Chesapeake Region
Events Calendar/Editors Message Month February
March
Day 3rd
Event Social Breakfast: Eggcellence
Meeting Venue Annapolis, MD
10th
Slot Car Chili Cook-Off
Millersville, MD
20th
Social Dinner: Victoria Gastro Pub
Columbia, MD
24th-25th
National Event: Tech Tactics East
Easton, PA
29th-3rd
National Event: The Amelia
Amelia Island, FL
16th 17th
New Member Party: Porsche Owings Mill Tour: Tour & Rally School
Owings Mills, MD TBD, MD
19th
Social Dinner: Kelsey’s Irish Restaurant
Ellicott City, MD
30th
Autocross: Test & Tune
Bowie, MD
Editors Message: Happy leap year, here’s to 29 days of February! By now you’ve already registered for Porsche Parade in Birmingham Alabama if you were interested in going or if you forgot you can still book online Welcome | Porsche Parade 2024 Tech Tactics registration is still open if you are interested in either the Saturday or Sunday session. PCA National Tech Tactics East - Sunday, 2/25/24 (motorsportreg.com) PCA National Tech Tactics East - Saturday, 2/24/24 (motorsportreg.com)
As always our social dinners are selling out fast, as soon as you receive the eblast you need only have a few days to sign up or risk being waitlisted. You will notice the full Autocross schedule is out and open on Motorsportreg.com, last year these were selling out a 2 weeks ahead. Ellen Beck has shared a brief story and many high resolution photos from her trip to the Petersen Museum where she experienced We Are Porsche, so don’t miss that starting on page 48. The 2024 tour schedule is now out on page 9 and remember these events don’t go live for registration until 2-3 weeks prior and can fill up quickly depending on weather and location. Have an article idea, member profile, for sale ad or business ad, shoot me an email editor@pcachs.org to get started. Best Regards, James B Beavan III For the latest events and news follow us! I’m always posting photos from our events on our socials that don’t make it in the Patter and there’s no delay to see what you missed or attended. Porsche Club of America - Chesapeake Region | Facebook Chesapeake Region PCA (@chesapeakepca) • Instagram photos and videos
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Inside This Month! Pg 2. Events Calendar: February 2024 - March 2024 Pg 2. Editors Message Pg 4. Chesapeake Board Members Pg 5. Advertisers Corner Pg 6 & 7. Membership Figures & Anniversaries Pg 8. Presidents Message Pg 9. Tour & Rally Schedule Pg 12. Socials in Review Pg 14. After Holiday Photos Pg 18. Linda's Legacy/Kindertime Charity Event Pg 20. Member Profile: Joe & Debbie Mayer Pg 28. Autocross 2024 All Set Pg 34. Spark Plugs by Pedro Bonilla Pg 38. Member Profile: Cameron Marlow Pg 42. Stuttgart Market Letter by David Whitlock Pg 48. We Are Porsche by Ellen Beck The Porsche Patter is the official newsletter of the Chesapeake Region PCA. Contributions to Porsche Patter should be sent by the 25th of the month preceding in Microsoft Word format Front Cover photo: to editor@pcachs.org. Please send high resolution images. Editor/Publisher: James B John Owsley & his Beavan III; Contributing Photographers: James B Beavan III, Pedro Bonilla, Aniano Arao, SteGT3 by Aniano Arao ve & Marsha Buss, Ellen Beck, Scott Johnson, Grace Carter, Steve Wood, Greg Hartke. Contributing Writers: James B Beavan III, Steve & Marsha Buss, Aniano Arao, Pedro Bonilla, DaRear Cover photo: vid Whitlock, Greg Hartke, Ellen Beck, Dan McNally. Advertising: For questions about adverPg 59: GT3 by tising rates and placement in the Porsche Patter, please contact editor@pcachs.org. Unless Aniano Arao; Pg 60: otherwise reserved, permission is granted to reproduce material published, provided full 718 Cayman by credit is given to the Porsche Patter and to the respective author. Subscriptions: join PorAniano Arao sche Club of America www.pca.org. The Porsche Patter is published monthly by the Chesapeake Region, PCA. Subscription is limited to members of the Chesapeake Region, PCA.
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Chesapeake Region
PCA CHS Board Members President
Steve Buss
president@pcachs.org
Vice President
Mark Miller
vicepresident@pcachs.org
Treasurer
Andy Powell
treasurer@pcachs.org
Secretary
Ken Wilmers
secretary@pcachs.org
Executive Vice President
Michael Murphy
Autocross Committee
Greg Hartke, Mark Hubley
Chesapeake Challenge Committee
Stacy Hawver, Tracey Jennings, Jen Kocsan
Chief Driving Instructor
Ellen Beck
Community Service
Dan McNally
Concours d’Elegance
Paul Koenigsmark
concours@pcachs.org
Historian
Bob Rassa
historian@pcachs.org
Insurance
Eric Saletel
insurance@pcachs.org
Membership
Rob Carter
membership@pcachs.org
Motorsportreg Registrar
Meilyng Wigney-Burmaka
msregistrar@pcachs.org
Newsletter: Porsche Patter
James B Beavan III
PCA License
Laurie & Bruce Tarsia
PCA Zone 2 Rep
Phil Grandfield
Photography Committee
Jim McKee, Ryan Boxler
Publicity: Facebook/Instagram James B Beavan III
executivevicepresident@pcachs.org autocross@pcachs.org chesapeakechallenge@pcachs.org instructor@pcachs.org communityservice@pcachs.org
editor@pcachs.org pcalicenseplates@pcachs.org zonerep@pcachs.org photography@pcachs.org publicity@pcachs.org
Safety Chair
John Jensen
safetychair@pcachs.org
Social Committee
Marsha Buss
social@pcachs.org
Sunshine Committee
Doug Ehmann
sunshine@pcachs.org
Tech Committee
Jim Earlbeck, Randy Richter, Rick Hawver
Tour/Rally Committee
Aniano Arao, Rich Ehrlich
Webmaster
Henry Becker
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tech@pcachs.org tour@pcachs.org; rally@pcachs.org webmaster@pcachs.org
Chesapeake Region
Advertisers Corner Business Name & Address
Contact Number & Website
Porsche Hunt Valley
667-275-4886
10260 York Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030
https://www.porschehuntvalley.com/
Porsche Annapolis
866-982-9002
20 Hudson Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
