GUARD TRANSMISSION

SPRING MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS RANCH - STREETS OF WILLOW - BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY PARKCelebrating the 22nd Annual Porsche Owners ClubTRIBUTE TO LE MANSSPONSORED BYGUARD TRANSMISSIONVOLUME 60NUMBER 2AUGUST 2015

AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUEAUGUST 2015GABRIEL ALAN PHOTOGRAPHY6 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:Andrew D. Weyman8 EDITOR’S NOTE:Nancy Jamar8 DIRECTOR’S CUT:Pikes Peak InternationalHill Climb10 Safety, Safety, SafetyAndrew D. Weyman12 Country Club RacingPOC StyleKevin Roush15 Spring MountainMotorsports RanchJonathan Elfalan16 Tribute to Le MansTradition Still Alive18 The ProfessionalsBrett Gaviglio22 Planning is Just aFancy WordMike Skinner26 Coming Full CircleRobert Dalrymple32 CAR CULTURE:Pasadena’s Art CenterCollege of DesignKevin Ehrlich39 Whaddya Mean,It’s Not a P- Car?Nielson Lawrence43 RPM: Mike SkinnerAndrew D. Weyman45 The Luau on Lerdo HighwayAndrew D. Weyman52 BUCKET LIST:The Nürburgring 24 HourKevin Ehrlich3245AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHYON THE COVER: Team HRG pit stop at the Tribute to Le MansBOTTOM: Nathan Johnson followed closely by Anders Hainer— Photography by Alain Jamar52Find me at the following tracks:Auto Club SpeedwayChuckwalla Valley RacewayButtonwillow Raceway ParkMazda Raceway Laguna SecaSpring Mountain Motorsports RanchThe Streets of Willow SpringsWillow Springs Motorsports ParkGABRIEL HEADI’ve always had a passion for cars and photography. It started as a hobby while I worked as a track safety technician over the past ten years.Takingpictures of beautiful, fast cars developed rapidlyinto an obsession! Encouraged by friends andfamily, this has led to me pursuing a career inautomotive photography.Call 702 467 9253 for more information, or to schedule an appointment.headmetals@yahoo.comgabrielalanphotography.comAJD AD CONCEPT — 20154 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015

MISSION ACCOMPLISHEDPRESIDENT’S MESSAGE BY ANDREW D. WEYMANFor most of my adult life (and all of my adolescence), I’ve been a bit of an outsider. I lived by the joke thatI wouldn’t want to be a member of any organization that would want me as a member. That is, until I joinedthe Porsche Owners Club.Since becoming a member of the POC, a lot has changed for me. I’ve learned how much I don’t know aboutdriving and cars. Actually, I take that back. I still don’t know how much I don’t know because I have no way ofknowing. That being said, I’ve learned a lot and there’s still a lot I don’t know. Sorry, I can’t quantify it. I haven’tlearned how to do that. Yet.I’ve made lots of friends and this is quite unusual for me. In the past, I’ve joked that the only friends I have aremy wife’s friends and they just put up with me. For the most part, that’s true. Come to think of it, at most trackevents I’m greeted by, “Is Terry here?” or, “Where’s Terry?” She’s so smart, beautiful, full of energy and fun tobe with. I understand why people gravitate to her. Still, I’ve made friends in the POC and a few of them don’tknow Terry. I take pride in that and consider it to be a victory for me.I enjoy sharing the experience of racing with others and I’m somewhat surprised at the reactionsI get. Me: Last weekend I raced with the POC and it was an absolute blast!—Them: Isn’t it dangerous?Me: Well, it can be, but the safety equipment we use is really great.—Them: Aren’t you scared?Me: Sometimes, but mostly I feel the excitement of endorphins rushing through my body and the thrill ofpushing myself beyond my comfort zone.—Them: How fast do you go? Me: As fast as I can.Sometimes, I’m met with “Well, it’s not for me.” But there are times I hear, “I’d like to try that” and those arethe times when my pulse quickens. I go on and on about our club and the experience of racing. I’ve discoveredhow much I enjoy introducing drivers to the on-track experience and club atmosphere of the POC. I loveinstructing new members at PDS events. It fills me with joy.Most of my professional life has been dedicated to creative pursuits like writing, producing anddirecting. My career doesn’t offer many opportunities to work with my hands other than keyboarding andoccasionally moving a prop or set piece (yes, I know, union violation). I really look forward to prepping fortrack events. Tires, brake pads, rotors, oil changes, nut and bolt checks, and so on have all become newfoundpleasures for me. I love working on my car prior to getting it to the track and having to clean grease fromunder my fingernails. As a matter of fact, I’ve even toyed with the idea of enrolling in a few courses aboutmechanics and car repair.I never saw myself serving on the Board of Directors let alone as President for the past three years. I’vevolunteered to perform many tasks for the club and was awarded a Service points Championship a few yearsago. Because I’m in a leadership role in my work, the furthest thing from my mind was taking on moreresponsibilities. Who new that they could be so rewarding?I could go on and on about how much I love being a member of the POC. Changes, challenges, andChampionship Points have become a big part of my life. I hope you enjoy all our club has to offer andvolunteer to help wherever help is needed. The more you give, the more you get.See you at the track!EditorNancy Jamaralainjamardesign@yahoo.comArt Director • DesignerAlain Jamaralainjamardesign@yahoo.comalain-jamar.artistwebsites.comAdvertisingAlain Jamaralainjamardesign@yahoo.comEditorial ContributorsJonathan ElfalanAndrew D. WeymanKevin RoushRobert DalrympleDoug BaronMichael MonsalveMike SkinnerKevin EhrlichBrett GaviglioContributing PhotographersKevin EhrlichBrett GaviglioAlain JamarMike SkinnerMax SluiterGabriel Alan PhotographyCaliPhotographyPorsche Cars North AmericaVelocity magazine is the official publication of thePorsche Owners Club, Inc. and postage is paid atAnaheim, CA. Subscription rate is $20.00 in the UnitedStates and is included in the membership dues of theClub. Editorial submissions and photos should beemailed to alainjamardesign@yahoo.com. Any and allmaterial accepted for publication is subject to revisionas necessary, and at the sole discretion of the staff tomeet the requirements of this publication. All articles,manuscripts and photos submitted are without remuneration,with the exception of related expense authorizedby prior agreement with the publishers. Submission oforiginal material constitutes a perpetual, nonexclusivelicense for the Porsche Owners Club, Inc. to print and/or reproduce in any manner, and for any purpose, saidmaterial.Address change: Please give four weeks notice. Sendan address label from a recent issue or flyer to aid inchanging your address. Mail address changes to:Porsche Owners Club, Box 727, 14252 Culver Drive,Suite A, Irvine, CA 92604.POSTMASTER: PLEASE SEND FORM 3579 TO:PORSCHE OWNERS CLUB14252 CULVER DRIVE #ABOX 727, IRVINE, CA 92604Velocity is circulated as a benefit of membership in thePorsche Owners Club, through select certified technicaloutlets, at select Porsche dealerships, and at eventsnationwide.CONGRATULATIONS TO PORSCHE FOR THEIR 24 HOURS OF LE MANS VICTORY — THE PORSCHE OWNERS CLUB6 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015 AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 7

DIRECTOR’S CUT PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMBEDITOR’S NOTEBY NANCY JAMARThis issue brings together all thebest the club has to offer: great eventcoverage, perspectives on the sport, itschallenges and rewards, and superbcontent that broadens the scope ofyour publication.Along with coverage from the Tributeand several other events (includingmixing it up with other marques atThe Streets) Velocity launches threenew features in this issue. One you seedirectly across the page. Director’s Cut,a glimpse into the world of automotivecontent production, will feature asnapshot from Robert Dalrymple, whowill be sending us postcards from theedge for each issue. Next, we take atour of Pasadena’s Art Center automotivedesign program via Car Culture,where we learn about the long standingtradition of California- bred designersand the impact they have had on theconcepts and designs of the marquewe love. Lastly, Bucket List takes uson a trip to Nurburgring’s 24 hourcontest, as seen firsthand through theeyes of Kevin Erlich.Television producer Robert Dalrymple (left) with professional driver Rhys Millen on the set of theirmost recent adventure — Pikes Peak Summit, Colorado.NEW PRODUCTSEarly Porsche 911 Classic DashboardFrom Tarett EngineeringTarett Engineering designs and manufactures high performance suspension components for club and professional auto racing. Utilizingaircraft quality materials, Tarett holds their products to the highest quality standards to provide customers with products they candepend on to last and perform up to and beyond their expectations, all at reasonable prices.AJD AD CONCEPT — 2015As you move through the magazinethis issue, you’ll get perspectives oneverything from the superb trainingnew drivers receive from the POC, towhat it is like collaborating with a professionaldriver in an endurance race.And if the magazine feels heftier inhand, that’s because it is. With a compactpublishing schedule of just twoissue this year, your board of directorshas added eight pages of content tothis issue, and we hope you will enjoyturning each and every page.Our thanks go out to everyone whocontributed to this issue and madeit quite possibly the best ever.Porsche Classic is reproducing the dashboard of the early 911, years 1969 to 1975. The flutedtexture and tactile feel, gloss and degree of black are identical to the original. Extensive testingassured 100 percent fit precision and quality even under harsh climate conditions. The dashboardalso contains the loudspeaker cover, and can be installed by removing the windshield.The new part can be ordered from any Porsche dealer. To facilitate care and restoration of classicvehicles, Porsche is building its international dealership and service network to around 100 PorscheClassic partners over the next several years. This allows Porsche to integrate maintenance andpreserve the value of both new and old cars into an innovative service concept.COMPETITION WHEEL STUDSThese are by far the highest quality wheel studs onthe market today. Made from aerospace quality4340AQ chrome moly steel, and heat treated formaximum strength.The threads are rolled for additionalstrength. The result is a no-compromiseNASCAR quality competition wheel stud that ishighly resistant to wear and damage. The extendedbullet nose holds lug nuts in place and guidesthem on with no chance of cross threading. Witha 14.7mm shoulder design to seat precisely andfirmly on the hub, they are finished with a zincphosphate and oil coating to prevent oxidationand provide consistent torque values and loading.Pre-applied anaerobic micro-encapsulated adhesiveto hub end threads; used to convert all 1997to 2013 Porsche 986/996/987/997/991/981 to astudded hub design. 20 required per car.www.tarett.com sales@tarett.com 858-674-5573BRAKE CALIPER STUD KITUpgrade your 986/996/987/997/981/991cars with this Cup style brake caliper studkit. A must have item for both club andpro racing. Factory bolts will quickly stripout threads in expensive wheel uprights,a result of removing calipers for maintenance.These Cup style caliper studs willeliminate this problem and quickly payfor themselves. They also allow for quickerand easier caliper installation by guidingthe calipers into position. Manufacturedfrom aerospace quality 17-4 PH stainlesssteel for high strength and corrosion resistance.One kit includes four studs, nuts,and washers, complete for one axle. Twokits required for front and rear axles.8 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 9

