KASSETTE
Gold Coast Region - PCA
FEB 2016 NOV 2021
DIE PORSCHE
Gold Coast Drivers Education
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Die Porsche Kassette
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JunNov 20162021 | Die| Porsche Die Porsche Kassette Kassette
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DIE PORSCHE
KASSETTE A monthly publication of the Gold Coast Region Porsche Club of America
Editor Roger Fabel 648 NW 100 Lane Coral Springs, FL 33071 (954) 752-2501 E-mail: rfabel@aol.com Graphic Artist Kirk Giannola Kgiannola@comcast.net 954 551-1300 Writers Mark Johnson Melissa Hyland Steve Kidd Christy Spangler
GCR DE is Back........................................................ 10 Porsche Track Experience ........................................ 14 Member Profiles........................................................ 18 Autocross Update...................................................... 23 A Photo Finish........................................................... 34
Upcoming Events
Departments Officers / Board Members............................................ 6 Social Committee / Chairs........................................... 6 President’s Corner....................................................... 7 Shift into Social............................................................ 7 Membership Corner..................................................... 8 Editor’s Notes.............................................................. 9 Tech Corner............................................................... 26 Advertiser Index........................................................ 34
Advertising Roger Fabel Tech Writer Pedro Bonilla Copy Editor Tom Goodmann Submissions The deadline for submission of materials is the 1st of the month prior to that of publication (for example, October 1st for inclusion in the November issue). Please email: rfabel@ aol.com with “Kassette Material” as the subject line. Photo of the month material shoud be sent to gcr.potm@gmail.com. Die Porsche Kassette
Features
Events Calendar.......................................................... 6 48 Hours at Sebring Club Race................................... 9 GCR Monthly Socials................................................ 31
Photographers Roger Fabel Alejo Menendez
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DIE PORSCHE KASSETTE is the official publication of the Porsche Club of America, Gold Coast Region, Inc. and is published monthly. Any statement appearing in the Kassette is that of the author and does not constitute an opinion of the Porsche Club of America, the Gold Coast Region, Inc., its Board of Directors, the KASSETTE editors or its staff. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all material submitted for publication. Permission is given to chartered regions of PCA to reprint articles in their newsletter if credit is given to the author and the KASSETTE. Publication office: 648 NW 100 Lane, Coral Springs, FL 33071
KASSETTE
Gold Coast Region - PCA
FEB 2016 NOV 2021
DIE PORSCHE
10
Gold Coast Drivers Education
ON THE COVER GCR Drivers Education Photos by Mark Johnson
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President’s Corner As I’m sitting down to write this it’s the 11th of October, well into the last quarter of 2021. Is it too early to reflect on how the year is shaping up? I don’t think so; 2021 had so many challenges that there was every opportunity for it to have turned out badly, but it hasn’t. Due to the dedication of our members and the dedication of those who choose to serve on the Board, 2021 has turned into a rocking good year. We had two successful Driver Education events, managed by the DE Committee that is chaired by Mike Roblin. Autocross is rolling right along under the direction of Steve and Dottie Kidd. New processes and procedures have been implemented by our Membership Chair, Ian Garada, that bring the membership and Club’s needs more in sync, allowing us to better serve the membership. What can I say about the Social Committee? Under the guidance of the new social chair, we have had an explosion of new events hit the calendar,
and each one seems more fun than the one before. As examples, how about the run to Mount Dora, followed by the Escape to the Cape? Let me stop here for a second and reflect on the Escape. This probably must be marked as one of the most successful social events in club history. We had more than 150 cars sign up for the event. This event was created and chaired by Rick Veingrad, a member of the Board of Directors and new Sponsorship Chair. He worked closely with the Membership Committee, the Kassette, the hotel, the Sponsors and the Board of Directors to pull this event off. As I see it his only problem is, how do we top this next year? Big events are great, but what keeps the Club interesting are the week-to-week events, and these we have in abundance. The first Saturday of each month we have our Porsche and Pancakes Breakfast held at 6 locations around the Region. That is followed later in the month by the Virtual Cocktail Party, and the Thursday Social. This year we had a New Member
Peter Olliviere, President
and Volunteer Thank You Picnic at Trade Winds Park. That event turned out to be a success despite the thunderstorm that threatened to wash us away. Octoberfest was just this past weekend; this is an event that was canceled due to COVID and it returned for the first time with a bang. Have you looked at Die Porsche Kassette lately? When you weren’t looking, it morphed into a very upscale magazine. Roger Fabel, the Kassette Editor, has created a new team that is working together to make the Kassette truly a top-notch publication. Now don’t get me wrong; it’s not all sunshine and roses. We have issues that need to be addressed as we move forward, but if we keep the focus on our membership, the community, and having fun, Gold Coast is unstoppable!
Peter
Shift into Social
Christy Spangler, Social Chair Oktoberfest turned out to be a great event with approximately 60 Porsches and over a hundred members in attendance. Foreign Affairs sponsored the event, providing door prizes including Porsche Design men’s and women’s wallets and admission to any PCA DE event being held in Florida. Bobby Varela worked with Eric Brinkmann, the general manager of the Biergarten in Boca Raton, to organize the event. The Crush provided the musical entertainment. Thanks to all of you that were able to attend, bringing your gorgeous Porsches for display.
Be on the lookout for emails from Ian via “enews” with more information on upcoming and current events. You can also check the calendar on the GCR website for event updates: https://www.goldcoastregion.org/calendar/. We would like to begin planning for 2022 socials. If you are interested in volunteering or have an idea for an event, please contact me at social@ goldcoastregion.org. November signifies that the year is
winding down. November 11th is Veterans Day, Thank you to the many GCR veterans in our membership. We appreciate your service to our great country! November 25th is Thanksgiving, a holiday to reflect on what you are thankful for and to spend time with family and friends. If you are traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday, stay safe, both on the roads and health-wise and most of all, have a happy Thanksgiving!
