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The Long and Winding Road Bill Seymour Okay, now it’s October and as you are reading thr2 is you are either packing up to go to the last autocross, or bemoaning the fact that you spun on your last run and came in second. If you are still packing, don’t forget to go to the autocross party — even if you didn’t sign up we will find a way to fit you in. Lots of car activity since my last column. The most fun was running an autocross for the 356 Registry’s East Coast Holiday. I recruited about 15 of our regular autocrossers to help. We expected 25 of the old tubs but only about 12 showed, so we had lots of time for very few cars. After 10+ runs the 356-ers announced they were done and headed back to their central hotel for early cocktails. We NER-ers continued to run until people were tired of it and were still finished by 3:00 pm. It was a great opportunity to ride in and even to drive other people’s cars. I won’t mention any names, so they don’t get deluged with requests for a drive, but I was allowed to try a GT3 and an The run kind of went like this: ”Easy, easy! Holy sh**!! Whoa, baby, whoa! Wheeeeee!!! Stop! Stop! Whoosh, mother of God!!” almost new Turbo. I drove the GT3 first and after negotiating the first couple of turns there was a straight before starting a slalom. I hit the gas and the thing took off so fast I was past the first two slalom cones before I could turn. Since I’m at best a three trial learner, I also discovered that if you aren’t totally straight you can’t go full gas without getting significantly sideways. Fun but slow. I was three or four seconds slower than in my own car despite blowing off the slalom. I tried the Turbo after that. I was a little better prepared and think I actually stayed on course but the run kind of went like this: ”Easy, easy! Holy sh**!! Whoa, baby, whoa! Wheeeeee!!! Stop! Stop! Whoosh, mother of God!!” One lesson: these things sure are harder to drive than my car. I’m sure with experience I’d do somewhat better, but I think I’d need to return to my younger reflexes to get everything out of a car with that much power. I got in two DE events since the last column as well (and am about to head to NCR’s Lime Rock event as I type this). I have wanted to go to the traditional NER August Watkins Glen event for a number of years and finally did go this year. Lunch Lady and Novice DE driver Rosemario accompanied me, and we had a great time (thanks to Dick Anderson for instructing her!). As you all know (and if you don’t you should get out there) Watkins Glen is most NER members’ favorite track and it is great. Plus, I love that part of the country — nice rolling hills with long vistas are very soothing to me. The best part was the socializing — there are an awful lot of friendly folks to hang around with. Adrianne Ross put together a “Newbie Night” at the Seneca Lodge before the first day. (Note that even if some of their cabins are long in the tooth, the food was fine and they have a nice choice of commissioned craft beers on tap.) There was a nice picnic in a park on the lake another night. The last night a big crowd of us went to the restaurant at the fancy hotel downtown, sat outside and had another lovely night. Didn’t hurt that the weather was perfect; thanks again to Stan Corbett and his crew for running a great event. My other DE outing was back to New Hampshire. I wasn’t going to go but we had a board meeting up there and I figured what the heck, have another driving day. The high point of that event was Dave Berman loaning me his AIM Solo. The low point of my wallet will now be the fact that I have to have one of the damn things. Speaking of spending money, I continue to lust after a newer Cayman (and to move up to an S). There are just so few of them available that the prices are crazy. A four-year-old Cayman S with 20,000 miles sells for 75% or more of its original price. I paid 60% of original price for my car when it was two years old with 10,000 miles. What’s a boy to do? One obvious thought is to consider a new one, but… no go. They have stopped making Caymans as they await the change over to the new model in 2013. I did go and drive a 2013 Boxster and must say it was mighty nice. It had the PASM suspension which — and this surprised me — made a very obvious difference in the handling feel. It also had a sticker price (abetted by some very expensive wheels) that was close to $80,000. It also seemed to be a little more numb, but that trend is well known and unlikely to change. So, if I sold the Cayman and the Caterham could I swing a new Boxster? Well, at least it gives me something to think about when I would normally be watching the Red Sox. Bill Seymour Activities@Porschenet.com page 12 N O R E A S T E R
