Ben Davoren
President
September 2022 President’s Message
By the time you read this, Labor Day has passed, the local kids have headed back to school, and Northern California’s “Indian Summer” has begun. September is yet another great month for our Region, especially for those of us lucky enough to own Cabriolets. It doesn’t stay too hot to keep the top down (okay, this Labor Day weekend notwithstanding), and the backroads often immerse you in the beginnings of fantastic fall colors. My favorites are the valley vineyards, knowing that harvest time has come (and of course this year the Harvest Moon on September 10th has its own dedicated rally!)
Although it’s undeniably hot, August is another fun-filled month for our club and this year was no exception. Our first overnight event, the Twin Pine rally, was a success (see Jim Robison’s Rallymaster report in this issue for more), and our return to Maple Creek Winery on the 27th was a real treat, always one of our best medium-length tours on great roads; see the complete report later in this issue. We also had our first monthly Board meeting at our new location, Mary’s Pizza Shack in Petaluma, which proved that it is quite central for our membership as we had the best attended meeting I've been to in 10 years.
September and October will definitely have something for everyone. In addition to the Harvest Moon rally (taking place as you receive this der Riesenbaum), the New Member mixer otherwise known as the driving tour to Vacaville’s excellent Oktoberfest will take place on Saturday September 24th. The (free!) preferred parking and reserved tables in front of Pure Grain Bakery are just two reasons to get out your dirndls and lederhosen (in fact if you look at the official event page, you'll see two familiar faces in costume!) Registration is open. Others of you will be on a separate multi-day tour to historic Murphys centered around the Ironstone Concours. Look for the article in next month’s dR but better yet, get out there and help write the story!
Before the next dR comes out, two highly-anticipated club events will take place in early October. First, our annual Concours this year on Sunday October 2nd (registration is open) will take place in downtown Sonoma on the Square. With the elements of extra detailing and the spirit of competition, this will bring phenomenally beautiful Porsches from both Redwood and our sister PCA regions into one fabulous location. There will even be a band sponsored by the City of Sonoma playing around noon!
The Annual Meeting to which all members are warmly invited will be Saturday October 8th. We are looking to gather outdoors in the spectacular Redwood grove at Chenoweth Woods, west of Sebastopol. Registration should be open when you read this and will include the choice of three ways to get there that I have been hawking for a few months: a long tour to the coast and back inland, a shorter gimmick rally, or on your own. This “state of the club" meeting includes lunch (BYOB) and the introduction of the new candidates for our Executive Council positions, whose terms begin in January.
Whether at our meeting or not, we are always looking for your creative energy! Many of the new ideas in the last two years (rallies, the long weekend at Murphys, midweek tours, a backstage racing team pass) came from members who brought their vision to the Board. Please email us directly or attend our monthly meeting on Tuesday September 27th at Mary’s Pizza Shack in Petaluma at 7 PM. Dinner is always on the club – you just pay for your drink. (Zoom will also available if you wish to attend remotely). Please see our calendar link at redwoodpca.org for details.
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Executive Council Candidate Statements |
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President: Vern Rogers
Most of you already know me from my three past years as Redwood Region President or my time as Region Treasurer. If you don’t know me yet, I hope to remedy that situation. I am running once again for President of the Region. Our executive council this next year will likely consist of officers new to their positions, and the nominating committee wanted to assure consistency of management. They felt that as a past President, I could bring that consistency. I hope you agree.
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Vice President: Sharon Niedel
My name is Sharon Neidel, and I am honored to be nominated for Vice President of Redwood Region. I have been a member of PCA for 47 years but until recently in our neighboring Golden Gate Region. I have served PCA in many positions over my years, ncluding 15 terms on GGR’s board: 3 as President & Zone Rep from 2009-2012. I look forward to being more involved in Redwood events and bringing my experience to the Redwood Board.
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Tresurer: Rona Blevins Stefani
My name is Rona Blevins Stefani, nominee for treasurer. I actually took over mid term this summer. I’m looking forward to being more involved in Redwood PCA. My husband and I live in Healdsburg where we moved about 5 years ago from the Peninsula. We have two grown children. This will be my 4th turn as a treasurer for non profits. I am a State Farm agent by profession, but a closet accountant by avocation.