Oktoberfest at the Boca Biergarten
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Membership Corner Welcome to another edition of Membership Corner! A place where you can find out more about our club and get some useful information on the cars we all love. On September 25th, we held our new member and volunteer barbeque at Trade Winds Park. The purpose of the BBQ was to welcome new members to our club and thank the volunteers for their hard work throughout the year. With just over 100 new members and volunteers in attendance, the day began with the directors and membership chairs talking about all the activities and events that take place in our club. This gave new members a ton of great insight into what the PCA club is all about, and what they can look forward to. A finger-lickin’ good barbeque lunch with all the fixings was served from 12 – 2 p.m. with Gold Soul BBQ providing a full menu and all the fixins! In true Florida fashion, the heavens opened as lunch was underway and a downpour ensued. Of course, this didn’t dampen the spirits of those in attendance! The good times continued even with the rain. A special thanks
to all the new members and volunteers who attended this year! New Member Numbers As of October 1, 2021, our membership stands at 3,014: 1,980 primary members and 1,034 co-members. Remember, if you’re the primary member, you may register a co-member.* Co-members are welcome to share in your PCA experience at no additional cost. Additionally, they’re invited to all PCA events and receive their own user account on www.PCA.org. *Co-members must be at least 18 years of age to register. Membership Stats Here are some interesting facts about our members: Last month, I asked what color car you thought was most popular among our members. Most of you got it right, voting overwhelmingly for black! Black is indeed the most popular color in the PCA club. Based on the answers from 1,000 PCA members, here’s a list of the 10 most popular colors:
Welcome GCR New Members Victor Olaniel Salet Palucci Mark Massingham Scott Cable Anthony Perez Brandon Rice Salvatore Scire Esteban T Pedernera Larry Shendell Anthony Proffitt Miguel Girasol Eric Echevarria Gabriel F Vina Jeffrey Flanagan Javier Pinzon Lorenzo San Martin David Steinberg Paulius Cepas
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2019 911 Carrera T 2018 Macan 1997 911 Carrera Cabriolet 2014 911 Turbo S 2018 911 Carrera T 2016 Cayman GT4 2002 911 Carrera 4S 1987 911 Carrera 1993 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet 2021 911 Turbo 2007 Boxster 2006 911 Carrera S 2001 Boxster 2006 911 Carrera S Cabriolet 2002 Boxster S 2021 911 Carrera 1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet 2020 911 Carrera 4S
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# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Color Black White Silver Red Blue Gray Guards Red Yellow Grey GT Silver
Count 288 226 166 114 92 44 39 26 20 18
For this month’s question: Of all the various Porsche models we drive, which models make-up the top THREE models in the GCR? Email your best guess to igerada@ gmail.com! Next month, I’ll reveal the top 10 Porsche models driven by our members.
Welcome PCA Trasfers Luc D'Argence 1998 911 Carrera S From Everglades (EGS) Jimmy Kompotiatis 2002 911 Turbo From Gulfstream (GSR) Philippe Petit 2018 Panamera 4 From FL Thoroughbred (FTR) Joseph Petruska 2018 Porsche From N New Jersey (NNJ) Saulo Santos 2011 Boxster From Pacific Northwest (PNW) Salvatore Scire 2002 911 Carrera 4S From Down East (DNE) Jean Pierre Vuillermet 1997 911 Carrera S From Connecticut Valley (CTV)
Editor’s Notes
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s we head into November, I am reflecting on our progress during 2020-2021. We had many challenges with limited events but the members responded with articles and photos about their solo and small group adventures. The increase in member content helped fill in for our lack of calendar events but also prompted our Kassette staff to create new sections such as our monthly Member Profiles and Photo of the Month which was just upgraded to “A Photo Finish.” Another challenge to our Kassette staff was the need for more space to layout the increased content. This
Roger Fabel, Editor
has been a slow process, but I hope you have noticed the upgrades by our team. Our goal is to continue the progress with each publication. We welcome your ideas and feedback along with articles you wish to submit. Another change is our new Porsche Classified section that will roll out in December. The main difference from the old classified listing will be the absence of photos so that we can list more Porsche items. When submitting your listings please use “GCR Classified” in the subject line of your e-mail.
I receive many requests for address changes from our members. These changes may be seasonal or permanent. The best way to change your address in the PCA database can be done on line at pca.org. This update will also change your address for the Panorama magazine and all other PCA mailings. The planning for the 2022 48 Hours at Sebring is in full swing. Please save the dates on the flyer below and volunteer for this great event. Thank you for your continued support.
Nov 2021 |
Roger
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DE IS BACK And It’s Not Your Normal Weekend Drive... by Mark Johnson, Saff Writer
Novice Keith Hartley in his 996 Turbo Cabriolet enjoying a great day at Palm Beach International Raceway with Gold Coast Region DE
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n a beautiful early fall weekend, the Gold Coast Region hosted the first Driver Education (DE) event at Palm Beach International Raceway. This was significant in several ways: it was the first DE the club held since last November, it could very well be the last event the club holds at PBIR, and yet it was a super day to be out driving at speed. Imagine that you own a beautiful, highpowered Porsche that is truly capable of driving well over 100 mph for hours on end. The car corners like it’s on rails. It is incredible fun and totally rewarding to drive fast and under control. However, the speed limit in the neighborhood or on the interstate prevents you from achieving and enjoying the full potential of your car. You can look at it to enjoy it, of course, and wash it constantly, but you cannot drive over the posted limit for the road without risking a moving violation, or worse. What was that quote from Dr. Porsche? We think it was: “our cars were meant to be driven, not polished”! Maybe you occasionally take the turnpike entrance ramp, a big full-decreasing radius turn, at a speed of twice the posted recommendation, and you can hit the straight without much acceleration and merge into the existing traffic. Maybe
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you can find a nice line on a righthand turn, hit the apex and accelerate out – at 35 mph. You certainly can’t do that on any lefthand turns in a similar fashion or you’re likely to end up nosed into a Ford F150. So, what is the best way to enjoy your Porsche at speed, banging the corners and pulling through for the next one? Get to the track for Drivers Education with Gold Coast Region of PCA! DE is all about enjoying your Porsche the way it was meant to be enjoyed! In addition, learning the necessary skills at a racetrack, and gaining the essential driving knowledge with assistance from a talented instructor, will make one a much better driver on any street. That includes the local city street as well as the interstates. Why? Because driving is not only about going fast and then slowing down; it is about 360-degree awareness, and being able to gauge speed, distance and time for yourself and all the cars around you. Will the track hurt your car? NO—unless you get crazy or stupid with it by driving too fast or not paying attention. But that is why there are instructors, and why you are there – to learn how to drive fast, under control, and with passion! Tracking ones Porsche is tantamount to driving it to its greatest potential. Just refer to the October ’21 DIE PORSCHE KASSETTE Tech Corner article, “It’s never been tracked,” by Pedro Bonilla. Pedro has 300K miles on his Boxster with 15,000 on track with either DE or autocross. Per Pedro, “Porsches are one of a handful of cars that are meant for street and track use!” Roughly 52 drivers took to the track to improve their vehicle driving and handling skills. The DE event is not a race, but it is designed to help an owner/driver develop the key skills needed to eventually take to the racetrack if they choose. More, it is about enjoying the full potential of your
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Porsche. A driver will learn how strong their Porsche really is. Then you learn skills such as the driving line through a corner, threshold and trail braking, corner turn-in, apex, and exit, and when to accelerate and set up for the next corner. Most anyone can plant their foot to the floor in a long straight, and that’s fun too, but fast through the corners is key to better lap times. Drivers also are trained to look for traffic both ahead and behind. It is easy to see the slower cars ahead, but essential to recognize the faster vehicle coming up behind that wishes to pass. Per Hurly Haywood, it is both “patience and vision” that makes a good race driver. Hurley should know. He’s one of the greatest Porsche race drivers of all time, having won the Rolex 24 at Daytona five times, the 24 Hours Le Mans three times, and the 12 Hours of Sebring twice. Using those mirrors is a huge part of vision!
