Horizontally Opposed - September/October 2014

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Editor, First Settlers Region Porsche Club of America 2581 Eagles Lake Road Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Presort STD U.S. Postage PAID Norfolk, VA Permit #508

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2014

UPCOMING EVENTS!

Be sure to check our website www.fsrpca.org for more details as well as updates on all of these exciting events.

September 6

Williamsburg Area Breakfast

Victoria’s - Williamsburg Crossing

September 6

Western Region New Member Social

Steve Sarfaty’s house in Goochland

September 13

Eastern Area Breakfast

Pop’s Diner - Chesapeake

September 13

Central Area Breakfast

Silver Diner - Glen Allen

September 14

Classics on the Green Car Show

New Kent Winery

September 20-22

FSR Drivers Education

Virginia International Raceway - Alton, VA

October 4

Fun Run

Weeping Radish - Currituck

October 11

Open Board Meeting

Sal’s Restaurant - Williamsburg

October 18

5th Annual Air & Auto Car Show

Virginia Beach Military Aviation Museum - Pungo

October 25

Shenandoah Region Fall Foliage Tour

Charlottesville & Blue Ridge Mountain area

November 1

Williamsburg Area Breakfast

Victoria’s - Williamsburg Crossing

November 8

Eastern Area Breakfast

Pop’s Diner - Chesapeake

November 8

Central Area Breakfast

Silver Diner - Glen Allen

November 22

Turkey’s-in-the-Trunk

Checkered Flag Porsche - Virginia Beach

Be sure to check the website for the most up-to-date event information at

http://www.fsrpca.org/events.

Join us on the First Settlers Region Group! In addition to our award winning website, the Facebook Group is a great way to share photos and comments and stay connected with the club.

The Photographs you see in this issue of Horizontally Opposed: Photos published in Horizontally Opposed are the sole property of the photographer/submitter.

They have been offered for publication in Horizontally Opposed only and may not be reproduced without the express permission of the photographer/submitter.

Bobby Smith driving to another fastest time of the day. Background provided by USS Theodore Rooseveldt.

Photo courtesty of Cliff Palmer, Tidewater Sports Car Club

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Š2014 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of all traffic laws at all times.

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 3

From the President George Michaels FSR Friends, What a great summer... if we can call it that. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to get your Porsche(s) out and enjoy them.

n

As you’ll read in this issue, our 19 July Time, Speed, Distance Rally and lunch was a well attended and much enjoyed event.

Many thanks to the Bobbitts for designing the route, the Tyers for hosting at their beautiful home on the river and, of course, to our Activities officer, Bret Jacobson, for bringing it all together. Congrats to all the winners. For those of you who didn’t make it to the FantomWorks tour, you missed an interesting and informative event. Their show’s next season had just been shot, so many of the projects from those episodes were at the shop and are now being aired on the Velocity Channel. We’ll have to schedule another tour next year. $MBTT m"n $POUSBDUPS -JDFOTFE $POUSBDUPS "

After a short respite in August, we were back at it in September for the Central Area version of our New Member Meet and greet on the 6th, club tent at Classics on the Green in New Kent on the 14th and our Fall Driver education event at VIR 20-22nd. We’ll have write-ups on these events in our next issue. october brings a fun run to the Weeping Radish in Currituck, NC on the 4th and our lunch and open Board Meeting, again at Sal’s in Williamsburg on the 11th, which will replace All other breakfasts for october. We’ll close out the month with our 5th annual Air & Auto Classic charity car show on the 18th.

We’ll need volunteers to make it happen, so please sign up on MotorsportReg if you’re interested.

In the last issue, I explained the proposed By-laws update and emailed a link to the document for your review. We have since received inputs from membership and have made some adjustments. The link to this revised draft was in my last few emails, so I ask that you take a look so you can make an informed vote in october at Sal’s.

I’ll make another pitch for our upcoming elections. If you’re interested in serving your club as an officer or Committee Chair, please let any board member know. If you have any questions or would like more information about a particular position, feel free to contact me or the incumbent. We’re always in need of new blood on the Board to bring fresh ideas and keep the rest of us from burning out.

See you at the next event!

Happy Motoring, $MBTT m"n $POUSBDUPS -JDFOTFE $POUSBDUPS "

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2014 Board Members Elected Officers

EUROPEAN & DOMESTIC CAR SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE

President George Michaels 757-689-8483 wham66@yahoo.com

Activities Officer Bret Jacobson 757-871-4734 jacobson.bret@gmail.com

Central Vice-President Steve Sarfaty 804-241-6549 steve.sarfaty@hamiltonbeach.com

Secretary & Archivist Matt Nelson 757-270-0452 mnelson22@gmail.com

Eastern Vice-President Jason Horner 757-676-3335 jhorner3420@charter.net

Treasurer Alex Bell 757-472-9567 bella@wbrinsurance.com

757-427-0742 Horizontally opposed (Ho) is the

RaceWerks is an all Service Facility for both European and Domestic Cars, Specializing in Porsche, BMW, Audi and other performance cars.

We offer: ◗ Routine Service & Repair, Including Parts ◗ APR Tuning ◗ Tech Support ◗ Mounting & Balancing ◗ Scales & Corner Balancing ◗ In-House Welding ◗ Suspension Tuning & Alighnment ◗ Performance Upgrades ◗ Much More!

official publication of First Settlers

Appointed Positions

Region (FSR), Porsche Club of

Assistant Vice President - Central Bud Syme 804-539-2595 bsyme@tecomconsultinggroup.com

Events Registrar George Michaels 757-689-8483 registrar@fsrpca.org

Assistant Vice President - Eastern John Kopp 757-270-6071 john@racewerks.net

Charity Coordinator Josie Grandfield 757-635-0184 anurse47@yahoo.com

Membership Ken Thomas 757-812-0559 kjkat@verizon.net

Webmeister Marco estrada 757-240-0063 marco.t.estrada@gmail.com

Newsletter Editor Phil Grandfield 757-635-0892 filthyf14@yahoo.com

Media & Public Relations George Michaels 757-689-8483 registrar@fsrpca.org

Drivers’ Education Paul oberdorfer 757-439-0962 paulo@air-tite.com

Chief Track Instructor Alex Bell 757-472-9567 bella@wbinsurance.com

opposed.

DE Registrar Marco estrada 757-240-0063 de@fsrpca.org marco.t.estrada@gmail.com

Tech & Safety Chris Stanley 757-412-5243 cd_stanley@yahoo.com

issues): $750 full page; $550 half-

America (PCA). All opinions, views and information appearing in the Ho are those of the author(s) and

Advisor - Zone 2 Representative

not necessarily those of PCA, FSR, its officers, or the editor. The Ho

John Kopp John@RaceWerks.net

2445 Castleton Commerce Way Virginia BEach, Virginia 23456

editor reserves the right to edit all material submitted for publication.

First Settlers needs volunteers to run the club!

Permission is granted to other PCA regions to reprint any material provided that full credit is given to

elections will be coming up in the fall with the opportunity to run for elected office or one of the appointed committee chair positions. Contact anyone of the Board members listed on page 2 to learn more about the jobs and how much fun this it is to great club.

In particular, I'm looking for a new Newsletter Editor. Please contact me if you're interested and I'll explain how it all works.

the author and to Horizontally

2014 annual advertising rates (six

page; $300 quarter page/business card. Contact the editor for more

Phil Grandfield, FSR Newsletter editor."

information.

Cheryl Taylor zone2rep@comcast.net

FSR members may place free

Our Sponsored Charities

classifieds; contact the editor for

The Foodbanks of Southeastern and Central Virginia The Boys Home of Virginia

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Dan Tiedemann Dan@RaceWerks.net

more information.

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Field Trip! Automotive FantomWorks

out 8000 horse power, yes that is 8000 and not a typo, though it will be tuned down to the 1500 range in order so that the engine will last more than just minutes. We also got to see the shop project which we were told would probably take over three years to finish since the only time they get to work on it is after all the customers work is done for the day.

First Settlers Region was once again treated to a fantastic weekend with not only perfect weather to drive our beloved Porsches and spending time with one another, but to also be treated to a tour of DRS Automotive FantomWorks or as they like to call it, “FantomWorks”, and witness the inner workings of how a complete car restoration takes place which was set up by our very own H o editor, Phil Grandfield, who unfortunately was unable to attend. 53 of our members, some coming from Great Mills, Maryland, descended upon FantomWorks which is housed in a once linen cleaning facility which was built in 1941 and covers over 52,000 square feet. once we all signed our waivers and were checked out by Heidi, the four legged security and greeter of FantomWorks, we all were transported back in time to the likes of a 1950’s Malt Shop or the customers waiting lounge where we were greeted by Daniel R. Short, owner and Restoration Project Manager.

Continuing on through the machine shop we could see the steel girders being put up to expand it to a second floor, here is where you could hear some of our members reminiscing about how they used work on some of the lathes and mills that were on display. We continued on through the motor bays area where everything from repairing and replacing brakes, transmissions, engines, carburetors was in some state of progress.

We then got to see the renovated bike shop, yes, FantomWorks even restores motorcycles along with anything else you may need restored, as we were told someone had their toilet restored. We finished up the tour in the boat shop, see I told you they do more than just cars where they are currently working on a hydro plane replica which did over 150 MPH on the water back in the 1950’s.

Dan has over 31 years of experience in the automotive restoration field, including but not limited to certifications in Systems engineering and Program Management. Before starting FantomWorks, Dan completed

After the tour about half of the group went on a short (.7 mile) fun run to la Bella’s Italian restaurant, in Norfolk, the only reason it was any fun was because of how some members GPS’s tried to get them to the location. We were treated to our own private room where the conversations continued on about FantomWorks along with tales of the recently held rally to questions on driver’s improvement to why the stands are so empty at NASCAR events all while enjoying everything from pizza to spaghetti with meatballs the size of softballs. If you were unable to join us for this event, FantomWorks offers live on-site tours every Friday beginning at 4:30 pm. or you can just catch season 2 of FantomWorks on the velocity channel. Happy Motoring!

