Ben Davoren
President
June 2021 President’s Message
Greetings Redwood Region members, and welcome to summer! I hope to see each and every one of you out on the roads or at one of our upcoming events...or both! If you haven’t had a chance to get out of the house yet for a mask-optional outing, I hope that you take a moment to read this month’s article about our 85 mile backroads tour on May 22nd, ending up in our group picnic in Petaluma, and decide that you’d like to come join us next time. Plain and simple: it was really fun.
If you’re still not sure, stop by our Porsches on the Plaza event this Saturday June 19th on Sonoma Square, which is free and a great way to talk shop with the owners of Porsches from all vintages.
July brings us a slew of events. 2021’s first driving tour ending at a winery for lunch and tasting takes place on Sunday July 18th with our destination the bucolic Martorana Family Winery just west of Healdsburg. Registration is now open. Saturday July 31st will see a tour that ends in Geyserville for a pig roast at Pech Merle winery, owned by members Bruce & Cheryl Lawton. These events are size-limited, and will likely sell out quickly.
The first chance to apply the lessons from Jim Robison's June 26th rally school will be Saturday July 24th. Registration for this (also free) "Die Trockenbach Rallye" is now open. There will be prizes! All you need is a driver, a navigator, and a Porsche of any shape, size, or age. No experience or training needed.
Our Autocross Co-Directors are also hard at work preparing for our next confirmed event at Sonoma Raceway; they will have cones and a course set up on Sunday August 22nd for your driving pleasure! Other dates may yet materialize as well.
I hope you enjoy this month’s emphasis on the Boxster in our newsletter. The Boxster will always hold a special place in my heart as my 2007 987 was the vehicle that brought me into the club almost 10 years ago. I have never felt more connected to the road than while driving that car. I even enjoyed it standing still (I had broken my ankle the week it arrived from Europe, so couldn’t drive a stick for 6 weeks. I would just go out, put the top down and hang out in the garage for a while).
For those of you who are enjoying (or contemplating) our truly great events I invite you to participate in planning new ones for our future. Our club runs 100% on volunteers and we do have openings on our Board that could benefit from your energy and enthusiasm. If you'd like to know more, please reach out to me directly or attend a Board meeting.
Meetings are open to all interested members on the last Tuesday of every month at 7 pm at Mary's Pizza Shack in Novato. Our May meeting was our first in-person dinner meeting in more than a year, and we are ready to return in June (but we will still have a Zoom option available). Please see our calendar link at redwoodpca.org. for details.
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Ben Davoren
President
Windsor to Petaluma: the Long Way to a Great Picnic
Another fantastic morning - not too hot and not too cool - greeted 33 Porsches carrying 60 picnickers in Windsor on Saturday May 22nd. This ‘Porsche Picnic Pronto’ was our first mask-optional gathering since March of 2020 and everyone was excited to be together! We had a number of brand-new members as well as seasoned veterans, and a few four-door Porsches as well as the usual two-door suspects.
We broke up into two groups and made our way east towards Calistoga on Mark West Springs Road and Petrified Forest Road. It is always a little tricky when there are left turns and stop lights to stick together, but our groups tightened up pretty well along Highway 128/29 south towards Napa. Special thanks to my co-lead Vern Rogers and our two sweepers, Kurt Fischer and Rick Duste. The first part of our tour was more like a parade than a sprint but with the spring foliage out and the undeniable cuteness of downtown St. Helena, it was both beautiful and fun.
Once off of 29 onto Oakville Grade and then down south on Dry Creek Road, the tour hit its stride with 9 miles of twisties that bring out the best in our cars. After a ‘biobreak’ at Alston Park in Napa, we headed back north onto Redwood Road and then up over the Mayacamas Mountains on Trinity Road down into the town of Glen Ellen. The road conditions kept everyone on their best behavior; the irony of a sign on Trinity that said “rough road” in the exact spot where it finally became perfect payment was lost on no one.
The final leg brought us the back way into Petaluma along Bennett Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Pressley, and Adobe Roads, completing an 86 mile tour by converging into Lucchesi Park. Our reserved picnic area was being staked out by longtime member extraordinaire Jerry Gladstone and his wife Marcia, making the transition from drive to picnic seamless.
It was so much fun to watch new friends being made at our BYO picnic event, and really underscored what I love most about this club: meeting people from all walks of life who enjoy a spirited backroads drive in a wonderful environment in amazing vehicles, and then, talking about doing it again next time. I hope you will come join us.