The Air-Cooled Brigade mixing it up, a bit. A sweet 914 being chased by a lovely 964 RSA. Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) is in north Palm Beach County on Bee Line Highway. It’s an easy drive from anywhere in our Region, usually up the Florida Turnpike to the Bee Line Road exit, then northwest about 14 miles. The track itself has been in operation since 1965 and consists of a 2.04-mile
course with 11 distinct turns. Located way out in the water management area of Palm Beach, it is flat, i.e., there are no hills. Unfortunately, PBIR has been up for sale. News broke before the weekend that a deal was completed to buy the land and convert it to warehouse property for a company like Walmart or Amazon. Current rumor suggests the track could be used through April 2022, but much remains to be learned. It would be a shame to lose the track, as even the Palm Beach County law enforcement folks, including Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, are in favor of keeping the track. There just are not that many facilities around for driving at speed in a controlled environment. In its current configuration, with the full two-thirds of a mile (3100 ft.) backstraight, the fastest lap was run by Spencer Pigot in 2012, driving an F2000, and clocking 1:12.78. (Roughly a 100 MPH average). The DE drivers will lap the track from 1 minute, 20 seconds to 1:50+, or at speeds between 65 to 90 MPH for an average lap pace.
Louie Maragos crosses the start-finish line at PBIR in his 2017 911 Carrera. Certainly, running at quicker speeds-any speed for that matter—takes a tremendous amount of skill and concentration. For that reason, there are several basic rules that must be followed. First, the car must be certified technically for the track by a shop-approved mechanic for such evaluation. Next, every driver must wear a helmet, Snell-approved with approval no earlier than 2015. Third, and maybe the most important, drivers must be certified. A new driver just cannot go out on the track! You need to be trained. Rookies or novices and intermediate drivers are assigned a driving instructor. Once certified, and obtaining “Solo” credentials, the driver can drive on his or her own without an instructor. There were “probably 20 first-timers driving over the course of the weekend,”, according to Jake Kooser, who
served as DE Registrar. If you seek additional information about driving in a DE event, please refer to the GCR website for Track Events (https://www.goldcoastregion.org/drivers-education/) With so many new and intermediate drivers, instructors were busy. A certified and experienced instructor will set the tone, teach the driving line, explain the necessary skills and coach the driver around the track. It is not just standing on the gas! There is much to know and learn. Beyond cornering skills, the Porsche pilot must watch and be aware of slower traffic in front and faster traffic behind. There are limited and specific zones, the straight sections, where a faster car is allowed to pass. Also, the slower vehicle must be cognizant of the impending pass and provide a hand signal to the overtaking car as to which side the pass should occur. Passing is not allowed on any corners. There is much to know, practice, and master.
Bryce Lively in his Cayman S receiving instruction as he exits Turn 2. Smooth is Fast Gold Coast Region would like to offer our most sincere thanks to our DE instructors for their efforts. They each trained 2 or 3 drivers per day and spent more time on track than anyone. Having seasoned instructors offering calm and detailed advice for the track is essential in helping the car owner understand their responsibility behind the wheel. Such instruction is key to being safe for themselves and everyone on the course. Also, there is no doubt that having a professional talk you around the track will result in improved driving skill and faster lap times.
Multiple Porsches working to find the right and fastest line through Turn 5 at PBIR with Mike Koller GCR Board Member in his sweet red Cayman GTS leading the way. These instructors know how to handle a car and know how to share that knowledge with someone early in the learning curve. It was challenging during the weekend as there were many new drivers, and not nearly enough instructors. This presented a challenge in These circumstances meant that our instructors were so busy “teaching” they had little time to attend to the little things like personal (restroom) breaks. Gold Coast Region is looking to enroll additional instructors in the DE program so they can work toward a 1:1 driver/instructor ratio. Of the 50+ drivers, everyone appeared to enjoy the driving and PCar camaraderie. The weather was warm but with a light breeze, which kept most everyone cool. We had drivers from as far away as the Great Plains Region (Nebraska/ Iowa). There were three specific DE run groups: beginner, intermediate, solo. Both the beginner and intermediate groups run with an instructor. The solo group is as expected: drivers with sufficient track time and (?) graded skills are invited to enjoy the track in the car alone, without an instructor. Instructors also run in a separate group without any DE drivers on the course. They need continual seat time to keep current on their skills behind the wheel of their autos. We understand that they also like to let loose a bit as a driver, as opposed to being in the right seat all day. They run very well, and each have hundreds if not thousands of hours of seat time and corresponding miles in high performance vehicles. Suffice it to say, our DE instructors live to drive.
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Let’s talk shop, the driving line, and what’s for lunch? It can be a long fun day.
Beyond actual driving, there are opportunities for non-driving family members and friends to watch. There are several places along the track that have bleachers where one can sit and observe your favorite driver/car. Even though it is not racing, there exists the opportunity to see the improvement in each driver as they learn their skills and become comfortable on a racetrack. If photography is your hobby, there are several locations along the first half of the track to take photos. We can’t name them all, but it was great to visit with the following GCR PCA
Althea Pemsel and her instructor exit Turn 3 to drive the top half of the PBIR course.
members: Greg Lush with his RS America, Bryce Lively, a new member transfer from the Washington DC area in his Cayman S, novice Keith Hartley from Miami in his 996 Turbo Cab, and Ms. Althea Pemsel of Ft. Lauderdale. For Althea and her Boxster this was her fifth DE event. It was fun running with you, and watching you enjoy your Porsche autos to the max! Thanks to our instructors, our drivers, the DE Team and to everyone who came out for DE@PBIR!
It’s not racin’, but it’s damn fun runnin’ Porsches on PBIR!
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WhenYou Want To Drive - Really FAST City streets, two lane country roads, and interstates are not the best places to exercise your fast driving capabilities. Also, it is not advisable to push your personal Porsche to its limits when driving with other vehicles in a non-controlled environment. So, what is one to do when you “wanna go fast”? P-Car people, we have a sincere recommendation for you: Consider the PORSCHE TRACK EXPERIENCE at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, AL.
