACE No, I'm not trying to be funny saying you need someplace to park your carcass when you drive. I'll qualify. You need someplace a. comfortable, b. away

MOTION COCKPITS

from others so you can concentrate, c. where you and the computer have enough

Two things about motion cockpits. They are more

room, and d. has the right amount of lighting.

immersive and more pricey. Both, real quickly.

That may be the favorite lounge chair or couch with a wheel stand, office desk/

Seeing is believing and only those with serious sim

chair, cockpit, or motion cockpit, but someplace that you can set up repeatedly and

racing passion need apply. A small system attached

continuously, or better yet, go to where it is ready for you.

to an existing cockpit can be a few thousand

After negotiating where your spot is in the home, decide what you want. Let's look

dollars. An extended system can be in the 25-30

at each of these.

thousand dollar price range. And like everything

The above with hydraulics.

else, a lot of pricing in between the low and

WHEEL STANDS

You have a favorite spot across from the big television. You want

to sit there and race. Look at wheel stands. What you want is one that is heavy enough it doesn't move when you go through Parabolica at Monza, nor one that isn't portable when it's time to quit racing.

high end. A visit to Sim Racing Garage's YouTube Channel will show you several reviews of variously priced motion cockpits.

Wheel stands are great for starting sim racing but they tend to be a very interim

FINAL COMMENTS

product. You will either progress to something more permanent if the sim racing bug

to mention the 800 lb gorilla. Like other forms of

hits, or get sold off if the sim racing bug doesn't.

technology and various marketplaces right now,

Pricing, like everything else in sim racing, can vary considerably.

PC gaming is heavily impacted by the current

Read the product reviews and if you see "moves around" it's best for you to move

world situation. There are a lot of factors involved

along. A tip. There may be single-pole wheel stands that don't wobble like a flag pole in 30 mph winds, but I've never seen one. Here's a YouTube link to various wheel stand videos to give you an idea of the marketplace.

OFFICE DESK / CHAIR

The obvious place to race from, but not necessarily the

best place to race from.

If you get up every 30-minutes from your current home desk, how will you do at the next 45-minute race with +10-minute warm-up and cool-down periods? Is it still comfortable? What works doing a spreadsheet edit with the mouse doesn't necessarily work with high-pressure racing pedals and tension-centering sim wheels.

Is the chair moving around when you go hard into a braking corner?

Does the lip of the desktop allow the steering wheelbase to connect and not move around?

Does the height of the desk allow for the same height and arm position as

In closing the article, I need

besides a worldwide pandemic that is impacting the pricing and availability of computers and computer components, especially video cards.

Bluntly, the current situation is dismal, especially regarding video card availability.

Some products you may have to wait for, or they may be in stock, or they may be in stock for a few minutes. Literally. My general advice is, think about what you want, and when you see it,

FROM CHRIS RAMIREZ I recently got back into sim racing after 10 years. I started building my current setup pretty slowly. I picked up the CSL Elite+ and the CSL Load Cell pedals first.

I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to get into sim racing as much as I have. I got pretty frustrated attaching and removing the wheel from my desk so I bought a GT Omega wheel stand.

I was happy with it for maybe a week and realized I wanted a better setup. I bought the seat attachment to turn the wheelstand into a “full” racing cockpit.

I ended up getting a basic racing seat from Summit Racing and had to modify the rails to attach it properly. Once I was there I figured why not and bought a Rift S from another league member and finished off mysetup with the revised Mclaren GT3 wheel.

go for it. It may not be there when you go back to the store or refresh the webpage.

