HCR: Friends, Driving Skill, and a Little Bit of Luck Win the Day

by Chris Chilton photos by author & Paul Moseley

If you are an air-cooled Porsche enthusiast in Texas, chances are you’ve heard of the Hill Country Rallye. It’s an annual three-day meet-up where people from all walks of life, from any number of states and countries, all converge on a small Texas town with one shared purpose: to drive the wheels off their Porsches.

Last week, after servicing, I got the thumbs-up from my Porsche shop, so Thursday morning, I left Fort Worth to meet a group of DFW drivers heading down to Kerrville.

On the road, we stopped in Hamilton for lunch. We rolled into the parking lot single file, went inside, and then made plans for the rest of the day: one group would tour Martin Bros. Customs in Johnson City, while the other group would head to a brewery in Fredericksburg.

From the restaurant, in kind of a slow motion rendition of a Le Mans start, we all got into our cars and fired them up. All except mine started. My engine cranked, but wouldn’t fire. Not to dampen the group’s enthusiasm and feigning confidence, I told them it was okay to go and that I would catch up later.

After an hour of solitude, I finally got underway –whew! Instead of chasing the group to Martin Bros., as originally planned, I decided a beer would be best and headed for the brewery.

We got to Kerrville that evening, picked up our event packets, and had time to meet and get to know other Rallye participants.

Friday morning came early with texts from Paul Moseley discussing routes for the day. By 9:30 am we’re off. The day’s route took us north on a series of technical drives through winding ranch roads past Enchanted Rock, Llano, and to Marble Falls for lunch before heading south. After lunch, all cars started except mine. Heat inside the engine compartment was preventing the fuel pump from kicking on. Enter my heroes: Christian Guest and Tom and Justin Keller. They quickly diagnosed the problem and found a solution. Hats off to these guys!

Top to bottom: Whether you are planning the days route, or swapping stories at the end of the day; sometimes it’s easy and other times it isn’t. Either way a good beer and friends make it all memorable. So pick up the phone, call up some like-minded friends and get out there. The Hill Country is a great destination for your Porsche, air-cooled or not. There are so many things to see and do, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Saturday started much like Friday, however instead of driving in a large group, Raul Pena, Marc Mansell, Ajai and Mary Cadambi and I struck out for the Three Sisters. Those roads stole the show! Three hours of non- stop rollercoaster hills, switchbacks, and incredible scenic views. They’re a must for any car enthusiast.

Saturday night’s banquet didn’t disappoint, either. What a great way to end the event by meeting new people, comparing stories, and making plans on returning next year.

Understanding that the Hill Country Rallye isn’t a PCA-sanctioned event, it was, however, the Maverick Region members who really made it memorable.

You wouldn’t leave your Porsche in the care of anyone but a certified service technician. Shouldn’t your financial portfolio receive similar qualified attention?

Anyone can call themselves a financial planner. Only a select group can display the CFP® certification. Call Clark Randall at 214-890-4098 today for a complimentary financial evaluation.