April Velocity Magazine - Issue 24-04

Velocity

Note from the Editor:

There’s something for everyone in this issue. Members have contributed great articles and spectacular photography. Our sponsors continue their generous support. Be sure to send your business their way. Special thanks to this month’s writers; Chet Kolley, Danna Van Noy, Andrew Weyman, Ana Predescu, Brett Gaviglio and Dr. Dyno. If you’re interested in Service Points and contributing your talents, have questions or comments, please contact me at: POCVelocityEditor@gmail.com ...and keep the shiny side up!

Writers Andrew Weyman

Predescu

Chet Kolley

Danna Van Noy

Brett Gaviglio Contributing Photographers

Luis Vivar

Danna Van Noy

Brett Gaviglio

Chris Kipp

Kevin Roush

POC Board of Directors

John Momeyer President

Karen Robinson Secretary

Jim Salzer Treasurer / PDS Director

Joe Wiederholt VP Motorsports

Dwain Dement Chief Driving Instructor

Eben Benade Time Trial Director

Steve Town Sponsorship

Cover image: Luis Vivar & Don Matz

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PODIUM

April ‘24 CLUB

Photo: Luis Vivar

DesertRacers

Once again, we missed the end of the cool weather by just a week. This time it was because our partners in the Podium Club event at Casa Grande, AZ, the Arizona PCA, had to bump it one week later, which meant 5 to 10 degrees warmer each day of the week end. Thanks to Chandler Porsche for sponsoring the food truck for breakfast and lunch on Saturday. With it being an ‘away race’ with no PDS or Time Trial, the Red and Orange Cup Race grids were a little lighter than usual at about 20 drivers per group, but this also presented some high points opportunities to people who made the trip. Those who came also brought their speed as six of nine class track records were set. Granted, this was only our second event at the Podium Club, and more familiarity and a relatively cool morn ing helped to produce some excellent results. Overall, it was an outstanding event, and I look forward to another return trip to the 15 turn, 2.32 mile circuit.

Photo: Luis Vivar

Chet Kolley

Racers

Saturday Cup Races

After a good practice day on Friday, the Orange group kicked off the race activities with Saturday morning qualifying followed by Red group qualifying just after noon. The first race of the weekend began with the Orange group taking the green in the early afternoon. John Krylow won the BSR class from pole followed by Drew Waterhouse and Klaus Drehmann, both of whom managed to get by Larry Haase on the last lap of the race. Douglas Volder won the Carrera Spec race while also setting fast lap of the race at 1:46.900. Don Kravig took the GT5 checker followed by Bill Durant and Fred Veitch. Paul Young won GT7 ahead of Randy Bergum.

The Red group took the green flag at the peak of the desert heat in the 90s around mid-afternoon. John Dempsey took the overall win and fastest lap (1:31.799) from the GT1 pole followed by Greg Esakoff. In a tight race, Mike Monsalve won the competitive 991.2 class from pole over Bob Mueller by only 0.660s. Nathan Johnson made up a couple of places to take the third spot on the podium. Rennick Palley won GT2 from pole followed by John Heldman in second. Sean Kelishadi made up one spot to take third. In another close race, the GT3 podium finished as they started with Ana Predescu winning from pole followed by Brett Gaviglio, who was only 0.785s behind, and David Fabi. Chet Kolley won GT4 from pole followed by Jim Steedman and Jim Salzer in second and third respectively.

Saturday’s final race was the Orange group’s second race of the weekend. Unfortunately, a multi-car incident in Turn 4 on lap 11 resulted in an extended red flag condition as 3 cars were retrieved from the desert and/or various states of disrepair, which prevented a restart. The official results were taken as of the completion of lap 10. The incident was evidently caused by a car dropping anti-freeze on the track thru T4, which caused several following cars to spin and, in some cases, collide. (Editor’s Note: GCR 11.0.25 prohibits the use of antifreeze.) When the dust cleared and the track cleaned up, John Krylow took the BSR win followed by Larry Haase and Klaus Drehmann. Douglas Volder took Carrera Spec as well as fastest lap at 1:47.154. Don Kravig won GT5 and was the hard charger, gaining 10 spots overall, followed by Fred Veitch in second and Bill Durant in third. Paul Young took the GT7 checker followed by Randy Bergum.

Photos: Luis Vivar

Sunday Cup Races

Sunday morning began with Red and then Orange group qualifying sessions in the desert cool. Track records fell. First on track was Red group qualifying, and Mike Monsalve set the 991.2 track record as a new class at 1:30.253. Ana Predescu broke the GT3 record with 1:34.088. Ana also still has the GT2 record from last year. Chet Kolley set the GT4 record at 1:38.931. Next up was Orange group qualifying in which Douglas Volder set the Carrera Spec record at 1:45.132, Don Kravig set the GT5 mark at 1:46.296, and Paul Young took the GT7 record down to 1:53.389.