https://www.porscheannapolis.com/
Porsche Silver Spring
877-839-3940
3131 Automobile Blvd, Silver Spring, MD 20904
https://www.porschesilverspring.com/
Porsche Owings Mills
443-541-4630
11309 Reisterstown Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117
https://www.porscheowingsmills.com/
PSA Insurance
443-798-7306
11311 McCormick Rd., Suite 500, Hunt Valley, MD 21031
https://www.psafinancial.com/profiles/lee-rock-cpcucic/
Reflected Images
410-910-9647
130 Industry Ln., Forest Hill, MD 21050
https://reflectedimages.net/
Westminster Speed and Sound
410-857-5300
202 Pennsylvania Ave, Westminster, MD 21157
https://www.westminsterspeed.com/
Yanks Auto Detailing
443-865-6337
Falls Rd, Hampstead, MD 21074
https://www.yanksautodetail.com/
Pedro's Garage
954-385-0330
15245 Sevares Ct. Odessa, FL 33556
https://pedrosgarage.com/
Conrey Construction (800) 640-0066 Fax: (410) 442-1444 Email: conreyconstruction@gmail.com
443-286-2225 Conrey Construction Company Roofing, Siding, Replacement Window Contractor Maryland (conrey-construction.com)
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Membership Numbers By: Rob Carter
Committee Chair Report: CHS Region Membership - December 2023 Primary Members: 1191 Affiliate Members: 621
Life Members: 2 Total Members: 1814
New Members (19) Zachary Zomoida David Terech Rick & Pam Morris Steven Golder Sr. Dennis Allen Leslie Hilliard Fredric Nelson III Suzanne Dayton & Glenn Beares Collin Wirick Michael Demos Hien Nguyen Nick Kraft Cyrus Ballo Richard & Heather Kilcoyne John & Margaret Gower Walter Hussey Nicholas Yanchik Kim & Rob Barnes Barbara & Lew Azzinaro
Glen Burnie, MD Edgewater, MD Severna Park, MD Baltimore, MD Ellicott City, MD Ellicott City, MD Annapolis, MD Havre De Grace, MD Linthicum Heights, MD Sparks, MD Baltimore, MD Forest Hill, MD Baltimore, MD Columbia, MD Annapolis, MD Arnold, MD Severn, MD Pylesville, MD Reston, VA
2014 911 Carrera 2021 911 Turbo S Cabriolet 2023 911 Turbo S 2017 911 Carrera 2008 Boxster 2012 911 Carrera 2008 911 Turbo Cabriolet 1979 911 SC Targa 1991 944 S2 2018 911 GT3 2018 911 GT3 2024 Cayenne 1986 911 Carrera 2021 718 Cayman 2022 911 Carrera S 2023 Panamera 4 2023 Macan S 1992 968 2015 911 Carrera S
New Test Drive Participants: (4) Transfer In: 3 (2 from Potomac & 1 from Chicago) Transfer Out: 1 (to Potomac)
Full Membership Committee Reports can be found on our website: https://pcachs.org/
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Member Anniversaries By: Rob Carter
ANNIVERSARIES 45 Years John & Barbara Moore Robert Rohrbach Rob Rohrbach 35 Years Harold Goll & Doris Lam 25 Years Streett Moore Wayne & Barbara Fritze
Jemahl Nuriddiin Stephen Brighton Steve Leary Philip Wimbish Jr 1 Year Matthew Guy Jerusalem Howard Russ Rudez Matthew Levy Josephine Guest Eric Silverman
Sara Tyssowski Linda Mullaney Kelly Russo David Johnson Rachel Munoz Kevin Mullaney Joseph Frank Tokia Day Chaitanya Kolluru Martie Milliken Alexander Nunez Heather Hamilton
15 Years Catalina DeJohn Kara Martinez Gary Martinez Ryan & Maria Franks Joseph DeJohn 10 Years Bradley Grant James & Hunter Orrell Michael Dockman Mark Katlic Damon Lowney Steven Wilson John Wojcik Christine Grant Kimberlie England 5 Years 7
Chesapeake Region
Presidents Message By: Steve Buss
As January comes to a close, we are making great strides completing the 2024 Calendar of Activities. We currently have Autocross, Tour, and Social Event dates for our 1,800+ members. I am excited about the opportunity to work with you all to generate a full calendar of activities that offer all types of fun and excitement that appeal to a broad range of interests. Our next order of business will be to finalize the yearly budget. Our Treasurer, Andy Powell is diligently working on finalizing the yearly budget estimates for all the committees. We are in strong financial shape. Our first event of the year was the ever popular After Holiday Party with the Yankee Gift Swap sponsored by Porsche Annapolis. The event was attended by 76 members, and I am proud to say we were able to accommodate everyone who wanted to attend. Social Committee Chair Marsha Buss along with her volunteers did an outstanding job putting on a wonderful dinner event and of course the Bob and Manny Show was again the highlight of the evening. There was quite a bit of gift stealing going on that made for a very entertaining evening. Photos are in the Gallery on the PCACHS website as well as our Flickr account, Chesapeake Region PCA | Flickr We conducted our first board meeting of 2024 on January 25th. Seventeen members attended and all Committee chairs provided updates on their ongoing activities. We spent most of the evening concentrating on the 30-60-90 day look ahead. Our Board meetings are open to all members. All I ask is please let me know you will be attending so I can make sure there is a seat for you. Upcoming events include the first social breakfast of the year on February 3rd. The Super Slot Car and Chili Cookoff event on February 10th is great fun for families. We’re bringing our three grandchildren. Our social dinner at Victoria Gastro Pub in Howard County is on February 20 th. These are on the calendar and registration is open in Motorsport Reg. At the National Level, Tech Tactics East will be held on February 24th and 25th. Werks Reunion and Amelia Island Concours starts on March 1st. I hope to see you at an event soon. I want to encourage all club members to consider getting more involved with our numerous committees. There are many opportunities to volunteer and engage with friends and new members. Thanks to all of you for making Chesapeake Region so much fun! It is the cars that bring us together, but it is the people that make it special. Steve President, Chesapeake Region, Porsche Club of America
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2024 Tour & Rally Schedule!