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Secretary: Eileen Gaines
My husband Paige and I have been members of PCA for about 10 years now and have enjoyed the camaraderie that the club offers. I am looking forward to being on the Executive Board as Secretary to learn more about how the club functions and being in a position to further participate in the planning and execution of the events for the upcoming year. I appreciate being nominated and look forward to meeting more of the members in this new-to-me role.
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Quinn Barri
New Member
as told to the editor
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My Dad, Richard Barri, worked at Veale Porsche in Santa Rosa for years. He became the GM. At one point during his tenure, a good friend came in and special ordered a new 911S Porsche. That friend Paul McCann was also a Redwood Region member.
Paul owned that car for 45 years and over those years developed into an even better friend: a lifelong friend.
Recently, Paul came into my shop (Autosport Detailing in Santa Rosa) with the 1977 911S and said, "Hey I'm getting ready to sell. I'm moving out of state."
As I was working on the car, I kept thinking that I'd like to own it. I started thinking if I could come up to a reachable number. I started thinking I had to buy it, but knowing what it's worth... a super rare Coppa Florio with a 2.7 liter engine...well maintained...
I asked Paul what do you want for this car? He said, "I'd be happy with this number."
I thought Wow! those two numbers are not that far off. I told him I'd like to buy and what my number was. He started to cry and said, "If you'd like to buy it, I'll sell it to you for your price."
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There's more to the story too. My Dad passed away several years ago now. He started out as a mechanic at age 14 in Humboldt, working on Chevys. He was really into the 50s hotrods. He started autocrossing Corvettes and kept getting beaten by Porsches. So he converted from a Chevy fanatic to a Porsche fanatic. He used to own AutoSport West, a used car dealer geared toward Porsches. My new car arrived wearing the the license plate frames from my Dad's business. The family story is that I was conceived and born in a Porsche. I was definitely picked up from the hospital in a 356 convertible.
My 911 and I are the same vintage: 1977. It's pretty much original except for the front seats (but I have the original seats), and the wheels. The original 14 inch wheels were replaced with 15 inch ones. The blacked out window trim was a custom feature. It has now faded to a grayish silver which looks good.The color is the super rare Coppa Florio.* It was a special order color in 1976 and 1977 only.
- The name of the color comes from the name of an Italian road race called the Coppa Florio that began in 1900. The gentleman who put up the prize money and had a special cup designed in 1905 was named Vincenzo Florio.
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Greg Stout
Redwood Region Member
This year's Monterey Werks Reunion has come and gone, but what a great dose of Porsche Utopia it was. I was invited by Jim Hemig, Marketing Director for PCA, to be one of two Porsches to be displayed at the PCA Hospitality Pavilion. Both yellow cars sporting California Personal Plates as follows: TYPE923 on my car and TYPE992 on the second invitee's car. Of course, my car was wearing the Redwood Region PCA license plate frame offered to our club members. The turnout was huge, and the quality of Porsches both in "concours competition" and "corral display" was stunning. I am hearing from the PCA folks I chatted with that the upcoming 75th Anniversary Werks is going to be several steps above even this fine event. It was delightful to see the Junior PCA kids having fun "judging" cars and even presenting their own trophies to their chosen winners, all under the watchful eye of Laura Moffitt and our own Zone 7 Rep. Not surprisingly, there were few "Porsche People" that had any idea what a Type 923 was.......
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photo courtesy of Laura Moffitt, PCA National |
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PCA Hospitality Volunteer |
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Sharon Castle showing up for the early shift at the Porsche Hospitality tent on turn 5 at Laguna Seca during car week in Monterey. |
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Maple Creek Tour/ Artevino |
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Ben Davoren
Redwood Region President
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Many recent stories in the news have talked about “Fogust” here in Northern California keeping the coastal temps cool while the inland areas bake, but our annual tour to the Maple Creek Winery in Yorkville (Mendocino County) hit the sweet spot for a summer favorite: temps in the upper 80s where we could enjoy great wines and an outdoor barbeque nestled in the oak trees.
32 of our club’s enthusiasts gathered as the overcast started to clear in Windsor in anticipation of another great Redwood Region drive. It had been four weeks since our last winery event, and the promise of ending up with a cool glass of Chardonnay had everyone ready to go with lights on, trip meters zeroed, and the ridewithgps tour route app fired up on their phones.