Barber Motorsports Park Entrance The Porsche Track Experience (PTX for short) is the Porsche performance driving school in the United States. It is held at Barber Motorsports Park east of Birmingham. This track is what many people consider the Augusta National of road racing. Barber is truly a world-class auto and motorcycle racing facility. Similar to Augusta, the home of THE MASTERS Golf Tournament, the track and grounds are simply beautiful. The track itself is fast, challenging, and a fun place to drive at speed. It is special. Annually, Barber hosts the Honda Indy Grand Prix, Barber Historics presented by Porsche, multiple motorcycle (moto) events, and roughly 150 days of PTX driving at the various levels of learning. Porsche PTX at Barber presents sophisticated opportunities for those so motivated to learn true performance driving skills. The PTX presents multiple level courses for every Porsche owner. There are two introductory courses (Precision & Performance) and one intermediate level
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offering (Masters). At the next level there are two race license courses (Masters RS, and Masters RSR) and a 2-Day Lapping & Data Course (Masters TR). Additionally there are two courses that focus on car control, Masters R and a 2-Day Advanced Car Control Clinic. It is not uncommon for Porsche owners to take several of the courses more than once, or to move all the way from the entry level up through the full race Masters RSR levels, especially if you choose to participate in any Porsche Club Racing events. The Porsche Track Experience offers a highly comprehensive curriculum for those so inclined to pursue PCar driving experience and enhanced skill for any level of personal vehicle enjoyment. Each of these course offerings can be investigated in detail at the Porsche Driving website: https://www.porschedriving. com/track-experience/barber-motorsports/ track. The advanced level coursework is geared toward racing techniques and obtaining a SCCA or similar racing license. Either of the intro level courses is required before moving to the intermediate or advanced level training. These introductory level courses, a one-day or a two-day event, provide a sensational experience, substantial skill improvement, and fun. If you are a Merriam-Webster dictionary type of person, the word “beaucoup” comes to mind, or “great in quantity or amount.” It is a beaucoup life event. What’s not to like? Driving at speed on a closed course (no cops) in a top-of-theline new Porsche. The PTX uses multiple Porsche models for training. On-track driving at the introductory level is accomplished with three models: the Cayman S, the Carrera 911 S, and the 911 Turbo S with all wheel drive and 660+ horsepower. In addition to the track cars, the hosts also use a Cayman and Boxster S models on an auto-
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cross course, the Taycan and Panamera S for several vehicle braking drills, and 911 Carrera S models on the skid pad.
A Porsche 911 Turbo S, soon to be driven at speed. The two-day introductory Performance Driving course consists of three off-track training sessions and then combined with four track sessions per day. With a total of 30 students, the training team splits this big group into 6 smaller groups of 5 people each. In this fashion, each enrolled driver receives close to one-on-one training and informative advice before and after each in-car session. Each day, a student will spend half of the day driving sessions on the track and the other half of the day will be spent on off-track training modules. The off-track areas consist of an autocross session, a (very wet) skid pad session, and a dynamic driving area. Dynamic driving concentrates on two key vehicle control skills, these being braking and weight transfer. Each individual segment is geared to provide knowledge and eye-hand-foot coordination related to the skill being learned. It is truly amazing to gain insight and immediate feedback on the differences between driving on a city street or highway versus the skills necessary to traverse a racetrack. Simply, the distinction is night and day. Building the necessary experience to race or drive at speed is highly counter-intuitive to the high school-level driving skills taught for everyday transportation.
A look at the skid pad
We learn where the acceleration zones are, the highly important braking zones, the corner turning-in point, corner apex, and track exit point are. Each area requires complete concentration and a commitment to follow the person in front (at two car lengths please), to keep the four to five cars on the track in relative close contact. As student skills and key points on the track are learned the pace increases. On the first lap, the instructor leads everyone around at maybe 70 mph max speed. By the end of the second day, top speed in the main straight is 130 mph and we are taking hairpin turns and the corkscrew at 45+/- mph. It is quite a progression from newbies to budding performance drivers.
A Boxster running on the Autocross course For every exercise module and track session the drivers are in the car by themselves. The instructor uses a walkie-talkie radio to provide tips and advice while the respective driver practices. The instructors are talented. Each has raced in the past, or is currently racing. The trainers have run open wheel cars, motorcycles, IMSA, Daytona, Sebring, Brands Hatch, Spa and hundreds of other courses. As critical as their driving skills are, they have been selected for their ability to teach, talk, and relate the skill(s) to the student, in plain English – not race jargon. They watch every move, they see your line into the corner, watch the brake light timing on-and off, and coach you around the respective course and necessary skill. Moving to the track it is substantially different. Yes, each person is in their own Porsche 911S, Turbo S or Cayman, but the track driving at the Barber layout consists of the lead/follow (trainer/student) system. Once belted into the car, the instructor starts the very first outlap at an easy pace. He or she talks us around the track.
The “look” climbing into a Turbo S before the first run… and
The look upon completion of 15-20 laps on Barber with the Turbo S
The Barber Motorsports track is a 2.38mile route. It features 16 total turns and 80’ of elevation changes. Besides a requisite front straight and start/finish line, there are: downhill hard lefthand corners, and a couple large righthand sweepers, or carousels. A driver will be challenged by the hairpin, a left-right-left corkscrew, a couple of chicanes, and quite a few elevation changes. The hills make several of these corners blind and occasionally off-camber. Listening and learning from the pros helps everyone learn the correct navigation, or line through each. As each corner is completely unique, all are quite challenging. Braking, everyone learns, is the name of the game. It does not take much to stomp on the throttle for propulsion in a very fast straight line. Drive dragsters if you want to go fast and straight. Road course racers need to get from that highspeed straight line, then properly slowed through threshold and trail braking into and through the corner. BEING UNDER CONTROL is paramount. Fortunately, both of the Carreras (S and Turbo S) are equipped with the latest Porsche carbon ceramic braking system (PCCM). With these ceramic brakes, the car stops! The lead instructors are constantly reminding their following students where to brake, how much, how long, and only then to add power while tracking out of the turn. If done properly the corners at a racetrack are very violent, but appear seamlessly smooth from a bystander watching at any turn. It takes a ton of practice and repetition to master, but it is also fun and easy to get the basic understanding. These professional and skilled instructors take time and go to great lengths to instill the loading of the tires for proper braking, turning, and car control. Loading a tire consists of changing the weight balance from neutral (or rear weight) to front weight to increase the size of the tire contact patch with the ground, or road. (Continued on page 16)
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Instructor John Davis explaining the braking drill for the next session.