PCA Chesapeake’s Tour & Rally Committee is planning to hold 17 events in 2024, plus one joint event with PCA Potomac. The dates and events listed here are provisional and subject to change. Registration will open 2 to 3 weeks before the events’ scheduled dates. To sign up, PCA members have to log on to their accounts at www.motorsportreg.com. (Ver. 03, 01/31/2024) March 17 (1) Tour & Rally School, Tours: Aniano Arao; Rallies: Steve Graham (G), Bob Rassa (TSD) April 14 (2) Eastern Shore Tour, guest tour master Tom Divilio April 27 (3) Drive to Porsche Swap Meet in Carlisle, tour master Rich Ehrlich May 5 (4) Cinco de Mayo Poker Rally, guest rally masters Steve & Marsha Buss May 19 (5) Safeway to the Bay Tour, Arundel/Calvert counties, guest tour master Hank Lucas June 2 (6) Linganore Winecellars Tour, Howard/Frederick counties, guest tour master Ron Farb June 23 (7) Tour of guest tour master Steve Graham July 7 (8) Tour of guest tour master Steve Wood July 21 (9) Tour of tour master Rich Ehrlich Aug. 4 (10) Ice Cream Tour, guest tour master Mark Miller Aug. 16-18 (11) West Virginia Summer Tour, tour master Aniano Arao Aug. 31 (12) Off-Road Tour, guest tour master Jim Hemig September (13) Chesapeake Challenge 55 Gimmick Rally, rally master Rich Ehrlich Oct. 13 (14) Tour of guest tour master Mark Miller Oct. 27 (15) West Virginia Fall Colors Tour, tour master Aniano Arao Nov. 3 (16) Catoctin Mountain Fall Colors Tour, tour master Aniano Arao Dec. 7 (17) Kindertime & Linda’s Legacy Tour, tour master Rich Ehrlich Oct. 26
(00) Joint PCA Potomac-PCA Chesapeake TSD Rally
Check www.pcachs.org, Patter, www.motorsportreg.com and the events’ eBlasts for details and updates. Send questions to tour@pcachs.org. – Aniano Arao and Rich Ehrlich, Co-Chairs, Tour & Rally Committee
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Socials In Review Marsha & Steve Buss
January Social Events – February 2024 Patter By Marsha Buss With lots of help from our volunteers we had another successful After Holiday Party at the Turn House in Columbia, Howard County, on Saturday night on January 13th. Porsche Annapolis was our sponsor for this year’s event. The event sold out within a week and at one point our wait list was close to 20 people. Since the registration opened more than two months before the event many members who were registered later dropped out leaving enough space for all of those on the waitlist to join the fun. I’ll be the first to admit I spend way too much time trying to find the perfect gift for the Yankee Swap. During my endless search for “Porsche gifts” on Etsy I came across a Porsche wine stopper. This was my inspiration for this year’s welcome and thank you gift for the attendees at the After Holiday Party. Many of our members attending this event are very active in the club and this is just one of the many events they attend throughout the year. Once the search began, I collected more than enough 1:64 cars for the event. I only had three rules: the car had to be a Porsche with a hood, was different than any of the other cars, and within my budget. The collection included a 356 A Coupe, 964 Singer Christmas Red, 997 LBWK Gulf Version, 911 RSR Martini Racing, 911 Sally Carrera (blue and racing red), 718 Boxster, 911 GT3 RS Pink Pig, 914 Orange, and about 33 others. Niles bottle stoppers were ordered and our son in law helped with drilling holes into the bottom of the cars so we could screw in the stoppers. A week before the event Scott and Brenda Johnson came to our house to take pictures of the collection of bottle stoppers. The photographs were posted by our webmaster, Henry Becker, to our CHS website so our attendees could see the cars in advance of the event. Joan Wood and Kaye Morton created the beautiful flower arrangements we all enjoyed at our dinner tables. Steve Wood and Tom Morton selected 41 cars from the corral, packed them in gift boxes and applied the PCA and description labels. I kept busy printing labels, place cards, registration lists and Steve Buss cooked a delicious dinner for all of us. On the event day Joan and Steve arrived early to unload the cars, decorate the tables, and set up the PCA banners. Linda Gordon and Kaye Morton greeted our guests at the registration table and handed out the cars. Ever so entertaining and knowledgeable about Porsches, Manny Alban and Bob Gutjahr were our MC’s for the Yankee Swap. Since I forgot to bring a number to give each person swapping a gift, there was some confusion before a scheme was devised to pick a random number, match it to our registration sign-in sheet, and then Manny or Bob would call the guest name to the front of the room. There were some comments made that this scheme was more complicated than completing a federal income tax return, but all in jest (I think). Framed artwork pieces were the most sought-after
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Chesapeake Region
Socials (cont’d)
Marsha & Steve Buss
gift this year. The We Are Porsche Exhibit poster from the Petersen Automotive Museum was traded the most frequently. Almost as popular, were the Las Vegas Grand Pre poster and the 2022 Pittsburg Vintage Grand Pre poster featuring the art of Burton Morris and honoring the Porsche Marque of the Year. Other popular gifts included a Porsche black stencil sign, 911 Evolution poster, Rolex 24 at Daytona Porsche Limited Edition poster signed by the drivers, 911 Advent Calendar, Icons of Porsche poster Rennsport Reunion 7 by David Simon, Crystal 911, Palm Springs 67th Porsche Parade 2023 poster, a Porsche Martini Racing cooler bag, Majorette Porsche Experience Center, and the Mexican Train game with eight 1:160 scale Porsches as playing pieces.
Wrapping up the evening, Dan McNally and Angela Gruenfelder picked the winners of the 50-50 raffle. The first-place winner of the raffle, Stephanie Reuer, generously donated their portion of the winnings to Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation and our second prize winner received a Mint Green 911 RUF CTR bottle stopper. Upcoming events: The February Breakfast Social will be at Eggcellence in Annapolis on February 3rd at 8am. Twentythree members and friends have already signed up at www.Motorsportreg.com. The February Dinner Social will be at Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia, Howard County. The menu items draw from both national and international cooking traditions and remain in harmony with the seasonal availability of high-quality ingredients. The dinner is capped at 30 members and registration is open and there is a waitlist. Thanks to Rich and Kathy Erlich for suggesting this great restaurant. Family Slot Cars and Chili Cook-off is on Saturday afternoon, February 10 – please come and join us at this fun event. It will be at a new location in Anne Arundel County – just off I-97 in Millersville. We have 40 people registered and there is plenty of room for more of you. Our March Dinner Social will return to Kelsey’s Irish Pub on Tuesday, March 19th for a post St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Registration just opened, hopefully you can snag a spot before it fills up. There is room for 38. We hope to see you at our next event! Our Dinner Socials are generally on the third Tuesday every month. Breakfast Socials are the first Saturday of some months. Marsha Buss, Social Committee Chair
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After Holiday Photos Photos by Scott Johnson, Grace Carter & Steve Wood
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After Holiday (cont’d) Photos by Scott Johnson, Grace Carter & Steve Wood
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Social Dinner: Kelsey’s: March 19th Let’s have another After St. Patrick’s Day party! Please mark your calendars for Tuesday night, March 19th, at 6:30pm at Kelsey’s Restaurant located in Ellicott City, Howard County. The restaurant features Irish classics and American food. Check out their menu here. All participants must register for the dinner on www.MotorsportReg.com by March 17th. Seating is limited to 38 people (you will be placed on the waitlist if the limit is met but may be contacted should anyone cancel and there is availability). There is no registration fee for this event. WHEN and WHERE When: March 19, 2024, Tuesday Meeting time: 6:30pm End of social: 8:30pm
Meeting point: Kelsey’s Restaurant, 8480 Baltimore National Pike (Rt 40 West), Ellicott City 410-418 -9076 Cost: Members are responsible for their own dinner. Registration is free and required for planning purposes. PARTICIPATION Participants must comply with PCA, CDC, state and county guidelines for COVID prevention. By signing up for and joining any of our social events, registrants acknowledge and assume all the risks in and full responsibility for their participation. If you feel sick during the week prior and/or the day of the event or if there is any chance you may have COVID-19 or be contagious, PLEASE do not attend the event. REGISTRATION The eBlast announcing this event will have a weblink for registration. Click it. Log onto your Motorsportreg account or create one at www.MotorsportReg.com Registration will close at midnight on Sunday, March 17th. There is no fee for this event. QUESTIONS Send social event related questions to the Social Committee at social@pcachs.org.
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Sunshine Member Support
Sunshine Member Support Do you know a Porsche Club member that could use a little sunshine? Please let us know. The Club has established a new Sunshine position. If you know a Club member who is ill, has a hospital stay, a family member has passed, or is facing some difficult or challenging times, we would like send a card to let them know the Club is thinking about them. Please contact Doug Ehmann at Sunshine@pcachs.org. Thanks!