(Gathering in the Malt Shop at FantomWorks. Photo credit: John Kopp)

numerous restorations of American, european, and Asian muscle cars dating from the 1910′s to the early 1970′s. He also served in and retired from the US Army, where he got to do a lot of cool and dangerous things, as well as travel the world. Now with the ever growing handselected group of professionals at FantomWorks, Dan enjoys managing the overall operations. He works hard to ensure every restoration is completed with attention to detail which is second to none. Dan’s ongoing goal is to make every customer’s experience at FantomWorks, no matter how big or small, the best they have ever known in the automotive arena.

by luana Hugel

What do you get when you cross a directionally challenged, Attention Deficient Disorder woman, a military engineer, and a “Never tried this before” Porsche Club Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) rally? Well, let’s just say it’s an interesting adventure. When Mark, the engineer in this scenario, asked me if I wanted to (Cars on the lawn • Photo credit: Jim liedman) participate in the TSD Road Rally through the Middle Peninsula, I was less than enthused. I love our car. I love riding with the top down, drifting down the road and letting the right side of my brain take in all the sights as he motors along. Don’t get me wrong. I love driving the car – a lot! But being a passenger has its advantages. There’s no pressure and lots of time to ponder. But a road rally? Not so much.

We’ve been on numerous fun runs before and have had delightful experiences, but the mini-rally earlier this summer made me a little hesitant to participate… that and my remarkable ability to get lost.

Sometimes the job of navigator can be stressful if one is acting in the role of “Finder of Small Things” that are whizzing by at Hurley Haywood pace. okay, that might be an exaggeration, but the tension level in the car tends to ratchet up a notch or two when one of us is holding a list of directions in our hands, and the other one is trying to understand the ADD communication proceeding from his overwhelmed spouse’s lips.

All of this is further complicated because God did not equip me with the proper homing pigeon device in my brain. I didn’t get the right map. Mine is completely reversed. If my instinct is to turn left, I should turn right. every. Stinking. Time. It’s a handicap, I tell you. I get lost getting off of elevators! I’m so directionally challenged that DMV should let me have one of those little blue tags to hang off of my mirror because my programming is truly handicapped. If I had that sign in my window people would be more compassionate and say “oh, bless her heart” and sweet things like that, rather than get upset with me when I’ve figured out from the left hand turn lane that I really needed to turn right. I do more U-turns in a year than most people do in their lifetime. It’s difficult to be wired this way, and not all that helpful when attempting to navigate a road rally.

Needless to say, I wasn’t excited.

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Thankfully, my darling mate came up with a brilliant idea. He would navigate and I would drive. If you knew my husband, you’d find this suggestion surprising. He loves to drive and hates being a passenger, no matter who is driving. even if we are dropping off a car for service five minutes from home, I will slide out of the driver’s seat and give him the keys. He’s just happier, and a happy husband makes a happy wife. So, if he was willing to hand over the keys and ride shotgun, I needed to be willing to take the wheel.

Dan went into detail on the amount of time and costs of restoring vehicles which some of our members in attendance could attest too.

After a short question and answer session we started our tour of the facilities where we quickly learned that every inch of FantomWorks is covered in Americana and other cool things. We started off in the showroom where we got to see many of the cars that are currently being worked on and learned also that everything on display was not just on the floor, but to look up. We then moved on to the finish bays which were reminiscent of the garages of the past. Here is where they install upholstery and electronic items and also detail the cars. Next up was the prep and body area where you could still smell the resin of the freshly mixed fiber glass which was setting up on which Dan hopes is their last iteration of a top FantomWorks is perfecting for older corvettes.

We arrived at the meeting point at the Newport News Golf Course and gathered in the parking lot for the general directions. When it came time for questions and answers, I asked what I thought was a fair question.

“How do we go about making sure the end goal of the road rally is wedded bliss?”. The clever answer from Rob Callaway was, “Ride with someone else!”. Although that was a great answer, my husband’s love language is “time spent together.” So, what choice does a woman have? I took the keys, and he climbed in beside me.

We reviewed the general instructions. As a rookie, I was already overwhelmed. Included were a series of definitions that looked as though they were made up by a group of military analysts who tried to see how many letters they could stuff into an acronym, or how technical they could make an instruction sound. For instance: MBCSAP meant “May Be Considered Straight As Possible”; NSI meant “Numbered Sequential

Passing through the powder booth and finish area we were reminded again to look up or else we would miss the corvette hanging on the wall.

In the metal shop we were introduced to a car which when finished will run on nothing but nitro methane in an engine that was designed to put HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

Road Rally Treasures

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MERRY MEMORIES REALIZED: MONTEREY PORSCHE PARADE, 2014 By ed Merry Monterey California is a famous tourist area. Famous for seafood, the fabulous Pacific Coast Highway, Pebble Beach Golf Course and rich folks in big houses. It is also the home of the laguna Seca race track.

And in June 2014, home of lots of Porsches. Hundreds of them.

FIRST SETTLERS REGION

UPCOMING FALL EVENTS

owners.

Monday was Concours day. Since we had spent the past week visiting Sequoia and yosemite National Parks and lived in our Porsche, we declined to compete. They had a very good car wash area at the main hotel that Griot’s sponsored and provided supplies. I used it several times. Thanks to the sponsors! My interest was especially in the historic cars and famous race cars. I captured pictures of a leMans 917, the lowenbrau 962, a beautiful 904 GTS and a 934/5 Brumos / Peter Gregg car. one standout was a black speedster with an attendant working steadily against the dust. I took several pictures of this car. In the engine bay shot, you can see my reflection in the paint and even read my name tag. Wow.

It is also famous for fickle weather. eugene and Brenda Winston , Brenda Merry and I sat outside by the famous Fisherman’s Wharf in coats, gloves and hats for the Welcome Banquet. It is the middle of June, the fog came in off the ocean and the temperature fell to about 45 degrees. Then later that week at laguna Seca, we saw both 50s and 80’s.

But we really came for the Porsche Parade held there from 14-21 June.

So follow the week with us. We arrived Friday night, June 13th from Mammoth lakes CA. We had a wonderful trip over the Sierra Nevada mountains via yosemite National Park and checked into the Portola Inn overlooking the Monterey Bay.

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Classics on the Green Car Show New Kent - September 14th

Tuesday was the Time Speed Distance (TSD) rally. First we attended the Rally School and got a 26 page handout of rules and explanation. I should have realized then we were in over our heads. We eventually entered five of the seven control points, in spite of my getting lost three times. Very frustrating for us. eventually we gave up, got lunch and drove back to our hotel. But in fairness to myself, I had not driven a true TSD rally in decades.

Saturday was spent volunteering at the Welcome Tent handing out bags of munchies and bottled water. We enjoyed watching a steady stream of Porsches arrive at the Conference Center. A new (Always great cars to see at the Concours) Targa 4S as well as a replica of the current Wednesday and Thursday were Autocross days.

991 GT3RSR leMans Car were on display. A local dealer set up several This one was much better than the Savannah Parade in 2011, my last huge screens so arrivals could watch live streaming from leMans, the autocross I felt good driving this event. I was not the slowest and famous French 24 Hour race happening the same weekend. We liked improved my times by six seconds throughout my runs. Since really the Welcome Tent where we greeted many people we had met via the high speeds could not be achieved by anyone, agility won over power.

Cayman Registry. From First Settler’s Region, we also met eugene My class (S09) had new 991 Carreras, 997 Carrera Ss, and 996 Twin and Brenda Winston, Alex Bell and his family, as well as Andy Chisholm Turbos as well as Boxster Spyders and Cayman Rs. This group was (who rarely misses a Parade). really quite competitive but the Boxster Spyder won my class. Thanks to Andy Chisholm for taking pictures of me on the course. Then we Registration was complex as usual since there is so much to do. A ended with a wonderful seafood meal with eugene and Winston at the rookie should select just a few activities and banquets to enjoy and not Passion fish Grill in Pacific Grove. become exhausted. even with this advice, we registered for too much again. I think this was the biggest Parade ever with nearly 1300 Thursday was the Gimmick Rally. For Brenda and I. this was the best entrants. Personally, I think the large numbers overwhelmed the driving event. We entered mainly to see the region around Monterey. support a few The Gimmick Rally took us into parts of Monterey, Pacific Grove, the times and a 17 mile drive (free for us) and Carmel that most tourists would never smaller Parade visit. We took our time, enjoyed wonderful scenery and took lots of would be better. pictures.

But Monterey and a Driver’s For us, Friday was an all day tour to the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, education event CA. We met at 6 AM and started out after 6:30. We finally got back at laguna Seca home about 6 PM. Wonderful and very scenic but a long day. Near were sure San Simeon is the only wild herd of zebras in the USA. The Castle dreams for a lot and tour were spectacular. Then after lunch we drove back on the of Porsche Pacific Coast Highway. It is just as wonderful as the magazines (ed Merry competing in the autocross)

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Fun Run to The Weeping Radish in Currituck – October 4

5th Annual Air & Auto Car Show Aviation Museum, Va Beach - October 18

Shenandoah Region Fall Foliage Tour October 25

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Turkeys-in-the-Trunk Food Drive and Fun Run November 22

Continued on page 5

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 7

Name: Bobby Smith

32 years.

Where do you live?

My home has been VA Beach for the past 35 years but I grew up in Richmond.

What is your favorite personal car-related story?

It would have to be setting Fastest Time of Day at the 2008 Charlotte Parade at lowes Motor Speedway. It was my first Parade and it really meant a lot. Still does.

What do you do for a living?

I’m the bassist and band leader for my group Hotcakes but my job description is more like truck driver, sound technician, problem solver, therapist, booking agent and fixer of anything that breaks.

Do you have a favorite Porsche?

I’m a big fan of the air-cooled cars although the GT-3 never fails to put a smile on my face.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Tell us about your family.

Married to the best girl in the world (Bobbie Bullock-Smith) for 31 years and our sweet Great Dane Moxey aka Moc Moc.

Continued from page 4

Describe your perfect Porsche day.

Crossing the finish line with Top Time of Day! What is on your car-related bucket list?

I’d like to attend another Parade with my black 914.

What keeps you in PCA? After 31 years in PCA, it’s simply a way of life for me.

What other hobbies do you have besides driving your Porsche?

Music and autocrossing leaves very little time for anything else.

PCA Member since?

I joined PCA in 1983.

First Settlers Member since?

I’ve been with First Settlers since the beginning (Bobby Smith at work)

(Bobby Smith at play)

What kind of Porsche(s) do you drive?

For street use I have “orangello” a 1973 911, “lemonjello” a 996 GT-3 and “Bling” an 89 911.

NEW PCA/FSR MEMBERS Ken Thomas - Membership Chairperson

What other Porsches have you owned in the past?

Some of my former Porsches were an 89 Speedster and quite a few longhood 911’s. I miss most my 70 911S which was unfortunately sold before the early 911S market went through the roof.