Braking skills and the autocross segments practice these tire loadings at a quicker speed. Drivers also learn the impact of vehicle weight, and suspension settings (soft, firm, etc.). However, the skid pad is the place where the loading/unloading and brake or acceleration pressure exacerbates the amount of tire contact patch and tire loading provided. The skid pad is easily the slowest driving yet wildest and most challenging. One need not exceed 12 mph to have a real and immediate feel of the car going too fast into the turn or trying to accelerate out of one. Turn into a corner without braking, then add brake and the car will push right of its intended path. Adding power via throttle while attempting to turn or exit a turn will quickly kick the back end out. If you decide to accelerate too fast, the back end quickly attempts to bring the taillights ahead of the headlights, and the driver has their hands full in counter steering while trying to recover. It is a serious blast, and severely humbling. Trying to avoid both under-steer and over-steer and getting a fast lap time on a wet “figure 8” is not easy. After doing our worst, we each had a new appreciation for those drift car jockeys. Obscene skills and props to the those drifters! Without a doubt, the time spent on the track is the best. It’s driving on a closed racecourse at speeds between 40 mph
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at the hairpin turn to over 130 mph on the front straight. Every lap is taken in a state-of-the-art Porsche that is owned by someone else. Why beat up your car when you can drive theirs? Each of the cars driven is new and has 2000 to 3000 miles on them or less. Pirelli sponsors the Porsche Track Experience. The tires are always fresh and plenty sticky. That’s a very good thing as PTX goes through tires quickly. With an instructor leading, there are three to five students following. As we learn the braking, accelerating and turning skills there are no passes allowed. Passing skills are part of the advanced master classes if someone should wish to pursue a race license for club racing or SCCA, HSA, etc. With every lap or two, the instructor asks the student immediately behind the lead car to rotate to the back of the group. Each driver then gets the opportunity to try to keep up, hit the same marks on the track, and run as fast as the leader. Some do well, others not so much so. It is not nearly as much fun following a person who might hit the brakes midway down the front straight, as opposed to sucking up to the back bumper (half a car length) off of the instructor’s vehicle. With two fast drivers up front, it is easy to leave the rest of the group several hundred yards behind, and then have to wait for them to catch up on the next rotation. If you are lucky and moderately good, the pros may caucus and move a quicker driver to a faster group. Then hang on; you’re going for a ride.
This vehicle is not a PTX training car, but it is attractive
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Driving talent level for each individual student is all over the board. Virtually every student drives a Porsche of some model or vintage, but not everyone has had the opportunity to drive fast on a track. There is a Porsche racer in the group, a few DE-experienced drivers, but most have never been at speed, having only driven in cities or on the highways. Hence, the skills everyone arrives with are highly diverse. It’s not a bad thing, but it does create challenges for getting folks grouped in teams of similar skill levels. These teams are important, and skilled learning is essential. On day two, each team is timed in two events. We each get a time for autocross and for skid-pad figure 8 efforts. An autocross driver has three laps on the circuit. The best lap of the three is your timed score. A good time here is roughly 29-30 seconds with no penalties, given the length of the layout. The autocross is simple: go fast, brake hard, DON’T hit any cones! Those who topple a cone are awarded a 2-second penalty per cone knocked over. At the end of lap three, you stop in the box. On the skid-pad, it is a simple figure 8. Best time, quickest around, and under control. The skid-pad is similar to driving on black ice or a frozen lake. The surface is slick as ____ (insert your favorite comparison). It is best navigated at around 12 mph with out losing the back end or pushing off the course. It sounds simple but many are flummoxed by how easy it is to lose control. There is friendly competition for both individual time, and for combined team time for all thirty drivers. The top autocross individual ran the course at 28.98 sec. The best team time was a combined 2:39+. The skid pad winning time was 58.6 sec, but most ran the figure at a 1 minute plus. With any course completion, there is a moment of celebration, and the PTX did not disappoint. Every student had the opportunity to be a “ride along” in a Porsche 911 Carrera S. While the pro drove hard, the passenger was plastered in the right seat! Most everyone, we surmise,
thought they did quite well with their own driving on track – UNTIL we all went for THE RIDE! With the pros, speeds went up by 15-20 mph at a minimum and actual lap times dropped substantially. Hard corner entry braking damn near threw the passenger through the windscreen. Corners were a blur of lateral G forces, and acceleration was violent. Hell, the entire lap was violent. After the lap, we all wondered how a professional race driver on a road circuit was able to keep up the pace for 3 to 4 hours continuously. Everyone had an entirely new appreciation of the talent required to race at the pinnacles of the sport.
And then it was over. Two days of speed. Two days of braking and turning. Two days of driving spectacular Porsche autos came to the end. After a quick debriefing and a course evaluation questionnaire, everyone is given few parting gifts: swag! One of the best parting gifts was the thumb drive showing video footage of everyone’s personal on-track experience. The PTX folks install a forward-facing and driver-facing camera system that records each and every lap. In addition to seeing the track, and how one might drive, there is a fair amount of vehicle telemetry to document driving ability. In Masters level courses the trainers review the video to further enhance driver training. For-
tunately, the video does not display the cones taken out while on the autocross course or the main track (quite a few were down each day; my bad). Bottom line? If you want to learn to drive fast – controlled—having fun—in someone else’s car, then get enrolled in the Porsche Track Experience at Barber Motorsports Park. After taking one of the intro courses, you’ll find yourself enrolled in the Intermediate Masters with the author. He’s definitely, most assuredly, and absolutely going back. (Thank me later.) Put the Porsche Track Experience on your personal bucket list! This close to Christmas, put in on your Santa list . . . .
Sculpture art around the track makes for enjoyment beyond the cars
The look and the feel of being “on track”!
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PCA Gold Coast – Member Profiles Mark Johnson, staff writer
We sincerely hope you are enjoying meeting your fellow members via this format. Die Porsche Kassette staff certainly is!
Featuring Jose J. “JJ” Colon-Lauer Jose J. Colon-Lauer is known as “JJ”, which certainly seems logical and reasonable. He and his family are originally from Puerto Rico, and they currently live in Davie, FL. The family of 4 moved to the US in 2007 as part of a job transfer. What about his Porsche, you may ask? The PCar in the household is a 1988 Carrera 3.2 Cabrio in Venetian Blue with 98,789 miles. JJ acquired the car in 2010. It has been “chipped”, AC deleted, lowered to Euro spec, with an added front DP valence, Momo steering wheel, and an upgraded shifter. As with many Porsche owners, JJ enjoys cruising the car, driving it to various shows, and bringing joy to kids (and adults) when they see such a beauty.
Beautiful it is, JJ Colon-Lauer’s 1988 Carrera 3.2 Cabrio bathing in an evening glow Earlier, Jose had a line on another 3.2 Cab that was in Maryland. The year was 2007 and he made a gentleman’s agree-
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ment with the owner to fly up, buy the ‘87 and drive it home. The owner had a close friend who heard about the pending sale and indicated that he would purchase the car to keep it “in the family,” so to speak. The owner refunded the airfare to JJ and that opportunity ended. Since a Porsche was not in the cards at that time he decided to lay off the search, hoping another 911 Cab would find him. Then, as luck and fate would have it, Mrs. Colon-Lauer was cruising eBay and found the ’88 3.2 Cabrio. The car was in South Florida, 5 miles away. After a brief email exchange, Jose met the owner at a local Publix. The very next day he drove it home. He has been a proud and happy owner now for 11 years. Sr. Colon-Lauer’s affinity and appreciation for the 911 Porsche was kindled at a very early age. As with many young men he had an interest in cars. When 9 years old, the vehicle of choice was a Corvette. His father had both a Mercedes Benz 220 and a 6.3. Pops advised JJ that by the time he was able to purchase his own vehicle, cars would be quite different. Doing research through the magazines--Road & Track, for example—JJ’s mind and eyes were opened to a wonder of vehicles. One day, riding with his dad, he heard a massively and distinctive loud roar! The growling vehicle that passed them quickly was orange, with black lettering on the side, and carried massive spoiler. It was nothing like a ‘Vette. It was otherworldly to JJ. Ultimately this unique vehicle was ID’d as a 911 Carrera that was owned by a local radio DJ. Young Colon-Lauer was quickly transformed from a Chevy Corvette guy to a Porsche 911 aficionado.