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The drive out around the Sonoma County Airport and then up Westside Road along West Dry Creek Valley was like an old friend, with most sections having better pavement than in years past (one surprise “dip” on Mark West Station Road being an exception). For a number of years this drive has been held on the day of the well-attended Tour de Fox bicycle race for charity, so that often we have had intersections controlled by the CHP and lots of neon-vested cyclists along the way. It turns out this event was in fact in progress as we drove this year, but has been “virtual” for the last 2 years, which meant traffic was more relaxing this time! |
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Jeff Hall (with navigator and event director Kurt Fischer) deftly led the group through Cloverdale to our biobreak at the Hamburger Ranch. With “mid-relay” Craig Steele helping, yours truly as the “sweeper” had a pretty easy job making sure everyone got there. After the quick stop we headed west on one of our region’s most reproducibly fun drives, Highway 128. This road has everything that our Porsches were designed to navigate: tight turns, elevation changes, outstanding pavement conditions, and a 55 mile an hour speed limit, as well as ample turnouts for slower vehicles. The 19 car group stayed together in formation for the entire rest of our journey to Maple Creek.
We were once again welcomed warmly to Maple Creek by owners Tom and Teresa Rodrigues and that glass of award-winning Chardonnay was at the ready! This year their picnic area had been beautifully updated and our caterer Randy Apel had appetizers set up, with tri-tip and chicken thighs, sides and dessert to follow. Tastings of at least 5 varietals and unique blends led to deep discussions over which were whose favorites. At 20 percent off, everyone was happy to snag some bottles to recheck their first impressions at a later date.
This is a great gathering that our club will surely continue for years. Come next year, make new friends, enjoy great wine, food, and wonderful roads!
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Christina Perry, Susan Hultgren, Kurt Fischer, Terry Lenhardt, Robert Hultgren enjoying the wine, weather and good company.
Photo of parked Porsches under the trees at the winery courtesy of Teresa Rodrigues.
All others by editor.
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Bylaw HIghlight of the Month |
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Did you know that there are five types of members in our Redwood Region? When our Bylaws were updated in July of 2022, we utilized the PCA National membership types as follows. You can review the Bylaws at any time online.
· ACTIVE – Any (adult) owner of a Porsche living in the Region, having paid Club dues and fees as required.
· FAMILY-ACTIVE - An (adult) individual requested by an active member as his or her family- active member, whether an owner of a Porsche or not.
· ASSOCIATE – Active members who cease to own a Porsche or employees of a Porsche-oriented business, having paid Club dues and fees.
· AFFILIATE MEMBER – An (adult) person named by the active member in lieu of a family-active member.
· DUAL MEMBER—A PCA Active, Family-Active, or Affiliate member in another National Region may also apply for Redwood Region membership status
Active, Family-Active, and Dual Members may hold elective and non-elective Board positions.
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Bobby Cole
Redwood Region Member
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GTRRR…
Beginning with the 2023 season, customer teams can campaign the new Porsche 911 GT3 R worldwide. Based on the 992 generation 911, the water-cooled flat-six four-valve direct fuel injection engine has increased to 4.2 liters and produces up to 557 horsepower. The new 911 GT3 R’s suspension provides more precise steering, ensures less wear on the rear tires, and reduces the time spent on set-up changes. A state-of-the-art double wishbone suspension controls the front wheels, while the rear axle features a multi-link design. The KW shock absorbers offer five adjustment settings without the need for time consuming realignment of the suspension. The aluminum brake calipers are augmented by discs supplied by the UK specialist company, AP Racing. The internally vented and slotted front steel discs measure 15 inches in diameter and are activated by six pistons. At the rear are four-piston calipers and discs measuring 14.5 inches beneath a swan-necked wing. The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 R is on sale now for $567,210 through Porsche Motorsport North America.
TOPLESS MODEL
Shortly after the launch of the Cayenne in December 2002, three additional variants were considered; one was built: an open-top Cayenne convertible. Not a road-going prototype, but what is known as a Package Function Model. The designers removed the roof but dispensed with necessary body-stiffening so test drives were never planned. The PFM was built to assess four criteria: Is the seating comfortable throughout the vehicle when the roof tapers in a more coupé-like way towards the rear and when the windscreen and A-pillars are shortened? How practical is the Cayenne as a two-door model with doors which are almost eight inches longer? Is it possible to accommodate an elegant, high-quality soft top that can also be folded quickly? And how should the rear end be designed? There was still disagreement on the final issue in 2002, and two different rear sections were designed. The convertible mechanism never got past the computer simulation stage and was never fully constructed. Today, the fabric top is stowed in the luggage compartment of the Porsche Museum piece and must be fitted manually if required.