What is your first Porsche memory?

I was smitten with the 914 when it was first introduced in 1970. I knew then that I just had to have one. I’ve owned my 73 914 for

Check out The First Settlers Region “Goodie Store” for some great new products!

The Goodie Store is putting together a name tag order now. Go to Motorsportreg.com to sign up for yours!

10% of all sales from the First Settlers Goodie Store are returned to us and be used to support our events.you can access the Goodie Store directly from the FSR webpage (www.fsrpca.org) by clicking on the link under the Main Menu on the left side of the home page or going directly to the FSR Goodie Store at this link: www.pcawebstore.com/FIRST SeTTleRS

Welcome to our new members and the transfers in to First Settlers Region. We hope you enjoy the people, Porsches and events.

NAME

out of 134 regions, to be recognized three times that far away speaks volumes about how good First Settler’s Region is. Marco estrada and Kathy Thomas are to be applauded for Second Place in our class for our Website. Josie Grandfield and her helpers are to be applauded for Third Place overall for Public Service. Then Andy Chisholm won second place in his class for the Tech Quiz.

The highlight was the raffle of a new Porsche.

Actually, three new Targa 4s were awarded.

Two were announced at their local dealers.

The third was the scene of high (Brenda Merry and the Pacific ocean) drama at the Victory Banquet. The winner was a couple from British Columbia. The woman sat in the driver’s seat, cranked the car up and cried. When asked, she said: “He already has his own Porsche, this one is mine.”

Michelin tires were awarded to the long distance winner, a couple all the way from Nova Scotia, Canada. Finally a trip to Germany was announced.

Saturday and Sunday were (Driving tours are always the highlight of Parade) spent at laguna Seca. It was wonderful, very challenging to drive well and very vertical.

Unlike Virginia International Raceway (VIR) with groups of turns together like the “Snake”, laguna Seca generally has a short straight after each turn. The De ended early on Saturday so the “Parade of Porsches” could do several laps of the course. Several hundred Porsches were lined up for this event; a most impressive sight.

Finally - the banquets. I think it is possible to go to a parade and simply eat your way through the week.

We attended only three banquets plus the Concours lunch and San Simeon tour lunch.

The best was the Victory Banquet where our region was recognized for our website and (Bright enough for a clear reflection!) for our charity work.

overall it was a wonderful but busy week and capped our wonderful month long Western vacation. Parade 2015 is in French lick, Indiana so the drive will be much shorter!

Drive safe. ed and Brenda Merry

PORSCHE July 2014

Jim Henderson Mark Strang Joshua Benton Jeff Noll Jaime Murillo Will Clements Helen Fotiadis Raoul Gagne

2001 911 1998 Boxster 2006 Cayman S 2005 911 2013 Cayenne S 2013 Cayenne Turbo 1949 356 1999 911 August 2014

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2014 Boxster

Robert Kesler eric Curry Neil Cohn

2012 911 S 2014 Panamera Turbo 2014 Panamera 4 TI= Transfer from another region

If you have any questions, Contact Jacob Kay at jkaycdb@cox.net.

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advertise. Plus the traffic was not as heavy as we feared.

There were lots of pullouts at scenic spots for pictures.

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MERRY MEMORIES REALIZED: Driving Laguna Seca

Continued from page 10

By ed Merry

In the Nation, we plan for the later years.

(laguna Seca track map)

one of the events that prompted Brenda and I to take a Porsche to Monterey, California for the 2014 Parade was the prospect of driving Mazda Raceway laguna Seca, the most famous track in California and one of the most famous in the country. Challenging and famous for the ‘Corkscrew,’;the signature blind downhill set of turns. Compared to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) or Road Atlanta, laguna Seca is more vertical. It also has several blind crests. The good news is that on 21-22 June, 2014 I indeed drove this famous track. My best time was 1:58. yes - I know Randy Pabst, a professional driver and tester for “Car and Driver” magazine drove the same track in a Cayman R in 1:41.6.

No excuses, even though I could think of quite a few. ok, just one excuse: I have to drive this car back across America to get home!

We plan for our future, so our loved ones don’t have to do it for us. At Nationwide, we offer long-term care options to help you financially prepare for those unexpected events down the road. This way you can spend more time with your family, and less time thinking about “what if?” We put members first because we don’t have shareholders.

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I found laguna Seca quite different from the other tracks that I have driven. For example, VIR has several turns grouped together (the Snake, Climbing esses, and the Roller Coaster). In contrast laguna Seca generally has a short straight after each corner, the exception being the Corkscrew. And laguna Seca is much more vertical. From the start of the Corkscrew to the bottom at turn 9 is drop of over 70 feet.

Since you are turning as you go down this turn, it is more intimidating to me than the turn 11 bridge at Road Atlanta.

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of pine and honeysuckle drifting on the breeze. Although we couldn’t see it, there was a sense that the river was near, confirmed by the narrowing roads and the crunch of shells under our tires. As we turned onto oyster House lane, leading to the beautiful home of Gary and Robin Tyer, any remaining anxiety about the rally slipped away. Soon our group was relaxing on the beautiful lawn overlooking the river, with refreshing beverages in our hands. We traded the day’s stories with old friends and gathered new friends like pearls, while our (Thanks to our hosts Robyn and Gary gracious hosts opened wide the door of Tyler! Photo credit: Jacob Kay) hospitality. We dined on fine fare and enjoyed the delights of their beautiful home, making me thankful once again that we had joined First Settlers Region Porsche Club. There are experiences we never would have had if we hadn’t purchased the car and participated in club events.

This one was truly memorable.

As the afternoon drew to a close, the award ceremony began and when all was said and done, Mark and I were the shocked and happy recipients of the Best Rookie Award. We were more than pleased, and will surely be tempted to (Michelle and Rob Calloway - First Place! try another TSD rally. The folks who Photo credit: Jacob Kay) developed and tested the route are the true champions. They gave the club a great opportunity to practice new skills, or hone seasoned ones, through a beautiful part of the Commonwealth. But more than that, they gave us the gift of polishing our communication skills and an opportunity to learn a little bit more about wedded bliss. Who would have imagined so much could be gleaned from a TSD Rally and Porsche Club gathering. Why don’t you join us next time? you never know what treasures you’ll find.

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laguna Seca is also part of the Monterey County Park itself with some severe noise restrictions. I found it insightful that rich folks build big houses near a race track for the prestige and then complain about the noise. By the way, the same thing is happening around Sebring in Florida. So the regular track folk install “laguna pipes” to direct any loud exhaust away from the sound station between turns 5 and 6.

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A few final points, there is no grass at laguna Seca and the wind blows sand and grit on the track. The green swatch at the exit of turn 11 is astro-turf or fake grass. Finally laguna Seca uses FIA berms or “gators” or “rumble strips”. They get progressively more rough as you drive further on the berm. My instructor insisted that the best line was to drive a full tire width over each berm. He listened for the “bruup” and shake of the car at each corner.

Now laguna Seca corner-by-corner. The front straight starts at a 40 mph hairpin, called turn 11. So we begin leaving Turn 11 squeezing on the power. I was instructed to aim for the last “A” in Mazda at the start finish bridge. Then continue on full power over a kink, called Turn 1.

This is a blind brow to set up for turn 2. Very intimidating as the car is turning at the kink and gets light as you crest the hill. It took a while for

Ronnie Adolf 25 year P.C.A. member

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(Continued on page 7)

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 9

Continued from page 3

approaching turn 8.

(Continued from page 6)

me to take this flat out.

Instructions”. And there was more. As we read the definitions, I learned there was a difference between “jog” and “bear,” which should never be confused with “look for a jogging bear.” Thankfully, that wasn’t on the list of objects to find.

Turn 8a and 8b. This is the famous Corkscrew. I needed Turn 2. over the hill, I aimed for the #2 to brake BeFoRe the 3 brake marker and braked hard as the car marker as you crest another settled going from about 115 to about 40 steep hill and the car gets light.

MPH. Turn 2 is a patience corner. Too So I would brake to about 60 wide for a hairpin and too narrow for a mph by the #3 marker and sweeper. The apex, painted red, is very, (Interesting assortment of cars) then brake again after the car very late. I found it very tempting to turn in settles to about 40 mph to enter the Corkscrew. too early and thus loose momentum on the straight between turns 2 and 3. For turn 2, the best line starts about 2/3rd to the right side of the The Corkscrew. Most drivers stayed track right and then turned in later. track and slowly, patiently close in on the apex. This technique is much I found it easier to turn in a bit earlier and drive over the berm to enter like the “Big Bend” at lime Rock. turn 8a. I would aim for the middle of three trees across the course as a reference. As soon as the car started to drop, I would immediately Turn 3. As I left turn right into turn 8b. As the car settled, feed power to set up for a left turn 2, I hand sweeper called turn 9. After several sessions, I felt I had a good accelerated, line and technique in this series of turns. aiming again for

Already feeling thankful that I wasn’t the navigator discerning these instructions, our time slot arrived and we received our route instructions.

We reviewed them briefly and headed down the road. It didn’t take long before the left brain in the passenger seat got cross-wired with the right brain in the driver’s seat, and the volume of voices raised just a tiny bit.

Undaunted, I explained that since at least 70% of communication is tone of voice, we might need to be mindful of that if we were to enjoy our day together. Both agreed and after that discussion things rolled along smoothly for a while. That was until we passed a few churches. on a road rally it’s incredibly important to make sure you understand what the instructions say and what they mean because preserving wedded bliss is the real goal. So, when the directions define a church as, “a structure directly to either side of the rally road so identified by a sign with the word church in the name” it’s important that both of you agree. If not, the first time you come upon a tabernacle, a temple, or a worship center, there is the opportunity for discord to develop. I am visually driven so if I see a building that has a cross on the top of a steeple, I tend to think that’s a church. But, my sweetheart pointed out that “church” was not in the name. Well, I hadn’t thought of that. So, how did we decide? Thankfully, Mark, a former nuclear power plant operator, follows the principle - when in doubt, follow the instructions. He appeased me by making hash marks in a separate place on the paper for all the other buildings that looked like churches, but when he filled out the score sheet he decided to leave them off, which we later learned was a good thing. As it turns out following the instructions to the letter was pretty important.

the #2 brake marker for turn 3.

I was encouraged to use the rumble strips on the right side as I exited turn 2.

(At speed at laguna Seca) Turn 3 is deceptive, it looks like a 90 degree right but is actually sharper. I would turn in beyond the #1 brake marker and do a late apex, feeding power on at the exit.