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The Porsche 911 aficionado himself, JJ. His father and JJ had numerous conversations about cars (dad liked them every bit as much), so they looked around Puerto Rico together. Unfortunately, the supply and availability of the 911 in the island country was not large. Also, the roads and driving conditions that existed did not contribute to finding many high-quality Porsche vehicles. It wasn’t until JJ arrived in South Florida that the opportunity to acquire a mechanically sound 911 would appear. When the previous owner of the 3.2 had to sell in 2010 because of an unplanned divorce, JJ was the beneficiary of the 911. He has certainly made it his. To his knowledge, JJ Colon-Lauer is the fourth owner of the car. Besides the upgrades noted above, he has been working relentlessly to bring up the quality and keep the Carrera Cab in outstanding condition. Seats, carpeting, paint, wheels, and multiple other features were serviced personally or with the assistance of several local shops—Rivero Auto in Kendall in particular. While the previous owner kept the vehicle maintained mechanically, cosmetically it needed work. JJ became
obsessed with Griot’s Garage car care products and performed the paint correction and protection personally. Many late nights were spent working on the 3.2 to bring it back to its current beauty. As with many Porsche owners, it is a labor of love. The Colon-Lauer family consists of Ms. Agnes (Bermudez) Colon. The Colons were married in 2001, so allow us the opportunity to wish them a Happy & Joyous 20th Anniversary. Agnes and JJ have two children: Mauricio (17), their son, and Alexa (16), their daughter. Mauricio is transitioning to flight school after a suc-
cessful stint at West Broward HS, playing lacrosse (Team Captain last 2 years). Alexa is a junior at West Broward, also plays lacrosse and is National Honor Society member. They have 2 dogs, Samson an 8-year-old American bulldog, and Boriken a German Shepard mix. Both pups were adopted from the Broward Humane Society, with special kudos to Boriken, who was rescued from Puerto Rico after the 2019 earthquake. JJ is the Head of Risk and Control for a Securities & Investment firm. A favorite Porsche? For JJ it is simply “AIR COOLED” – there is no substitute!
JJ has been a member of PCA since 2010 but there were a few short years of hiatus. He recently rejoined Gold Coast in 2020. His plan is attending a few of our regional shows and become involved with more events to the north (48 Hours, HDPE, Zonefest, etc.) as his schedule and time allowance improves. One interest is that he would like to start a 944 CUP Racing team with a 2-car operation. Sounds like speed is in his blood, and how much fun a 944 CUP car is at speed!!! Look for JJ and Agnes Colon-Lauer at a future Gold Coast event, say hi, and quiz him on the kids and the race team!
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Autocross Update
Steve Kidd, Autocross Chair
By the time you read this article in early November, we hope to have completed Event #4 at Sebring and with any luck will have a date and location for one more AutoX in 2021. Recently GCR had a new member/volunteer appreciation picnic. I made a short AX presentation to everyone and later a more detailed demonstration with questions and answers. To revisit these important topics, here are some of the questions and answers (or excerpts from PCA publications) from the 9/25 activity: What is an Autocross? An autocross is an all-forward gear competitive driving event in which one vehicle at a time is timed for one or more laps on a clearly defined closed course on a hard surface with a defined start and finish line. An autocross is run in lower gears (typically 2nd) with an emphasis on handling and agility rather than speed and power. An autocross is not wheel-to-wheel racing, a time trial or a gymkhana. More than one vehicle can be on the course at the same time as long as vehicles do not run in proximity to each other and workers are not put at risk. There can be official timing of each lap with appropriate penalties for course deviations and awards can be given for finishing positions in class and/or overall. Who can ride in the car on course ? Only registered entrants are allowed in vehicles on course while the course is hot, and no more than two people may be in the car at one time. If two people are in a car, one must be a designated autocross instructor. The driver must have sole control of the car – no blindfolded driving or any physical control input by a passenger. Drivers and passengers must be belted in the car with helmets on and chin straps fastened while on course. Can My children or grandchildren participate? What is the Junior Participant Program (JPP)? The JPP allows the fully licensed sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, stepchildren or grandchildren of PCA members to participate in autocrosses. The parent or legal guardian of the JPP entrant does not need to be a PCA member if the uncle, aunt, grandparent or stepparent is a PCA member, and this member is in attendance at the event, along with the JPP entrant. Contact your local AX program chairs for more details. Can I drive a car other than a Porsche? All Porsche vehicles and other manufacturer automobiles are eligible. Karts and motorcycles are not allowed to participate; karts must not be operated within the boundary of the event as per PCA National Policy. For non-Porsches, acceptance of the car will be at the discretion of the Event Chair and the Safety Chair. The only local event currently designated as Porsche only is the 48 hours at Club Race AutoX, so for other AX events feel free to bring your daily driver or other vehicle....yes, we have SUV’s that run our Autocrosses (and the Macans and Cayennes are very competitive) What about participant age and licensing? The minimum age for any driving entrant is 18 years, except for JPP entrants. All entrants must have a valid driver’s license, verified either during online registration or when the driver checks in. 2021 Schedule, reminders and looking ahead to 2022 October 9th is the last 2021 AX date as of this writing. See below for help needed in adding additional dates to the calendar. Most dates and sites are subject to change due to weather, availability and factors beyond our control. Watch for emails that provide additional details or updates. To continue offering a world-class AX program we need a new site. This could be a BIG parking lot, air strip or similar piece of pavement in the Tri-County area to hold our AutoX events. In the past we have used shopping center parking lots, sporting and gaming venues, and school/government parking facilities. We most recently used the BBT Center parking lot, which was great: big, centrally located and reasonably priced. A repaving project, and later contract revisions, put an end to that lot. What we need is an “in”: someone who has a connection to a suitable property and can help us get our foot in the door. Do you know of a site? Are you the person with the “in”? Please call me at 954- 292-3915 if you can help find a new AX site. In 2021 all of our AX events were at Sebring in conjunction with Club Race or a regional DE. While this has proved doable, members have expressed a preference not to drive so far. Preferably, any future site should be no more than a one-hour drive. Mark your calendars for the 2022 Club Race AutoX challenge, held in conjunction with the 48 hours at Sebring Club Race. For 2022, the Club Race dates are February 3-6, with the AutoX taking place on Saturday February 5th, 2022. The website to register is the 48 Hours Club Race portal on clubregistration.net .We plan to provide the direct registration link in future Kassette issues. Please remember to be Covid-19 conscious. This means Covid waivers (if required), social distancing, masks, and other appropriate protocols..................................Questions? call Steve or Dottie Kidd at 954-946-3196
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Tech Corner :
Trivia 70 6.- Beutler Carrosserie turned closed 356s into open ones – completing its first custom cabriolet in 1947, three years before Porsche came to America and a full seven years before the 356 Speedster was introduced.