SLEEPER
Flying first class has never been comfier. Lufthansa has unveiled new special edition Porsche Design pajamas. Made by Van Laack, a German fashion company with its headquarters in Mönchengladbach, the latest pajamas appear to be unisex. The two-piece pajamas are black with a Mandarin-style collar, which has a more modern look than previous blue or brown collared style. The pants have pockets and other than the label inside the shirt, there is no Porsche branding on the outside. Porsche Design is a German product design studio and brand known for its high-end accessories founded in 1972 by F. A. Porsche, the designer of the original Porsche 911. If you’re flying Lufthansa this month, look for special edition Porsche Design pajamas. You’ll want to take them with you if you wear PJs at home. Wheels up!
PAYBACK
Volkswagen and Porsche agreed to a class action settlement, due to claims of more than 500,000 Porsches exceeding the manufacturer's official emissions and fuel economy figures. Original affected owners eligible for compensation will get payments between $200 and $1,100. Non-original owners may be eligible for compensation as well. There's an additional Sport+ emissions recall for all Porsche owners with the Sport+ mode, whose cars can suffer from higher emissions. The Sport+ recall can pay an additional $250 to all eligible owners. The $250 will be paid after the conclusion of the recall and after owners get a software fix. Many Porsche vehicles sold between 2005-2022 are part of the settlement. Every trim level for each model is included, as well. Porsche has now set up a site for owners to file a claim for compensation, as well as a list of the vehicles involved in the class action settlement.
PORSCHE GTL
Christopher Reitz, the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche has created a company to design and produce a series of low-volume, hand-built cars that pay homage to the Porsche family. Reitz, the former chief designer for Nissan Europe founded Feuerbach in 2019. His first GTL Coupe is based around a 997-generation 911 GT3 and sports a unique carbon fiber body styled by Reitz and the company’s design team in Barcelona. The GTL will feature a striking rear end with unique LED taillights and a distinctive engine cover. The car will also feature unique front and rear quarter panels and bumper with a carbon fiber diffuser. The flat-six motor will be a hand-built 4.3-liter naturally aspirated engine pumping out 540 hp at 8,500 rpm coupled to a six-speed manual or a PDK transmission. The Porsche GTL’s interior shows a unique carbon fiber transmission tunnel, carbon fiber door panels, and materials that owners will be able to customize including a roll cage, competition seats, harnesses, race-ready brakes, suspension, and wheels. Prices for the Porsche GTL Coupe are expected to start at $550,000.
TESLA TROUNCED…AGAIN
Porsche development driver Lars Kern posted the fastest lap for a series-production electric car on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just seven minutes and 33 seconds in the Taycan Turbo S. Aside from the required roll cage and racing seats, the sports sedan was equipped with the new performance kit and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) which analyzes and synchronizes all the chassis systems of the Taycan in real time. The performance kit also includes 21 inch RS-Spyder-design wheels with road-approved, Pirelli P Zero Corsa sports tires. The performance kit is offered through Porsche Tequipment. It is currently only available in Germany and only for the 2023 model year Taycan Turbo S sports sedan. The plan is for the retrofit to be carried out after initial delivery, in the Porsche workshops in Zuffenhausen. Zuper!
COOL RUNNING
It's not uncommon for automakers to participate in building other means of transportation. There was a time in the 1960s when Porsche made a "Sport Toboggan" sled. It's about three feet long, so meant for kids really, but it's undoubtedly a fun bit of Porsche history and manufacturing. And there's one for sale. Listed by Bonhams, the sled is painted dark blue and features plastic handles and a racy plaid cushion. It's made of fiberglass and sports the company's iconic crest on the front. Along with the sled, Bonhams is also offering a framed copy of what looks like the sled's sales brochure that includes a bit about how to use it in the winter and the summer. It's unclear if the sled listed by Bonhams is the same one that was listed for sale on Mecum Auctions during the Monterey auctions in 2013. The Bonhams auction lists the seller’s location in Los Angeles, California. This 1960s fiberglass example isn't the last time the German automaker built a sled, by the way. If you'll remember, Porsche Design built a composite bobsled in 2010 for $225.