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Wow! Look at that! ...a Driver's Meeting the old fashioned way! |
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Picnic at Lucchesi Park in Petaluma |
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Rich Gunderson
Redwood Region Member
2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the 986 Boxster in 1996. Designed by American Grant Larson, it was one of the very few concept cars that made it into production with most design elements intact. Mid-engined with retro-styling, it was an instant hit, especially in the US. Consumer demand was so great that Porsche had to contract with Valmet Automotive in Finland to meet demand.
First generation 986 models have a 2.5L flat 6, making 201 HP. Top speed is 149; 0-60 mph happens in 6.7 seconds. While these performance numbers have become pedestrian against current models, the overwhelming experience of the 986 Boxster is the handling. I often tell others that the car has limits that I’ll never approach. It’s a complete “analog” sports car experience; no traction control, no cupholders, no glove box, no PASM, just a pure 5 speed manual mid-engine driving experience. Not to be missed is the great sound of the flat 6 with the top down!
I bought my 1999 Boxster about 3 years ago after researching 2-seat roadsters for over 6 months. I looked at the Miata (underpowered and interior too snug) and the Honda S2000 (great engine, but not a great road-trip car). I wanted to re-create the experience I had with the first car I ever bought: a '78 Fiat X1/9, but with more than the measly 62 HP it had. I was lucky to find a local Redwood Region PCA member car with a solid history. With a quick PPI from Autobahn in Santa Rosa, the deal was done.
First generation Boxsters are a fantastic way to enter the Porsche world for under 10K. With Porsche’s planned move into electrification within the next few years, 986 and 987 Boxsters have probably reached the bottom of their depreciation curve. Hagerty gave support to this idea, naming the 986 to its BullMarket List as one of the 10 best collector cars to buy in 2019. Resources for these cars are endless with PCA’s own Boxster Register being my go-to for questions. Additionally, Porsche itself added the 986 to its list of “Classics,” meaning that parts and factory support are assured into the future.
While the 986 is not without its wear points, it will always be credited with helping stabilize Porsche’s finances in the 90’s, for which we should all be thankful!
Long live the Boxster!
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How did the Boxster get its name? |
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Have you ever wondered about the name "Boxster"? Well, it's really quite simple. The name is a combination of two words: Boxer and Roadster. The Boxer part refers to the flat or horizontally-opposed engine configuration. The Roadster part reflects the body style of a 2-door 2-seater convertible. That's it! |
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Julian Bartsch
New Redwood Member
I have always been fascinated by the history of Porsche, a company where craftmanship comes together with design. I am interested in such facts as that the founder of Porsche, Ferdinand Porsche, designed the Volkswagen Beetle, and now Porsche owns part of Volkswagen. The German heritage adds to the interest for me as I am German.
I was motivated to join the Redwood Region because I would like to meet new people who share that same fascination with Porsche and its history.
I worked for more than 14 years in Stuttgart, the heart of the German automotive industry. I worked at Bosch which is the largest supplier of automobile parts for Porsche. I like knowing that many people I see are driving around with my parts in their cars.
Six years ago, I moved to the United States, and I now work for Zoox, an ice-breaker affiliate with Amazon that designs and makes self-driving vehicles. The idea is that these vehicles are the future of public transportation in urban areas; they are buses and taxis, not vehicles for personal use.
I drive a Boxster 986 BJ 2003 in Black. My favorite thing about the car is that the 986 was the model that saved Porsche in the 90s (introduced in 93 and first sold in 96). Porsche was in trouble as it was regarded as "too expensive." Boxster made the brand more appealing and "affordable." And I love the flat mid 6 as it is the coolest of the line! It gives the car a special gravity with the road.
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Collin Fat
Zone 7 Representative
PCA National Event Updates:
With the CDC recently announcing that if you have been vaccinated, you no longer are required to wear a mask indoors or outdoors, confusion has arisen. Many states have adopted the new CDC recommendation while California is reviewing its current restrictions. For the time being, PCA encourages all regions to follow their state and local guidelines regarding the wearing of masks. For Zone 7 regions and counties, masks are still required indoors. Please ensure that your members comply until further guidance is issued by your county or the state.
Werks Reunion Monterey is on schedule for August 13th with registration opening on June 16th. Due to Covid concerns and the safety of our members and all spectators, all participants must register prior to the event. There will be no walk-in spectators allowed.
Volunteers Needed:
Part of the Rolex Monterey Historic races is the PCA Hospitality Tent and car corral at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the weekend of August 14-15. If you are planning to attend and would like to donate a few hours of your time assisting at the hospitality tent,
Please send me an email. You must have event tickets to volunteer.