It is no joke to say this corner intimidates lots of people. yet if done right, it feels good. I would exit turn 8 accelerating to about 65 mph and the middle of the track. This sets me up for a left hand sweeper called turn 9. Again turn 9 is a patience turn.

Turn 9. This sweeper is called the “Senna Curve” and is a battle between speed and grip. There is a bit of banking here but not as much as it appears. And you build speed quickly as you drop downhill. The drop from the entrance to 8a to the apex at 9 is over 70 feet, -- taller than a three story building. I don’t think I ever got this turn exactly right.

Apart from the t u r n s themselves, the only place where passing was restricted was just before turn 8 until after the apex of turn 9. otherwise the usual point-bys were in effect.

(Really there!)

The usual track exit is on the left just beyond turn 9 so I had to watch for slowing cars about to exit. The pit exit used in races is on the left just before turn 11.

Turn 4. This left hander is the opposite. It looks like a 90 degree flat turn but in less than 90 degrees. Thus it can be taken faster than turn 3, about 70 mph. This leads onto another straight leading to turn 5.

Several times I saw over 100 mph before braking for turn 5. The course is largely flat from turn 2 through turn 5. Then it goes sharply uphill.

We meandered down the road and he gave me a series of instructions, which I promptly mixed up and made him repeat… several times. After multiple iterations of this, he eventually learned that I did better with short bits of information at a time. And after a while we fell into a routine of communication that seemed to work for us. When we passed “Witts end lane” I had to smile. I was hoping that we didn’t end up there before the day was over.

Turn 5. This is another hairpin left hander leading into the uphill section.

I had to brake back to 65-70 mph, turn in at the 1 marker and feed power. As you are now going uphill, you can feed more power than you initially think. But like several corners at laguna Seca, if you over cook the power, I was instructed to just drive off, slow down and ease back onto the course. Unlike VIR, there are nearby walls to catch off-track excursions.

There were beautiful country roads to explore, and some of them were explored more than once. At one point we were to turn right, pull over, pause for 15 seconds, then continue the route and look for our next turn. except the next turn was only about 20 yards away and we didn’t see it.

I had pulled to the side of the road to pause obediently and became flustered when another driver (who didn’t see my imaginary blue placard hanging from the mirror) shot around us. I pulled back onto the road at the prescribed time and promptly drove past the turning point, joining the parade of other drivers who had missed their turn as well. eventually it became obvious that we missed something and made a U-turn, which wasn’t a problem because I know how to do those! I’m the Mario Andretti of U-turns. It’s okay. I’ve made friends with the dysfunctional part of my directional programming and have learned to embrace the adventure.

Turn 6. This is a less than 90 degree left hander, still going uphill. on this turn, the correct apex has a dip in the track. So the car “bobbles” a bit which means you have the correct line. There is a sound station booth on the right between turns 5 and 6. Too much noise gets a black flag. Three black flags for noise (92 db) and you’re done for the day.

We motored on, checked off the list of instructions and noted as many of the required elements as we could. Mark kept meticulous records of our times and helped me make small adjustments in speed to make up for our delay. He was a wonderful navigator. We did fairly well until I pushed the wrong lever and accidentally zeroed our mileage (I really need to drive the car more often). ever patient with me, he looked at the data taken just a few minutes before and recalculated. The only glitch we had in the “tone of voice” parameter was when I moved into a turn lane when he told me to “look” for a road on the left, which I mistakenly interpreted as “turn left.”

After nearly 35 years of marriage we’ve learned a thing or two about communicating. Mostly what we’ve learned is that you never stop learning, which is a good thing.

Turn 10. Another 90 degree right hander with some banking. I would need to aim for the #1 marker as I exited turn 9, feed power and then brake a bit. I would need to brake for this turn as I built up quite a bit of speed. After turn 10 is a good place for point-bys.

Turn 11. This is a very tight hairpin. Very tight. entry speed is no more than 40 mph. As this sets up for the longest straight, turn 11 is the most important corner on the course. It is sharp and flat with walls on both sides if you get off course. There is a green astroturf swatch on the right just passed the apex. The key here is to feed throttle as soon as possible in this corner. Smooth but firm is the word.

That was one lap at laguna Seca. Wonderful track. excellent paddock and garages. Well run event by Golden Gate Region, PCA. looking back, these two days were the best of my track experiences. A superb track that I never really expected to drive. yet I did. I hope you enjoyed the description and pictures.

(Driving down the Corkscrew)

Turn 7. like turn 1, this is just a kink in the uphill drive to set up for turn 8 or the Corkscrew. As you exit turn 6 under power, all you see is a bridge across the track ahead and some trees on the left and a lot of blue sky. you want to place the car on the rumble strips at turn 7 and aim for the #3 brake marker for the Corkscrew (Turn 8). Again, I often saw near 100 mph

As our journey neared the end, the air seemed to soften with the fragrance

Drive Safe.

Continued on page 11

HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 10

24 Hours of LeMans - Porsche Mission 2014 Our Return

by Paul Bacon The last time I went to le Mans was 1998 with my dad for

Grandstand

After a couple of hours the field began to spread out as the

the rain gear we got and shelter of the restaurant, we were able

Father’s day. We were fortunate enough to watch Porsche finish

tickets, access

drivers found their own rhythm. So it was off to the Porsche

to stay mostly dry. Hunger satisfied, we returned to our

1-2 with the GT1. We had great seats that were at the last curves

to the Porsche

Curves

just before the start/finish line and not far from a big screen TV.

restaurant

at

dinner!

The experience was unforgettable and we still talk about it each

naturally,

the

Father’s day. I had remembered happening upon the Porsche

P o r s c h e

I was expecting

Hospitality tent but unable to enter without the required special

Curves,

a shuttle that

passes.

shuttle service around

Toyota were swapping leads for overall, the 919’s were just a bit back and the GT cars were doing well. I would have stayed later

and

the

grandstand seats for a while and then left for the hotel. Audi and

and

departed (Great seating looking up the front straight at leMans)

Fast forward to 2014, our daughter graduates from university.

track. The price for 3 was more like brakes and rotors for the

Her request for a graduation present is a return to France to tour

GT3, more within my budget. After a quick consultation with my

but was out voted.

We

at

arrived

r e g u l a r

back the next

intervals. When

morning to see

we arrived at

the

Audi’s

(Paul Bacon at the Porsche sponsored restaurant)

the Bordeaux wine country. The last time we were there as a

wife and daughter, who are not big race fans, we took the offer.

family, she and her brother spent most of the time with their

the

suffering

hospitality

from

area, we asked for the next departure. The intern pointed to

turbo problems

noses in a GameBoy and they were not old enough to drink,

The weather was perfect; sunny, a bit of a breeze and in the 70’s.

another intern who hopped into a brand new VW van in

and

the

even by French standards. So she wants to return to see what

We found our parking and made our way through the infield to

coordinated markings, then pulled up to take us to our

Porsche

919

she missed. As I look at the calendars, the stars align for a trip

the Porsche stand to collect our gift package. The place was

destination. There was a slight delay as another van pulled in

take the overall

to wine country and it just so happens that le Mans 2014 takes

packed! We heard that the crowd was north of 260,000 fans, a

front and Wolfgang Porsche and his family stepped out. Sadly,

lead. There was a good bit of cheering in our section. For the

place on the last weekend of our trip. Can I make it all work?

recent record. Some speculated the increased attendance was

he did not remember meeting me about 15 years ago. you know,

rest of the morning, Porsche alternated the overall lead,

due to the improving economy but I think it is more likely due to

I was the guy from the Porsche Club in America… So, we

depending on pit stops. We headed back to the restaurant for

It occurred to

Porsche’s return to le Mans. They brought a force and energy

jumped in for the more than 1 KM ride to the Porsche Curves.

lunch. I noticed members from several Porsche Clubs including

me

this

that was impressive. They had placed giant banners across

our driver was one of the many interns brought in for the event,

Spain, Poland, Germany, France, Italy and Croatia. everyone

time, perhaps

selected areas of the Grandstands emblazoned with “Mission

all in matching uniforms, badges and very helpful attitude. As

had seemed to be having a great time. As the afternoon

PCA could help

2014. our Return” and “Back Where We Belong” in both english

the van weaved through the crowd, we felt like rock stars. The

progressed, we headed back to the grandstands for the finish.

us improve our

and French. While there were no lines to get into the Ferrari,

temporary restaurant was built in classic Porsche style, better

While it was disappointing to see the 919’s broke in the last 2

access

I

Aston Martin and Toyota shops, the line to get into the Porsche

than most permanent ones you would find at the beach. Just in

hours, Porsche made a very solid performance.

placed a call to

shop was about 30 people deep, most of the weekend. The gift

case you wanted to look at a new car, an integrated display of a

package included ear plugs, backpack, hat, and Porsche shirt

new Mecan, 911 and Boxster were at the back of the restaurant.

After the race, my wife and daughter remarked that they had

and rain protection.

I looked for the keys, hoping for a test ride. No luck. Three chefs

their doubts about the weekend, but in the end, the experience

and several attendants served excellent German beer, sausages

was quite enjoyable. For me, it was a thrill the whole time.

that

so

Vu Nygen. His relay

to

his

(Porsche pits from the grandstand seats)

counterpart at Porsche AG, Benjamin Marjanac did the trick.

(The Bacon’s enjoying the action at leMan’s!)

Unfortunately the package that included lodging in the Porsche

We really enjoyed watching the 962’s compete in the “old

and fries. We were about 30 yards from the track, safely behind

Porsche appreciates our passion for their cars and they showed

Hotel, access to the track side hospitality building and shuttle

Timer’s” Race, and the Porsche Carrera Cup race on Saturday

the wall and corner workers, just in front of a giant screen TV.

it. They put an enormous amount of preparation into the race,

from a private jet to the track was sold out. Regrettably, we were

morning. our seats were in the same section as I had with my

The view was as good as from my living room, only a lot louder.

the cars, the support and their fans without sparing expense. For

not arriving by private plane and the weekend price was

Dad. Porsche had purchased several hundred seats, so we were

Just as we were finishing dinner, a sudden cloud burst soaked

le Mans, I am sure the organizers are pleased that Porsche is

commensurate with a used Boxster. Still available in very limited

surrounded by Porsche fans. The main event started without

parts of the track. We watched TV with interest as several cars

back. Thanks PCA!

availability was a package that included parking, a gift package,

incident promptly at 3 pm. The action was terrific and exciting.

around the track spun and had to be taken in for repairs. Using

HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

8

FIRST SeTTleRS ReGIoN

HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

9

FIRST SeTTleRS ReGIoN

September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 10

24 Hours of LeMans - Porsche Mission 2014 Our Return

by Paul Bacon The last time I went to le Mans was 1998 with my dad for

Grandstand

After a couple of hours the field began to spread out as the

the rain gear we got and shelter of the restaurant, we were able

Father’s day. We were fortunate enough to watch Porsche finish

tickets, access

drivers found their own rhythm. So it was off to the Porsche

to stay mostly dry. Hunger satisfied, we returned to our

1-2 with the GT1. We had great seats that were at the last curves

to the Porsche

Curves

just before the start/finish line and not far from a big screen TV.

restaurant

at

dinner!