In the Red race, John Dempsey took his second overall win, the GT1 class win, and another fastest lap at 1:30.425 with Greg Esakoff taking second. Mike Monsalve took his second 991.2 win of the weekend from pole, followed to the podium by Duane Selby and Jeff Bader. In GT2, Rennick Palley won his second race from pole followed by Paul Barnes and Sean Kelishadi. Once again, Ana Predescu won GT3 from pole with Brett Gavilio in second and David Fabi in third. In the closest race of the weekend, Chet Kolley won GT4 from pole by only 0.544s over Jim Salzer with Jim Steedman in third.

The final race of the weekend was the Orange Cup Race #3. Drew Waterhouse made up a few spots to win the Boxster Spec race by only 0.896s over Larry Haase. Matt Juarez took the third spot on the BSR podium. Once again, Douglas Volder won Carrera Spec, and set fastest lap of the race at 1:47.365. Don Kravig won GT5 followed by Fred Veitch, and Paul Young won GT7 followed by Randy Bergum.

Congratulations to some new winners and some nice points hauls! On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you to everyone who made the trip to Arizona this year.

Photos: Luis Vivar

Photo: Chris Kipp

Photo: Brett Gaviglio

Photos: Luis Vivar

Photos: Luis Vivar

Photos: Luis Vivar

Photos: Luis Vivar

Photos: Luis Vivar

Photos: Luis Vivar

He Said

Photo: Brett Gaviglio

She Said

He Said

Brett Gaviglio and Ana Predescu

Editor’s Note: The GT3 battles between Ana and Brett have been legendary. It looked like Ana was using Velcro to stick to Brett’s rear bumper the entire Red race on Saturday. On the last lap, she passed him to take the win. I asked both to share a little about their races, from their individual points-of-view. Here’s what they had to say.

He Said: Ana and I have had some great GT3 battles this year. We’ve been trading wins. Ana won at Willow. I won at Spring Mountain and Buttonwillow. She has raced more races and is clearly the points leader in our class. Last year we traded track records. I had the GT3 track record at the Podium Club with a 1:34.37 and she had the GT2 with a 1:32.9. What I have learned is that we can race inches apart anywhere on the track. We trust running side-by-side at over 1.5g anywhere. Ana has exceptional car control AND she is a rocket scientist, which seems to bring an innate sense of self preservation. So yes, a pair of mechanical engineers racing each other is more like a chess game than a track event.

Coming into the weekend I knew there would be tight racing, and no one was gonna walk away. By the end of qual we were .300 apart and shared the front row, both in the 1:34s. Ana

Photos: Luis Vivar

She Said

was faster. We both out qualified all the GT2 cars. I meditated and contemplated the first few turns and the start, visualizing every detail.

We rolled up for the GT3/GT4 split start with Ana on the left side setting a quicker start pace. We both had good starts, racing up the long straight. T1’s braking zone is a road on the right and Ana brakes at about the first cone. I kept going well past the road landmark before getting on the binders. Then a light brake outside and that was that. I was in front coming out of T1. Having a Turbo has some grand advantages. Flames that shoot out of your exhaust as you downshift can cause a close competitor to believe that they’re destined to become a roasted marshmallow. And don’t forget the very satisfying “pop” as the excess fuel explodes behind with a reverberation that I can feel in the seat and through the steering wheel. So, there was Ana having been faster than me for more than a day, going into T2 getting the full flame thrower treatment as I brake and downshift out of 4th at 90mph.

Ana was attached to me like a bug - never getting farther than 50 feet from the magic turbo flame thrower machine. I’d create a gap in the higher speed turns only to have her brake a bit gentler and reel me back in at the end of the esses. Checking my mirror, I see a sea of green hood topped with a smiling engineer looking for a way past the giant blue thing that is my car. For the hairpin onto the front straight she used a more parabolic line to straighten her hands sooner and the #100 shot to the exit. I had a more rounded apex, getting full throttle right at the paint. These different styles led to a crazy drag race up the front straight with us only a foot apart as I hugged the wall then smoothly moved over for an outside turn-in. We would test each other’s resolve in the 134mph brake zone and try again. Finally, by the end of lap 12, I got a little too aggressive with the throttle in the hairpin and lost the rear of the car for just barely a half second. This time she stayed on the wall side, and I squeezed her to a car and-a-half wide. As we entered the big brake zone, she does the unthinkable: she holds on after the road landmark and after the 100 sign. I try to hang onto the outside, but she closed the door. I had a choice; crash us both, or lift. I lifted. Traffic in the form of some GT2 and GT4 cars got into our last couple of laps as Blue Turbo #70 gave chase to the Green Machine #100. We hung close as she led us to the finish. Pity she has no flames as I was latched to her bumper. It was a great race and she capitalized on my two mistakes. Ana, the ever-analytical racer, was there to pounce as soon as the first bobble occurred. Just a half second loss of traction… Great win Ana!

She Said: At the start of the race, I was way too timid, and Brett pulled a great move on me. Like the move I pulled on him at the previous event at Buttonwillow, he outbraked me going into Turn 1. I remember thinking, “Well, at least this will be fun.” I knew that it will be very hard to pass on this track, but I was determined to pull it off. For the entirety of the race, I was glued to his bumper. So much so that I was certain his fire balls were reaching my car under braking.