Your best interim solution is to try and use what you currently have. Alternately, build a new machine and use your existing video card until you can locate a new card. Or buy a pre-built desktop or a gaming laptop. Be aware

your real Porsche?

those markets are having significant backlogs in ordering too. Avoid paying scalpers

One of the fastest ways to become discouraged with sim racing is to expect

on eBay and elsewhere. You can get video cards but they can go for as much as 3-4

yourself to operate in an uncomfortable environment. I've known several racers

times (yes, that much more) the original suggested manufacturer's retail price (MSRP).

over the years who will spend a lot of money on their system and controllers only

Feel free to contact me on our PCA Sim Racing Discord server or at PCA.org about

to sit down at a punishing table and near-crippling chair.

any of the contents in this article. Let's get you on (the) track! J

17

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : B LU E B O N N E T TO U R 2 ]

Early Saturday morning, April 10, at the Buc-ee's on the NE corner of US 20 & FM 362 in Waller, an incredible collection of fabulous Porsche's gathered for an exciting road trip to see the Texas Bluebonnets bloom along the roads of the eastern edge of Texas Hill Country.

The entire trip was about 6 hours of entertainment, an exhilarating driving experience. There is always something new to discover and explore on the road in the Lone Star State. Covering more than 268.000 square miles of pine forests, sandy coastlines, grassy plains, spring-fedrivers, and rugged desserts makes Texas the ultimate road-tripping state.

The wildflowers were blooming and not too many, but we saw some fields of Blue Bonnets.

After crossing the Brazos River, we passed Washington-on-the-Brazos Historic Site. Revered as the site of the Signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836. Washington-on-the-Brazos remained a town of some prominence in early Texas until the Civil War. If you ever go to Independence, you must stop at the Independence General Store. The town was our first stop to eat, drink and meet some local folks. Without a doubt, this is the social center of the community, and they have the best burgers around. One mile down the road, we stopped in the old Baylor Park at Windmill Hill. The Columns in the Old Baylor Park in Independence identifies where Baylor (Female College Campus) University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the State of Texas

BLUE BONNET TOUR

2 WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY: NICOLE GOLDMAN

18

and the largest Baptist University in the world, opened its doors in 1846.

We left the Park and turned right on our way to Peeka Ranch. Tucked away in the rolling Hills of Burton, TX, Peeka Ranch is just 65 miles Northwest of Houston, Texas, with 60 acres of hay meadows, oak trees, and 100 Alpaca. While our group enjoyed feeding the Alpaca, the best thing was the lineup of more than 40 Fabulous

Exclusive Porsches.

The photo can only show you a glimpse of the experience of being surrounded by all these great cars.

Driving through Little New Ulm, we arrived at the Bellville Meat Market, family-owned since 1981. Through hard work, the full-service meat market has grown into a proudly run business today specializing in smoked meats like sausage, jerky, dry sausage, and much more yummy!

We were sad that the day had come to an end, but sadder still that we had to say goodbye to our Porsche friends.

Our next LSRPCA Tour will be to Saledo on May 22 & 23, and this is a shopping trip! These LSR PCA Tours are all in the spirit of friendly, good fellowship. Thanks to Andrea McMillen, who had put this trip together with the help of Edwin Goldman, LSR PCA Tour Chair, and Ed Fenner.

A "Big Thank You" for these fantastic volunteers! They did an outstanding job of keeping everybody safe and together while having fun See you on the next Road Trip in May!

J

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : B LU E B O N N E T TO U R 2 ]

PHOTO CAPTIONS: Edwin Goldman, LSR PCA Tour Chair, leading Group 1 in his wife's 2015 White Boxster GTS his tail was Rob and Kathy Van Landingham in their 2010 Atlas Grey 911 Carrera S. Andrea McMillen and her dear friend Ginny, leading Group 2 in her 2013 Silver 911 S Cabriolet her tail was Jake McConnell in his 1990 Red Carrera C4 Ed Fenner, Leading Group 3 in his 2018 Red Cayman and his tail was Roman Korpus in his 2008 Blue 911 Turbo.