The experience was unforgettable and we still talk about it each

naturally,

the

Father’s day. I had remembered happening upon the Porsche

P o r s c h e

I was expecting

Hospitality tent but unable to enter without the required special

Curves,

a shuttle that

passes.

shuttle service around

Toyota were swapping leads for overall, the 919’s were just a bit back and the GT cars were doing well. I would have stayed later

and

the

grandstand seats for a while and then left for the hotel. Audi and

and

departed (Great seating looking up the front straight at leMans)

Fast forward to 2014, our daughter graduates from university.

track. The price for 3 was more like brakes and rotors for the

Her request for a graduation present is a return to France to tour

GT3, more within my budget. After a quick consultation with my

but was out voted.

We

at

arrived

r e g u l a r

back the next

intervals. When

morning to see

we arrived at

the

Audi’s

(Paul Bacon at the Porsche sponsored restaurant)

the Bordeaux wine country. The last time we were there as a

wife and daughter, who are not big race fans, we took the offer.

family, she and her brother spent most of the time with their

the

suffering

hospitality

from

area, we asked for the next departure. The intern pointed to

turbo problems

noses in a GameBoy and they were not old enough to drink,

The weather was perfect; sunny, a bit of a breeze and in the 70’s.

another intern who hopped into a brand new VW van in

and

the

even by French standards. So she wants to return to see what

We found our parking and made our way through the infield to

coordinated markings, then pulled up to take us to our

Porsche

919

she missed. As I look at the calendars, the stars align for a trip

the Porsche stand to collect our gift package. The place was

destination. There was a slight delay as another van pulled in

take the overall

to wine country and it just so happens that le Mans 2014 takes

packed! We heard that the crowd was north of 260,000 fans, a

front and Wolfgang Porsche and his family stepped out. Sadly,

lead. There was a good bit of cheering in our section. For the

place on the last weekend of our trip. Can I make it all work?

recent record. Some speculated the increased attendance was

he did not remember meeting me about 15 years ago. you know,

rest of the morning, Porsche alternated the overall lead,

due to the improving economy but I think it is more likely due to

I was the guy from the Porsche Club in America… So, we

depending on pit stops. We headed back to the restaurant for

It occurred to

Porsche’s return to le Mans. They brought a force and energy

jumped in for the more than 1 KM ride to the Porsche Curves.

lunch. I noticed members from several Porsche Clubs including

me

this

that was impressive. They had placed giant banners across

our driver was one of the many interns brought in for the event,

Spain, Poland, Germany, France, Italy and Croatia. everyone

time, perhaps

selected areas of the Grandstands emblazoned with “Mission

all in matching uniforms, badges and very helpful attitude. As

had seemed to be having a great time. As the afternoon

PCA could help

2014. our Return” and “Back Where We Belong” in both english

the van weaved through the crowd, we felt like rock stars. The

progressed, we headed back to the grandstands for the finish.

us improve our

and French. While there were no lines to get into the Ferrari,

temporary restaurant was built in classic Porsche style, better

While it was disappointing to see the 919’s broke in the last 2

access

I

Aston Martin and Toyota shops, the line to get into the Porsche

than most permanent ones you would find at the beach. Just in

hours, Porsche made a very solid performance.

placed a call to

shop was about 30 people deep, most of the weekend. The gift

case you wanted to look at a new car, an integrated display of a

package included ear plugs, backpack, hat, and Porsche shirt

new Mecan, 911 and Boxster were at the back of the restaurant.

After the race, my wife and daughter remarked that they had

and rain protection.

I looked for the keys, hoping for a test ride. No luck. Three chefs

their doubts about the weekend, but in the end, the experience

and several attendants served excellent German beer, sausages

was quite enjoyable. For me, it was a thrill the whole time.

that

so

Vu Nygen. His relay

to

his

(Porsche pits from the grandstand seats)

counterpart at Porsche AG, Benjamin Marjanac did the trick.

(The Bacon’s enjoying the action at leMan’s!)

Unfortunately the package that included lodging in the Porsche

We really enjoyed watching the 962’s compete in the “old

and fries. We were about 30 yards from the track, safely behind

Porsche appreciates our passion for their cars and they showed

Hotel, access to the track side hospitality building and shuttle

Timer’s” Race, and the Porsche Carrera Cup race on Saturday

the wall and corner workers, just in front of a giant screen TV.

it. They put an enormous amount of preparation into the race,

from a private jet to the track was sold out. Regrettably, we were

morning. our seats were in the same section as I had with my

The view was as good as from my living room, only a lot louder.

the cars, the support and their fans without sparing expense. For

not arriving by private plane and the weekend price was

Dad. Porsche had purchased several hundred seats, so we were

Just as we were finishing dinner, a sudden cloud burst soaked

le Mans, I am sure the organizers are pleased that Porsche is

commensurate with a used Boxster. Still available in very limited

surrounded by Porsche fans. The main event started without

parts of the track. We watched TV with interest as several cars

back. Thanks PCA!

availability was a package that included parking, a gift package,

incident promptly at 3 pm. The action was terrific and exciting.

around the track spun and had to be taken in for repairs. Using

HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

8

FIRST SeTTleRS ReGIoN

HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

9

FIRST SeTTleRS ReGIoN

September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 9

Continued from page 3

approaching turn 8.

(Continued from page 6)

me to take this flat out.

Instructions”. And there was more. As we read the definitions, I learned there was a difference between “jog” and “bear,” which should never be confused with “look for a jogging bear.” Thankfully, that wasn’t on the list of objects to find.

Turn 8a and 8b. This is the famous Corkscrew. I needed Turn 2. over the hill, I aimed for the #2 to brake BeFoRe the 3 brake marker and braked hard as the car marker as you crest another settled going from about 115 to about 40 steep hill and the car gets light.

MPH. Turn 2 is a patience corner. Too So I would brake to about 60 wide for a hairpin and too narrow for a mph by the #3 marker and sweeper. The apex, painted red, is very, (Interesting assortment of cars) then brake again after the car very late. I found it very tempting to turn in settles to about 40 mph to enter the Corkscrew. too early and thus loose momentum on the straight between turns 2 and 3. For turn 2, the best line starts about 2/3rd to the right side of the The Corkscrew. Most drivers stayed track right and then turned in later. track and slowly, patiently close in on the apex. This technique is much I found it easier to turn in a bit earlier and drive over the berm to enter like the “Big Bend” at lime Rock. turn 8a. I would aim for the middle of three trees across the course as a reference. As soon as the car started to drop, I would immediately Turn 3. As I left turn right into turn 8b. As the car settled, feed power to set up for a left turn 2, I hand sweeper called turn 9. After several sessions, I felt I had a good accelerated, line and technique in this series of turns. aiming again for

Already feeling thankful that I wasn’t the navigator discerning these instructions, our time slot arrived and we received our route instructions.

We reviewed them briefly and headed down the road. It didn’t take long before the left brain in the passenger seat got cross-wired with the right brain in the driver’s seat, and the volume of voices raised just a tiny bit.

Undaunted, I explained that since at least 70% of communication is tone of voice, we might need to be mindful of that if we were to enjoy our day together. Both agreed and after that discussion things rolled along smoothly for a while. That was until we passed a few churches. on a road rally it’s incredibly important to make sure you understand what the instructions say and what they mean because preserving wedded bliss is the real goal. So, when the directions define a church as, “a structure directly to either side of the rally road so identified by a sign with the word church in the name” it’s important that both of you agree. If not, the first time you come upon a tabernacle, a temple, or a worship center, there is the opportunity for discord to develop. I am visually driven so if I see a building that has a cross on the top of a steeple, I tend to think that’s a church. But, my sweetheart pointed out that “church” was not in the name. Well, I hadn’t thought of that. So, how did we decide? Thankfully, Mark, a former nuclear power plant operator, follows the principle - when in doubt, follow the instructions. He appeased me by making hash marks in a separate place on the paper for all the other buildings that looked like churches, but when he filled out the score sheet he decided to leave them off, which we later learned was a good thing. As it turns out following the instructions to the letter was pretty important.

the #2 brake marker for turn 3.

I was encouraged to use the rumble strips on the right side as I exited turn 2.

(At speed at laguna Seca) Turn 3 is deceptive, it looks like a 90 degree right but is actually sharper. I would turn in beyond the #1 brake marker and do a late apex, feeding power on at the exit.

It is no joke to say this corner intimidates lots of people. yet if done right, it feels good. I would exit turn 8 accelerating to about 65 mph and the middle of the track. This sets me up for a left hand sweeper called turn 9. Again turn 9 is a patience turn.

Turn 9. This sweeper is called the “Senna Curve” and is a battle between speed and grip. There is a bit of banking here but not as much as it appears. And you build speed quickly as you drop downhill. The drop from the entrance to 8a to the apex at 9 is over 70 feet, -- taller than a three story building. I don’t think I ever got this turn exactly right.

Apart from the t u r n s themselves, the only place where passing was restricted was just before turn 8 until after the apex of turn 9. otherwise the usual point-bys were in effect.

(Really there!)

The usual track exit is on the left just beyond turn 9 so I had to watch for slowing cars about to exit. The pit exit used in races is on the left just before turn 11.

Turn 4. This left hander is the opposite. It looks like a 90 degree flat turn but in less than 90 degrees. Thus it can be taken faster than turn 3, about 70 mph. This leads onto another straight leading to turn 5.

Several times I saw over 100 mph before braking for turn 5. The course is largely flat from turn 2 through turn 5. Then it goes sharply uphill.

We meandered down the road and he gave me a series of instructions, which I promptly mixed up and made him repeat… several times. After multiple iterations of this, he eventually learned that I did better with short bits of information at a time. And after a while we fell into a routine of communication that seemed to work for us. When we passed “Witts end lane” I had to smile. I was hoping that we didn’t end up there before the day was over.