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Chesapeake Region
Linda’s Legacy/It’s Kindertime Charity Event By: Dan McNally
On Saturday, December 9th we were gifted with beautiful weather for our annual Linda’s Legacy/ It’s Kinder Time charity event held at Porsche Hunt Valley. For 2023 we had four events combined into one. Starting with the Linda’s Legacy backpack stuffing for the homeless and toy drive for It’s Kindertime. This was followed by a tour of the backroads in Baltimore and Howard counties. This led to our final event, lunch at Dive Bar and Grille in the Historic Savage Mill. A special thank you goes to Rich Ehrlich our Tours Co-Chair for setting up and running the tour and lunch. Wait Dan, I thought you said this was a four-in-one event and I only count three. Well, I was just getting to that. For the first time this year courtesy of Steve Postol, Kevin Brown, and the team at Porsche Hunt Valley (PHV) there was a new offering for members of PCACHS and friends of PHV of all ages. Pictures with Santa (in the voice of Elf “I know him!!!), which was backed by an incredible
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Charity Event (cont’d) display of a massive Christmas tree and a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo topped with a Christmas tree as well.
For the event we had over 40 members in attendance that started their day with some very tasty bagels from Uber Bagels. After that we packed over 200 backpacks with various necessities from hooded sweatshirts to new socks, with each receiving a special handmade Christmas card thanks to PCACHS members Phil and Denise Andrews and their grandkids. All in our members donated $5,500 at $25 per backpack with a total of 220 backpacks donated. At the same time we were collecting toys for It’s Kindertime in the back of a new Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT with over 50 toys donated. These all went to Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital to brighten the days of their patients and staff. Thank you to everyone that donated and came out for your help in making this a successful event year after year. It will definitely be back in 2024.
Best, Dan
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Thanks Porsche Annapolis
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Family Event: Slot Car Racing & Chili Cookoff: 2/10/24 By: Marsha Buss
Family Event: Slot Car Racing and Chili Cookoff: February 10th Super Slot Car Racing 2024 promises to be more exciting than ever. One of our Region’s winter family traditions will be held this year in a new location. A fixture on our winter calendar for over 30 years, this family event is scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon from noon - 3 PM, February 10th in Shilpley’s Choice, Millersville, Anne Arundel County. And there is a bonus! The famous Chili Cook-off is not to be missed and will be some of the tastiest chili you’ve ever had. Perhaps greater bragging rights will go to the winner of our Chili Cook-off. Bring a pot of your best chili and taste the competition’s for a grand tasting event. There will also be a great kid’s practice track setup to keep everyone entertained and warmed up for the big races. Volunteers are needed for the most fun packed family event during the winter season. We need help in setting up the track, tables, chairs, breakdown and cleaning up after our event. Please let me know if you're available at 11am on Saturday, February 10th to assist. To volunteer just simply show up at 11am. All participants must register for the event on www.MotorsportReg.com by Friday, February 2nd.
WHEN and WHERE When: Saturday, February 10, 2024 Meeting time: 12:00pm Meeting point: Shipley’s Choice, Millersville, MD 21108 End of social: 3:00pm Cost: The cost is $20 per family for those who bring a pot of Chili or $30 per family if you bring a side dish or dessert Food/Chili Cook-off: Chili, hot dogs, various side dishes, and desserts will be available to self-serve
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Slot Car (cont’d)
Names of the Chili cook off winners are announced and racing trophies are awarded before 3pm REGISTRATION Log onto your Motorsportreg account or create one at www.MotorsportReg.com. Registration is open and will close at midnight on February 2nd. There is a registration fee for this event. OTHER INFORMATION Slot Car Racing for Beginners Members are encouraged to purchase an Analog or Digital 1/32 scale Porsche slot car(s). Digital slot cars cost around 30% more and have the ability to be programmed and change lanes on more sophisticated, digital race sets. Our club race set is an Analog track. A variety of Slot cars are best found for purchase on-line at Ebay, Amazon and other hobby websites. Local hobby shops do not offer the same selection. New slot cars are encouraged as used slot cars may be broken and not operable. There are many brands of slot cars (Carrera, Scalextric, Fly, Ninco etc.), however, we find the Carrera and Scalextric brands run best on our club track. Prices range from around $20 to well over $100. Porsche model slot cars are highly encouraged; however, other models may be raced but are not eligible to win trophies. There will be loaner slot cars available for racing for those unable to bring their own. QUESTIONS Send slot car racing event related questions to the Slot Car Racing Chair, Dan Zadra 981gt42016@gmail.com
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Chesapeake Region
Member Profile: Joe & Debbie Mayer By: James B Beavan III
Member Names & Join Date: Joe and Debbie Mayer 2021 Current Cars, Previous Cars: Current- 2014 Audi Q-5S, 2012 Chrysler 300, 1999 Boxster Previous- BMW’s and VW’s. What encouraged you to join the Porsche Club of America: I thought it would be a good resource for information, parts, etc. When it came time to buy a vehicle, what made you choose your Porsche and is this your first Porsche (if not please detail prior Porsche's): This is my first Porsche which was a gift from one of my sons-in-law. What are your favorite Regional &/or National events: There was a local Porsche Club openhouse at a garage that we designed for a fellow member in Severn, MD (which I attended). What is your favorite PCA memory: Fixing this car up. It had sat outside with a leak for a long while and the interior seats and leather had gotten pretty moldy. After unsuccessfully trying different things, I tried soft black shoe polish and it worked great. What advice about PCA or Chesapeake would you give to new members: Read the articles in the magazine- the stories are great...as is the Patter!_!
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Mayer (cont’d)
If money was no object, what Porsche would you love to own and why: Maybe one of the ‘90’s air-cooled models. I had an early model VW bug square back in high school and it had a flat pan 1600 cc in-line 4 with mechanical fuel injection. Anything additional you would like to share about yourself (Family/Work/Etc): Not really except that we have designed some large, prettycool garages for a few local car enthusiasts, including the one you saw on the garage tour at Richard & Kay Mied’s house a couple years ago.
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Chesapeake Region
Social Dinner: Victoria Gastro Pub: February 20th Marsha & Steve Buss
Please mark your calendars for Tuesday night, February 20th, at 6:30pm at the Victoria Gastro Pub conveniently located just off Rt 100 and Snowden River Parkway in Columbia, Howard County. The restaurant features innovative twists on classic pub fare that stress quality and freshness with every recipe, and every ingredient. The menu items draw from both national and international cooking traditions and remain in harmony with the seasonal availability of high-quality ingredients.
2023 After Holiday Party
All participants must register for the dinner on www.MotorsportReg.com by February 16th.