Treffen Scottsdale was held over 4 days at the fabulous JW Marriott Hotel and Resort. There were 147 cars in attendance with some 280 people. The volunteers of the Arizona region did a masterful job of planning and executing on some wonderful tours of the region which included 1) Sedona, 2) The Wrigley Home, 3) Distilleries, 4) Prescott and other spectacular sights in the Sonoran dessert. At the farewell banquet, Treffen chair Harry Season was thanked for his years of service in chairing the event by PCA executive vice president Cindy Jacisin. Harry introduced his successor, Alex Ching who will leading the next Fall Treffen at The American Club October 13-17 in Milwaukee, WI. Registration opens on August 4th and is sure to be another sellout.
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Zone 7 Concours Series Updates:
Roy Schauben and Simone Kopitzki held their Phase 1 concours training session on May 16th via Zoom. There were 54 students in attendance for the detailed presentation which covered:1) what is concours, 2) Zone 7 categories and divisions, 3) guidelines for judging, 4) guidelines for participants, 5) guidelines for preparation, and 6) a review of the scoring procedure. The dates below are for the Phase 2 hands on training. You must have completed Phase 1 training in order to participate in the Phase 2 training.
Due to the popularity of this school, an additional one-day in person school has been scheduled in cooperation with the Sacramento Valley Region on June 27th at a private residence in the area. Registration is limited to 20 students. Current Covid protocols will be followed including social distancing and the wearing of face masks.
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2021 Concours Series Calendar: |
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Zone 7 Autocross Series Calendar Update:
Loma Prieta and Golden Gate regions held regional autocrosses at the Cow Palace on May 15th and 16th under overcast and somewhat damp weather conditions as drivers prepare for the next Zone events being hosted on June 26th and June 27th by both regions and which will be held at the Cow Palace.
A Zone course-design course is in the works and will be led by Larry Sharp. We hope to have a date set for July, so stay tuned. This course is designed to teach the basics of course design and is more suited to experienced autocrossers. The course will be held virtually. If you are an experienced autocrosser and would like to learn the basics of course design, don’t miss this event.
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Events of Interest:
1) Loma Prieta Region 50th (plus 1) Anniversary Gala, June 19
2) Monterey Bay Region 60th Anniversary, TBD
3) Sierra Nevada Region Mammoth Lakes Tour, June 18-20 cancelled
7) PCA Fall Treffen American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin, October 13-17 treffen.pca.org
8) PCA Spring Treffen Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado, April 27-May 1, 2022
9) Sacramento Valley Region 60th Anniversary Celebration, May 7, 2022
Treffens historically sell out in as little as one hour due to their popularity.
Registration for the Treffens typically opens 3-4 months prior to the event.
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2021 PCA West Coast Race Series Schedule
With Federal and State directives pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Club Racing schedule is very fluid and subject to change on a day-to-day basis. The racing schedule shown here will be frequently updated with the latest official status of each of our races.
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Rick Duste
Secretary
Board meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month at 7 PM. Meetings are open to all members. We have returned to in-person dinner meetings at Mary's Pizza Shack in Novato. You can also join the meetings via Zoom from the comfort of your own homes. Please see our calendar link at redwoodpca.org. for details.
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Jim Robison
Rally Master
The Redwood Region Rally School, scheduled for Saturday June 26th is sold out with 50 participants and 25 cars. A wait list is available as we try to get a larger classroom. If you have registered but need to drop out, please cancel your registration at https://www.motorsportreg.com so a waitlisted person may attend. An email with a map of the SSU campus will be sent to all registered and waitlist people the week before the school.
Instruction will begin at 10:00 with an hour of classroom demonstrations and discussions. Following the classroom presentation, we will run a 45-minute, one-leg paved-road rally named the Racer 5 Rally in recognition of our finish at the Bear Republic Brewpub in Rohnert Park https://bearrepublic.com/. While the rally results are calculated and announced, no-host meals and pints can be enjoyed on the outdoor patio.
For folks unable to attend, the PowerPoint slides from the rally school will be posted online in July.
After the rally school, the next event on the Redwood Region Rally Calendar is the Trockenbach Rallye, Saturday July 24th. This time-speed-distance (TSD) rally is free and open to all PCA members from any Region. The rally begins in Windsor and finishes in Healdsburg about 5 hours later.
All roads on the 150-mile Trockenbach Rallye are paved. There are no traps or gimmicks, just great roads worthy of great cars. Route instructions will include diagrams of the intersections and both cumulative and interval miles. Registration is now open.