Article by Pedro P. Bonilla, Tech Editor
In the fall of 1950 the Austrian ex-pat and adoptive New Yorker Maximillian “Max” Hoffman became the first Porsche dealer in the US when he took delivery of two 1.1 liter 356 coupes and put them on display at his showroom on 430 Park Avenue. The fall of 2020 marks 70 years of Porsche in America.
7.- U.S. importer Max Hoffman displayed the first U.S. Porsches in his New York City showroom by late 1950. 8.- In 1952, US auto maker Studebaker contracted Porsche to develop a new car and engine. 9.- Hoffman conducted Porsche 356 test drives on Park Avenue, an accomplishment that could not be proficiently duplicated today. 10.- Hoffman’s Porsche dealer showroom was designed by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is now a modern office building with a Mercedes-Benz dealership on the street level. Hoffman also contracted Wright to build his home in Rye, NY. 11.- In addition to importing the first Porsche models to the United States, Max Hoffman also raced Porsches. Several of Porsche’s initial U.S. racing victories can be attributed to him.
To celebrate, here are 70 Porsche fun-facts that you can use to impress friends on trivia night. 1.- The 1898 Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil was the first car in the world with brakes on all four wheels. 2.- Prof. Ferdinand Porsche chauffeured Archduke Franz Ferdinand in a Lohner-Porsche in 1902. 3.- In 1939 Prof. Ferdinand Porsche designed the Mercedes Benz Type 8 car to be the fastest car on earth with a projected top speed of 470 mph. Because of the political events at the time, the car never got to do its run. 4.- During WWI, Prof. Ferdinand Porsche designed heavy transport vehicles: flatbed trailers with the wheels powered by individual hub-motors. 5.- The very first 356 (356 #1 - prototype) was a mid-engine car. The rest of the production had a rear-engine layout.
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12.- Hoffman is also credited for the birth of the Porsche Speedster, with the intention of producing a lower-cost Porsche to compete with the Austin Healey 100, Triumph TR-2 and MG models in the United States. 13.- In 1952, Hollywood dealer John von Neumann wanted to race a Porsche, so he ordered a 356 without paint or upholstery to modify it himself. 14.- The Porsche logo/crest was designed in the USA in 1952 by Dr. Ferry Porsche on his napkin as he sat opposite U.S. importer Max Hoffman in a New York restaurant.
15.- In the original 356 Speedster, a tachometer was not standard, nor were padded seats, sun visors or heaters.
accessories fitting a new Porsche in 1960. The starting price for one of these new models was a whopping $3,400.
16.- An exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in 1953 featured 10 automobiles, including a 1952 Porsche 1500 Super.
31.- Porsche withdrew from the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race in 1960 in protest over organizers requesting that the manufacturer use a particular brand of gasoline.
17.- The first Porsche to appear at the New York Auto Show was in 1954 and was called “a snappy Porsche roadster.” 18.- The Porsche Club of America was founded in 1955, only five years after Porsche was introduced to the United States. 19.- The word “Continental” appeared on the side of the 1955 Porsche Coupe and Cabriolet, but only in North America.
32.- Porsche’s production of diesel tractors peaked in 1960/61 with 150,000. 33.- The first American citizen to win a Formula One Championship victory at a U.S. track while driving a Porsche was Dan Gurney in 1961.
20.- The Porsche of America Corporation was founded in 1956, taking over national representation of the brand from Max Hoffman. 21.- The inaugural Porsche Parade took place in greater Washington D.C. on August 29, 1956. 22.- The first appearance of a Porsche at the historic 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race was in 1956, the car piloted by Hans Herrmann.
34.- Dan Gurney also won Porsche’s first (and only) World Championship Grand Prix with a victory at Rouen, France in 1962.
23.- One of the first U.S. Porsche brochures in the 1950s featured a pair of woman’s gloves on the cover with a set of Porsche keys. The tagline read: “The keys to miles of pleasure . . . .” 24.- British automotive weekly publication Autocar became the first outlet to test a Porsche in April 1956, a Porsche 356. 25.- The first Porsche series-produced roadster was aptly named the America Roadster for its intended distribution entirely within the United States. It was completely unpublicized in Europe and only 16 models were ever built.
35.- The 911 was originally the 901, until Peugeot informed Porsche of its trademark rights on cars named with a “0” between two numbers. 36.- At the end of its production in 1965, Porsche 356 models were being produced exclusively for the American market. 37.- 1966 was the first full production year for the 900 series Porsches and one-half of those manufactured were shipped to the United States, while one-quarter stayed in West Germany. 38.- The 907 prototype, developed in winter 1966/67, was the first Porsche to go faster than 300 km/hr (186 mph).
26.- The first vertical-drive German inline engine was displayed at the 1958 New York Auto Show along with several other “firsts,” including the first diesel outboard motor.
39.- In 1967, a Targa version of the popular-selling 911 model was introduced. It included a stainless-steel rollbar to provide a solution to suspicions that the United States would outlaw opentop convertibles.
27.- Jean Behra drove the first single-seat Porsche race car in the 1958 Formula 2 race at Rheims, France.
40.- Porsche’s 914/4 model was sold as the “VW-Porsche” in Europe but only had the Porsche crest in the United States.
28.- The “D” in the 1959 “Speedster D” takes its name from the Drauz Factory of Heibronn. 29.- The 1950s Porsche airplane engine (based on the 356 1.6 L) could power a helicopter when mounted vertically. 30.- Rear seats, headlights, and higher bumpers were the prime
41.- More than 100 dealerships marked the increasing popularity of Porsche models in the United States by opening simultaneously on November 1, 1969. (Continued on page 28)
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42.- The 1970 Porsche 914 was initially ruled as unsafe for driving in the United States because it lacked proper side marker lights on its front end. 43.- The first twenty-five (25) 917 racecars were called Secretary Cars because they were literally assembled by secretaries and anyone with a pulse at the factory. Porsche needed to build enough 917s in a short amount of time to satisfy the FIA homologation inspectors. They did it, and the rest is history.
conference at Tavern on the Green restaurant in New York City. 51.- The enduring success of the 911 model is owed to American CEO Peter Schutz, who in 1980, after seeing the proposed end of production in 1981 on a chart, extended the line with a marker and told Helmuth Bott to “make it happen.” 52.- It is largely believed that Peter Schutz was selected as CEO of Porsche from 1981 to 1986 because as an American, it was hoped that he would revive dwindling U.S. sales of the 911.
53.- The success at the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1981 is due to combining chassis from three 936 models with experimental engines developed for U.S. Indy Car racing. 54.- Porsche began promoting vacation delivery in 1982: order the car in the United States, take delivery in Europe, drive around the continent and return the car to the factory to have it shipped home. 55.- The Porsche 928 used in the film Risky Business is actually a total of four cars ranging in years from 1979-1981. Each car had different options such as interior colors, wheel designs and even paint colors. The production crew had to be very careful about which part of the cars they filmed to make it look like only one vehicle was used in the movie.