RACING GOES SAFER SEMINAR — LONG BEACH APRIL18, 2015SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY.BY ANDREW D. WEYMANQuestion: How can racing be made safer?Answer: The Stand 21 Safety Foundation’s 4thAnnual RACING GOES SAFER Seminar at theToyota Grand Prix of Long Beach presented onSaturday, April 18th, 2015 from 9am-noon at theLong Beach Convention Center.Safety, safety, safety. You hear about it all thetime. As a driver you accept that racing can bea dangerous sport, but how can you mitigate thechances of a catastrophic crash? You rely on thecocoon of strength and integrity provided by thepowerful machine surrounding you, but whatabout the variable of your most vulnerable andvaluable asset? I’m referring to you, the driver.The seminar focused on all aspects of safety,and I hope you’ll be able to takeaway a fewmeaningful lessons after reading this.Yves Morizot, President of the Stand 21 SafetyFoundation is obsessed with safety. Hey, let’sface it, the more of us out on the track, the morepotential customers for Stand 21! But the SafetyFoundation is a lot more than that. It is trulydedicated to making racing safer for all of us.The seminar panel consisted of a diverse groupof experts from various areas of motorsport.When I was contacted to be a panelist representingthe Porsche Owners Club, I was both very flatteredand a little bit intimidated.Don Taylor, Secretary of the Foundation, introducedYves to the crowd of over 100 attendeesfrom all disciplines of motorsport. Yves, knownfor his ability to talk passionately about anysubject at hand, did not disappoint. He wasinformative, entertaining (and sometimes difficultto understand) as he moved seamlessly fromEnglish to French. All part of his charm. Dondisplayed his skill in wrangling Yves and skillfullytransitioned to the first speaker, Larry Dixon.Larry is a three-time NHRA Top Fuel Championwho refers to himself as a “stunt guy.” It’s hard tobelieve that he first used a HANS device in 2001.He survived a crash at 300 mph during a Memphiscompetition in 2000 when he sustained forces of109g and significant injuries. He was lucky. Betterprepared in Gainesville in 2015, use of his 7-pointharness, the addition of side panels on the vehicleframe and improved roll cage padding kept himbetter protected as he traveled 400 feet after thenose of his dragster disintegrated. Check out hiscrashes on YouTube. His use of safety equipmentspeaks for itself.Mike Hurst, Technical Manager of the SFI Foundation,spoke specifically about the importance of appropriateundergarments. Mike was involved withsignificant testing of cotton and polyester shirtswhile worn under driving suits. While wearing anSFI 3.2/5 driving suit, it takes a mere 10.8 secondsto sustain second degree burns. With a Nomex undershirt,you are protected for 16 seconds. Polyesteror cotton shirts and underwear will stick to theskin when heat-stressed. Peeling them off meanspeeling off your skin with them. Ouch. In short,wear Nomex undergarments. They’ll save yourskin. Also to be considered are Nomex bras forwomen drivers. The fabrics and under wires usedin conventional bras can be extremely dangerous.Women can be custom fit for Nomex bras and theyare highly recommended. Mike mentioned thereare no statistics to support the belief that balaclavascovering the mouth are better than those that don’tbut it is widely accepted that they most likely offerbetter protection for the lungs.Mike also touched upon fraudulent labeling ofFIA and SFI rated garments. It is a huge problem.Be sure to buy from a reputable source. Lastly,proper alignment of harnesses is critical. Properlyinstalled, three-inch webbing breaks at 10,000lbs. Three-inch webbing that is out-of-alignmentbreaks at 2,500lbs. That is a huge difference wheninvolved in an on-track incident.Dr. Edward Potkanowicz, Assistant Professor ofExercise Physiology at Ohio Northern University,addressed the challenge of human thermalregulation. In other words, heat stress. The heatof competition is the stress that you, as a driver,experience. The hotter you get, the faster you gethot. Dr. Potkanowicz covered the many effectsof heat on driver performance including thefunctioning of the cardiovascular system, energymetabolism, as well as psychomotor and cognitiveprocesses. Pre-event hydration is critical. Consumingbeverages that contain salt or eating saltedsnacks help the body to retain water. Wheneverpossible, hydrate during the event. Post-event,replace electrolyte loss and be sure to rehydrate.A good indicator of proper hydration is clearurine. Dr. Potkanowicz distributed urine colorcharts to be used as a reference guide to keeptrack of hydration. Additionally, it has beenshown that wearing long underwear helps keepyou cooler. Make sure it’s Nomex!Ed Becker, Executive Director and Chief Engineerof the Snell Memorial Foundation discussed crashhelmet standards. The Foundation was formedin 1957 in memory or Pete Snell, who died in acrash while wearing the standard helmet of thattime, little more than a leather cap and goggles.He stressed that a safe helmet should provideproper head protection, taking into accountimpact (load spreading and stopping distance),flame resistance, visual field, frontal head restraint(e.g. HANS), fit comfort, and operational utility(communication, ventilation). Be sure to keepyour helmet liner in good condition and replaceyour HANS tether after significant on-track contact.Replace your helmet following an incidentinvolving impact. Protect your helmet from beingdropped. Most approved helmets can maintaintheir integrity after a fall but it’s also possible tocompromise the helmet’s strength. Replace yourhelmet after five years of use. The difference betweenSA 2010 and SA 2015 helmets is very slight.For most applications, SA 2010 is acceptable andbargains can be had on SA 2010 models. Mr.Becker closed by saying that racing is dangerousand there are no guarantees.Hector Cademartori pointed out that drivers arerequired to follow FIA safety rules for the La CarreraPanamerica Race. The race is run on publicroads and weaves through many remote locations.It’s been run since 1988 and usually has about100 drivers competing for a podium finish. Fivesafety cars drive among the racers to spot trouble.Helicopters patrol the more remote mountainousareas and are outfitted to perform medicalservices if required.Martin Christensen, off-road racer and ownerof All German Motorsports, started out ridingmotorcycles and went on to race cars. He pointedout that something as simple as the proper locationof a mounted fire extinguisher or a fuel cutoffswitch can make a huge difference in keeping adriver safer. The fire pull placement should beaccessible to both the off-road driver and the navigator.It’s also a good idea to practice getting outof your racecar to simulate an emergency escape.Practice taking one deep breath and getting outof your car before you need to inhale again. Planto stay in your car after a crash unless it’s on fire.Mr. Christensen also demonstrated proper helmetremoval after an incident involving impact andpossible injury. Using the new, unique to Stand 21Lid Lifter balaclava with side-pull design, he wasable to remove a helmet without any stress to thewearer’s head, neck, or spine. It is fully SFI andFIA approved and in stock at Stand 21 in CostaMesa. I highly suggest purchasing one when yourcurrent balaclava needs replacement.Indy driver Oriel Servia, now driving in FormulaE, shared that he was involved in a 200 1 crash atMazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He was not wearinga HANS device and was very, very lucky. Uponimpact, he heard a crack in his neck and had anintense headache that progressively got worse.It turned out that being tied too tightly to thebody board during aerial evacuation caused hisintensifying headache. He recovered quicklyand is grateful for his HANS every time he getsbehind the wheel of his racecar.“Nitro” Joe Powell brought a unique perspectiveto the seminar. Both funny car driver and trackEMSC, he’s seen it all. He drives a 200mph funnycar, and his EMS team have provided emergencymedical and fire suppression services for multipleracing organizations. Noting that most significantinjuries occur on track rental days, morestructured organizations like the POC enjoy saferon-track events. He, too, emphasized staying inyour car after a crash, unless the vehicle is on fire.Request that EMTs stay with you awhile after anincident, even if you choose to say that you’reokay. Stay fit, healthy, and use the best safetyequipment available.Dr. Jacques Dallaire focused on prime performanceand distracted driving. Dr. Dallaire specializes inusing the mind to maximize performance. Howyou think and process information influences howyou drive. Make fewer mistakes and you won’thave to rely on your safety equipment. Your bestdriving performance is a combination of your skillset and your mindset. Your results are dependentupon your talent, skills, experience, commitmentand effort as well as factors you cannot control, i.e.equipment, regulations, weather and competitors.Stay focused on the process, not those things outof your control. The mind can only process onethought at a time. Multi-tasking is a shift in processing.Imagery travels the same neural pathwaysas actual movement. Your dominant thoughtdetermines your emotions and performance.The key isn’t to focus more; it’s to focus correctly.Remain in control. Ask yourself, what are yourqualities when you do your best work? Use thosequalities on the track.Over half a century ago, Yves Morizot established Stand 21in the city of Dijon, France. His vision made Stand 21 theworld leader in head to toe, made-to-measure racing gear.With 150 employees worldwide, Stand 21 products are handcrafted within it’s own factories, exceeding the most rigoroussafety and medical standards required by the FederationInternational de l’Automobile.I had the opportunity to address the crowd andshare my passion for the POC. Making the pointsthat we focus on driver development and racing,I stressed our safety record and various levels ofcompetition: Performance Driving Series, TimeAttack and Club Racing. The Porsche Owners Clubprides itself on providing a safe, fun experienceon the track. Our corner workers and safety crewsare top-notch pros. We are constantly reviewingand revising our safety requirements. Technologicalsafety systems integrated into newer cars arebecoming more sophisticated with every modelyear. They are designed to keep occupants safer.Keep in mind that even with all that science andtechnology, the one big variable is you, the driver.Bring your best game. Stay focused on yourperformance. Be sure your safety equipment is ingood repair and up-to-date. You are responsiblefor your safety and that of your fellow competitors.Look out for one another, put your foot onthe throttle and have a great time! l10 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 11