WATCH IT
Tag Heuer and Porsche have already teamed up to create a special edition wristwatch that can remotely control certain features when paired to your car. The new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Porsche Edition smartwatch can adjust the heating and air conditioning in your Porsche as well as display the vehicle's mileage and estimated range before the next charge or fill-up most of Porsche’s 2022 vehicles and newer models. The timepiece features a matte black titanium case, “Frozen Blue” accents borrowed from the electric Porsche Taycan, and a custom “Circuit” watch face option that blends circuit board elements with subtle nods to racetracks. Basic features include a compass, barometer, NFC functionality for tap-to-pay systems, and waterproofing to a depth of 50 meters, fitness-tracking, and heart rate monitoring. The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Porsche Edition available this month sounds like a bargain at $2,750. Time in!
2023 GT WHEE RS
Last month, Porsche unveiled the 2023 992 GT3 RS. Andy Preuninger, Director of The GT Product Line and affectionally known as the ‘Father of The GT3”, introduces the new and most track-focused RS ever built. Zuffenhausen's new iconic sports car has the wildest aerodynamic packages ever fitted to a road-going car. The giant rear wing will be the dead giveaway. It'll also have more scoops and vents along with louvers in the front fenders, obvious due to their sheer size. The naturally aspirated flat-six with a 4.0-liter displacement sends 518 horsepower power to the rear axle through a seven-speed PDK. Configure yours here. Porsche is planning a couple of additions to the extensive 911 portfolio. The 992.2-generation model will see the introduction of a Safari/Dakar model with a higher ground clearance and a hybrid model. Hopefully, a new GT2 RS is in the offing as well. Buckle up and view the new GT3 RS reveal here.
ICE-ING ON THE CAKE
Volkswagen’s new boss prefers e-fuel to electric. Porsche CEO Olivier Blume has never hidden his attraction for synthetic gasoline. Porsche has invested nearly 75 billion dollars on a fuel composed of hydrogen and carbon dioxide to power internal combustion engines (ICE). On South America's windy southern tip, just north of Punta Arenas, Chile, the Haru Oni plant has recently broken ground, and this year is planning to produce enough green hydrogen and scrub sufficient CO2 from the atmosphere to produce almost 200,000 gallons of green methanol. A portion of this will be subsequently converted into roughly 34,000 gallons of green gasoline all of which will be shipped to Porsche for use in motorsports. In the Magallanes region of Chile, strong williwaw winds power extreme low-pressure systems created by the meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The wind power consistently available there is roughly four times greater than any place on the European continent, which is one reason the plant is in Chile and not in Europe. What does it cost? Porsche pegs the initial price at $44.73 per gallon but expects efficiencies of scale and technology to reduce that to $7.57/gallon by 2026.
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On the way to Maple Creek, two region members busted out their propeller beanies. Eric Moeller, on the right, wore it in honor of Burning Man as most years, he can be found sporting it there. You can tell by how the desert sun has faded it over time. His cap has a dinosaur. Simon Chadwick would only admit to it being an authentic propeller beanie from the company in Oakland. His has a tiny frog. |
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Collin Fat
Zone 7 Representative
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Golden Gate Region Hosts Zone Concours
Golden Gate region hosted a Zone 7 Concours series event on August 7th at Porsche Redwood City. The event was sponsored by Porsche Redwood City who went out of their way to host a barbeque lunch and provide live entertainment in addition to opening their facility to nearly 100 club members. The Concours field featured some 35 judged cars competing for year end awards as well as more than 25 cars on display. The parking lot was jam packed with overflow parking on the street. A big thank you goes out to Golden Gate Region Concours chair, Mike Sherman, for organizing another great event.
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Sacramento Valley Region Announces CRAB is Back
Sacramento Valley Region will host CRAB 38 the weekend of April 21-23, 2023 after a long absence due to the pandemic. This will be the 38th CRAB making it the longest running, multi-region, multi-day event in Zone 7.
So what is this multi-day, multi-region, much anticipated event we call CRAB? Let’s start off with an explanation of the acronym in the word “CRAB.” The letter “C” stands for crab feed, the letter “R” stands for rally, the letter “A” stands for autocross and the letter “B” stands for the German word “begegnen” which means a gathering or meeting. Simply, it’s a weekend to celebrate all things Porsche. It’s a chance to socialize with like-minded fans of the Porsche brand. It is also a wonderful way for new members to get immersed in the fun and social aspects of the club all in one weekend. In addition to the events described above, CRAB also includes a day long tour, concours, and a Beer 'n Brat on the final day of the event. Each CRAB has attracted well over 300 PCA members since 1972 when a small group of SVR members, Rich Farlinger, Jim Karver, Ray Johansen, and Phillip Marks conceived the concept.