Seating is limited to 30 people (you will be placed on the waitlist if the limit is met but may be contacted should anyone cancel and there is availability). There is no registration fee for this event. WHEN and WHERE
When: February 20, 2024, Tuesday
Meeting time: 6:30pm
Meeting point:8201 Snowden River Parkway, Columbia (410) 750-1880 End of social: 8:30pm Cost: Members are responsible for their own dinner. Registration is free and required for planning purposes. PARTICIPATION Participants must comply with PCA, CDC, state and county guidelines for COVID prevention. By signing up for and joining any of our social events, registrants acknowledge and assume all the risks in and full responsibility for their participation. Note that planned events are subject to change, for weather-related or other reasons. If you feel sick during the week prior and/or the day of the event or if there is any chance you may have COVID-19 or be contagious, PLEASE do not attend the event. REGISTRATION The eBlast announcing this event will have a weblink for registration. Click it. Log onto your Motorsportreg account or create one at www.MotorsportReg.com Registration will close at midnight on Friday, February 16 th. There is no fee for this event. QUESTIONS Send social event related questions to the Social Committee at social@pcachs.org.
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Autocross 2024 All Set By: Greg Hartke
Tell you what… I’m certainly getting the itch to get out to a race and get the adrenaline flowing. The racing season can’t come soon enough for me, that’s for sure! I don’t know about you, but this happens to me every year. The good news is that we’re now on the downhill side to the start of the 2024 Autocross racing season! I’ve been waiting on the folks at Prince George’s Stadium (PGS) to work on my scheduling request (they were holding off, awaiting further direction from the County) and the good news is that the Director of Ticket Operations at PGS contacted me with the needed information in early January and we began to work in earnest on the schedule. Astonishingly, I was able to close negotiations on the AX schedule fairly Venue Date Day Event quickly and am now able PGS 2024-03-30 Saturday Test and Tune to present the 2024 AX PGS 2024-04-13 Saturday AX School schedule: PGS 2024-05-18 Saturday AX#1 PGS PGS PGS PGS PGS PGS
2024-06-01 2024-07-06 2024-07-28 2024-08-31 2024-09-14 2024-10-19
Saturday Saturday Sunday Saturday Saturday Saturday
AX#2 AX#3 AX#4 AX#5 AX#6 AX#7
Scheduling AX is an interesting task because I have to work around the Bowie Baysox home baseball schedule, the Aberdeen Ironbirds home schedule, other events at PGS and Ripken (of which there are many), the Potomac AX schedule, the Chesapeake PCA event schedule (to a certain extent – I only try to work around the really major events), and holidays. All these imposed constraints certainly make the task interesting. My original event schedule proposal was sent to PGS a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving to make sure we were near the top of the priority list for scheduling before the dates from the County came in. Whether that helps or not, I don’t know, but it can’t hurt. As I was negotiating event dates, I was also told that the County was raising the venue rental fee for PGS by $250 per event, to $2750 for Saturday and $2250 for Sunday. With that information in hand, I could put together the budget for AX and found that I was able to hold the line to a fee increase of $5 per event this year. They raised the fee by $500 last year, so I hope this is the last fee increase we see for quite a while. Our AX season can be summarized this way: Test & Tune – a practice event for experienced AX racers only Introduction to Autocross – our annual AX School provides newcomers the opportunity to learn from experienced instructors
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Autocross (cont’d) 7 full Autocross races Test & Tune is an event for experienced AXers to come out, get their cars set up, and knock off the rust in what amounts to a practice event. The race laps will be timed, but this is not a competition event. I want to emphasize that the T&T is for experienced AXers only. This is meant to be a fast -paced event and there will be no Instructors available to help inexperienced drivers, so plan accordingly. For the inexperienced, those who want to sharpen their skills, and anyone who’s never AXed before but might be thinking about trying it, note that the AX School is held at the very beginning of the season. The rationale is that we want to provide instruction early in the season so that the students who attend will have all season to participate in full race events. With no prior experience, your first AX event can be a decidedly intimidating experience and the AX School will go a long way towards mitigating that. I did the AX School (with POT, actually) before I started racing and I still recall it well. Interestingly, I was really nervous ‘til I started driving, but once I got going, I quickly calmed down. I’ve said this before: If you’ve ever had an itch to see what your car can do when pushed to its handling limits, AX is a wonderful opportunity to do so safely and the AX School provides a golden opportunity to learn and practice important elements of the necessary driving skills before taking them out on a full course. Whether or not you actually decide to pursue AX on a regular basis is immaterial. Either way, the AX School is a unique opportunity to learn car control and can safely open your eyes to a whole new world of excitement. Safe? You bet! The coolest part of AX is that you can push your car very hard without risking damage to the car. You’re using the car the way it was meant to be used and just about the only things you’re really wearing are brakes and tires. If you’ve never tried AX before but thought about it, you really owe it to yourself to come out and go for it. And of course, the best way to get started is to attend the AX School where you’ll get classroom instruction followed by plenty of seat time to apply what you’ve learned. And note that we really focus on the driving portion of the school.
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Autocross (cont’d)
By: Greg Hartke
Since the AX School is an early season event, it’s time right now for anyone with an interest to consider attending. The School is for newcomers and inexperienced drivers who desire focused instruction at the basic skills of AX. (It’s not necessary before attending an AX race, but it is helpful.) The day will begin with AX Co-chair Mark Hubley providing a short period of instruction on performance driving techniques (about an hour of chalk talk), after which the real fun begins. In the morning, students will rotate through three instructor-led driving exercises to give you the opportunity to actually apply the techniques discussed: a skid pad, a dual slalom, and a small section of an AX course where the student will learn how to find the racing line. In the afternoon, the three exercise elements will be joined to form a full AX course and students will drive with Instructors for timed racing through the course. I’m pleased to announce that registration is open on MotorSportReg.com for the entire autocross season – Test and Tune, Introduction to Autocross, and AX#1 through AX#7: msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-TestAndTune msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AXschool
Test & Tune (PGS) Introduction to Autocross (PGS)
msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AX1
AX#1 (PGS)
msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AX2
AX#2 (PGS)
msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AX3
AX#3 (PGS)
msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AX4
AX#4 (PGS) (Sunday)
msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AX5
AX#5 (PGS)
msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AX6
AX#6 (PGS)
msreg.com/2024CHSPCA-AX7
AX#7 (PGS)
The cost for PCA Members is $60 for all events except for the AX School, which is $110 (with lunch provided). Upon request (send an email to autocross@pcachs.org), new PCA members will receive a discount code for one free autocross, applicable to any event except the Autocross School. With the schedule, budget, and the majority of the off-season equipment
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Autocross (cont’d) work complete, planning for the AX School is foremost on my mind. The most important planning aspect is recruiting Instructors for the event because the number of students we can take is twice the number of Instructors. I budgeted for 36 students, now all I have to do is get the needed instructors. It’s looking a little thin right now, but I’m working on it! Invitations have been sent to the Instructors and now it’s just a matter of seeing who among our loyal corps is willing and able to come out and work a long (and rewarding!) day. One complication this year is that the date for the AX School coincides with a DE event at VIR, which reduces the pool of available Instructors. Unfortunately, the venue availability left me with no option – the date I chose for the AX School was tightly constrained. With the schedule in place, I’m rolling on the throttle as quickly as possible to prepare everything for the 2024 season. Still plenty to do, but we’re progressing. Can’t wait for the season to start! Needless to say, the AX Team is looking forward to seeing you soon at the races! Greg Hartke CHS AX Chair
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Spark Plugs
By: Pedro Bonilla,
The spark of life in any internal combustion gasoline engine comes from its Spark Plugs. Spark plugs are foremost in your car’s ability to run and make power, yet they are one of the most overlooked and misunderstood components of the car. So, let’s delve a little deeper into the subject. The spark plug has two primary functions: 1.- To ignite the air/fuel mixture in the engine’s cylinders 2.- To remove heat from the combustion chamber Spark plugs convert the energy contained in the fuel into dynamic energy in the engine. They do this by lighting a spark which sets off an explosion in each cylinder, making the pistons push into the crank, thus making it rotate. The spark plug is quite a simple part, in theory. It is a hollow piece of metal, threaded on one end, containing an isolated conductor running down its center. It forces a high-voltage current initiated by the car’s ignition system (coils) to arc (jump) across a gap, just like a bolt of lightning does between the clouds and the earth. This current must be at very high voltage in order to create the “lightning bolt” by jumping the gap. Voltage at the spark plug ranges between 12,000 and 25,000 volts although 45,000 volts is not uncommon. In order for it to work, the spark plug needs an insulator that allows the current to travel down the electrode where it then can jump the gap and then run into the grounded engine block. The plugs use an insulator, generally made of ceramic (porcelain) to isolate the high voltage running down the electrode, making sure that the spark happens at the tip of the electrode (inside the engine’s combustion chamber) and not anywhere else on the spark plug. Ceramic is not a good heat conductor so the insulator gets quite hot during operation. This heat also helps burn off deposits on the electrode. Depending on the type of engine, the manufacturer will select and recommend the correct temperature plug for each car. High performance engines, naturally generate more heat, so they need “colder” plugs. If the spark plug gets too hot, it could cause pre-ignition which is the lighting up of the fuel mixture before the spark happens, so it’s very important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the correct plug to use.