Membership in Club Spring Mountain isavailable at different levels, the most generalof which requires a one time initiation fee of$15,000, a monthly fee of $200, and a day-usefee of $60. This “Classic Membership” grants aminimum of 10 available track days a monthincluding three weekends.CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Orange race is on with drivers Jim Steedman, MichaelTakaki, Kip Waterhouse, Jerry Hoffman, Blake Troester, John Heldman (using his door asa braking device) , Paul Young and Steve Vandecar. Chris Vivolo at speed. John Gordonwith Tom Mueller all over his rearview mirror. Brett Gaviglio flying low.SPRING MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS RANCHCOUNTRY CLUB RACINGPOC STYLEBY KEVIN ROUSH GABRIEL ALAN PHOTOGRAPHYIt had been three years since the POC last visited this private, yet fairly accessible—and I should add—newly expandedfacility at the southern end of Pahrump, Nevada. This newly facility boasts over six miles of racing circuit, with over50 different configurations possible. For our event we ran the Hunt Course (the expansion allows a sizable track for themembers to enjoy at the same time) choosing to run it without “The Bowl.” Thus, many POC members returning toSpring Mountain Motorsports Ranch would have driven only a tiny percentage of this configuration. The Hunt Course,contrary to its relatively low average speed, proved hard on brakes as many folks discovered. It was very smooth,matching what one would hope for in new pavement, and contrary to the appearance of the track map, was fun todrive and even more challenging and exciting to race.Upon arrival, POC drivers andfriends were shown a warm welcomeby SMMR track workers, and aftera relatively easy tow, all things considered.The drive even offered someinteresting “Badlands” type geology/topography if one took the lonelyhighway north out of Baker, a sightmany miss flying into Las Vegas.Friday evening was beautiful, andwe were blessed with mild middaytemperatures as well, reaching onlythe mid 70s while it was reportedlyblazing back in southern California.Friday’s activities were mostly centeredaround unloading, barbecuingfor the many who camped in thepaddock, and perhaps enjoying one’sfavorite adult beverage. This alwaysassists in washing down some of thecompetitors’ stories of performancein events gone by. These were unusualcircumstances (not the stories), asmost often we have a Friday test dayassociated with a new or far-off venue.Thus drivers (who did not test at thePCA event two weeks prior) wouldhave to get up to speed very fast—both car setup and driver, as qualifyingwas coming rapidly as Session 3.This weekend, in addition to the 62Cup Racers signed up, the POC alsoconducted a Racers Clinic for 18aspiring drivers, directed by DavidGardner with assistance from MikeMonsalve, Marty Mehterian, andDwain Dement. When time permitted,they worked on developing thenext generation of POC racers. Addingthe 19 Lotus Cup Racers runningin their own sessions and races, anda resurgent time attack group of 38cars made for a very full scheduleof goings on at this event.The most entertaining battles towatch at this new venue were in theGT4 class. Comprised of a dozencars, it had its own split start withinthe Red group. Michael Monsalve,Bob Mueller, Blair Boyce and KevinKeegan mixed it up side by side formuch of the first several laps of eachof the races. On a couple occasions,cars that were running third orfourth would get clean runs out ofsections behind drivers going side byside, and would get by both ahead,to the lead. Monsalve was able todo just that in Saturday’s race 1 andSunday’s race 3, and then focused onthe job at hand and essentially sailedoff into the sunset while others dicedit up behind him (sometimes fallingoff the circuit). Boyce managed a winin Sunday’s race 2, once he knockedall the gravel out of the car from arace 1 adventure. And Bob Mueller—though showing amazing pace thelast few events—could only manageanother third, though he would later12 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 13

POLL SAYS: “WE CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK”...Spring MountainMotorsports RanchA PRIVATE OASIS OF SPEED NESTLED IN THE ARID SPRING MOUNTAINSBY JONATHAN ELFALANbe moved up to second for Race 3 whenKeegan’s car was found to be non-compliant.There were too many good battles to list, butamazingly, not a single touch between anyof these four drivers.The same could be said for a great race in theSaturday Race 1 Orange Group, where we wereentertained by several GT5 and R6 cars all runningin a pack, which would encounter groups ofengaged BSR cars. One awesome battle betweena non-qualifying Jerry Hoffman who came fromnear last and was one of five GT5 cars racing,Regan Steedman, Paul Young, and a couple BSRcars lasted for several laps with Vandcar ultimatelycruising to the victory in GT5, Hoffmanmaking it all the way up to second with his newfoundpace in GT5, and Regan finishing third.Other noteworthy performances were in the sixCLOCKWISE TOP LEFT: Marco Gerace running a modified 1970 911E in GT1. ValiPredescu good looking 2006 Boxster. Loren Beggs in GTC-5 earning a best time of02:05.000. Bob Mueller, one of the top contenders in GT4.competitor 3.2 Spec class now known as SCR,with Jim Steedman taking his first pole in the classand essentially running off and leaving the field.On Sunday Steedman would again earn the poleand lead every lap, far out in front along with acharging Gaviglio (returning from a GT4 sojournSaturday), but Steedman fell off the circuit (whileperhaps high-fiving himself...I meant to ask) onthe last lap, but still managed a second place, justahead of Kip Waterhouse. Ironically, for Race 3Sunday, Steedman would do the exact same thingfrom the pole; in the same turn on the last lapwhile leading, but this time falling all the way tofifth, Gaviglio thanking him for the clear path.In GT5, Vandecar recovered from a poor Race 2finish, and held off the GT5 pole-sitting Hoffman(who mis-shifted at the start) and who put over3.5 seconds on the seond place car in qualifying.Yet, this demonstrates why we run the races, asVandecar would ultimately beat his best Race 2and qualifying time by over two seconds, holdingHoffman off and finishing in the mix with the topSCR cars, where the best of GT5 often settle in.Other noteworthy action was in the GT3 classwith eight racers fighting it out; Rob Phillipsearned his first pole and won his first race in GT3Saturday. Then Phillips nearly repeated the featin Sunday’s Race 2, from pole all the way to finallap, until he became distracted by a driver goingoff ahead of him in the eastern fast right (whichproved tough to get everything possible out of)furthest from the paddock, and followed him off.John Gordon, who brought out his long-timein-the-makingnew car for its first weekend, wasgracious and thanked him for the free Yokohamarear tire and victory just ahead of Duane Selby,Phillips ultimately completing the podium.The novelty of electronic corner workers/flaggingwas an interesting change for the majority of racershere, and most drivers gave it a thumbs up. Theonly real shortcoming may have been that therewas no one to see or report the gravel on the trackthat was frequently there (particularly after oneof Sunday’s Lotus Cup races, which made for amessy start to the following Red group race).Saturday’s dinner setting along the white sandand palm tree rimmed Spring Mountain lakegave everyone a chance to get together, unwind,and share stories of fantastic racing, with manylooking forward to racing on Sunday. The sunsetthat evening was spectacular, and POC membersI polled were very pleased with the event, whichwe hope to see on the calendar again nextseason. lAs we arrive at the entrance to SpringMountain, two large, mechanically operatedwrought iron gates swing open in grandiosefashion. Budding palm trees flanking theentry lend a resort-like ambiance to thefacility.The extensive details and amenities thatunderscore Spring Mountain’s vision ofa car enthusiast’s Eden are almost asimpressive as the rate at which it has grown.Calfornian John Morris, one of the twofounders I met that day, reflects his ownmultifaceted nature in the developmentof this top-notch facility. Having made hissuccess through real estate website design,Morris was bitten by the motorsports bugin 2002 when he attended a couple of SkipBarber racing schools. Through contactshe made while SCCA racing, he eventuallycame to acquire Spring Mountain MotorsportsRanch with his business partnerBrad Rambo in 2004.Since then, what was once a modest2.2-mile track with some permanenttent facilities has expanded to include an1.5-mile loop (with a configurable karttrack) and a conglomeration of buildingsthat comprises 56 private rental garages,an exotic car dealership, indoor gun rangeand racquetball courts, service bays for thetrack’s dedicated school cars (which includeChevrolet Corvette ZR1s and Radicals) anda member-exclusive clubhouse replete withworkout room, pool and full spa services.Moreover, construction of two 13-unitcondominium buildings has already begun,and there’s a 79-room hotel planned. Overthe next three years, we’re also told to expectan additional three miles of track (for asix plus mile road course), a nine acre lake(that’s right, a lake), as well as restaurantsand gas stations to ensure that you’ll neverhave to leave once you’ve arrived.For a true enthusiast, though, all this glitzwould be for naught if the track itself wereuninspiring. I found Spring Mountain’sfull 3.5-mile road course to be quite thecontrary. The fresh tires mounted just theday before got up to temperature quicklyin the Nevada summer heat as I enteredthe track’s “Radical Loop” at speed.This entry point drops you right intothe most dramatic elevation change, oneof Morris’ own designs, and is enough toget you airborne given enough speed. Theoff-camber sweepers, hairpins and highspeedchicanes—90 percent of which areblind—wouldn’t be nearly as fun if not forthe generous desert runoff areas the locationaffords. In the R8, this track’s rhythmand character become instantly addicting.With each lap comes a small leap of faith,my brain second-guessing the previouslap’s visual references, while the Quattroall-wheel-drive system deliversfoolish levels of cornering confidence.If not for the cross-country journey ahead,I would’ve worn these tires to the cords.Membership at Club Spring Mountaincomes in at different levels, the mostgeneral of which requires a one-timeinitiation fee of $15,000, a monthly feeof $200, and a day-use fee of $60. This“Classic Membership” grants a minimumof 10 available track days a monthincluding three weekends.Wrapping up the day at Spring Mountain,I had a chance to chat candidly with a fewof the members who had nothingbut great things to say about theirexperiences with the club and the veryfriendly and approachable John Morris—who himself relished every opportunitythat day to race (er, beat up on) othermembers in a Radical SR3. The allureof Spring Mountain has already drawnits fair share of high profile clients. But asit turns out, it’s also a great leveling planeonce you’re belted in and the outsideworld disappears. lThis article originally appeared in Road & Track and is reprinted with permission.14 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 15