I tried to pass him every instance I could and take up his entire rear-view mirror. The pressure did not make him crack until the final few laps. I managed to get a good run on him and pass him on the inside of T1. It was quite a gutsy pass. We both out-braked ourselves and we were both in a compromising position, but we both managed to keep it together and I took the lead. In the next race, I told myself I would not make the same mistake and I got a great start. I was able to keep my lead for the entirety of the race and finish ahead once again.

After looking back at videos, I noticed Brett and I were just a few feet apart going 120+ mph. It is nice to be able to have competitors whom you trust racing that close to with confidence. After the race Brett and I typically debrief and give our excuses as to why one was

Photo: Luis Vivar

slower than the other and then we share videos and try to help each other be better, safer, and faster. I always enjoy racing against him because he always puts up a strong and clean battle. Looking forward to the next race.

Postscript: Brett sent the following to the Editor in an email after submitting his point-ofview about the weekend. “It might just come down to the day; how one of us slept the night before, the ambient temperature (my turbo likes it cold), the tire choice and/or the basic setup of the car. It was a bit of a surprise to be a little down on power on the straights at Podium versus #100. At Buttonwillow and Spring Mountain I could walk away a bit. In short, it’s a crap shoot.”

Correction

Stuff happens. Steve Eisler provided an excellent chart for our March issue reporting the PDS and TT Buttonwillow results. Well, something went wrong and the chart that was published contained some errors. Here’s the absolutely guaranteed accurate results chart:

PRETTY BIG BALLS

Danna Van Noy

I like to joke that you don’t need testes to have balls. That’s because my entire life I’ve found myself getting involved in male-dominated thrill-seeking action sports where the pucker factor is high, and where I’m just one of the boys. People have asked me for decades why I choose to take part in risky sports and activities, and it’s not hard to explain. My innate comfort zone concerning life in general is big to start with, and as a believer that we thrive from discomfort, I love to stretch my comfort zone. Beyond that, I crave the specialty cocktail of neurotransmitters that my body whips up when secreting adrenaline and endorphins at the same time.

Photos: Danna Van Noy

It’s important to point out that while there aren’t a lot of women track drivers, I’m definitely not alone. There are several badass female drivers in the POC. I recently spoke with four of them; Alex Hainer, Karen Robinson, Ana Predescu, and Aspasia Zouras. We talked about being a woman on the racetrack and found we share a lot of thoughts on the subject. And oh, they’re far more interesting than I am!

For one, they’re total stud muffins. Let’s face it. Any driver on the track, but especially the faster ones, are often separated by a “guts” factor. Take turn 2 or turn 8 at Willow Springs for example. Pucker up and haul ass through those corners, and you’ll have an edge on the competition. But it’s not easy. Everything in your body is telling you not to push it that fast and to listen to that self-preservation voice in your head. Instead, you trust yourself, your car’s performance and repress your instinct to stay alive. I loved Aspasia’s comment, “You gotta have guts – you’ve gotta be willing to go for the gusto. Yep. I’ve got giant balls, and I’m comin’ for the others!”

This begs the question, “Why aren’t there more women drivers?” Do men have an advantage when it comes to the balls factor?  Are they more courageous because they have more testosterone? Are they more likely to push it than a woman? Are women more tentative because they’re innately more fearful? Are women conditioned to think they can’t participate in scary sports? After a lot of internal exploration, scientific examination about the differences between male and female brains, and discussions with other women at the track, I’d say the answers are yes, no, and everything in between.

The neurobiological studies (kinda my jam) on gender differences and fear are limited and for the most part inconclusive. There’s a lot of fallback onto learned behaviors, which is what several of my fellow female drivers and I believe has the most to do with our high fear threshold. Some of us were raised to believe we could do anything. My mom had no fear. She rode motocross, flew airplanes, jumped out of them, sought out scary activities, and was unable to take a pass on any dare. My dad was the same. As an only child with divorced (and highly distracted) parents, I was very much on my own to raise myself – which, in and of itself, was a scary notion. I found myself, like my parents, seeking out action packed sports, getting a “high” off the feeling of being terrified and, more importantly, conquering those fears. I skydive, heli-ski, drive a racecar, single-track mountain bike, and have raced motocross in addition to enjoying other action sports. There are a lot of studies that look at why some people become addicted to adrenaline, and there’s an interesting subset of people who generate endorphins when secreting adrenaline, which is especially addicting. Take a fun tour through the google machine for more on that.

So, what’s it like to be a female driver in a male-dominated sport and race with your husband as I do?  What do friends and family think? Are men jerks to us? How did I get into this, and how do we get more women involved?