Our events are planned with the goal of having fun and meeting like-minded Porsche enthusiasts. Therefore, the weekend will feature not only competitive events like the TSD Rally, Autocross, and Concours, but also fun events like tours, Crabkhana, self-guided walking tour, and an opportunity to explore downtown Sacramento and the region. Whether touring the Delta, the Delta King or Old Sacramento, participants will have plenty of activities in which to participate.
The crab feed dinner on Saturday is one of the highlights of the weekend and will feature all you can eat, fresh Dungeness crab with all the fixings. There will be a social hour on Saturday as well to provide ample time to socialize with old and new friends alike. Sunday’s festivities will feature the TSD Rally, Concours, Beer ‘N Brat, and the awards ceremony.
Special thanks go to all the CRAB 38 team for their efforts in planning this event and continuing to contribute to this amazing legacy.
Please mark the event on your calendar and watch for future information in the coming months.
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Zone Autocross and Concours Series Update
Two Zone autocross events are on the calendar. On October 8th, Sequoia Region will be hosting its first Zone Autocross at the Madera Airport. This will be Sequoia Region’s first ever Zone Autocross event according to Larry Kirlin, Sequoia Region AX Chair, due to issues related to the pandemic and getting the program started-up. The region will host the event at the Madera Municipal Airport in Madera, just 15 minutes north of Fresno. If you are a member of the Sequoia Region and have never autocrossed, beginners and novices are always welcome, and we can hook you up with an instructor who will show you the ropes and explain the sport to you. All that is needed to attend is a Porsche in good working order. On the weekend of October 22nd-23rd, Sacramento Valley Region and Redwood Region will be doing a two-day event at Thunderhill Raceway Park. For more information visit the autocross page on the Zone 7 website.
There are also three Concours series events in October with Redwood Region hosting their annual zone Concours at the picturesque Plaza in downtown Sonoma on October 2nd. Diablo Region is next up with their annual Concours to be held on October 16th at the Blackhawk Plaza and finally Loma Prieta Region hosting their annual event at Porsche Fremont on October 30th. Registration details will be coming so watch the Zone website for further information.
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2022 PCA West Coast Race Series Schedule |
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PCA National Upcoming Events
Fall Treffen will be held in Bend, Oregon from September 14-18.
Unfortunately, registration is already closed. More information on future Treffens here!
Parade 2023 will be held at the La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs from June 18-24th. The hotel is a five star rated property that has a famous history as being the hangout for movie stars and the Hollywood elite during the 1940s. This promises to be one of the premier locations for a Parade on the West Coast. Registration will open in early 2023.
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Jim Robison
Rally Director
We have successfully transitioned to the modified Monte Carlo format for our time-speed-distance (TSD) rallies, and it’s looking like a winning strategy. When I was in business, and later when I taught business at Sonoma State, I used to say that product design begins with the customer; what does the customer want? In our case, what do Porsche people want on a road event, be it a rally or a tour? I think we can all agree that they want to enjoy driving their cars on interesting roads and the freedom to do so at speeds appropriate for the car, the roads, and, of course, the law. Trying to maintain an assigned speed, whether it be dictated by the rallymaster or the tour group leader, does not satisfy that desire; in fact, it detracts from the enjoyment of the driving experience.
The modified Monte Carlo eliminates the assigned speed requirement, and along with it, the requirement to calculate checkpoint times. The exact time each car is due at the checkpoint and the exact location of the checkpoint are provided in the route instructions. Further, there are never any traps or gimmicks – every effort is made to help the participants stay on course.
The focus is shifted from the navigator to the driver. With no math requirements, navigators can devote their full attention to route-following; and with no average speeds to maintain, drivers can devote their full attention to the car and the road. Modified Monte Carlo checkpoints are a physical object located at the far end of a pullout area. The strategy is to arrive a little early and wait in the pullout, then pass the checkpoint at the assigned time. A modified Monte Carlo also has fewer checkpoints and the distance between checkpoints is greater, allowing the team to fully enjoy the car and the roads.
We introduced a walking version of the modified Monte Carlo with the Mount Tam Trek in June, and included an example of it in the Summer Rally School in July, but the first rally to fully utilize it was the Twin Pine Rally on August 13th and 14th.