Tribute to LE MANS85P R E S E N T E D B YPHOTOGRAPHY BY MAX SLUITER AND ALAIN JAMARThe sixteen teams that kept the Tribute tradition alive!Team McDreamy Monsalve - Baron - Dalrymple GTC-569 Werks II Bieker - Rodriguez GT1667 Race Rocket Mueller - Palmer GT3299 Ace in the Hole Long - Gaviglio - Boyce GT3101 Speed Gallery Aspesi - Hainer - Segal GT3838 Me Myself and I Kemper GT33 The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly Alacron - Takaki - Elliott SCR160 996-986-996 Phillips - Gordon - Johnson SCR178 Cheat’in Bastards Buwalda - Thacker - Waterhouse SCR29 Tru Speed Haacker - Slavik GT196 Fear the Fork Momeyer - Kravig BSR27 Two Broke Racers Gardner - Craig GT4698 Nine by Six Skinner - Stone - Weyman BSR45 Three Blind Mice Gokbudak - Neville - Gokbudak R621 Mehterian GT619 Vision Motorsports Knoop - Selby - Dement GT316 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 17

We were to be racing among legends,and we had the coolest guy on the planetshowing up to jump in the 299 car.THE PROFESSIONALSTEAMING UP WITH PORSCHE FACTORY DRIVER PATRICK LONGBY BRETT GAVIGLIOPHOTOGRAPHY BY MAX SLUITER, BRETT GAVIGLIO, CALIPHOTOGRAPHY AND ALAIN JAMARBrett GaviglioRoss Bentley once said, “Thereare moments like this for everyonewho drives on a track, lifechanging moments that triggeredthe burning desire to goback again and again.” The 2015Porsche Owners Club Tributeto Le Mans weekend at WillowSprings International Racewaywas filled with those momentswhere we met and raced with ourheros, confronted challenges andconquered our demons livingcloser to the edge. Lots of quicklaps, great racing and laughs.On a beautiful clear and coolsouthern California Saturdayin May, Porsche’s only currentAmerican factory racing driverstrode up with his yellow helmetin hand near turn 1. Patrick Long,33 years old and participatingin his 12th 24 hours of Le Mansthis year, found car #299 withBlair Boyce nearby, and casuallycommented, “Hi Blair, when do Igo out on track?” The fresh GT3stickers were being placed on the1972 AASE air-cooled 256 horsepowercar as Long approached.Our pit crew all knew he wascoming. However, the club officialsdidn’t know of Long’s attendanceuntil just a few minutes before.We had to “keep a low profileuntil race day.” Our team entryform for the three hour Tributeto Le Mans had Blair, myself andFather Guido Sarducci listed asour driver lineup. Laurie Taylorand John Gordon were a bit takenaback by the names on the entryform. When Laurie questioned theSarducci entry, I replied that hewas a fellow Italian and drove likethe wind!Running in a multi-hour endurancerace allows a single carand multiple drivers just like thereal Le Mans, and one of thosecan be a pro as long as you rununlimited class. We found out 10days before the race there wouldbe at least two other cars runningGT3 Unlimited, and they too, hadpro drivers. A 1972 Porsche withno turbo was not ever going tobe up in the GT1 or GT2 classesthat traditionally win the tributeoverall. But in GT3 we could havesome fun if there was someoneto race. We were armed with theknowledge that Rick Knoop, twotime competitor at Le Mans, wasrunning in Dwain Dement’s VisionMotorsports 380 horsepowerTurbo “grocery getter” as GT3.And a bit of research revealedKnoop was the American equivalentof Patrick Long in the late 70s,as Porsche pushed and succeededat conquering Le Mans. Knoopwas Porsche’s only Americanfactory driver then, as Long istoday. Our other GT3 competitorhad a hard charging 20 year old atits helm. Tyler Palmer, who hadjust this year taken third in Pirelli’sworld championship, foundhimself invited back for a seatin Tom Mueller’s HRG powered335 horsepower paddle-shiftedand air-jacked 996 cup car knowas the ‘Race Rocket.’ The Rocketname owing to Mueller’s propulsiondesign experience at SpaceX; Mueller was employee #1 atthe company, which just this pastyear became the first private commercialcompany to dock withthe international space station.About two weeks before therace, we had hatched a plan topit old tech vs new tech as soonwe confirmed the GT3 unlimitedcompetition would be there.Wouldn’t it be artful to drop allthe weight out of the ‘72, chip itup to max horsepower and go runwith the modern cup cars? Couldit be, that the old light weightway might be just as good —ifnot better—than new, superpowerful cars under the skillfulhands of some of the worlds best?The only problem with the ideawas, Blair was in Italy and his ‘72was in pieces, and Boyce didn’tknow the state of his car. UponBlair’s return we had eight daysto put the car together, find abigger gas tank (thanks BradleyPierce), dyno the car, pull all theweight possible, corner balanceit and test it. We thought wecould get #299 down to 2250 lbsand up to 270 horsepower to thewheels… Best laid plans…we gotto 2400 lbs and chipped it up to256 horsepower. The fact that wewere going to be outgunned byaround 10% power to weight onlycame to the fore as we sat on thefloor at Vision Motorsports boltingon bumpers and wings before thecar went on the dyno. Once on thedyno, the big bad grocery getterdid pull after pull with that turbosounding like a black hole of avacuum cleaner sucking in all theair in the garage and shooting it atthe wall. At one point I looked upfrom the bumper and said to Blair,“I think we might be in trouble,”but I couldn’t keep from smilingevery large every time they lit thecandle on that turbo. Message sent.Rick Knoop’s colorfully paintedhelmet sat on a cart just next to us.Knoop had placed 6th in the 1978Le Mans in a 935 turbo; clearlyhe can drive a turbo well. What achallenge this would be! We wereto be racing among legends, andwe had the coolest guy on theplanet showing up to jump in the299 car.A lot transpired in the shorttime leading up to the momentPatrick Long arrived at our turn1 camp area at Willow SpringsSaturday morning. Long broughtalong a few friends includingDennis AASE, Magnus Walker,and Helmut to hang out. I pulledin from instructing Dan Princein the green PDS group, andthere were all these famous guyssitting in lawn chairs in front ofthe motorhome facing our racecars. Chatting with this group andgoing over our cars with themwas very special. I had a sense ofsomething special, being one of agreater Porsche family where weare all racers and see that flat sixin all its perfection no matter howits cooled….and it’s cool. A manwho has lived in that feeling forsome time now, racer/collectorand all around great guy MagnusWalker said going over our cars,“I’m down with OPP….otherpeoples Porsches.”We weren’t exactly prepared tobe the center of the track socialscene, and though Blair Boycequalified us 4th with a 1:25.1,there were so many peoplecoming by we lost track of time.We barely got #299 to grid beforeit closed. Patrick Long started,but I’m certain he was caught inthe art of the air cooled old carvs new car moment as well. Longtook his time, smiled and lookedlike The Fonz, so cool and collected18 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015 AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 19

CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT: Cars leave the pre-grid while last minute adjustments are made for car 299’s first driver. The 299 pit crew at work. Starter Bud Tanner in discussionwith Porsche driver Patrick Long. The entire “Ace in The Hole” Team posing for posterity. A few weeks later, Patrick Long on the 24 Hours of Le Mans podium with PatrickDempsey and Marco Seefried: their Proton team car finished third in the GT Class (Photo courtesy of PCNA). — Photography by Alain Jamar and CaliPhotographyas the officials sent the rest of thecars out before us. Patrick waslooking for a DFL start—it was aclub race after all—the green flagdropped sitting 20th and in lap 1he is 8th; by the end of the secondlap Long has made it up to Knoop’sbumper exiting turn 9. The GT3dance with our lightweight 72making headway in corners onlyto see the heavier more powerfulturbo speed past up the straightsand chase down the 996 RaceRocket. With all three GT3 carsdicing it out in a row, this effort on#299 all was starting to look like agreat idea! What ensued was someof the best racing that could beseen between cars that were onlymatched for power to weight (sortof), but had completely differenttechnology in the 911 layout. NoTV camera crews, no grandstands,and here we were just a few of uswatching legends duke it out!By 5:05 on Saturday night, the sunwas getting low and winds weregusting across turn 9 at 30 miles perhour. Standing at the hot pit wallwas deafening as the cars motoredup the straight at full scream, dusteverywhere carrying the palpablesense of excitement and grit as therace unfolded. It had been overan hour since the start and I wasshaking with excitement, kneebouncing. “Ten minutes,” BlairBoyce said. That’s the time PatrickLong would bring car #299 in and Iwould get to take over the car for astint, barely a year out of racers clinic.We were sitting P3 overall andBoyce could perceive my nervousenergy, feeling ready to puke in myhelmet. Boyce looked through myvisor and calmly said. “Just go outand have fun, run consistent laps.You’ll do fine.” It was this snapshotfrom the race and a moment I willnever forget: having to snap out ofit and get down to business. Long,having done this seemingly all hislife, commented a couple hoursbefore the race, “All you need todo is a stint that will get us in withenough fuel to get home to theend.” “Even better if you can get inif you see there may be a full courseyellow coming out.” Focused on myteammates’ sage advice, I jumpedin the car, followed team orders andcranked out consistent laps for a bit.Lap 19 came, and just as I duckedin, the pits closed, full course yellow,still P3. A short stint, but missionaccomplished. We got fuel in for theend, ready for the much faster ownerof #299 to take the helm.Boyce went out on two fresh tires,and began bumping off 1:26 lapsand moving us into a firm P2. Thegrocery getter had a mechanical,smog equipment sensors had shutit down. Race Rocket had served astop and go penalty, and there wewere in front of the Werks GT1 carwhen the unthinkable happened.Our #299 was just one lap off theoverall lead from a 997 cup car entry(“Team McDreamy”), driven byMike Monsalve/Doug Baron/Robert Dalrymple. The bolts socarefully placed on the right handwing strut just Thursday hadworked themselves free. The wingwhich was firmly attached on thedrivers side was also completelyfree with the support and downforcepressing it into the fender onthe passenger side. Thus it appearedto be leaning into turn 9 as he wentthrough, Boyce continued to turn1:26 times with a rear wing half on,only losing about a half a secondon average to the cup car runningin P1. In the pits, We discussedthe wing situation and Long leadthe team with these words: “Don’tpanic, act like it’s situation normal.That wing isn’t going anywhere.”It wasn’t. As a precaution, I grabbedRob Tachavski’s bicycle with anearly flat front tire and hauledbuns to the trailer in turn 1 lookingfor tools, ready for a wing repairif needed. By lap 100 the racestewards had seen enough of thefloppy wing and black flagged #299.Despite an impassioned plea fromLong, the stewards decided it was asafety issue. I rolled in on the bikewith a flat front tire, allen wrenches,and pliers as the car came to a stopin pit box 5. Steve Thiel got to work,and seconds later wing was off and#299 moved out downforce free tocomplete the remaining few minutes.Boyce recounted the momentsafter leaving for lap 101: “I went intoturn 2 (a right hand 100mph uphillbend) and the car pitched completelysideways like I was driving on ice!The outside edge of the track cameup fast as I backed in out of control.Car did the same thing in turn eight(130 mph 5th gear corner). And thenI thought to myself, is my life worththis? Maybe I should just park it?Then I re-learned how to drive thecar, adapted, trailed braked a lot andmade it work. I don’t think I’d liketo do that again. Like never.”We finished P4 overall, just 20seconds behind the GT3 RaceRocket in a 1972 Porsche. Not badfor an air-cooled 43 year old carwith a missing wing. lTOP TO BOTTOM: Tyler Palmer making a move on the TruSpeed GT1 Porsche of TomHaacker. Vision Motorsports’ Dwain Dement driving the “Grocery Getter” 996 Turbo.The “nine by six” Boxster team with drivers Mike Skinner, Tom Stone, and Andrew Weyman.— Photography by Alain Jamar and CaliPhotography20 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 21

Planning is Just a Fancy Word for Preconceived Ideas...BY MIKE SKINNERPHOTOGRAPHY BY CALIPHOTOGRAPHY AND ALAIN JAMARThe Porsche Owner’s Club (POC)annual Tribute to Le Mans eventwas held at Willow Springs InternationalRaceway May 16-17th,2015. Hold on just a sec. It wasn’tjust “held”—it was achieved withprodigious success across theboard despite a seemingly unlimitedbarrage of obstacles, both realand imagined, any one of whichcould have stood in the way of asuccessful event.Before I continue, however, Ishould admit to a recent omission.Andrew Weyman, our fearless anddedicated POC President, interviewedme for Velocity. And oneof the questions was something tothe effect of “what have you learnedfrom writing articles for Velocity?”I made up some good-soundingstuff, but I forgot to mention thatone of the things I learned washow to use an on-line thesaurus(see paragraphs preceding andfollowing).One of the great things about POC,and there are many, is that thereis literally something for everyoneto do. Sure, drivers drive. Crews,well, crew. Stewards and marshals,along with fire and safety, keepus safe and on schedule. But walkthrough the paddock at the nextevent and marvel at the goings-on.I took a few laps around thepaddock and grid on my bike andjust quietly looked around. Therewasn’t anybody that was doingnothing! Family members weresupporting drivers and others withcameras, bags of water, wranglingyoung-uns and 50 other things.The fantastic staff at WSIR dinerwas whipping together food ordersnon-stop. Everyone heard theirfood order number get yelled outat the same time we heard Dwaingive the instructor/student pairingsat the driver’s meeting (prettyremarkable when you think of it;I call it managed chaos). Pit crewsand support personnel ranendlessly with radios, tires, fuel,helmets, schedules, protein barsand bags of Doritos. Drivers thatweren’t driving in the endurovolunteered their time as pitmarshals and a variety of othercommitments. And let’s not forgetthe BBQ team, whose timing wasimpeccable in serving the starvingmasses at the conclusion of theenduro. Needless to say it “took avillage”—a lot of work in advanceof the event to pull it all togetherand make it happen. The point is,no matter who you are or whatyour age, there is something foreveryone that wants to supportor participate in our fine club. Onthis point, my thanks go out tothe entire POC Board and staff,especially John Gordon, for theirtime, energy and dedication towhat fulfills our passion. I could goon and on...My own experience with theenduro goes something like this:think, plan, un-plan, re-think,make a call, make 12 calls, text Eric,order some equipment, pay somebills, text Eric 72 more times, andthen make breakfast before I go towork. That was a year ago.At last year’s Tribute someone’s carbroke on a team that was perfectfor me, except for one problem:I didn’t have my license yet. So Imade it a goal to find a team forthis year’s Tribute (and I earned mylicense!). During the winter I madea list of team possibilities (which atthe time I thought would result ina “plan”). Most of those “plans” fellthrough for one reason or another.In the spring I reassessed. Yes, I decided,no matter what, I’m runningthe Tribute this year. I made somenew plans. Most of those plans fellthrough for one reason or another.As Spring Mountain came aroundand I felt good that a team wascoming together, my car broke.That didn’t help the situation,and it set back “the plan”). Mycar broke again at Cal Speedway,a further set back to “the plan.”Starting grid for the 2015 Porsche Owners Club Tribute to Le Mans 3 hour race. — CaliPhotography22 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 23