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Heylen (cont’d)
By: Pedro Bonilla
Cars that require a “hot” plug must use the corresponding spark plug which is designed with a ceramic insert that has a larger contact area with the metal part of the plug.. This reduces the heat transfer from the ceramic insulator, making it run hotter and thus burn away more deposits. “Cold” plugs are designed with less contact area so they dissipate more heat onto the engine block and run cooler. The spark plug heat range has no relationship to the electrical energy transferred through the sparkplug. The heat range of the sparkplug is the range in which the plug works well thermally. The heat range of a sparkplug is generally designated by a number. Lower numbers indicate a hotter type, higher numbers indicate a colder type.
The heat range must be carefully selected for proper spark plug thermal performance. If the heat range is not optimal, then serious trouble can result. The optimal firing and temperature is approximately between 500°C (932°F) and 800°C (1472°F). The two most common causes of spark plug problems are carbon fouling (< 450°C) and overheating (> 800°C). Low heat range plugs have center electrode temps that rise easily and even at low speed, so they easily reach the self-cleaning temperature, so carbon is not deposited easily on the insulator section.
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Heylen (cont’d) By: Pedro Bonilla
High heat range plugs have center electrode temps that do not rise easily, so they are unlikely to reach pre-ignition temps even at high speed. That’s why it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations with the appropriate heat range for the engine characteristics, running conditions, etc. Every time a spark plug fires, the hot spark blasts a few molecules of metal off the electrode. As the miles add up, the electrode gap widens and the center electrode becomes rounded and dull. This increases the firing voltage needed to jump the gap. Eventually the point is reached where the ignition system can’t generate enough juice to jump the gap, causing plugs to misfire. Because of this, spark plugs are wear items, and they must be replaced during regularly scheduled maintenance. Check your particular Porsche Owner’s Manual for the optimal replacement mileage (in a modern Porsche, generally between 60,000 – 100,000 miles). The best advice for spark plugs is to inspect them every 30,000 miles. This serves several purposes: 1.- It tells you a lot about how the engine is performing 2.- It prevents plugs from seizing in the engine block, causing expensive repairs.
Always note which cylinder a plug came from. This tells you if a particular cylinder has a problem. The electrodes of modern spark plugs are now covered with exotic metals such as gold, palladium, platinum , iridium, etc. So, which one is best? Here’s the skinny: Platinum and iridium-coated plugs with a copper core won't boost horsepower or fuel economy; they'll just last longer and perform more consistently. Both platinum and iridium fine-wire plugs will outperform copper-tipped plugs, but the iridium's ability to withstand high temperatures allows for a thinner plug tip. In the real world, though, you're unlikely to see any measurable change in fuel economy using iridium instead of platinum plugs. Platinum will do everything iridium does outside of the most severe racing applications. Iridium can give engine builders a slight edge in very highcompression, turbocharged or supercharged engines, but this edge isn't likely to translate into increased fuel economy in a street engine. Remember: Getting the heat range right is way more important than the type of metal used to coat the electrode. New spark plugs can make a difference in your Porsche’s performance, but only if replaced with the appropriate OEM replacement plug. To learn about Spark Plugs and your Porsche in general, please visit my website: www PedrosGarage.com Happy Porsche’ing,
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Member Profile: Cameron Marlow By: James B Beavan IIII
Member Names & Join Date: Cameron Marlow – 10/25/2021 Current Cars, Previous Cars: 2001 Porsche 911 Cabriolet Previous: 2001 Audi S4 2002 Mini Cooper 2005.5 Audi A4 S-Line 2017 Mini Cooper S Clubman Have you served on any Regional or National committees: No What encouraged you to join the Porsche Club of America: When I am became an owner of my first Porsche. When it came time to buy a vehicle, what made you choose your Porsche and is this your first Porsche (if not please detail prior Porsche's): I’ve always wanted a 911. I let a 993 slip through my hands many years ago. This is my first Porsche after many Audis, Minis and Jeeps. What are your favorite Regional &/or National events: I haven’t attended many events yet, there is still time to choose. What is your favorite PCA memory:
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Marlow (cont’d)
Not sure if it was a sanctioned event or not? 2007 or 08 I went to Bertilroos Racing School up in the Poconos with some PCA members and I fell in love with 911s that I saw.
What advice about PCA or Chesapeake would you give to new members:
If you have the time, there are a lot of events! If money was no object, what Porsche would you love to own and why: I still regret that 993 and I’m always looking for an opportunity. A Singer Porsche would be my dream car. Anything additional you would like to share about yourself (Family/Work/Etc): Just moved back to the Maryland area 2021 from North Carolina. I originally grew up here in the Monkton / Hereford zone.
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By: David K. Whitlock
Now, that was a December to remember! While we didn’t break any records for the number of units through auction, and our sellthrough rate was average at 71%, December produced our highest dollar volume all year at $59,861,966 in Porsches sold. This was all thanks to over 50 cars sold by RM Sotheby’s in two auctions: the first, The White Collection, followed by RM’s New York Luxury Week sale.
The White Collection was one individual's collection of, you guessed it, white Porsche. But it was not just any white Porsche; it was a finely curated collection of rare cars with low miles and very individual specs. The collection's crown jewel was the 2015 918 Spyder finished in PTS Grand Prix White over a Leather-to-Sample Yachting Blue leather interior with Bianco Leda piping. This 12-mile (yes, 12) example featured Porsche’s Weissach Package and over $96,000 in bespoke tailoring from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. But what really set this example apart was that it included many items offered only to an exclusive set of customers called the Porsche 918 Spyder Owners Circle. These items included a race suit, helmet with case, and driving shoes. It sold at a hammer price of $3,575,000, a full $1.5m more than any other 918 Spyder auction.