Twin Pine 1, the Saturday rally, took us from Napa to the Twin Pine Casino and Hotel via 111 miles of corkscrews and straightaways. It was nice to explore the back roads of Napa and Lake Counties, many of which had not been used on a Redwood Region rally or tour before. The Grapevine Bar in the Twin Pine Casino made a fine finish location for downing cold drinks, swapping road stories, and passing out awards.
Sunday was another day, and another rally. Twin Pine 2, only 77 miles long, took us back to Napa, then due west over Trinity Road and Sonoma Mountain Road to a finish at Mary’s Pizza Shack in Rohnert Park.
The feedback was very positive for the roads, the modified Monte Carlo format, the food, and the lodging. I’m not aware of anyone winning or losing a bundle in the casino Saturday night, so I can’t comment on that.
We had nine cars for Twin Pine 1 on Saturday: seven rallyists and two solo drivers in the touring class. First-timers Quinn Barri and Crissa Turner took first place with a score of 9 seconds, the only single-digit score of the day, driving a beautiful 1977 baby blue 911 that sure didn’t look 50 years old. Their company is Auto Sport Detailing (more about that later) and their car is a good advertisement for the quality of their work.
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Second place, with a score of 11 went to Robert and Susan Hultgren, driving the only Porsche SUV in the event, a 2017 Macan Turbo, demonstrating that you don’t need a 2-door to do well in a rally. I hope to see more 4-door and 5-door entries in future events.
Third place went to Dale and Beverly Cochran in their 1999 Porsche 996 (that reminded me of Sally Carrera) with a score of 13 seconds, just 2 seconds behind Robert and Susan. Only one second behind Dale and Beverly were Jerry and Renee Wachtel, claiming a solid fourth place; but the trophies (miniature slot machines) only went three-deep. The top four cars fitting within a five-second window indicated some serious competition, and the weekend was only half over.
Two cars had prior obligations and could not stay for Twin Pine 2 on Sunday, leaving five cars in the rally class and two in the touring class.
Allen and Mary Samuels, driving a 2018 Toyota Highlander, the other SUV in the event, claimed first place Sunday with a total score of 1 second for the six scored checkpoints!
Jerry and Renee Wachtel took second place in their 2004 Carrera C4S, with a score of 6 seconds. Dale and Beverly Cochran, who took third on Twin Pine 1, repeated with a third on Twin Pine 2.
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I cannot go on discussing Twin Pine 2 without mentioning Robert and Susan Hultgren who took second on Saturday and were well on their way to a podium finish Sunday until they missed a turn and maxed the next-to-last checkpoint. They recovered and got a zero on the final checkpoint, but that 300 max was like a boat anchor on their score.
I should also mention the two solo entries. PCA rules require a navigator on rallies but not on tours, and they define rallies as competitive driving event and tours as non-competitive. If we have room for additional cars, our policy will be to allow solo drivers to follow the rally route but in a non-competing “touring” class. Ron Nersesian, driving his new 2022 911 GTS Cabriolet, and Jayson Gispan, driving a 2011 Boxster Spyder, ran both days in the touring class. More on both of them in just a moment.
Since the modified Monte Carlo format is new to everybody, the weekend turned out to be a good example of the learning curve. On Saturday, only one car had a single-digit score, and that was a 9. On Sunday, four cars had single-digit scores; the largest being a 7. On Saturday, the average score per checkpoint was 70 and on Sunday, apart from the max, the average score per checkpoint was 10. Every car had a lower average score on Sunday than they did on Saturday, despite there being more checkpoints. People learned on Saturday and demonstrated their new-found proficiencies on Sunday. The classic learning curve.
Back to our solo drivers. Ron and Jayson scored 41 and 64 respectively on Saturday, but on Sunday, Ron scored 6, a tie for second place if he had had a navigator, and Jayson scored a 7 which would have given him third place in the rally class. Watch out for Ron and Jayson on future rallies if they find navigators. They what it takes to be serious competitors.
Looking at the overall standings for the weekend, I found we had a tie for first overall. Dale and Beverly Cochran placed 3rd on Saturday and 3rd on Sunday for a total of 6. Jerry and Renee Wachtel placed 4th on Saturday and 2nd on Sunday also for a total of 6, so both teams tied for first place overall. Robert and Susan Hultgren had a 2nd on Saturday and a 5th on Sunday for a total of 7 and third place overall. Allen and Mary Samuels got 7th on Saturday and 1st on Sunday for a total of 8 and fourth overall. Finally, Ron and Diana Russell placed 6th Saturday and 4th Sunday for a total of 10 and fifth place overall. Congratulations to everyone!