Most of you know my husband, Bryan (he’s hard not to notice!). We were friends and colleagues for years. I was pioneering the gluten-free revolution speaking all around the world and writing books on the subject (starting in 1991, before the internet existed and before anyone could even spell gluten). Bryan had a side business selling online glutenfree products and he was often a vendor at the conferences where I was speaking. We sat next to each other on a flight to Stanford for a conference, and he looked over and noticed I was deeply engrossed in the latest issue of “Motocross Action” (I was racing motocross at the time). “Really?  You’re reading that?  Where’s the Cosmo?” he asked sarcastically with his adorable gotcha smirk. “Not for me,” I replied. A short time later I realized I had fallen for this guy big-time. Bryan is a fellow thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie and was a childhood karter. Our foray into motorsports involved a steep, slippery slope starting with PDS (Porsche’s Performance Driving School), autocross, instructing, and finally, racecars on big-boy tracks. A garage full of track cars later got us to where we are today, sharing a 991.2 Cup Car.

While you might expect some misogyny, the other women drivers I talked to and I agree that men at the track, and especially the men at POC, are incredibly welcoming. It seems they truly want to bring more women into the sport and help us wherever, whenever, and however they can. Have we been treated differently as women drivers? Yep. But it’s an anomaly when it happens, and it’s not usually with POC. Some guys really don’t like being beaten by a woman and have actually muttered such at the end of an event – those guys are few and far between. Alex Hainer shared an experience when she was at a non-POC event and went to get her wristband for the fast group, and they refused to give it to her. She finally accepted the “slow-group band,” schooled them on what a Cup Car can do and was immediately moved to the fast group. I think all women racers have experienced raised eyebrows when at a gas station and someone asks, “Is that your husband’s racecar?” I still find that even when I’m instructing, and even when I get the Top Time of Day, people would rather hear tips from Bryan than from me (he casts a big shadow!). In general, though, everyone is welcoming, complimentary about our driving skills, and even nurturing, especially at the POC.

While most of us women drivers feel we don’t have any disadvantages, we agree that we may actually have an advantage or two. Testosterone contributes to the “red mist” we’re all warned about when we first start performance driving. Women tend to be calmer, less reactive, and maybe surprisingly – yes, less emotional – than men on the racetrack. In general, we tend to be more coachable, and we seek out assistance when we aren’t sure of something (akin to asking directions pre-waze days). Karen Robinson pointed out that

women may have a higher tolerance for physical discomfort. It might be 110 degrees outside and 130 inside the car, and we’re wired to be more tolerant of the physical discomfort. Our lighter weight certainly helps, although the ergonomics are definitely set up for a man. Because of our smaller stature we typically have to make some pretty radical adjustments. Ana Predescu and Karen recently introduced me to the customized “baby seat insert,” which has helped immensely.

I get asked a lot what it’s like to do this sport with my husband. Other than the big shadow I referred to, it’s amazing. As competitive as he is, it sometimes seems it’s almost more important to him that I’m comfortable on the track, doing well, fully safe and equipped, and most of all, having fun. He’s been through several put-me-back-together surgeries so it’s not like he’s unaware of the risks of inherently dangerous activities. We’re firm believers that nothing bonds a couple as much as participating in a thrilling sport together, where we may be terrified at one point (that’s usually where I unleash a bunch of curse words at him as though it’s his fault I’m terrified), and we end the day celebrating our achievements (and taking back the curse words). I get that not everyone can relate. Lots of our family members, especially our daughter, don’t want to hear about our adventures. Most of them just want the “all safe” signal when we’re finished (notable exception is Bryan’s dad, who drives too!). Most of our friends think we’re nuts.

The women drivers I talked to agreed, their husbands and boyfriends are extremely supportive. (I must give a huge nod of respect to Karen, who got into this sport without the support of a spouse. She races and she’s her own pit crew.) Karen’s dad used to tell her, “Our best adventures are the ones that didn’t go the way we wanted them to.” That excitement, and sense of imbalance or uncertainty, can not only help to push ourselves harder and find the growth withing us, but bond us if we’re participating with a loved one.

So why aren’t there more women drivers, and what can we do to get women to the track?

I can’t count the number of times men have said they wish they could get their wives or girlfriends to the track. So, what is it that keeps them away? Fear is a biggy. Yes, a lot of women tend to be more fearful and/or protective. Culturally, there is most certainly a bias toward bringing boys up to be the adventuresome ones. Women, probably more so in this country than many others, are raised at an early age to think that risky sports are for boys, and women are meant to be demurer. We can change that moving forward. If you have kids, bring your young girls to the track. Start them in karting, or even just let them sit in the racecars. The message can be that girls are just as capable as boys and may even have some advantages. Those of us who are female instructors can offer to instruct women, which sometimes makes them feel more comfortable. A tentative driver is a dangerous driver, so first and foremost, we need to get them comfortable on the track. The same goes for men!  Kudos to Martina Kwan, who coaches men and women for DK Racing and has a special focus on women for some of her business ventures.

If you’re a male driver and just want your woman to attend and not drive, there are lots of ways you can help facilitate her involvement. For one, make them feel included. The more you involve them and make them feel needed, the more likely they are to want to participate. Have them talk you through a session on the radios, load up, clean the car, take it on a parade lap at lunch, or even help you analyze your data. I’ll admit, there’s not a lot that’s more boring than spending a weekend at a desert track when you’re not driving – so engage them and you may find they’re more eager to attend. If you want more specific tips, look up a podcast I did with Ross Bentley on his “Speed Secrets” show, where we discuss this topic for an entire episode.