Other record sales from the collection included a 1997 911 GT2 that brought $2,175,000, a 19mile 2016 911R finished in PTS Grand Prix White over Yachting Blue leather that hammered for $1,000,000, and a 14-mile 2019 911 GT2 RS Weissach that saw a final bid of $910,000. There were still a few deals, even amongst these record prices. One was a 1970 914/6 that sold at a final bid of $80,000, and the other was a 1955 356 Pre-A Continental Coupe by Reutter that hammered for $217,500.
Now, if we remove the spectacular results from RM, we see results more in line with recent months as our sell-through rate drops to 67% with a dollar volume of just over $31m. New 2023 and 2024 model-year cars struggled to sell, with a sell-through rate of only 38%. At the top of the heap were three 911 GT3 RS Weissach Package cars, two of which brought over $400,000 and one withdrawn from auction over “fears” of future allocations. We also saw a 2023 911 Targa 4 GTS 7Speed withdrawn due to litigation over who owned the car—plenty of popcorn in the comments section.
By: David K. Whitlock
992 GT3s have settled with sellers adjusting their expectations, resulting in a sell-through rate of 75%. Winged 6speed cars averaged $237,000, while Touring 6-speeds were around $260,000. We did see one 6-speed Touring back up at $300,000. This car had a higher-than-average MSRP of $389,000 and featured many custom-tailored options from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, such as the PTS Black Olive paint over a Truffle Brown and Black extended leather interior.
996 Turbos struggled in December, with a sell-through rate of 43%. 2023 saw several strong sales early on, starting the year on a high with a 29,000-mile example bringing $182,047 in February. Surprisingly, we saw some low mileage cars not even come close, with two examples being a 10,800mile 2001 6-speed Coupe hammering at $75,000 and an X50-equipped 6-speed Coupe with 22,800 miles selling for $82,888.
356s, however, look to be coming back, despite the Continental Coupe that was stolen at The White Collection. Topping out the 356 market was a 1957 356A Speedster modified by Willhoit Auto Restoration with a 2.2-liter flat-four and a five-speed transmission. The sale included the original drivetrain and hammered down at a new five-year record of $590,000. Plenty of other impressive results included $255,000 for a beautiful 1958 356A Cabriolet finished in Red with a Black hardtop and a 1963 356B Super 90 Coupe that set a new five-year record at $191,000.
While December’s results will be hard to top, January kicks off with plenty of special Porsches at auction online, followed by a slew of prime examples out in Arizona. Here’s to a stellar 2024. CheeRS! David K. Whitlock is a writer for The Stuttgart Market Letter, a daily market update for Porschephiles, by Porschephiles, delivered free to your inbox. To sign up, go to: www.stuttgartmarketletter.com
Chesapeake Region
PCA License Plates What Are PCA License Plates: Chesapeake Region PCA coordinates the purchase of PCA Organizational License Plates issued through the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). The PCA License Plate Program promotes the visibility and camaraderie of PCA. PCA Maryland License Plates are pre-numbered Organizational Plates, not vanity plates. PCA License Plates are available for all cars, trucks and minivans, but not for motorcycles or trailers.
Cost: The one-time cost for the PCA License Plates is $40.00, which includes the $25.00 MVA fee and a $15 Chesapeake PCA fundraising fee to support the PCA License Plate Program and Chesapeake Region events. How To Apply: The only way to apply for PCA Organizational License Plates is to complete the online PCA Maryland License Web Form at https://pcachs.org/pcamaryland-license-plate/ and submit it electronically. Please click on the above link to learn the details and requirements to apply for PCA License Plates. If you have any questions regarding the purchase of PCA Maryland Organizational License Plates, please contact us at: pcaLicensePlates@pcachs.org. Safe and Happy Motoring. Requirements: You must be a PCA Member and the car must be registered in Maryland. The PCA Plates are not limited to Porsches. You can apply for PCA plates for all your cars registered in Maryland!
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FYI: Tech Library New Tech Library Online! Visit our new library at http://pcachs.org/tech-library/
Annual Advertising Rates: Personal/Classified Items—Free to PCA members Full page ad—$600 Half page ad—$450 Quarter page ad—$250 Business card—$200
Send to: editor@pcachs.org
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Name and Car Badges! Now you can obtain your Chesapeake Region Name Badge! Go to www.pcachs.org and use the “GOODIE STORE” menu from the main page. Click the button and complete the order form page. The Name Badge cost is $25, inclusive of handling and shipping. This is your opportunity to purchase a heavy “gold- plated” Chesapeake Region metal car badge. Each metal car badge comes complete with stainless steel slotted retaining plate, screws, washers and nuts to mount it through your car grille or separate mounting plate. You can order right now! The cost per metal car badge is $30 or two for $50, inclusive of handling and shipping. Here’s how you order your metal car badge: Go to www.pcachs.org and use the “GOODIE STORE” menu from the main page. Click the button and complete the order form page and make your payment. 46
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PCA Juniors
What is the PCA Juniors program? ✓ PCA Juniors is a program for Porsche enthusiasts under
age 18. ✓ Participants must be registered by an active PCA mem-
ber. ✓ It’s not just the cars… and now it’s not just the grown-
ups! ✓ With our new PCA Juniors program, PCA is about the kids too!
The PCA Juniors program has been created so kids can enjoy PCA events, learn about Porsches and build the enthusiasm that runs through all of the Porsche Club of America. Who is eligible? Any child under age 18 who is registered by a current PCA member can participate in the program. (Note: This is not a PCA Membership.) What will the child receive? PCA Juniors will receive a welcome package that includes an ageappropriate gift and PCA Juniors ID badge. We look forward to developing the program and its features over time. What does it cost to register? It’s FREE! Participants must be registered by an active PCA member, and there is no cost to join!
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We Are Porsche: Petersen Museum
By: Ellen Beck
The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles is architecturally stunning, both inside and out, especially with this year’s We Are Porsche exhibit, sponsored by Porsche Cars North America. No stranger to fabulous Porsche exhibits over the years, this one is uniquely interpreted through the stories of 40 special cars, beautifully told in images, video interviews and text. Of course, the rest of the museum is also insanely cool, with current exhibits on the Cars of Film and TV, Splendor and Speed (treasures from the collection), Inside Tesla (featuring an exploded 3-D view of a real car) and the history of tires (strangely fascinating).