44.- The first ever Porsche “drivers’ school,” a precursor to the current Porsche Sport Driving School, was conducted on May 29, 1971 at Mitchell Field, Long Island, NY. 45.- The 1975 Silver Anniversary limited edition was built in both coupe and Targa body form, painted in diamond-silver metallic and were individually numbered. 46.- Regarding the 1976 912E, “E” stands for Einspritzung, meaning “fuel injection,” because the car had Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection. 47.- The 924/944 water-cooled Porsche models were designed by an American, Tony Lapine. 48.- The first few Porsche 924 Turbos to come to the United States had black and white-checkered flag fabric on the seat inserts and door panels. 49.- Porsche partnered briefly with Indianapolis 500 racing in 1980 for the first time in its long motorsports history on the Formula One racing circuit. 50.- The Interscope Porsche, developed for racing in the Indianapolis 500 race in 1980, was originally unveiled at a press
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56.- Al Holbert set a FIA international class speed record while driving a stock 928 S4 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1986. His speed: 171.110 mph. 57.- The 959 was the most technologically advanced supercar of its generation. A 200 mph, all-wheel drive, turbo-powered Porsche which won its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and also won the overall first place in the grueling Paris to Dakar Rally. Because Porsche didn’t provide the USDOT with four 959s for crash testing, the car was never certified by the NHTSA for street use in the US. In 2001 with the passage of the “Show & Display,” the crash test requirements were removed and US imports of 959s were allowed.
58.- Porsche 911 engines were air-cooled for an astounding 34 years before switching to a water-cooled format in 1998 to meet increasingly stringent environmental rules and Porsche’s desire to provide more power while reducing fuel consumption. 59.- In 1992 it took 125 hours to build a Porsche 911. By 1994 the factory was down to 80 hours, thus reducing the production cost of the cars. 60.- The Porsche 911 RS entered the United States in 1993. The “RS” stands for “Rennsport,” German for “race sport” or racing. It had no sunroof, A/C, backseat or power steering. 61.- Porsche was the first auto manufacturer to make passenger air bags available, optional or standard. 62.- The names for both the 911 Carrera and the Panamera came from Mexico’s historic Carrera Panamericana race, where Porsche scored many victories. 63.- Notable past and current American celebrities who are or were Porsche enthusiasts include James Dean, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Ralph Lauren, Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, and Patrick Dempsey. 64.- Only 1,270 units of the V10, 612HP Carrera GT were built between 2004 and 2006. 604 of them were sold in the USA. The original production run had been established at 1,500 units, but new airbag regulations in the US stopped the run a bit short.
65.- In 2013 Porsche established a record at the famed Nürburgring by setting the fastest lap ever by a production car (on street-legal tires) of 6:57:00, with the 918 Hybrid Supercar. 66.- The 800-volt technology used in the all-electric 2020 Taycan was developed by Porsche for the 919 Hybrid Racecar. 67.- Porsche was the last major manufacturer to enter Formula-E (all electric formula cars). After 30 years Porsche has returned to single-seater racing. 68.- Porsche now offers a Club Sport Package for each one of its GT cars: GT2, GT3, and GT4. 69.- It is estimated that over 70% of all Porsches ever built are still running today. 70.- The correct pronunciation of Porsche is “Porsch-eh.” For more information on Porsche trivia, facts and more, please visit my website: www.PedrosGarage.com Happy Porsche’ing, Pedro Most of the trivia facts courtesy of Porsche. Ⓒ2014 Technolab / PedrosGarage.com
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Be on the lookout for emails with more information on upcoming and current events. You can also check the calendar on the GCR website: https://www.goldcoastregion.org/calendar/ for event updates. We would like to begin planning for 2022 socials. If you are interested in volunteering or have an idea for an event, please contact me at social@goldcoastregion.org.
Area Cars & Coffees These are not PCA or GCR events; , please check the websites for the dates and times. Supercar Saturdays at the Shops at Pembroke Gardens in Pembroke Pines - free - http://www.supercarssaturdayflorida.com Cars and Coffee Palm Beach at the Palm Beach Outlets - requires admission - Porsche parking in the 9 Auto Motion area https://www.carsandcoffeepb.com Fuelfed Coffee and Classics in downtown Fort Lauderdale - free - https://fuelfed.wordpress.com/coffee-classics-what-is-it/ coffee-classics-fort-lauderdale/
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Advertiser Index Kassette Advertising Monthly Rates 1/4 Page ( 4.75” h x 3.5” w) ...................$65 1/2 Page ( 4.75” h x 7.5” w) ...................$115 Full Page (11” h x 8.5” w) .........................$200
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Impact by Cynthia....................................32 K2 Motorcars............................................36 KMW..........................................................24 Lawyers of Distinction..............................25 MGM..........................................................22 Mitech One................................................19 Pedros Garage...........................................25 Seven..........................................................25 VertexAuto.................................................30 Wells Fargo................................................33 Wine Country Motor Sports....................12 Zen Auto Concepts....................................20 Zweck.........................................................35
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A PHOTO FINISH Christy Spangler, Photo Editor
Boosted in Miami This month’s photo was submitted by Howard Behar of his 1989 Porsche 930 Turbo. Howard says, “It’s a special thing to stop and appreciate Miami’s renowned street art. Although the early morning hours tend to highlight its vibrant colors, this black and white photo emphasizes Miami’s (and the 930 Turbo’s) evocative and naughty side.” Howard’s 930 Turbo is linen gray metallic with silk gray leather interior, black dash and a Momo Prototype steering wheel. 1989 was the last year of the 930 Turbo and the only year with the five-speed G50 transmission. This special order 930 came with virtually every option that was offered. It is a late production model, one of only 639 imported to North America. There is no doubt that the mural serving as a backdrop for this photo is colorful and vibrant. Howard’s choice of using black and white photography makes this image more interesting. The contrast to the strong lines captured against the linen gray metallic on the 930 almost makes it look like a graphic illustration that could be incorporated into the street art. Howard used a Sony a7r mirrorless camera with a 35 mm fixed lens to take this photo. The Photo of the Month submissions have been exceptional, please continue to send your photos using the guidelines below. Submit your photo to Die Porsche Kassette Photo Finish! Deadline: The 20th of each month to be considered for the following month’s issue. Submit a high resolution photo along with the requested information to gcr.potm@gmail.com
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Die Porsche Kassette
| Nov 2021
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name, phone number, email address title of the photo Porsche model, year, and color a short write up about the photo location of your photo what kind of camera or smart phone you used to capture the photo
Nov 2021 |
Die Porsche Kassette
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Die Porsche Kassette 648 N W 100 Lane Coral Springs, FL 33071
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Conveniently Off I-95 Die Porsche Kassette Located | Nov 2021