Interestingly, as badass as this sport is, it is welcoming even to women past the age of 30 or 40, which is great since many of us couldn’t afford driving until we achieved a certain level professionally. I didn’t even start this sport until I was 53, and still find myself improving at every event, as do the other women drivers. Like the men on the track, we all have other lives, and are excited to add track time to our long list of activities and professional ventures. As for the future for the super young badass women drivers?

Ana is an engineer at Virgin Galactic and still finding time to finish first place in her class most of the time. Alex, also first more than her share of the time, has her first professional gig doing the GR Cup with Toyota. Typical of Alex and the other humble women drivers out there, she noted, “We have to prove that we’re serious about racing and that it’s a passion. We love it. And thankfully, I’m hanging with the guys.” Yeah, if “hanging” means leading them around the track!

One thing I love about the women drivers is that by day they’re wearing driving suits, balaclavas, and helmets, sweating and hefting wheels around. By night, they can shake out the helmet hair, wipe the sweat off their brow, put on an evening gown and ooze femininity. There’s a fantabulous paradigm shift in that!

I’m proud to be part of a community of people who are like-minded, respectful of one another, welcoming, and encouraging. We’re all going for the win with a very special cocktail of adrenalin, endorphins, and pretty big balls

Thanks to all ourfriendsat POC foraterrific year of club racing, friendship,andmemories We look forward toa fun, fastfuture together.

Rapid Fire ROUSH

Part Two

ANDREW WEYMAN

Photos: Kevin Roush

In last month’s issue, Part One (so cleverly titled) of my interview with Kevin

Roush

covered his experience with IMSA GT3

Cup

Challenge, Grand Am, Rolex 24 and Daytona. In Part Two (also cleverly titled) we discuss more of what makes Kevin a highly respected, distinguished member of the POC.

AW: Let’s get into some other things. Your mechanical training, GAS (Kevin’s shop), what you consider to be your specialty, F1, coaching… Let’s start with a little bit about your mechanical background.

KR: Hmm… I was kind of a motocross kid when I was younger, beginning in the fifth or sixth grade. Out of necessity I had to fix everything myself. I learned to fiddle, adjust and tweak and figure out how things work. I’d McGyver as much as I could back then. I was always driven to keep things running. My grandpa was a genius tinker-er. I admired that. He served in both world wars on a submarine. He was a machinist/inventor/keep-everything-going kind of guy. He had focus and aptitude. I watched him work on things and learned from him. I had gearhead friends and others who worked with us at the shop teach me a lot. When I ran with Paul Miller’s Team (the IMSA GTD Champions last season), we had an experienced engineer, Alessandro, from Italy, who had won the ADAC Masters class in Europe along with Motec Joe. That’s Joe Hulet, once active in POC way back in the ‘90s. Those guys really opened my eyes to what we could use these data log systems to accomplish; car set up and driver evaluation. The experience

enhanced my desire to learn greatly, and even though I’ve been using these for years often I still feel I am just scratching the surface. More questions would pop-up with each answer I arrived at. Later I attended Motec Dealer training on a couple of occasions learning I2 analysis software, Dashes, ECU, or engine control systems. I’ve been an Authorized Motec Dealer in North America for the last 10 years or so. I had Motec Joe help us at the Rolex 24 in 2008 with O’Connell Racing. I learned a lot from Horst Farnbacher about setting the cars up and hired Alessandro (remotely) to review and evaluate data from our Rick Ware Racing car at Daytona. I busted one of the drivers not using the clutch on downshifts sometimes. These systems rat you out on everything!

Using the data can be a help even when we are able to go in the cars together on track, for both driver performance and car set up evaluation. The graphical review is helpful to the driver and to me especially, to quantify things. It’s a big advantage to go together in the car since I can share immediately what happened just then, what the driver might do to fix it next corner or next time back there with different techniques. Or when I’m driving, explain what I feel the issue is and how it needs to be confronted. Hopefully, I can demonstrate what I am going to do to fix it, trail in, or brake harder, or subtle later turn in. If it can’t be done with a driver technique change, we get to the pits and adjust the car, so our techniques play a larger role. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, a video then is 1,000 pictures, but the feeling from being in the passenger seat… I believe that is worth 1,000 videos. It’s possible to feel the actual limits of

the car. To teach someone to use the data, it’s amazing how fast they can get better on their own.

Back in the day, I’d pick up 3/10ths and I didn’t know where it was or why. You can know exactly where and why with the data. I remember when we went to Road America with a new AIM system in the 997 Cup. I wasn’t sure if the curbs were faster or not. I decided to hit all the exit curbs a ton. Then I did the next three laps and hit them a little bit. And the next three laps I stayed off ‘em. Look at the data. You could see exactly what’s faster. This inside curb yes, that one no. Hands down, every time, all exits were faster. Now, work on the next thing. Do I need more wing or less wing? Try the sweeper 1st half in 3rd, do I lose more MPH on the straightaway? You can do so much with the data systems. To know what you should be working on versus just going out there and wanting to go faster everywhere. You might already be on the absolute limit in some places. You need to know how much you’re giving up, where, and why.