Right before the holidays, I flew to San Diego with my mom, bringing her out to visit for 3 weeks with my brother Bill and his family. I stayed for a long weekend and one of our planned activities was a trip to LA to see an art gallery exhibit of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s early works, followed by a birthday dinner for my niece. Our tickets were for 4:15 pm on Saturday, and while we were figuring out who was going in what cars (8 of us including a 2-year-old), I mentioned that it was too bad there wouldn’t be time for the Petersen…. Well, my brother is not really a car guy, but he was instantly alert and up for the adventure! Long adventure, short version: Jane dropped Bill and I off at the Amtrack station at 10:15am and we took the 2-hour train trip to LA’s Union Station (quite a scenic ride right along the ocean), then got a Lyft to the Petersen. The whole trip being based on making all of the very unpredictable travel times work, we determined upon arrival that we had exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes to see the whole museum! After our whirlwind tour, we took another Lyft across LA to the art show, which was also amazing, then had a spectacular dinner after which Jane drove my mom, Bill and I back to San Diego. A wild and exciting 12+ hours! Arriving at the Petersen Museum, I hardly knew what to look at first. The first floor was filled with gorgeous Porsches, and the gift shop of course, because everyone needs another T-shirt and the stunning poster. Our eyes were popping, but we followed their directions to start on the 3 rd floor and work our way down (the 4th floor is special event space). We Are Porsche was primarily on the second floor, but Bill and I were mesmerized by the collections on the 3 rd floor. The exhibits were arranged not in rooms, but such that you could flow around the space. I’m sure there was a correct way to do it, but we were like hummingbirds darting between brightly colored flowers - to the next, and the next beautiful new work of art. Look at this! What about that? There was so much to read about each vehicle that I just took photos of the placards too, so we could read about them later. I never missed an episode of Batman as a kid, and the Batmobile was there! Herbie from 2005’s Herbie Fully Loaded is a real race car under the cute beetle body. And for the first time since the movies, Sally Carrera and Lightning McQueen were in the same location (Sally normally parks in Europe). And not surprisingly, the inside of the Time Machine looks exactly like it did in Back to the Fu-
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We Are Porsche (cont’d) ture. The exhibit of experimental cars were fascinating designs, so aerodynamic, sleek, sexy… and I wanted to absorb all the details about every single one. I took lots of photos, but there’s just no room in this article to show you them all. Looking at our watches… we needed to get to the Porsches! OMG, wow, what a great display. Starting with Porsche # 1 of course. It’s amazing how your senses sharpen when you realize you only have a finite amount of time to absorb as much as possible. The story cards and displays contained so much history and information, it was really a crime to be rushing through this exhibit, but again I just kept my phone in hand! As it turns out, I took just over 150 photos on my iPhone 14 during my very short visit; it’s a miracle I got some good ones! It was hard to pick from them for this article because there were just so many interesting Porsches and stories, and other spectacular cars. I included details as I wrote the photo captions that will hopefully intrigue you, since I certainly learned so much from the presentations. The Petersen Museum is truly top class and worth the trip if you are ever in or near LA. We are Porsche is on display through April 2024.
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We Are Porsche (cont’d)
By: Ellen Beck
The new 901 Coupe debuted in 1963 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, designated as the 901 until Peugeot complained that they had the trademark to “0” as the middle number of 3-digit model numbers. Thus the ‘911' was introduced to the US in 1965, and the 1964 901 became a unique and very collectible Porsche. Steve McQueen special ordered this 1976 911 Turbo Carrera, his last new car, with quite a few factory options like limited slip and dual mirrors, but most famously a custom kill switch on the dash for turning off the brake and tail lights, in the event he was being chased by the law.
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Renee Brinkerhoff decided at age 55 that she wanted to race a car, although knowing nothing about racing. She chose a 356, and took instruction at the Porsche Track Experience with Hurley Haywood. In 2013 she entered her first race, a 2,000 mile rally across Mexico, La Carrera Panamericana, becoming the first woman to win her class. She has rallied on every continent in her 356, including the East African Safari Classic, and across an Antarctic glacier. Her Valkyrie Racing team raises awareness for at-risk women and children and raises money to fight child trafficking, having donated close to 1 million dollars to that cause. Her 1956 356A was heavily modified for off-road travel on snow and ice with a unique track and ski system.
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We Are Porsche (cont’d)
By: Ellen Beck
Porsche built an estimated 12 Carrera GT versions of the immensely popular among racers 356 Speedster. #77 is famously the winningest Carrera GT, driven to 3 SCCA Championships (1960 and 1963 by Bruce Jennings from Maryland), courtesy of the Miles Collier Collection/Revs Institute.
Known as the Gmund Roadster, 356/1 was built in early 1948 as a mid engine prototype utilizing a number of suspension, brakes, steering and other parts from the VW Beetle. The aluminum bodywork and tubular frame are the basis for all Porsches going forward.
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Sally Carrera & my Brother Bill
Lightning McQueen & my Brother Bill
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We Are Porsche (cont’d)
By: Ellen Beck
Californian Rod Emory creates customized Porsche 356’s, called “Outlaws”. He combines original 356’s with modern performance parts, having created over 300 unique cars that were once dismissed by purists and now admired and coveted by collectors. Today, most any modified 356 is called an “outlaw”. Emory Outlaws look near stock, but he has created unique “Emory Specials” with extensive body modifications as well. This unique car, the 1964/1998 356 Emory Special created for Porsche’s 50th in Monterey in 1998, has a specially developed engine based on a 964 motor with a modified housing.
The 2022 SVRSR Hoonipigasus was built to suit the late Ken Block’s rally driving style by Mobil 1 and BBi Autosport. It has a self-adjusting suspension using GPS and racecourse specific telemetry, and the build creates nearly 5,000 pounds of downforce and 1,400 horsepower. The name and livery are a combination of Hoonigan Racing, the famous 917 Pink Pig and the Mobil 1 flying horse (livery designed by Trouble Andrew). Ken’s daughter Lia did a full tribute run in Hoonipigasus at Pike’s Peak in 2023.
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Only 16 America Roadsters were built, Porsche’s first lightweight racer with a simplified interior and top-spec engine, to be followed by the 356 Speedster. This 1952 example was the last one built, by Drauz for von Neumann, and eliminated every ounce of excess weight to include turn signals and deck lid straps. It weighed only 1,334 pounds with a top speed of 110 mph with 70hp (the bumpers were added later).
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We Are Porsche (cont’d)
By: Ellen Beck
This 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 “Time Machine” is the one of 3 different vehicles created for the Back to The Future trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990), and the only one to appear in all three movies. The gull wing doors made it look like an alien spaceship, according to director Robert Zemeckis, and now the DeLorean is forever associated with Back to the Future.
Making an estimated 800hp, this 935 was the last ever built, and delivered to the Brumos race team in 1980 . The Porsche 935 dominated its class, winning over a third of the races entered. Peter Gregg only drove this car once before his death in 1980, but Hurley Haywood successfully campaigned it for the next few years.
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A replica (5 were made) of the very rare 1994 911 Carrera RS 3.8 (55 made), used in the 2023 Paramount movie Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Porsche Cars NA Collection Patrick Dempsey's 2014 911 GT America
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The Batmobile, driven in Batman 1989 and Batman Returns 1992 by Michael Keaton, is based on a Impala with made) a low mounted 327 V-8,1994 Rolls911 Royce jet engine for theused hoodinintake, andParaturA ’67 replica (5 were of the very rare Carrera RS 3.8parts (55 made), the 2023 bine blades the nosepiece from a Harrier fighter jet. Cars NA Collection mount movie in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Porsche
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