Turn 5. This is another hairpin left hander leading into the uphill section.

I had to brake back to 65-70 mph, turn in at the 1 marker and feed power. As you are now going uphill, you can feed more power than you initially think. But like several corners at laguna Seca, if you over cook the power, I was instructed to just drive off, slow down and ease back onto the course. Unlike VIR, there are nearby walls to catch off-track excursions.

There were beautiful country roads to explore, and some of them were explored more than once. At one point we were to turn right, pull over, pause for 15 seconds, then continue the route and look for our next turn. except the next turn was only about 20 yards away and we didn’t see it.

I had pulled to the side of the road to pause obediently and became flustered when another driver (who didn’t see my imaginary blue placard hanging from the mirror) shot around us. I pulled back onto the road at the prescribed time and promptly drove past the turning point, joining the parade of other drivers who had missed their turn as well. eventually it became obvious that we missed something and made a U-turn, which wasn’t a problem because I know how to do those! I’m the Mario Andretti of U-turns. It’s okay. I’ve made friends with the dysfunctional part of my directional programming and have learned to embrace the adventure.

Turn 6. This is a less than 90 degree left hander, still going uphill. on this turn, the correct apex has a dip in the track. So the car “bobbles” a bit which means you have the correct line. There is a sound station booth on the right between turns 5 and 6. Too much noise gets a black flag. Three black flags for noise (92 db) and you’re done for the day.

We motored on, checked off the list of instructions and noted as many of the required elements as we could. Mark kept meticulous records of our times and helped me make small adjustments in speed to make up for our delay. He was a wonderful navigator. We did fairly well until I pushed the wrong lever and accidentally zeroed our mileage (I really need to drive the car more often). ever patient with me, he looked at the data taken just a few minutes before and recalculated. The only glitch we had in the “tone of voice” parameter was when I moved into a turn lane when he told me to “look” for a road on the left, which I mistakenly interpreted as “turn left.”

After nearly 35 years of marriage we’ve learned a thing or two about communicating. Mostly what we’ve learned is that you never stop learning, which is a good thing.

Turn 10. Another 90 degree right hander with some banking. I would need to aim for the #1 marker as I exited turn 9, feed power and then brake a bit. I would need to brake for this turn as I built up quite a bit of speed. After turn 10 is a good place for point-bys.

Turn 11. This is a very tight hairpin. Very tight. entry speed is no more than 40 mph. As this sets up for the longest straight, turn 11 is the most important corner on the course. It is sharp and flat with walls on both sides if you get off course. There is a green astroturf swatch on the right just passed the apex. The key here is to feed throttle as soon as possible in this corner. Smooth but firm is the word.

That was one lap at laguna Seca. Wonderful track. excellent paddock and garages. Well run event by Golden Gate Region, PCA. looking back, these two days were the best of my track experiences. A superb track that I never really expected to drive. yet I did. I hope you enjoyed the description and pictures.

(Driving down the Corkscrew)

Turn 7. like turn 1, this is just a kink in the uphill drive to set up for turn 8 or the Corkscrew. As you exit turn 6 under power, all you see is a bridge across the track ahead and some trees on the left and a lot of blue sky. you want to place the car on the rumble strips at turn 7 and aim for the #3 brake marker for the Corkscrew (Turn 8). Again, I often saw near 100 mph

As our journey neared the end, the air seemed to soften with the fragrance

Drive Safe.

Continued on page 11

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MERRY MEMORIES REALIZED: Driving Laguna Seca

Continued from page 10

By ed Merry

In the Nation, we plan for the later years.

(laguna Seca track map)

one of the events that prompted Brenda and I to take a Porsche to Monterey, California for the 2014 Parade was the prospect of driving Mazda Raceway laguna Seca, the most famous track in California and one of the most famous in the country. Challenging and famous for the ‘Corkscrew,’;the signature blind downhill set of turns. Compared to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) or Road Atlanta, laguna Seca is more vertical. It also has several blind crests. The good news is that on 21-22 June, 2014 I indeed drove this famous track. My best time was 1:58. yes - I know Randy Pabst, a professional driver and tester for “Car and Driver” magazine drove the same track in a Cayman R in 1:41.6.

No excuses, even though I could think of quite a few. ok, just one excuse: I have to drive this car back across America to get home!

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I found laguna Seca quite different from the other tracks that I have driven. For example, VIR has several turns grouped together (the Snake, Climbing esses, and the Roller Coaster). In contrast laguna Seca generally has a short straight after each corner, the exception being the Corkscrew. And laguna Seca is much more vertical. From the start of the Corkscrew to the bottom at turn 9 is drop of over 70 feet.

Since you are turning as you go down this turn, it is more intimidating to me than the turn 11 bridge at Road Atlanta.

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of pine and honeysuckle drifting on the breeze. Although we couldn’t see it, there was a sense that the river was near, confirmed by the narrowing roads and the crunch of shells under our tires. As we turned onto oyster House lane, leading to the beautiful home of Gary and Robin Tyer, any remaining anxiety about the rally slipped away. Soon our group was relaxing on the beautiful lawn overlooking the river, with refreshing beverages in our hands. We traded the day’s stories with old friends and gathered new friends like pearls, while our (Thanks to our hosts Robyn and Gary gracious hosts opened wide the door of Tyler! Photo credit: Jacob Kay) hospitality. We dined on fine fare and enjoyed the delights of their beautiful home, making me thankful once again that we had joined First Settlers Region Porsche Club. There are experiences we never would have had if we hadn’t purchased the car and participated in club events.

This one was truly memorable.

As the afternoon drew to a close, the award ceremony began and when all was said and done, Mark and I were the shocked and happy recipients of the Best Rookie Award. We were more than pleased, and will surely be tempted to (Michelle and Rob Calloway - First Place! try another TSD rally. The folks who Photo credit: Jacob Kay) developed and tested the route are the true champions. They gave the club a great opportunity to practice new skills, or hone seasoned ones, through a beautiful part of the Commonwealth. But more than that, they gave us the gift of polishing our communication skills and an opportunity to learn a little bit more about wedded bliss. Who would have imagined so much could be gleaned from a TSD Rally and Porsche Club gathering. Why don’t you join us next time? you never know what treasures you’ll find.

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laguna Seca is also part of the Monterey County Park itself with some severe noise restrictions. I found it insightful that rich folks build big houses near a race track for the prestige and then complain about the noise. By the way, the same thing is happening around Sebring in Florida. So the regular track folk install “laguna pipes” to direct any loud exhaust away from the sound station between turns 5 and 6.

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A few final points, there is no grass at laguna Seca and the wind blows sand and grit on the track. The green swatch at the exit of turn 11 is astro-turf or fake grass. Finally laguna Seca uses FIA berms or “gators” or “rumble strips”. They get progressively more rough as you drive further on the berm. My instructor insisted that the best line was to drive a full tire width over each berm. He listened for the “bruup” and shake of the car at each corner.

Now laguna Seca corner-by-corner. The front straight starts at a 40 mph hairpin, called turn 11. So we begin leaving Turn 11 squeezing on the power. I was instructed to aim for the last “A” in Mazda at the start finish bridge. Then continue on full power over a kink, called Turn 1.

This is a blind brow to set up for turn 2. Very intimidating as the car is turning at the kink and gets light as you crest the hill. It took a while for

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Name: Bobby Smith

32 years.

Where do you live?

My home has been VA Beach for the past 35 years but I grew up in Richmond.

What is your favorite personal car-related story?

It would have to be setting Fastest Time of Day at the 2008 Charlotte Parade at lowes Motor Speedway. It was my first Parade and it really meant a lot. Still does.

What do you do for a living?

I’m the bassist and band leader for my group Hotcakes but my job description is more like truck driver, sound technician, problem solver, therapist, booking agent and fixer of anything that breaks.

Do you have a favorite Porsche?

I’m a big fan of the air-cooled cars although the GT-3 never fails to put a smile on my face.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Tell us about your family.

Married to the best girl in the world (Bobbie Bullock-Smith) for 31 years and our sweet Great Dane Moxey aka Moc Moc.

Continued from page 4

Describe your perfect Porsche day.

Crossing the finish line with Top Time of Day! What is on your car-related bucket list?

I’d like to attend another Parade with my black 914.

What keeps you in PCA? After 31 years in PCA, it’s simply a way of life for me.

What other hobbies do you have besides driving your Porsche?

Music and autocrossing leaves very little time for anything else.

PCA Member since?

I joined PCA in 1983.

First Settlers Member since?

I’ve been with First Settlers since the beginning (Bobby Smith at work)

(Bobby Smith at play)

What kind of Porsche(s) do you drive?

For street use I have “orangello” a 1973 911, “lemonjello” a 996 GT-3 and “Bling” an 89 911.

NEW PCA/FSR MEMBERS Ken Thomas - Membership Chairperson

What other Porsches have you owned in the past?

Some of my former Porsches were an 89 Speedster and quite a few longhood 911’s. I miss most my 70 911S which was unfortunately sold before the early 911S market went through the roof.

What is your first Porsche memory?

I was smitten with the 914 when it was first introduced in 1970. I knew then that I just had to have one. I’ve owned my 73 914 for

Check out The First Settlers Region “Goodie Store” for some great new products!

The Goodie Store is putting together a name tag order now. Go to Motorsportreg.com to sign up for yours!

10% of all sales from the First Settlers Goodie Store are returned to us and be used to support our events.you can access the Goodie Store directly from the FSR webpage (www.fsrpca.org) by clicking on the link under the Main Menu on the left side of the home page or going directly to the FSR Goodie Store at this link: www.pcawebstore.com/FIRST SeTTleRS

Welcome to our new members and the transfers in to First Settlers Region. We hope you enjoy the people, Porsches and events.

NAME

out of 134 regions, to be recognized three times that far away speaks volumes about how good First Settler’s Region is. Marco estrada and Kathy Thomas are to be applauded for Second Place in our class for our Website. Josie Grandfield and her helpers are to be applauded for Third Place overall for Public Service. Then Andy Chisholm won second place in his class for the Tech Quiz.

The highlight was the raffle of a new Porsche.

Actually, three new Targa 4s were awarded.

Two were announced at their local dealers.

The third was the scene of high (Brenda Merry and the Pacific ocean) drama at the Victory Banquet. The winner was a couple from British Columbia. The woman sat in the driver’s seat, cranked the car up and cried. When asked, she said: “He already has his own Porsche, this one is mine.”