Another real passion is the engine development side of my Motec training, and a good percentage of what we do at the shop; design, build and tune custom air-cooled Porsche engines, individual throttle body engines, turbo engines, racecar engines, 95% are air-cooled. We do suspension set-ups and gearboxes as well. We also do mild restorations of cars. I don’t want to see the same rig in here for nine months or a year. The air-cooled boom has brought many new folks to the hotrod side of 911 ownership. Before, only racecar

owners could justify all the time and resources it took to get one of these making really good power, great drivability, reliability, handling well, and looking and sounding killer. Six or seven years ago we’d say the second we are done with a brand new engine project, car, hotrod or whatever, you’re lucky if you get 50 cents on the dollar. Only the true 911 lover would entertain the idea and follow through. The cars today are worth so much more in original or tastefully modified form, one can hardly justify making a track car out of them or keeping one if it’s modified beyond return. I recall speaking with Pat long when he was organizing the 1st Luft event at Bandido Brothers in Venice years ago and telling him we need to get young folks into these cars we love, and not be the old timers kicking tires on their 356s, brushing grass from tire treads, driving as few miles as possible a year. I suggested with our invite we should pay like 25 bucks to a worthy local charity in the community, make or do something more. Damn did he and Howie make something more of

it! He has been a good customer and friend. I remember Magnus Walker saying fifteen years ago when I was buying a client’s ‘70 911 S and wanted value opinions, “I lose money on all those cars but I make up for it in volume.” He had a goal to own one of every year 911, my kind of nut, not sure if he succeeded. I was Magnus’ first POC driving coach. How funny is that? Randy Beck (POC member) said, “What’s with this get-up? The leather pants, tatts and dreadlocks… I said, “Hey he’s actually a really nice guy.” Those dreads hanging out of his helmet!

AW: A nice guy who built himself an empire.

KR: I remember when he came out to POC with his car and I thought, “Is his hair going to catch us on fire?” His hair was half as long as it is now. I continued coaching him for a while. We helped him do some suspension tuning and rebuilt his gearbox on his red, white, and blue favorite car. He’s one-of-a-kind. I remember him flying to Reno, buying an old early ‘70s

our shop. We put in almost half that again just tidying it up and upgrading suspension, nothing fancy. We thought, ‘you really want to be in that for fifteen grand?’ You know what that’s worth today?! I’m really lucky. I have a whole herd of old cars that I never got to. If I had worked on them back in the day, I’d have sold them for something thought to be good, almost lucky to break even. Now? They’re worth a lot. I still get a tear thinking of things we used to throw away like early bumpers and bodywork, interior trim, exhaust systems… We’re a small shop and luckily, we just never got to some of our own projects. We’re always focused on customer projects first.

AW: When did you open the shop?

KR: Loren Beggs (911 Design) and I were partners early on, in the ‘90s. I moved into my current building in 1999. Loren and I used to rent a friend’s mother’s garage in one of the nicest areas in Ontario. We’d be welding flares on cars, cabriolet and slant-nose conversions… The welding would mess up all the TVs in the neighborhood, not to mention the metal work noise. That was the final straw. We had to move out. We got a shop sometime in the mid-90s. We had just gotten into POC stuff and building and modifying racecars for customers. We thought, we should build a racecar of our own. The first event we did with the car Loren and I built was at Laguna Seca, in the rain. I couldn’t make it

because I had a ski trip planned. I’m a snow-ski nut, too. Mike Morrel was driving it. The motor blew up on the track. We redid the car as a 2.7s mechanically injected spec car with a Carrera RS body in Kermit lime green. The second or third event was at PIR in Phoenix. That was the beginning of us doing big track time trialing. We thought heck yeah, this is so much fun! Loren and I later separated into two businesses.

AW: Where’d you go to school?

KR: I went to UC Riverside. Graduated in ’88. Joined the POC in ’87-ish. I have my bachelor’s in environmental sciences. My background taught me about testing and evaluating things, the old scientific method, also about being organized and methodical. When I was in college, Scott Sanford had a shop in Upland. He was also friends with Chuck and Randy Beck. Chuck worked on the Ford Le Mans project in the ‘60s or ‘70s, raced Can AM in the late ‘60s. We shared many nights having a cold beverage talking about racing. Randy and Scott were really active in the POC back then. They all taught me a lot. I used to buy cars, fix them up, restore them, dial in suspension, complete repaints, take them all apart, put them back together all nice and tidy… My first POC event ever, I was in college, I had a ’74 Carrera, I was fixing it up to sell it. I bought it at a tow yard auction. I redid the whole car. It had a ducktail, 1st 911 with flares in the back… My first

racetrack with the POC was Riverside. That’s where I found my passion. It was the classic big track with the essess, it went way up the hill, and you’d come down to 7a and 7b. Turn 9 was a huge, banked sweeper. It was a pretty fast track. We were out there in street cars. We really didn’t know how to drive. You’d just haulass in fifth gear as fast as you wanted. I recall going there to an IROC race in the ‘70s with my dad, face against a chain link fence standing in the dirt, hot as heck. Crazy how things come full circle. Anyhow, they closed the track shortly after that POC event. Built a shopping mall…

AW: So, Formula 1. Who do you like?