Still, I answered the club questionnaireregarding my interest in participating inthe Enduro. And then I pre-registered withmy deposit. “No matter what” means nomatter what, even though all of Mike’s littleplans seemed not to fit the grand plan.At one point I even thought I would justrun all three hours by myself. I thoughtI might call my team “Mike, He, and Himself.”Then I decided, nah, that’s crazy...whowould run all three hours by himself?Most of the time I compete with ReganSteedman in GT5, unsuccessfully, I mightadd. So I thought it would be just awesomefor the Princess to team up with thePrincess so I hit her up about getting ateam together. Sadly she had already committedto a girl-band concert that weekend.It was the first time I found myself hopingthat someone would unexpectedly land inrehab (the girl-band singer I mean,not Regan).You know what they say: luck is whathappens when willingness and preparationintersect. I got pretty lucky. Friday afternoonat the event I was still on the lookoutfor a team. And then it happened. Alexstarted telling me about a team member’s carthat had broken the previous day, and beforehe could even finish his sentence (andsince I can barely understand him anyway),I turned on my heels and marched the 20feet over to Andrew’s pit. “Hey, Andrew,Alex was telling me…” I started out. Cuttingto the chase with, “Welcome aboard!”Andrew sealed the deal. I thought, man,this is just great! Finally, a plan! Oh, theplanning was just getting started.Somewhere along the way I decided thathaving a “strategy” sounded less permanentthan having a “plan.” So AndrewWeyman, Tom Stone and I huddled andworked up a strategy Friday afternoon.Andrew submitted the paperwork. Overthe last year I have tended to be a strongqualifier, but my starts need improvement.Once I get going I can stalk and make safeand solid passes. So, I would qualify, Tomwould start, Andrew drive the middle, andI would close. As the qualifier, I felt humilityon one hand and pressure on the other.I prepared well for the session, and set thequalifying time on the second lap of thequalifying session. Even though I knewI should sit on that time and head to thepits, I kept going another few laps(something else I need to work on).During the day we met with Track MarshalChris Thompson. Chris and I started inPOC around the same time and he’s been agood friend the entire time. Chris reviewedLEFT PAGE TOP, TO BOTTOM: Tru-Speed crew fixing a broken belt. Fe Justin Jason crew of One for MartyMehterian, Marthys Party Team. Communication between HRG crew members Ted Segal at left and Kerry Dunnat right help the Race Rocket team of Tom Mueller and Tyler Palmer secure first in the GT3 class. 911 Design ownerand part time refueller Loren Begg adding one more Tribute trophy to his already impressive collection.RIGHT PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Race Marshall Don Matz. Carolyn Pappas. Race Marshall Chris Thompson.Mark Hergesheimer and Brynn Oviatt’s catering service open for business. — Photography by Alain Jamarthe penalties with us, discussed driverorder, verified the penalty box location,confirmed the staging area and comparednotes with Wendy Skinner (our team-sidepenalty timer, camera starter and allaroundcool lady).We fell behind a few laps after the firststing. But I don’t know anyone in POCthat’s not willing to give it 11/10ths untilthe checkered flag waves, and that wasdefinitely our attitude. And there’s a goodreason why racers have that attitude—younever know what the “plan” is. It turns out,our main competitors had a mechanicalat the beginning of their third stint, whichconveniently put them behind a few laps.Imagine my surprise when I reached turn1 to see Kurt Gokbudak coming on track!Kurt and I had about 65 minutes straight ofhard, nose-to-tail and side-by-side racing.This won’t come as any shock to anyone,but at that point I could have cared lessabout all of the “plans” that might or mightnot happen. I was racing someone that Iknow and trust, and that’s really the onlything that mattered to me anymore.Andrew, Tom and I finished 13 out of afield of 16. The main lesson I learned wasthat the only plan that really matteredwas to plan on racing—the rest wouldtake care of itself.Well, it turns out there is someone that hasthe patience, skill, endurance and perseveranceto go it alone. No, he’s not crazy—justcommitted. Drake Kemper, one of manyPOC racers that have gone on to proracing, turned up with the relay team “Me,Myself and I.” And, like everyone, Drakehad a plan…er, I mean, strategy. Drakebrought three cars: a GT4, a BSR, and aGT3. The strategy was to drive each carfor roughly equal time. At least thatwas the idea.He needed every bit of all three cars!During Friday’s testing the GT4 steeringfelt twitchy and didn’t want to turn. Drakeadded, rather uneuphemistically, that thecar possessed the charm and precisionof a schizophrenic cat with razor bladesfor feet. Gee, sounds so charming. No bigdeal though —still two cars in the stable.So Drake figured he’d just run the GT3,BSR, and the GT3 again in the race. Afterall, who wants to herd cats all day? So let’sgive the ol’ BSR a practice run shall we?Seems the BSR was having a little problemwith the oil/air separator; or maybe it justneeded a new set of plugs. Hmmm…what to do. Still one car left in the stable.Maybe let’s take the GT3 out for practicewhile the BSR is being looked after.24 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015 AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 25

To make a long story endless, the BSR justdidn’t have a good day, and after much “sortingout,” the motor blew during final practice,tearing a piston in two. It wasn’t what youwould want to call optimum conditions, butwhen race time rolled around, Drake wasdown to figuring out how to minimize thehandling and grip issues of the GT4 stintand somehow maximize the GT3 drive timeutilizing its fuel capacity in all its awesomebeaucoup-ness.So, 37 minutes and one corded left-rear tirelater, Drake was forced into an early ride in theGT4, making for an extra long GT4 stint (notextra short as Drake had hoped would be thecase). Not exactly according to the re-plannedplan. But, racers race. One front-left cordedtire later in the GT4, it was back to the GT3until the very last drop of fuel ignited. Eenie,meenie, minie…what cars have I got left?Drake, in his well-worn and passiveaggressiveGT4, finished the last 22minutes of the POC Tribute to Le MansRelay Class to finish in second place, provingrather unequivocally that anything is possiblegiven enough patience, skill, endurance andperseverance. Well done, Drake! lTop: A very happy Drake Kemper celebrating his second place finish in the relay class.Bottom: Werks II duo of Galen Bieker and Robert Rodriguez took first in GT1. — CaliPhotography1998Steve Alarcon, Robert Dalrympleand Steve Velasquez.I still have vivid memories of thefirst Tribute to Le Mans in 1994,the brainchild of Dave Bouzaglou.It seemed like we were breakingnew ground with an endurancerace that started in the daylightand ended in the deep darknessof Rosamond, California. Twentyyears later, I love the idea andtradition of driving on a teamwith good friends in a unique racethat has its own history and flair.Coming Full Circle2015BY ROBERT DALRYMPLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAIN JAMAR AND CALIPHOTOGRAPHY2015 Tribute to Le Mans overall winners: Mike Monsalve, Robert Dalrymple and Doug Baron. — CaliPhotographyThat same year, Porsche celebrated its 50th Anniversaryby winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the last time inthat century, and would not prevail again until this year.In a way, I’ve come full circle. On a Saturdayevening in 1998, I drove my modified3.6 930 Turbo at Willow Springs Raceway,where myself, Steve Alarcon and SteveVelasquez won our first Tribute to LeMans in Car 85. What I remember mostis driving into the winner’s circle, openingthe sunroof, turning up the music onmy car stereo and celebrating with myco-drivers, and then driving home in thesame car. As in any sport where technologychanges significantly and driversbecome more and more competitive, longgone are the days of having the simplepleasure of driving your car to the track,racing it and then driving home. The POCTribute to Le Mans morphed into a highstakes, big budget racing event thatattracted pro drivers like Bill Auberlen,Anthony Lazzaro, Cort Wagner, Kelly Collins,James Sofronas and Tommy Kendall.For four years, I produced a TV specialon the POC Tribute races, from 2001to 2004 on Speed. It was the only clubrace on television during that time. Forseveral years, the Tribute was stagedat California Speedway and then threeyears ago, the event returned to its rootsat Willow Springs. At the end of 2013, Ibought Patrick Dempsey’s Cup Car that hehad campaigned in the American Le Mansseries. Along with Kevin Rousch and MikeMonsalve, we ran last year’s Tribute to LeMans race as “Team Number 85 Returns,”and we had the closest finish in the event’shistory, beating out the HRG team ofEric Oviatt and Kevin Wilson by less thantwo seconds. It was an exhilarating finishfor the fans.This year, Mike Monsalve and I were intenton defending our win. We added one ofmy oldest friends to our “Three Stooges”lineup, the highly accomplished, four timeTribute-winning Doug Baron. As racersin the POC know, Mike Monsalve, a pastDriver of the Year, races regularly in slalomand big track events. Mike was the perfectguy to qualify the car and put us on polewith a time of 1:21:6. Loren Beggs and 911Design did a masterful job of preparingthe car again this year.26 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015 AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 27

It’s the endorphin release of just finishing the race and knowingthat we depended on one another to stay out of trouble. It’s theexhilarating feeling of knowing we pushed it as hard as we could.Robert Dalrymple driving the 2015 Tribute to Le Mans overall winning Porsche. — Photography by Alain Jamar28 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 29