Michelin tires were awarded to the long distance winner, a couple all the way from Nova Scotia, Canada. Finally a trip to Germany was announced.

Saturday and Sunday were (Driving tours are always the highlight of Parade) spent at laguna Seca. It was wonderful, very challenging to drive well and very vertical.

Unlike Virginia International Raceway (VIR) with groups of turns together like the “Snake”, laguna Seca generally has a short straight after each turn. The De ended early on Saturday so the “Parade of Porsches” could do several laps of the course. Several hundred Porsches were lined up for this event; a most impressive sight.

Finally - the banquets. I think it is possible to go to a parade and simply eat your way through the week.

We attended only three banquets plus the Concours lunch and San Simeon tour lunch.

The best was the Victory Banquet where our region was recognized for our website and (Bright enough for a clear reflection!) for our charity work.

overall it was a wonderful but busy week and capped our wonderful month long Western vacation. Parade 2015 is in French lick, Indiana so the drive will be much shorter!

Drive safe. ed and Brenda Merry

PORSCHE July 2014

Jim Henderson Mark Strang Joshua Benton Jeff Noll Jaime Murillo Will Clements Helen Fotiadis Raoul Gagne

2001 911 1998 Boxster 2006 Cayman S 2005 911 2013 Cayenne S 2013 Cayenne Turbo 1949 356 1999 911 August 2014

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2012 911 S 2014 Panamera Turbo 2014 Panamera 4 TI= Transfer from another region

If you have any questions, Contact Jacob Kay at jkaycdb@cox.net.

HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

advertise. Plus the traffic was not as heavy as we feared.

There were lots of pullouts at scenic spots for pictures.

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MERRY MEMORIES REALIZED: MONTEREY PORSCHE PARADE, 2014 By ed Merry Monterey California is a famous tourist area. Famous for seafood, the fabulous Pacific Coast Highway, Pebble Beach Golf Course and rich folks in big houses. It is also the home of the laguna Seca race track.

And in June 2014, home of lots of Porsches. Hundreds of them.

FIRST SETTLERS REGION

UPCOMING FALL EVENTS

owners.

Monday was Concours day. Since we had spent the past week visiting Sequoia and yosemite National Parks and lived in our Porsche, we declined to compete. They had a very good car wash area at the main hotel that Griot’s sponsored and provided supplies. I used it several times. Thanks to the sponsors! My interest was especially in the historic cars and famous race cars. I captured pictures of a leMans 917, the lowenbrau 962, a beautiful 904 GTS and a 934/5 Brumos / Peter Gregg car. one standout was a black speedster with an attendant working steadily against the dust. I took several pictures of this car. In the engine bay shot, you can see my reflection in the paint and even read my name tag. Wow.

It is also famous for fickle weather. eugene and Brenda Winston , Brenda Merry and I sat outside by the famous Fisherman’s Wharf in coats, gloves and hats for the Welcome Banquet. It is the middle of June, the fog came in off the ocean and the temperature fell to about 45 degrees. Then later that week at laguna Seca, we saw both 50s and 80’s.

But we really came for the Porsche Parade held there from 14-21 June.

So follow the week with us. We arrived Friday night, June 13th from Mammoth lakes CA. We had a wonderful trip over the Sierra Nevada mountains via yosemite National Park and checked into the Portola Inn overlooking the Monterey Bay.

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Classics on the Green Car Show New Kent - September 14th

Tuesday was the Time Speed Distance (TSD) rally. First we attended the Rally School and got a 26 page handout of rules and explanation. I should have realized then we were in over our heads. We eventually entered five of the seven control points, in spite of my getting lost three times. Very frustrating for us. eventually we gave up, got lunch and drove back to our hotel. But in fairness to myself, I had not driven a true TSD rally in decades.

Saturday was spent volunteering at the Welcome Tent handing out bags of munchies and bottled water. We enjoyed watching a steady stream of Porsches arrive at the Conference Center. A new (Always great cars to see at the Concours) Targa 4S as well as a replica of the current Wednesday and Thursday were Autocross days.

991 GT3RSR leMans Car were on display. A local dealer set up several This one was much better than the Savannah Parade in 2011, my last huge screens so arrivals could watch live streaming from leMans, the autocross I felt good driving this event. I was not the slowest and famous French 24 Hour race happening the same weekend. We liked improved my times by six seconds throughout my runs. Since really the Welcome Tent where we greeted many people we had met via the high speeds could not be achieved by anyone, agility won over power.

Cayman Registry. From First Settler’s Region, we also met eugene My class (S09) had new 991 Carreras, 997 Carrera Ss, and 996 Twin and Brenda Winston, Alex Bell and his family, as well as Andy Chisholm Turbos as well as Boxster Spyders and Cayman Rs. This group was (who rarely misses a Parade). really quite competitive but the Boxster Spyder won my class. Thanks to Andy Chisholm for taking pictures of me on the course. Then we Registration was complex as usual since there is so much to do. A ended with a wonderful seafood meal with eugene and Winston at the rookie should select just a few activities and banquets to enjoy and not Passion fish Grill in Pacific Grove. become exhausted. even with this advice, we registered for too much again. I think this was the biggest Parade ever with nearly 1300 Thursday was the Gimmick Rally. For Brenda and I. this was the best entrants. Personally, I think the large numbers overwhelmed the driving event. We entered mainly to see the region around Monterey. support a few The Gimmick Rally took us into parts of Monterey, Pacific Grove, the times and a 17 mile drive (free for us) and Carmel that most tourists would never smaller Parade visit. We took our time, enjoyed wonderful scenery and took lots of would be better. pictures.

But Monterey and a Driver’s For us, Friday was an all day tour to the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, education event CA. We met at 6 AM and started out after 6:30. We finally got back at laguna Seca home about 6 PM. Wonderful and very scenic but a long day. Near were sure San Simeon is the only wild herd of zebras in the USA. The Castle dreams for a lot and tour were spectacular. Then after lunch we drove back on the of Porsche Pacific Coast Highway. It is just as wonderful as the magazines (ed Merry competing in the autocross)

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Fun Run to The Weeping Radish in Currituck – October 4

5th Annual Air & Auto Car Show Aviation Museum, Va Beach - October 18

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Turkeys-in-the-Trunk Food Drive and Fun Run November 22

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 5

Field Trip! Automotive FantomWorks

out 8000 horse power, yes that is 8000 and not a typo, though it will be tuned down to the 1500 range in order so that the engine will last more than just minutes. We also got to see the shop project which we were told would probably take over three years to finish since the only time they get to work on it is after all the customers work is done for the day.

First Settlers Region was once again treated to a fantastic weekend with not only perfect weather to drive our beloved Porsches and spending time with one another, but to also be treated to a tour of DRS Automotive FantomWorks or as they like to call it, “FantomWorks”, and witness the inner workings of how a complete car restoration takes place which was set up by our very own H o editor, Phil Grandfield, who unfortunately was unable to attend. 53 of our members, some coming from Great Mills, Maryland, descended upon FantomWorks which is housed in a once linen cleaning facility which was built in 1941 and covers over 52,000 square feet. once we all signed our waivers and were checked out by Heidi, the four legged security and greeter of FantomWorks, we all were transported back in time to the likes of a 1950’s Malt Shop or the customers waiting lounge where we were greeted by Daniel R. Short, owner and Restoration Project Manager.

Continuing on through the machine shop we could see the steel girders being put up to expand it to a second floor, here is where you could hear some of our members reminiscing about how they used work on some of the lathes and mills that were on display. We continued on through the motor bays area where everything from repairing and replacing brakes, transmissions, engines, carburetors was in some state of progress.

We then got to see the renovated bike shop, yes, FantomWorks even restores motorcycles along with anything else you may need restored, as we were told someone had their toilet restored. We finished up the tour in the boat shop, see I told you they do more than just cars where they are currently working on a hydro plane replica which did over 150 MPH on the water back in the 1950’s.

Dan has over 31 years of experience in the automotive restoration field, including but not limited to certifications in Systems engineering and Program Management. Before starting FantomWorks, Dan completed

After the tour about half of the group went on a short (.7 mile) fun run to la Bella’s Italian restaurant, in Norfolk, the only reason it was any fun was because of how some members GPS’s tried to get them to the location. We were treated to our own private room where the conversations continued on about FantomWorks along with tales of the recently held rally to questions on driver’s improvement to why the stands are so empty at NASCAR events all while enjoying everything from pizza to spaghetti with meatballs the size of softballs. If you were unable to join us for this event, FantomWorks offers live on-site tours every Friday beginning at 4:30 pm. or you can just catch season 2 of FantomWorks on the velocity channel. Happy Motoring!

(Gathering in the Malt Shop at FantomWorks. Photo credit: John Kopp)

numerous restorations of American, european, and Asian muscle cars dating from the 1910′s to the early 1970′s. He also served in and retired from the US Army, where he got to do a lot of cool and dangerous things, as well as travel the world. Now with the ever growing handselected group of professionals at FantomWorks, Dan enjoys managing the overall operations. He works hard to ensure every restoration is completed with attention to detail which is second to none. Dan’s ongoing goal is to make every customer’s experience at FantomWorks, no matter how big or small, the best they have ever known in the automotive arena.

by luana Hugel

What do you get when you cross a directionally challenged, Attention Deficient Disorder woman, a military engineer, and a “Never tried this before” Porsche Club Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) rally? Well, let’s just say it’s an interesting adventure. When Mark, the engineer in this scenario, asked me if I wanted to (Cars on the lawn • Photo credit: Jim liedman) participate in the TSD Road Rally through the Middle Peninsula, I was less than enthused. I love our car. I love riding with the top down, drifting down the road and letting the right side of my brain take in all the sights as he motors along. Don’t get me wrong. I love driving the car – a lot! But being a passenger has its advantages. There’s no pressure and lots of time to ponder. But a road rally? Not so much.

We’ve been on numerous fun runs before and have had delightful experiences, but the mini-rally earlier this summer made me a little hesitant to participate… that and my remarkable ability to get lost.

Sometimes the job of navigator can be stressful if one is acting in the role of “Finder of Small Things” that are whizzing by at Hurley Haywood pace. okay, that might be an exaggeration, but the tension level in the car tends to ratchet up a notch or two when one of us is holding a list of directions in our hands, and the other one is trying to understand the ADD communication proceeding from his overwhelmed spouse’s lips.