KR: Everybody is so good at that level. I like anybody who is over-achieving. Max does an excellent job. It’s hard not to have total respect for him. He does such a great job. I give credit to the dudes who are in the mid-pack and excelling. Alonso is so experienced and skilled and savvy. He knows how to get the most out of the car. I like Albon who’s got a second life and is doing really good. I like Ocon. I like Lando. I like Piastri. He’s super good - right on pace season one. I’m a big fan of his. I like the overachievers; the Ocons, the Gaslys. I always root for the underdogs.

AW: I’ll share this with you but it won’t be in the interview. I’m a big fan of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. I directed a stage play last November that’s still running... I also designed the set, but I didn’t want to use my name for that credit because it’s not really what I do. I decided to use the name Lando Piastri. Well, Lando Piastri got great reviews. “Lando Piastri’s set design is compelling and sets the scene

beautifully.” I think Lando is going to get a lot more work out of this!

KR: Are there a lot of gearheads in the theater world asking, “Is that legit? C’mon!”

AW: We have a stage manager who is a big F1 fan who really appreciated it. People have asked him about Lando and he’s told them, “Lando is very busy. He’s not always available.” We had a lot of fun with that.

KR: It’s just a long-distance phone call!

AW: I know I said that wouldn’t be in the interview, but I couldn’t help myself. Anything you’d like to add?

KR: I said so much! I hope you can wade through it and make sense of it.

AW: Okay. One last thing - coaching. I know that when we’ve worked together, there were times when my eyes would roll into the back of my head while you were reviewing data. Amazingly, you were always able to translate it into English I could understand, help implement changes and improve. Other than watching your student make progress, what do you enjoy most about coaching?

KR: You know, it’s so personal. Seeing the lights come on. Like, “Oh, I really get it. We can use the data and improve.” It’s such a rush out there. Adrenalin to 9/10ths all the time. It’s exciting in that way. You’re doing it together. Seeing people get it. Figure it out. Seeing them get the respect of their competition, like, hey man, you were on it! Seeing my student get the credit for stepping it up… The days just fly by.

AW: Have you ever regretted getting into the car with someone?

KR: Only if they don’t listen. I won’t just get in the car with just anybody. Especially at circuits that are more hairball than others, stuff to hit at high speed. Sometimes I have to say, “Whoa. Whoa horsey. Let’s go into the hot pits and talk. Maybe you can’t quite hear me through the intercom. Like, “We have to avoid this or that. We need to work on the most dangerous parts of the track last, respect them until we get there. We’ll work on the easier bits where there is time to gain first.” It’s happened a couple

of times. “We need to tone all that down. Let’s just work on this. We’re not going to work on lap times the first session out. Let’s make sure you’re on the right part of the track, applying the right inputs….” I haven’t had too many of those situations, luckily. I love coaching. Bottom line, if I didn’t have to meet my expenses, I’d do it for free.

AW: This has been great, Kevin. Thank you so much. See ya at the track!

MSF Instructor Certification Program

Jim Salzer

The POC is partnering with the Motorsports Safety Foundation to provide standardized instructor training and certification for POC driving instructors. This course is becoming the standard with many performance driving clubs. For more information about the course, click on the following link:

https://www.motorsport-safety.org/about

The course is currently delivered in two levels. The format for Level 1 certification is a self-paced online course that includes video and text content. Ross Bentley is very involved in the MSF training and delivers the content for the course’s videos. There is a quiz at the end of every module and a test at the end of the course that must be passed for successfully completing the course. The Level 1 course only takes about four hours to complete.

Level 2 training, which is done at the track, includes candidates performing in-car instruction of MSF instructors acting as students. We are planning for a Level 2 training on June 15th at Streets of Willow. Upon completion of Level 2 you will be a certified MSF instructor.

The cost for registering for Level 1 is $50. POC will give 50 service points and $50 in POC Bucks for completing Level 1, so there is no cost to participate.

If you have any questions or are interested in participating in the launch of this new POC instructor certification program, please contact Jim Salzer at: PDS@PorscheClub.com

Dear Dr. Dyno,

When I got home from the Podium Club event, I told my wife that the tires I had weren’t any good, so I had to buy another set. She asked me what all this racing stuff is costing. I couldn’t possibly tell her the truth, so I tried to quickly change the subject. She called me on it, and I stalled by telling her I’ll check the receipt hoping she’d never ask me about it again. What should I have told her?

Dumbstruck in San Diego

Dear Dumbstruck, You did okay overall, but it’s a misfire. I’ve found telling the wife that racing costs less than you ever expected is an effective lie. Try it next time.

