Two old Silver Porsches

Chesapeake Region

ON THE ROAD TO FRENCH LICK: A ‘nose to tail’ encounter of two old Silver Porsches

Lee Raskin & Terrell Williams

Lee’s Tale:

We were beginning our second leg leaving Lexington, KY and heading toward the French Lick Resort in Indiana for the 65 th Annual Porsche Parade.

It had rained coming into Lexington the afternoon before…undoing about 60 hours of cleaning the 986 Boxster for the Parade’s Concours d’Elegance.

The weather was no different on Sunday morning – it was raining hard as we headed West on Interstate 64.

About 10 minutes out, I saw an older Porsche right in the middle of my side view mirror…it was a Silver 928 S4 closing at about 85 mph.

We both waved to each other as the 928 passed,but the rain hindered my view of its driver and thepassenger in the cockpit.

The 928 Porsche was from Maryland – interestingly, we were both wearing Historic tags. I decided to get in line and to follow the 928.

Bonnie Caplan and I would now be driving nose to tail at about 80. We had approximately 150 miles to travel together along with the mini-rooster tails created by the rain.

As we approached French Lick…the 928 turned off onto a side road toward their destination and we continued on with the GPS instructions to the French Lick Resort. I headed immediately toward the Porsche Parade Concours Prep area for a well-deserved bath before Monday’s Concours event.

On Thursday, Bonnie and I happened to be in the PCA Hospitality Room looking to purchase some Parade memorabilia...when I spotted Chesapeake Region member Terrell Williams checking out Brett Johnson’s new 911 Restoration book.

Past PCA President. Prescott Kelly, Lee Raskin and PCA Member, Bonnie Caplan Photo by: Bruce Sweetman

Grant Larson and Lee Raskin / 986 Boxster...being interviewed for a PCA online presentation Photo: Bruce Sweetman

We exchanged greetings and somewhere during our conversation, Terrell mentioned he had some bad luck driving in the rain just outside Lexington, KY on Sunday morning – driving his ‘new’ 928 S4.

I looked at him and said: ’Holy Moly’…you were driving the Silver 928 that blew by me during the rain storm outside of Lexington!! – I added: I was driving the Silver 986 Boxster with the red tail stripes. We both laughed so hard!

Now…it’s Terrell’s turn to tell his side of this ‘nose to tail’ Tale:

Porsche Parade 2021 Seminars....Lee Raskin's James Dean "Hoosier" Tribute Photo by Bonnie Caplan

Porsche Parade Art Show 2021..1st Place Color Image Catagory Photo by: Lee Raskin

PCA Past President Manny Alban, Porsche AG Designer of the TYP 986, Grant Larson, and Lee Raskin / 986 Boxster Photo by: Bruce Sweetman

Porsche Parade Art Show Lee Raskin...1st Place and Honorary Mention PCA Judges Awards Photo by: Bonnie Caplan

Terrell’s Tale:

Chesapeake Region

ON THE ROAD TO FRENCH LICK (cont’d)

Lee Raskin & Terrell Williams

Our final leg to French Lick on Sunday morning didn’t start well. It was raining, so Terrell & Lori stopped at aconvenience store outside Lexington, KY to gas up for the final 3-hour drive and purchase umbrellas becausethe weather forecasted a rainy week in Indiana. After asking Lori to open the umbrella to check out the size,she immediately put it over her head – indoors. I’m not superstitious, but that certainly brings bad luck.

Twenty minutes later, driving on I-75 north, we were stopped by a Kentucky State Trooper doing 87-mph in a70-mph zone. The ticket ended up costing me $181…Ouch!

Amazingly, unbelievably, and disappointingly … we had driven over 9 hours from home in Port Republic, Mdin our 88 Porsche 928 S4 and had not seen one Porsche on our way to the 65th Porsche Parade. Not even aCayenne!

Then suddenly, ahead of us on I-64 west, traveling at the minimum speed limit was what appeared to be aSilver Miata. Having slowed my speed down to 80 mph (after our ticket), I noticed our first Porsche. It wasn’ta Miata, but an early 986 model Boxster –surprisingly with historic Maryland tags like ours!

No doubt, they were headed to the Porsche Parade. We waved as we passed the silver 986 and wonderedaloud who the unrecognizable mystery couple was.

Nevertheless, the Boxster picked up some speed, we slowed down a bit, and they followed us for the next 2hours right into French Lick.

Fast forward to Thursday afternoon, while perusing books in the Parade Store, I excitedly ran into fellowChesapeakePCA’r, LeeRaskin. Lee’s agreat guy, he’san author, longtimePCA clubmember and abig supporter

Terrell Williams and 928 S4 Porsche Parade 2021 Photo by Lori Williams

(and an EnduranceRace winner)of our SuperSlot CarNight everyyear.

We caught up with each other discussing all sorts of things from his keynote speaking engagement on the James Dean ‘Hoosier’ Tribute Forum, finishing 2nd in Class in the Concours -- to his award-winning Porsche Photography--that also included his one-of-a-kind James Dean Spyder slot car.

I shared that I had picked up a new to me Silver Porsche 928 and our eyes grew larger as he shared that he also picked up a first generation 986 Silver Boxster!

“Good heavens”, I exclaimed, you were that guy who followed me into French Lick for over 150 miles. Indeed, it was Lee and Bonnie behind us all along.

Lori and I left our French Lick AirBnB early Friday morning to meet family friends at our home that evening. Around daybreak, we stopped to fill up on gas on I-64 in eastern Kentucky. Twenty minutes later, amazingly, and unbelievably, we see the same Silver Boxster ahead of us.

Lori Williams and 928 S4 Porsche Parade 2021Photo by Terrell Williams

Terrell Wiliiam's 928 S4 on I-64 in Kentucky Photo by Bonnie Caplan

As déjà vu would have it, we waved and blinked lights as we zoomed past Lee & Bonnie in their Boxster at 80-mph.

This was definitely a real Tale of two old Silver Porsches and two long-time PCA friends -- just passing in the Kentucky wind.

Vroom, Vroom!!