The redwood Region PCA has two more rallies scheduled for this year: Harvest Moon and Run for the Money.
Harvest Moon will be a night rally using the modified Monte Carlo format, on Saturday September 10th, the date of the 2022 Harvest Moon. The start will be at Auto Sport Detailing (remember Quinn and Crissa?) in Santa Rosa about 7:00 PM and the finish will be in Rohnert Park about 11:00 PM. The route will feature about 60 miles of all-paved roads. This event is open to all cars and PCA membership is not required.
Speaking of PCA membership, Run for the Money on October 8th will be a gimmick rally starting in Petaluma and finishing at our annual membership meeting in Sebastopol. Navigators will be required and solo drivers are encouraged to enter the Tour-to-the-Meeting, starting at Lake Sonoma and finishing at the Sebastopol meeting location about the same time as the rally. Details to follow.
As always, please contact me with your rally questions.
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Rick Duste
Vice President
As we near the end of the year, the club has a number of important business and social meetings that all members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Our Annual Meeting will be on Saturday October 8th at Chenoweth Woods in Sebastopol. Both a road tour and a rally are scheduled for that day ending at the Chenoweth Woods venue. You’re welcome to sign up to just attend the meeting/lunch as well. Come and meet the new candidates for the Executive Committee (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) as well as socialize, eat and drink with your fellow members. Tuesday November 29th will be our 2023 planning meeting where we schedule events for 2023 as well as explore new ideas. The mid-week tours we did this year as well as the overnight to Murphys in the Sierra foothills were ideas brought forward by members at last years planning meeting. This is the opportune time for any member to float ideas they would like the club to consider. Please attend if you have interest. And finally, our end of the year Holiday Party will be at the Rooster Run Golf Club event center in Petaluma on Saturday December 10th featuring sit down plated dinner, cash bar, live band and dancing. Watch the calendar on the Redwood Region website for details on these events as well as this year's remaining road tours, rallies and autocross events.
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Craig Steele
Secretary
If you’re interested in Zooming in to the next meeting, send me an email and I will send you the meeting link.
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Membership Report & Information |
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In August 2022, 27 Redwood Region members marked five or more years in the club. 2 members achieved 49 years!, and 3 reached over 20 years!
Congratulations to you all!
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In August we welcomed 8 new members and 1 transferee from another region.
Welcome Welcome Welcome
You will all be receiving a complimentary Redwood Region name badge shortly. If you’d like to order a name badge for your associate or family member, check out our website for full details and instructions.
New Members August 2022
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Classifieds
Redwood Region
License Plate Frames
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Plastic Frames Just $10 each. You know you want one!!!
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Porsche Marin
When you want the best selection and prices on new, used and pre-owned Porsche vehicles, Porsche Marin offers exactly what you’re looking for. 911, Boxster, Cayman, Cayenne, Macan, Panamera and more.
Mill Valley
415 578-9101
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Autobahn Automotive
Sonoma County's premier automotive location for maintenance, servicing, auto repairs and performance upgrades for your Porsche and BMW since 2007
Santa Rosa
707 545-1958
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Auto Sport Detailing
Exceeding customer expectations since 1996
"We detail every car like it’s our own
from start to finish."
Santa Rosa
707 570-3710
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der Riesenbaum is the official newsletter of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, encompassing Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties. This publication is intended to inform Club members about Club activities and other related matters of interest.
We encourage letters to the editor, feedback, questions and suggestions about our newsletter and the Redwood Region in general. Want to contribute to the newsletter?Submit photos and articles about Club events or related activities. Please submit your entry by the 5th day of the month for inclusion in that month's newsletter. Articles received after the deadline will be considered for the next month's newsletter. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all materials submitted for publication.
Want to reach an audience of Porsche enthusiasts with your marketing message? Consider advertising in der Riesenbaum. Contact the editor for more information and rates.
All written content and images in this publication are protected by copyright. Permission is granted to reprint any original content herein provided credit is given to the author, the der Riesenbaum and to the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region. The opinions expressed in der Riesenbaum are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, its officers, or its members.
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Thanks for supporting our Club!
Lisa Davoren
der Riesenbaum Editor
Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region
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