Dr. Dyno

Dear Dr. Dyno,

I qualified at the front of the pack in my last race but screwed up the start and fell back eight places. I gained back one place, but I was so angry with myself that it affected my driving for the entire race. I could have done so much better. How can I let go of negative emotions while I’m on the track?

Frustrated in Fountain Valley

Dear Frustrated, Your emotional and mental states are key when it comes to your performance on the track. If you make a mistake, it already happened. Don’t beat yourself up. Learn from it and apply what you learned. Keep looking ahead. Save your anger for other drivers on the freeway during your trip home.

Dr. Dyno

Dear Dr. Dyno, Joe Wiederholt keeps saying that you can’t win the race in the first turn. I like Joe but Max Verstappen has proven him wrong many, many times. I don’t know who to believe anymore. I mean, Joe’s a great guy but, c’mon, be honest with me. It makes me wonder about other things Joe has said.

Confused in Carpinteria

Dear Confused, I agree. Joe is a great guy and an outstanding Director of Motorsports. I’ve seen him handle difficult situations with style and grace. He often has a lot to say. Some things he shares are more important than others, but I must agree with him on this one. We Club Race. We don’t drive Formula 1. Safely getting through the first turn is key to having a fun race. If Verstappen were to enter one of our events, he might argue with Joe and if things got heated, Max would end up with a 13/13. I’m with Joe.

Dr. Dyno

911 Design is a full-service repair and restoration facility located east of Los Angeles in the city of Montclair.

In addition to offering standard service, repair and restoration for all Porsche® models, we are known for and specialize in custom fabrication, design and performance upgrades.

All of our services are vertically integrated which means we keep all repair, fabrication and auto-body in-house.

The standard-setting Porsche News

Whether aerodynamics, connectivity, range, or driving dynamics, the innovations in the new Macan are setting benchmarks. At the same time, Porsche is working toward a strategic milestone with full electrification of this popular series.

A New Beginning for the MACAN

Because drag has a direct impact on range—ten percent less of the former means an increase in the latter of 21 kilometers

standard-setting new Macan

Marking a new beginning, the coupé-like roofline of the Macan and the striking rear—with its shape so typical of Porsche—evoke the tight, unmistakable flyline of the 911. But this time, it’s not just a reminder of the Porsche icon. Rather, the shape, including the rear spoiler, is a groundbreaking innovation in the all-electric SUV segment. “The active aerodynamic elements all contribute significantly to the range,” says aerodynamics specialist Thomas Wiegand. “We have a rear spoiler that raises automatically, active cooling flaps at the front air intakes, and flexible covers on the underbody.” It’s the first Porsche based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) created in collaboration with Audi.

Read more about this amazing new Macan by clicking on the photo below

Now you can order your favorite POC garments and other specialty items “Online” simply by clicking on any one of the above photos!

SIMRACING 2024 Results

Jan 8 Willow Springs

Jan 22 Daytona

Feb 5 Silverstone

Feb 19 Mt Panorama

Mar 4 Motegi

Mar 18 Sebring

April 1 Suzuka

April 15 Canadian Tire

April 29 Long Beach

May 13 Philip Island

June 3 Montreal

June 17 Watkins Glen

July 1 RedBull Ring

1st Andrew Chinnici 4th AJ Roper

2nd Sagar Dhawan 5th Michael Oest

3rd Tom Layton 6th Mark Rondeau

1st Chris Walsh 4th BJ Fulton

2nd Sagar Dhawan 5th Alex Filsinger

3rd Travis Brown 6th Michael Bolten

1st Sagar Dhawan 4th BJ Fulton

2nd AJ Roper 5th Travis S Brown

3rd Jad Duncan 6th Mark Rondeau

1st Sagar Dhawan 4th Michael Bolten

2nd Chris Walsh 5th AJ Roper

3rd Jad Duncan 6th Travis S Brown

1st AJ Roper 4th Mark Rondeau

2nd Dylan Scott 5th Ian Roche2

3rd Michael Bolten 6th Dustin Heindl

1st Chris Walsh 4th Ezra Kelderman

2nd AJ Roper 5th BJ Fulton

3rd Dylan Scott 6th Jacob Abrams

1st Ezra Kelderman 4th BJ Fulton 2nd AJ Roper 5th Ian Roche 3rd Michael Bolten 6th Jeff Shulem 1st Chris Walsh 4th BJ Fulton

AJ Roper

Ezra Kelderman

All club members with track experience or online sim racing experience are invited to participate – however, you will need an iRacing Membership and a simulator. 90 Minute Race

Jad Duncan

Dustin Heindl

CLICK HERE for YouTube SIM RACES

Suzuka

Canadian Tire

UPCOMING TRACK EVENTS

SIM RACING April 2024

Be sure to keep up with all that’s going on over the next couple of months in this exciting series where members like you are competing against one another on some of the greatest tracks in the world. We’re always looking for more drivers! Register Today!

Click here for Season Results

TRIBUTE to LeMans

Our 30th Tribute this year should be a hoot. Start getting your teams together to participate in this time-honored tradition. Hope to see all of you there! Register