All of this is further complicated because God did not equip me with the proper homing pigeon device in my brain. I didn’t get the right map. Mine is completely reversed. If my instinct is to turn left, I should turn right. every. Stinking. Time. It’s a handicap, I tell you. I get lost getting off of elevators! I’m so directionally challenged that DMV should let me have one of those little blue tags to hang off of my mirror because my programming is truly handicapped. If I had that sign in my window people would be more compassionate and say “oh, bless her heart” and sweet things like that, rather than get upset with me when I’ve figured out from the left hand turn lane that I really needed to turn right. I do more U-turns in a year than most people do in their lifetime. It’s difficult to be wired this way, and not all that helpful when attempting to navigate a road rally.

Needless to say, I wasn’t excited.

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Thankfully, my darling mate came up with a brilliant idea. He would navigate and I would drive. If you knew my husband, you’d find this suggestion surprising. He loves to drive and hates being a passenger, no matter who is driving. even if we are dropping off a car for service five minutes from home, I will slide out of the driver’s seat and give him the keys. He’s just happier, and a happy husband makes a happy wife. So, if he was willing to hand over the keys and ride shotgun, I needed to be willing to take the wheel.

Dan went into detail on the amount of time and costs of restoring vehicles which some of our members in attendance could attest too.

After a short question and answer session we started our tour of the facilities where we quickly learned that every inch of FantomWorks is covered in Americana and other cool things. We started off in the showroom where we got to see many of the cars that are currently being worked on and learned also that everything on display was not just on the floor, but to look up. We then moved on to the finish bays which were reminiscent of the garages of the past. Here is where they install upholstery and electronic items and also detail the cars. Next up was the prep and body area where you could still smell the resin of the freshly mixed fiber glass which was setting up on which Dan hopes is their last iteration of a top FantomWorks is perfecting for older corvettes.

We arrived at the meeting point at the Newport News Golf Course and gathered in the parking lot for the general directions. When it came time for questions and answers, I asked what I thought was a fair question.

“How do we go about making sure the end goal of the road rally is wedded bliss?”. The clever answer from Rob Callaway was, “Ride with someone else!”. Although that was a great answer, my husband’s love language is “time spent together.” So, what choice does a woman have? I took the keys, and he climbed in beside me.

We reviewed the general instructions. As a rookie, I was already overwhelmed. Included were a series of definitions that looked as though they were made up by a group of military analysts who tried to see how many letters they could stuff into an acronym, or how technical they could make an instruction sound. For instance: MBCSAP meant “May Be Considered Straight As Possible”; NSI meant “Numbered Sequential

Passing through the powder booth and finish area we were reminded again to look up or else we would miss the corvette hanging on the wall.

In the metal shop we were introduced to a car which when finished will run on nothing but nitro methane in an engine that was designed to put HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

Road Rally Treasures

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(Continued on page 10)

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 4

2014 Board Members Elected Officers

EUROPEAN & DOMESTIC CAR SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE

President George Michaels 757-689-8483 wham66@yahoo.com

Activities Officer Bret Jacobson 757-871-4734 jacobson.bret@gmail.com

Central Vice-President Steve Sarfaty 804-241-6549 steve.sarfaty@hamiltonbeach.com

Secretary & Archivist Matt Nelson 757-270-0452 mnelson22@gmail.com

Eastern Vice-President Jason Horner 757-676-3335 jhorner3420@charter.net

Treasurer Alex Bell 757-472-9567 bella@wbrinsurance.com

757-427-0742 Horizontally opposed (Ho) is the

RaceWerks is an all Service Facility for both European and Domestic Cars, Specializing in Porsche, BMW, Audi and other performance cars.

We offer: ◗ Routine Service & Repair, Including Parts ◗ APR Tuning ◗ Tech Support ◗ Mounting & Balancing ◗ Scales & Corner Balancing ◗ In-House Welding ◗ Suspension Tuning & Alighnment ◗ Performance Upgrades ◗ Much More!

official publication of First Settlers

Appointed Positions

Region (FSR), Porsche Club of

Assistant Vice President - Central Bud Syme 804-539-2595 bsyme@tecomconsultinggroup.com

Events Registrar George Michaels 757-689-8483 registrar@fsrpca.org

Assistant Vice President - Eastern John Kopp 757-270-6071 john@racewerks.net

Charity Coordinator Josie Grandfield 757-635-0184 anurse47@yahoo.com

Membership Ken Thomas 757-812-0559 kjkat@verizon.net

Webmeister Marco estrada 757-240-0063 marco.t.estrada@gmail.com

Newsletter Editor Phil Grandfield 757-635-0892 filthyf14@yahoo.com

Media & Public Relations George Michaels 757-689-8483 registrar@fsrpca.org

Drivers’ Education Paul oberdorfer 757-439-0962 paulo@air-tite.com

Chief Track Instructor Alex Bell 757-472-9567 bella@wbinsurance.com

opposed.

DE Registrar Marco estrada 757-240-0063 de@fsrpca.org marco.t.estrada@gmail.com

Tech & Safety Chris Stanley 757-412-5243 cd_stanley@yahoo.com

issues): $750 full page; $550 half-

America (PCA). All opinions, views and information appearing in the Ho are those of the author(s) and

Advisor - Zone 2 Representative

not necessarily those of PCA, FSR, its officers, or the editor. The Ho

John Kopp John@RaceWerks.net

2445 Castleton Commerce Way Virginia BEach, Virginia 23456

editor reserves the right to edit all material submitted for publication.

First Settlers needs volunteers to run the club!

Permission is granted to other PCA regions to reprint any material provided that full credit is given to

elections will be coming up in the fall with the opportunity to run for elected office or one of the appointed committee chair positions. Contact anyone of the Board members listed on page 2 to learn more about the jobs and how much fun this it is to great club.

In particular, I'm looking for a new Newsletter Editor. Please contact me if you're interested and I'll explain how it all works.

the author and to Horizontally

2014 annual advertising rates (six

page; $300 quarter page/business card. Contact the editor for more

Phil Grandfield, FSR Newsletter editor."

information.

Cheryl Taylor zone2rep@comcast.net

FSR members may place free

Our Sponsored Charities

classifieds; contact the editor for

The Foodbanks of Southeastern and Central Virginia The Boys Home of Virginia

HoRIzoNTAlly oPPoSeD

2

FIRST SeTTleRS ReGIoN

Dan Tiedemann Dan@RaceWerks.net

more information.

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 3

From the President George Michaels FSR Friends, What a great summer... if we can call it that. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to get your Porsche(s) out and enjoy them.

n

As you’ll read in this issue, our 19 July Time, Speed, Distance Rally and lunch was a well attended and much enjoyed event.

Many thanks to the Bobbitts for designing the route, the Tyers for hosting at their beautiful home on the river and, of course, to our Activities officer, Bret Jacobson, for bringing it all together. Congrats to all the winners. For those of you who didn’t make it to the FantomWorks tour, you missed an interesting and informative event. Their show’s next season had just been shot, so many of the projects from those episodes were at the shop and are now being aired on the Velocity Channel. We’ll have to schedule another tour next year. $MBTT m"n $POUSBDUPS -JDFOTFE $POUSBDUPS "

After a short respite in August, we were back at it in September for the Central Area version of our New Member Meet and greet on the 6th, club tent at Classics on the Green in New Kent on the 14th and our Fall Driver education event at VIR 20-22nd. We’ll have write-ups on these events in our next issue. october brings a fun run to the Weeping Radish in Currituck, NC on the 4th and our lunch and open Board Meeting, again at Sal’s in Williamsburg on the 11th, which will replace All other breakfasts for october. We’ll close out the month with our 5th annual Air & Auto Classic charity car show on the 18th.

We’ll need volunteers to make it happen, so please sign up on MotorsportReg if you’re interested.

In the last issue, I explained the proposed By-laws update and emailed a link to the document for your review. We have since received inputs from membership and have made some adjustments. The link to this revised draft was in my last few emails, so I ask that you take a look so you can make an informed vote in october at Sal’s.

I’ll make another pitch for our upcoming elections. If you’re interested in serving your club as an officer or Committee Chair, please let any board member know. If you have any questions or would like more information about a particular position, feel free to contact me or the incumbent. We’re always in need of new blood on the Board to bring fresh ideas and keep the rest of us from burning out.

See you at the next event!

Happy Motoring, $MBTT m"n $POUSBDUPS -JDFOTFE $POUSBDUPS "

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September-october 2014_layout 1 9/3/14 3:25 PM Page 2

Š2014 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of all traffic laws at all times.

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Editor, First Settlers Region Porsche Club of America 2581 Eagles Lake Road Virginia Beach, VA 23456

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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2014

UPCOMING EVENTS!

Be sure to check our website www.fsrpca.org for more details as well as updates on all of these exciting events.

September 6

Williamsburg Area Breakfast

Victoria’s - Williamsburg Crossing

September 6

Western Region New Member Social

Steve Sarfaty’s house in Goochland

September 13

Eastern Area Breakfast

Pop’s Diner - Chesapeake

September 13

Central Area Breakfast

Silver Diner - Glen Allen

September 14

Classics on the Green Car Show

New Kent Winery

September 20-22

FSR Drivers Education

Virginia International Raceway - Alton, VA

October 4

Fun Run

Weeping Radish - Currituck

October 11

Open Board Meeting

Sal’s Restaurant - Williamsburg

October 18

5th Annual Air & Auto Car Show

Virginia Beach Military Aviation Museum - Pungo

October 25

Shenandoah Region Fall Foliage Tour

Charlottesville & Blue Ridge Mountain area

November 1

Williamsburg Area Breakfast

Victoria’s - Williamsburg Crossing

November 8

Eastern Area Breakfast

Pop’s Diner - Chesapeake

November 8

Central Area Breakfast

Silver Diner - Glen Allen

November 22

Turkey’s-in-the-Trunk

Checkered Flag Porsche - Virginia Beach

Be sure to check the website for the most up-to-date event information at

http://www.fsrpca.org/events.

Join us on the First Settlers Region Group! In addition to our award winning website, the Facebook Group is a great way to share photos and comments and stay connected with the club.

The Photographs you see in this issue of Horizontally Opposed: Photos published in Horizontally Opposed are the sole property of the photographer/submitter.

They have been offered for publication in Horizontally Opposed only and may not be reproduced without the express permission of the photographer/submitter.

Bobby Smith driving to another fastest time of the day. Background provided by USS Theodore Rooseveldt.

Photo courtesty of Cliff Palmer, Tidewater Sports Car Club