The Tribute to Le Mans is the one POC tradition that has endured for twenty years.911 Design crew at work refueling while Robert helps Mike out of the car. — CaliphotographyThroughout the race, the car and my newMEGA-Line paddle shift system workedflawlessly. Mike drove a phenomenal firststint, which allowed me to essentially cruisewith the mission of not screwing up my shift.With Doug Baron cast in the hero’s role, weknew if anyone challenged us, he was the guywho would dig deep to keep us in first. We ledfrom the drop of the green flag to the checkeredflag, but what was most satisfying wasworking as a team with Loren Beggs’ crew toprepare for the race. We enjoyed each other’scompany over the course of qualifying and therace itself. In the end, that is what draws us tothe POC Tribute every year: friends workingtogether, exchanging barbs, and bonding witheach other in the hopes of doing well. It’s theendorphin release of just finishing the raceand knowing we depended on one another tostay out of trouble. It’s the exhilarating feelingof knowing we pushed it as hard as we could.I miss the fact that we do not drive at nightanymore, because there is a beauty in thetransition of sunlight into darkness and all thechallenges that brings. The Tribute to Le Mansis the one POC tradition that has enduredfor twenty years. I hope that drivers continueto see this event not only as a race, but as alife experience in friendship and in personalendeavor, and that the POC tradition of TheTribute continues to flourish.The race was a team effort and as such I askedmy co-drivers Mike Monsalve and Doug Baronto also add their perspectives of our race.Doug Baron — I can’t begin to say what apleasure it was to drive for Team McDreamythis year. I have been running the Tribute toLe Mans every year since its inception, andhave been a proud recipient of five Tributewins. I’ve always driven with cars preparedby 911 Design, and I can definitely say thatthis year’s car was the best prepared. I haveseen the Tribute go from a small club race toa nationally recognized endurance classic,with drivers ranging from club racing enthusiaststo racing professionals.Robert and I have been friends for more thantwenty years, and to get the opportunity tofinally drive with him was something I havealways looked forward to. Mike Monsalvedid a superb job of qualifying the car, andprovided us excellent feedback so we couldrefine the already superb setup. Robertdriving second gave me the opportunity toprepare myself for the final leg and allowedme to get in a car that was ready for the finalstint of the race.All the cars were well prepared, but Robert’scar seemed so easy to drive! It will alwaysstand as a high point of my driving careerwith the Porsche Owners Club. I hope thatthe POC can continue to thrive and offer thistremendous race for many years to come andthat I will be able to continue driving in it aslong as it lasts.Mike Monsalve — After qualifying theTeam McDreamy car on the pole in 1:21:6,my strategy was to turn a few fast laps andtry to pull a quick, comfortable lead. Shortlyafter, I worked into a steady pace that slowlyincreased our lead while still saving the tires.Soon after, with a 30 second lead, the trackwent double yellow. So, time to start again,and the strategy was identical. Toward theend of my stint, with a 30 second lead rebuilt,I was told via radio, “If you have any tires left,use them—we are bringing you in within afew laps.” So, I pushed what the car had left.However, those few laps turned into another12 as they decided to keep me in the car.Driving those last few laps in my 1.5 hourstint was not fun—I could almost feel thosecords unraveling. I suppose I was not aloneout there with bad tires, as we had a nicelead when I handed over the car to Robert.Toward the end, Robert and I were back andforth at timing and scoring, calculating ourposition. We soon realized we had this oneand the excitement started to grow duringthe closing laps driven by Doug Baron.Back to back wins in Robert’s car #85was an awesome experience. lNot a big name firm(thankfully)Sorry to the mega-corporations out there selling investment products.Bigger is better in some things, just not investing (in our opinion).Our firm serves as a private investment counselor to Southern Californiafamilies and individuals.We offer stock and bond portfolio management services. We don’t sellanything (insurance, hedge funds, etc.).Please visit www.triadim.com for more about our approach.Auto Club Speedway, March 2007(didn’t win, again)John Heldman, CFA (POC Member)(949) 851-7902 • jheldman@triadim.comSubscribe to our commentaries at triadim.com30 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 31

CAR CULTURE ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGNWeissachT H E P A T H T OR U N S T H R O U G HPasadenaARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHYBY KEVIN EHRLICHIf you want tosee where iconicPorsches come from,open your map and findlocations in Germany likeStuttgart, Zuffenhausen,Weissach, Leipzig or even themore obscure motorsport centerof Flacht. These are places of pilgrimagefor enthusiasts who want to see wherenew Porsches are born and future Porschesare developed.But if you want to know where the people comefrom who design the icons, your gaze should pointto Pasadena, California.32 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 33

HOW DOES ALL THIS RELATE TO PORSCHE, YOU ASK?ART CENTER STUDENT GALLERY — There is perhaps no better way to become acquainted with Art Center than through the high caliber work of its students.The gallery offers a glance at projects created by students in each of Art Center’s disciplines.Most automobile manufacturershave felt the influence of a singlesmall school tucked behind a residentialneighborhood in the hillsabove the Rose Bowl. Porscheis no different. It is proudly aGerman company, but many of itsdesigns over the past few decadeshave been guided by the visionof students and alumni of theArt Center College of Design.The Art Center plays a majorrole in transportation design andcompetes with the best designschools globally. At present,over 20 various design studiosacross the southern Californialandscape benefit from the strongenvironment for design that ArtCenter has cultivated since theestablishment of its transportationdesign program in 1948.The Art Center attracts studentsfrom many backgrounds, geographiesand skills. The TransportationDesign program at Art Centerdoesn’t just teach car design. Itsstudents learn design conceptsthat can be applied in a widevariety of automotive, aviationand marine applications. Somestudents specialize in exteriors,others interiors, and some doboth. Some students go on to specializein production car designsand others focus on concept cardesigns. Some go on to work formanufacturers and others forindependent design studios. Somedon’t even end up in conventionaltransportation fields—graduateshave been working on amusementpark rides at Walt Disney Imagineeringfor years.Graduates also populate designstaff of the studios and manufacturersaround the world alongsidestudents doing internships. ThePasadena faculty is comprisedprimarily of full time designprofessionals that come to ArtCenter to teach. This emphasis onbringing active practitioners intothe classroom is a hallmark of ArtCenter. In fact, the transportationdesign program has only threeactive full time faculty producingabout 30 graduates each year.Manufacturers regularly sponsordesign projects for a full term,This emphasis of bringing activepractitioners into the classroomis a hallmark of Art Center.which gives students the experienceof working on a project fromconcept to sketches to fifth-scalemodels. Often staff from thesponsor company—many ArtCenter alumni themselves—are inthe classroom along the way. Themanufacturer obtains access tonew and creative energy, and canpotentially identify students forfull time positions in the future.Beyond the classroom, studentsoften do an internship or two withdifferent studios before graduation.The real-world feedback and experienceis crucial in translating theacademic concepts into an effectiveprofessional role. After all, a designfor an automotive manufacturer isless valuable if it can’t be put intoproduction and sold to customers.The Porsche Boxster (986) tracesits roots back to the Tokyo Autoshow in October 1991. Porsche’sdesign chief, Harm Lagaayattended and saw the market fortwo seater sportscars was takinghold with models like the MazdaMiata MX-5 gaining popularity.Lagaay convinced Porsche thata new two seater cabriolet couldcapitalize on this wave. Workstarted on a proposal in February1992, and the concept wasapproved in June 1992 (approvedover a four door sedan conceptproposal—which indicates justhow long a Panamera type carhad been contemplated).Various designs were considered,but the vision put forwardby American designer and ArtCenter graduate Grant Larsonprovided the direction. Larsonwas 34 years old at the time andhad only recently joined Porsche.Larson had graduated from ArtCenter in 1986, and took a jobwith Audi’s design studio inGermany before moving toPorsche in 1989.Design work on the Boxter conceptwas completed by August1992, and the concept car wasunveiled in January 1993 at theDetroit Auto Show. The Boxterwas an unexpected sensation andgave Porsche a real boost at atime when sales were struggling.In fact, little fanfare preceded theconcept car. Very few journalistseven knew that Porsche was goingto have a concept car, and thePorsche Cars North America teamwrote its press release without everhaving seen the car.At the same time, Porsche wasworking on the next evolutionof the 911 family. The air-cooled993 would be succeeded by thewater-cooled 996. Larson workedclosely work with the 996 designteam because of his experiencewith the Boxster. Porsche was soshort of development funds at thetime that the decision was made toeconomize by making the front ofboth cars as identical as possible.The Boxster project set Larson’scourse for a long and successfultenure with Porsche. He hasworked on a variety of models,including the Carrera GT, 911Speedster, the Boxster Spyderand various iterations of the 997.Another Art Center graduatehad a very impactful, but muchdifferent Porsche experience.Jason Hill graduated from ArtCenter in 1990 and joined theSince 1989, Grant Larson (picturedat right) has been designing cars forPorsche. As an Exterior Designer,he has been responsible for suchbold and breakthrough designs as theoriginal Boxster and Panamera. Grantalso led designs for the Carrera GT,the 911 type 997 Carrera and Turbo,the most recent 911 Speedster,Boxster Spyder, and 911 Sport Classic.PORSCHE BOXSTER CONCEPTTOM HAREZLAK34 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 35