Your Porsche belongs here OWN YOUR DREAM GARAGE CONDO AND ALWAYS HAVE ROOM TO GROW YOUR COLLECTION. LOCATED IN FRIENDSWOOD RESERVE YOUR GARAGE TODAY AT GARAGEULTIMATE.COM

19

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : X P E L ]

XPEL

PAINT PROTECTION FILM & CERAMIC COATING A WINNING COMBINATION

P H OTO: XP EL

bug guts, and more. Not to mention that it makes cleaning off track rubber,

Paint protection film and ceramic coating are popular solutions to protecting

road debris and environmental contaminants much easier.

a vehicle's exterior paint from the wear and tear of public roads, highways, and days at the track. The two products work well on their own in preserving

Further, ceramic coatings are for customers who want some basic protection

and protecting a vehicle's appearance, but also work well together.

along with increased shine, gloss, depth of color, and great hydrophobic and self-cleaning properties. Paint protection film is for the customers who want

When considering an investment in ceramic coating or paint protection

actual protection against rock chips and scratches.

film, it’s important to understand the differences between the two so you can make an educated decision. The first thing to know is that the two

What is most common is to install paint protection film on the high impact

products are not comparable and thus not a true comparison to one another.

areas of your vehicle (typically this is the full front end, a-pillars, roofline, Paint protection film provides a urethane layer of protection against rock

backs of mirrors, and rocker panels). And then to ceramic coat everything

chips and scratches. Ceramic coatings, even when cured, are microns thick

including the PPF that way you get the best of both worlds. The protection

and not engineered to stop rock chips. That said, it is an excellent product

from the PPF and the ease of maintenance and enhanced appearance of

for protection against environmental contaminates such as bird droppings,

the coating.

For more information about XPEL ULTIMATE PLUS paint protection film or FUSION PLUS ceramic coatings, go to XPEL.COM. For your Lone Star regional factory trained installer contact Eric Petree at 713-373-3546 or epetree@xpel.com.

XPEL is the official window tint and ceramic coating sponsor of PCA Club Racing.

20

THE GARAGISTI IS A NEW CONCEPT IN EUROPEAN CAR REPAIR: CARE FOR THE CUSTOMER AS MUCH AS WE CARE FOR YOUR CAR.

3-year warranty, OEM parts, dealer-trained technicians, and a drive to deliver a professional and courteous customer experience from phone call to pick-up.

10608 HEMPSTEAD R D. HOUSTON, TX, 77092 832 737 8206 THEGAR AGISTI.COM

21

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : 3 C P O ' S ]

Want to stay up-to-date on all the latest PCA and Porsche news?

Subscribe to the club’s weekly email newsletter, e-Brake News, which includes news articles, exclusive stories, and video from all over the internet. e-Brake News has a bit of everything, from tech to road tests to motorsports — and you don’t have to be a PCA member to subscribe! Every Tuesday evening, e-Brake will have the latest on PCA National events and club programs and entertaining, informative content.

SIGN UP TODAY AND VIEW PAST EDITIONS: pca.org/e-brake-news

22

[ 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

MONTHLY GET TOGETHERS GTG

PORSCHE NORTH HOUSTON CONCOURS D' ELEGANCE

Please visit the calendar on LSRPCA for weekly GTG locations throughout Houston.

Location: 13911 North Freeway, Houston, TX Date: Saturday June 12, 2021

[HPDE] HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER’S EDUCATION

Name: 2021 LSR AX #6 Location: Grandsport Speedway Date: June 20, 2021 Registration Open

Location: MSR Houston Dates: July 17, 2021 8:00 am - July 18, 2021 5:00 pm *Advanced Solo Drivers Only

PHOTO: OLIVIER CATHERINE

[AX] AUTO CROSS

24

YOUR PASSION IS OUR PROFESSION

PORSCHE-SPECIFIC SERVICE, RESTORATIONS AND PARTS SERVICING VINTAGE AND CURRENT MODELS 832.755.67 74 • 1102 OLI VE R S T. H OUS TON , T X 7 7007 • E IN ARS GARAGE .COM