Finally, please save Saturday August 28th for the Devils’ Gulch Rally. Same format as the Trockenbach Rallye, only with more miles and more road time.
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Membership Report & Information |
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Tom Short
Membership Director
In April 2021, 28 PCA Redwood Region members marked five or more years in the club, including one member celebrating 61 years! We also had one member with over 40 years, two with over 30 years, and five with over 20 years.
In May 2021, 30 PCA Redwood Region members marked five or more years in the club, including one member with 52 years! We also had two members with over 40 years, one with over 30 years, and five with over 20 years.
Congratulations to all of you for such long-term loyalty, and thank you to all who are marking anniversaries – I hope you are enjoying your membership. and taking advantage of all the great benefits our club has to offer!
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In April, we welcomed two new members to Redwood Region as well as three transferees from other regions. |
Transfers into Redwood Region PCA |
In May, we welcomed eight new members to our region and four transferees from other regions. |
Transfers into Redwood Region PCA |
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All new members and transferees will be receiving a complimentary Redwood Region name badge shortly. If you’d like to order additional badges for your associate or family member, please follow the instructions on our website.
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Preview: Touring After Shelter in Place |
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Craig Steele
Past President, Redwood Region
Hello! I’m a Touring Porsche PCA driver. I have done some track racing, a lot of Auto Cross (AX), a bit of rallying, but getting behind the wheel and firing up the Garmin navigator with a new destination is me. Of the many fun things I can do with my white 2011 Cayman S, touring tops my list. I have been driving since age 16. Currently 76, I still love zooming down country roads.
I am full of lots of wanderlust.
Part 1: Starting
In 2009, I got my first Porsche: a red 1999 911 Cabriolet. I began doing high speed merging on and off I-5 to achieve triple digit thrills. When I drove the 600 miles home to Santa Rosa, I practiced “launch control” drills. In 2014, I sold the 911 and purchased my son’s black 2006 Cayman S which became my ultimate touring machine.
My wife Sandy and I had always enjoyed short 2-hour tours with Redwood Region. However, when I wanted to tour longer distances, she relinquished her passenger seat. My current touring usually involves overnight stays.
In 2015, I attempted my first trans-continental tour to French Lick, Indiana for my second Porsche Parade. Covering 6457 miles in 3 weeks, and returning to California following the entire route 66 from downtown Chicago to Santa Monica’s pier, the tour was my first-time caravanning with seven other Porsches across the U.S. In 2016, I toured to Vermont’s Jay Peak to attend my third Porsche Parade. I returned to Santa Rosa via the entire Lincoln Highway from NYC’s Times Square to SF’s Lincoln Park, touring over 3909 miles from coast to coast. In 2017, I planned the first Zone 7 Tour with Redwood, Shasta, and Sacramento Regions. We covered 911 miles touring over five days. I also attended the fourth Porsche Parade in Spokane, driving 2142 miles in 2 weeks. On October 9th 2017, my touring world ended abruptly with the destruction of my black Cayman in the Tubbs Wildfire in Santa Rosa.
Read more about Craig's adventures in his next installment in our July "Touring" issue where he'll write about what replaced his beloved Cayman S.
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Rear Exhaust System: Billy Boat stainless steel mufflers with tips.
Scratches on the underside of the tips, otherwise excellent condition.
Nice sound , no drone. $700 Contact: Marc
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Four Porsche Turbo Twist wheels 18" x 9" rears (2) and 18 x 7.5" fronts (2) |
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996.362.138 9x18et52 rear / 996.362.134 7.5x18et50 front
Mounted tires are: Front: RE71r 225/40r18 BRI /Rear: RE71r 265/35r18 BRI
Autocrossed on these for 2 seasons, you could probably get a few more autocrosses out of them or a track day. Center caps not included. More pics available. Sold as set only, Price drop to $500 Contact Stacy.
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Got something to sell? We'll post it for free. Send us details and a picture by the 5th of the month to be included.
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Official Merchandise
We have phased out our Redwood Region Goodie Store because PCA National has ramped up their webstore. Please patronize the PCA Webstore at www.pcawebstore.org
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Hi Tec Automotive
Marin's Highest Rated Porsche & Audi Facility Since 1985
Specializing in:
-Audi & Mini Cooper
-Porsche, new & vintage
-Factory recommended maintenance & repair
-Entire building
-Performance tuning
-Restoration & reconditioning with emphasis on authenticity
San Rafael
415 258-9619
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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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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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