Around The Cones Steve Ross After completing the region’s annual trip to the big tracks at Mt. Tremblant and the Glen NER is now engulfed in the busy September schedule kicking off with the annual Porschefest at Larz Anderson Museum of Transportation on the 8th (see the story in this issue. The next Tuesday saw a small but devoted group of DE participants close out the region’s track season with a two-day midweek event. Next up for the “pylon punters” will be the 4th autocross of the series, as always at Devens in Ayer then the next day is a South coast wine tour commencing in Westport and finishing in Dartmouth after a visit to a pair of Vineyards and a lunch. Elections are coming up in November and we have had some interest from members who wish to be considered for positions on the board of directors, final names will be announced via the website in October. Now off on my usual tangent to sometimes Porsche related tidbits. Elections are coming up in November and we have had some interest from members who wish to be... on the board of directors... We in the Northeast Region belong to what is referred to as Zone 1, one of 13 Zones in PCA National throughout the US and Canada. Zone 1 encompasses the states in New England, New York, NJ, and eastern Canada. In our zone we have 22% of the total membership of the club (12,676 members out of the National total of 58,845), so this is a formidable voting block. In reading the latest Car and Driver they had a road test of a new Cayman S and mentioned the tires that it was shod with, Bridgestone Potenza RE50A a model that has been out of production for a few years (I know since that is what I have on the Boxster for street use) and has been replaced by the SO4PP. Why would you ask would Porsche use an out of date tire? Well like most manufacturers you can get a good deal on closeouts (just like any other product) so they probably figured the performance is similar so why not pay less. PORSCHE, BMW & MERCEDES SPECIALIST On to non-Porsche trivia; Just saw the government has spend $3 million dollars on the case against ex-Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens in a losing battle to prove he used performance enhancing drugs. Aren’t you happy that our congress is keeping a private corporation (Major league baseball) that has a legal monopoly drug free? Another government entity , NASA has stopped sending manned space ships into the heavens and has had it’s budget cut severely, so it looks like they have been doing some PR with the Mars landing pictures and those of us interested in mechanical transportation machines can marvel at the ultimate “dune buggy” that is in use. In reading some of the old car magazines that I subscribe to I am reminded how totally unsafe cars of the 50’s and early sixties really were. In spite of sports car driver’s distaste for Ralph Nader, he did push the automakers to make substantial changes that we now accept. Remember the metal dashboards,pointed switches and surrounds to instruments , chrome everything like wiper arms that caused in incredible glare, outside mirrors, they were optional on many cars, deformable bodies on cars that absorbed the impact of crashes, seat belts that kept you from hitting that metal dash and on and on. A few months ago I mentioned that the Registry has vanity plates available beginning with PCA then 3 more numbers or letters. One member sent me a picture of the one he purchased PCA964, so if anyone wants to personalize their Porsche and mention the club too this is your chance. MIKE’S A U T O B O D Y ALL INSURANCE WORK MIKE NOONAN (781) 324-9831 251 BROADWAY, MALDEN FAX 324-1804 N O R E A S T E R page 13
Page 4 and 5: Who we are.... What we do....
Page 6 and 7: On the Edge Adrianne Ross Forum peo
Page 8 and 9: Technological change, combined with
Page 10 and 11: Minutes Of The Board Nick Shanny-Se
Page 14 and 15: Don’t Lift Stan Corbett Wow! The
Page 16 and 17: 2012 Calendar At-A-Glance October 6
Page 18 and 19: LAST AUTOCROSS !! SPONSORED BY AND
Page 22 and 23: Coffee and Porsches a Report Copy a
Page 24 and 25: The Glen DE Trip Report Copy by Sta
Page 26 and 27: continued from previous page All li
Page 28 and 29: continued from previous page The ba
Page 30 and 31: Porschefest Copy by Steve Ross, Pho
Page 32 and 33: continued from previous page Butter
Page 34 and 35: continued from previous page Matt K
Page 36 and 37: continued from previous page Park a
Page 38 and 39: South of Boston (SOB) Cars and Coff
Page 40 and 41: Under the Radar - continued from pa
Page 42 and 43: Under the Radar - continued from pa
Page 44 and 45: On the Edge- continued from page 6
Page 46: NER Board of Directors New Members

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