newly established Mercedes-Benzdesign studio in Irvine. His firstjob at Mercedes Benz was designinga small two-passenger batteryvehicle to meet California emissionsrequirements. (Conceptsfrom that project would findtheir way into the now familiarSmartcar.)After four years, he joined thenearby Samsung Motors studioin Huntington Beach as a seniordesigner, intending to helpSamsung develop a businessDespite some of the PR bells andwhistles at the time, the CarreraGT was always intended for production,so the design of the showcarneeded to anticipate the needsof a production car. There havebeen exceptions, but Jason notesthat, “Porsche generally doesn’t doconcept cars for non-productionreasons.” Others in Weissach, includingGrant Larson, put the finaltouches on the car for production.The story of the Carrera GT iswell known—a supercar designedPORSCHE MACAN CONCEPTJULIEN BILODEAUan optimal solution with a wheelbaseslightly longer than the minimumthat met both objectives.Design and engineering werespeaking a common languagewith a common goal.Jason left Porsche shortly afterthe Carerra GT project to starthis own design studio—Designby 11—and is presently serving asfaculty at Art Center. The Porschedesign studio in HuntingtonBeach was closed in April 2005when the company consolidateddesign work in a studio at Zellam See in Austria.From a different and more recentperspective, Art Center graduateTom Harezlak did an internshipwith Porsche in Weissach in 2013after internships with Fisker andFord. Tom started out studyingengineering at Purdue Universitywith the objective of becominginvolved in car development,before realizing the design aspectand moving to Art Center.Tom always was enamored ofPorsche cars and the company’sphilosophy, and was able toassemble a sketch portfolio andget the attention of the rightpeople to get an internship offer.In Weissach, Tom worked in thePorsche Advanced Design studiowhich has dozens of staff focusingon road cars. English is the commonlanguage, as Porsche drawsexpertise from around the world.Several months into his internship,Tom developed a thesis projectunder the watchful eye of Porschedesign staff, eventually known asthe 903 concept. The concept isreminiscent of the 718 race cars,with a fresh shape and an emphasison simplicity. The concept wasintended to address objectivesof sport and efficiency throughreduced parts count and means tocapture and conserve energy. Theconcept envisioned 3-D printingand the car’s body serving as theengine block, seats, cooling system,and other key components.While the concept has strength ofvision, Tom spent the most timeon the shape and proportions. Itis an interesting demonstrationof current thinking from an ArtCenter student with influence andguidance directly from Weissach.PORSCHE 903 CONCEPTTOM HAREZLAKexporting cars from South Korea.Economic troubles in Asia put anend to those plans and Porschebought out the studio in 1999.Early on, Porsche design chiefHarm Lagaay had requested aproposal for a halo supercar tomake use of the stillborn LMPrace car’s 10 cylinder engine.Jason’s design was the basis forthe Carrera GT. The HuntingtonBeach design team put togetherthe 2000 Paris Carrera GT showcar with about 15 members,including six or seven otherArt Center alumni. The projecttook about two years—one forthe basic design and one to refinethe design into the showcar.around a race-bred engine.The car was intentionally designedto make the most efficient andeffective package to supportthe engine. Jason explains that,“Porsche is an engineering companythat also knows good designand style. Good design is a respectfor good engineering.”As an example, Jason points tothe car’s wheelbase. The engineershad established a wheelbase in thepackaging specifications, but thedesigners sought a longer wheelbase.Getting together, the teamsfigured out that the engineers hadset a minimum but not mandatorydimension. The intersection ofengineering and design determinedPORSCHE CARRERA GTJASON HILL“Good design is a respect for good engineering”.36 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 37

After his internship at Porsche,Tom returned to Art Center tofinish his studies and graduate.Following graduation, he did astint at BMW Designworks inCalifornia and is now on the fulltime design staff with Ferrari.While in Weissach, Tom workedwith another recent Art Centeralum. In 2012, Art Center studentJulien Bilodeau put together a911 concept study. His conceptcaught the eye of Mitja Borkertof the Porsche Advanced DesignStudio who was visiting ArtCenter. That encounter paved theway to an internship in Weissach.After the internship and a seniorthesis project at Porsche to satisfyremaining coursework requirements,Julien graduated from ArtCenter and started as an exteriordesigner at Porsche in May 2013.Among the various objectivesof an internship program, Tomnotes that one reason Porscheutilizes interns is to get a steadystream of fresh perspective. Tomsays that interns “May not beversed in all the things ‘you can’tdo’ in modern cars,” and thatcan lead in interesting directions.While Tom and Julien hadknowledge and respect for thebrand, some very successful ArtCenter students have done wellprecisely because they haven’t beenburdened by history. As JasonHill says, “Porsche already has the911. They don’t need another 911.They’re looking for what’s next.”There are many Art Center alumniwho have had a role at Porscheover the years. Each has broughttheir own fresh perspective, andsome have gone on to new adventures.Regardless, a steady streamof Art Center students and alumniseem to find their way to Porschein one form or another.Art Center graduate BenjaminDimson has been with theCalifornia Mercedes design studiosince 1991. He has worked oneverything from S-class, C-classand SLK designs to Maybachdesigns. However, after graduatingfrom Art Center in 1980, heworked in Weissach as an exteriordesigner on projects like the 944Turbo, 928 S4, 964, and 959. Hethen spent three years in Porsche’sstyle group, working on projectssuch as the 964 Speedster andPanamericana show car.1993 Art Center graduate HarkanSaracoglu spent several years withFord in Cologne before moving toPorsche. During a stint of almost15 years with Porsche, Harkanwas involved in exterior designduties for various iterations ofthe 997 (including the GT2 andGT2 RS) and the 987 Boxster andCayman. More recently, Harkanwas involved in the design of thePORSCHE 918 SPYDER CONCEPTHARKAN SARACOGLU918 Spyder and RSR showcarsand the eventual 918 productioncar. In 2012, Harkan madea major change to join CheryMotors, the state-owned Chinesecar manufacturer, and head up itsdesign studio.Freeman Thomas, these daysbetter known as the Directorof Strategic Design for Ford inNorth America, also has rootswith Porsche. After graduatingfrom Art Center, he worked atPorsche from 1983 through 1987.He went on to play a major rolein designing the modern versionof the Volkswagen Beetle and theoriginal Audi TT concept car.Freeman’s Porsche sympathiesmanifested in the founding ofthe R Gruppe Porsche groupthat makes creative performancemodifications to early Porscheswith little use for originality orboring cars.To be sure, any concept or roadgoingproduction model at anycar company will involve a largeteam. Any car manufacturerwill have its own look and feeland styling attributes that maketheir products unique. It is noaccident, however, that the bestknownadditions to the Porschefamily tree in recent history havebeen touched by talent that wasdeveloped at the modest Pasadenacampus of Art Center. lTIME ATTACK 9 - 10 — PERFORMANCE DRIVING SERIES 3 - 4WHADD’YA MEAN,IT’S NOT A P-CAR?BY NEALSON LAWRENCE THE MUSTANG KIDAfter being away at college inNorth Carolina for a year, returningto The Streets with the club I starteddriving with three years agowas a very exciting day for me. Despitethe heat, turnout was great,and people brought all sorts ofcars out, from full on purpose-builtrace cars to weekend warriors,daily-drivers, and everything inbetween. It was great to see mytrack-mates and friends, but whatPHOTOGRAPHY BY CALIPHOTOGRAPHYmade the paddock environmentvery exciting to me was the turnoutof non-Porsche cars to accompanyme in the “black sheep” category.Some of the non-Porsche cars toattend the event included MazdaMX-5 Miatas, Cadillac CTS-V wagon,a couple BMW M-Series cars, aDatsun 240-z, Audi R8, Lotus Exige(Lotus Cup), and my very own ’02Ford Mustang GT. Please excuseme if I missed a few.Thanks to Stewart Reed, Jason Hilland Tom Harezlak for their generousassistance. Any errors in thearticle are solely the responsibilityof the author.The Mustang Kid got some speed.38 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 39

“Can we receiveinstruction andparticipate in trackevents even witha non-Porschemarque?” This wasreadily answeredby Don Matz witha decisive, “Yes, wewelcome everyone,”and boy, he was notkidding!My dad and I chose to run with the Porsche Owner’sClub because of their demonstrated reputation forsafety, organization, and superior instruction, andI am very pleased with our choice.Let’s take a moment to flash backthree years ago to the Long BeachGrand Prix and the Porsche Owner’sClub booth, where my dad and Italked about the club with DonMatz. The biggest question my dadand I had was, “Can we receiveinstruction and participate in trackevents even with a non-Porschemarque?” Don supplied an answerfast: “Yes, we welcome everyone!”And boy, he was not kidding! I rememberfeeling intimidated comingto the track with my Mustang, aboutas non-Porsche a car as you can get.After the drivers’ meeting, though,that feeling of intimidation wentright away. The club welcomed mewith cheery smiles and a warmththat may even beat the southernhospitality I’ve found at my newcollege home. My dad and I chose torun with the Porsche Owner’s Clubbecause of their demonstrated reputationfor safety and organization,as well as superior instruction, andI am very glad I decided to go withthe POC. The instruction I receivedwas insightful and the club keptpushing me to become a better andbetter driver. As I recall, the onlynon-Porsche cars in the paddock atmy first event were me and one otherAudi, and maybe a BMW or two.Coming back to the Streets to drivewith the POC was like cominghome. The Mustang and I were stillwelcomed with those warm, cheerysmiles, and as I mentioned, I waspleasantly surprised to see not onlythe familiar Porsche models, but themultitude of non-Porsches listedabove. I was also very pleased tosee the club had set up mandatoryclassroom instruction sessionsfor new PDS drivers to help themunderstand track safety, basic carhandling dynamics, and drivingtechniques. I hope they all felt aswelcomed as I did three years ago,and learned as much as I did fromthe great instruction I received from40 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015LEFT PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM:Sandy Isaac in his Classic Datsun 240Z.Chris Campbell’s Porsche 914-6. Michaeland Chris Weir sharing a Lotus Exige Cup.RIGHT PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM:Karen Robinson piloting her Audi R8.Jerry Hoffman’s red on red early 911cooling off.AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 41

the club. Personally, I enjoy diversityin cars on track with me. It adds alittle bit of extra excitement, as youget to see the strong and weak pointsof certain types of cars and this cansometimes incentivize you to go justa little bit faster, creating a bit of afriendly manufacturers’ rivalry. Atthe end of the day, however, the club’smain goal is to make sure you havea fun and safe day out on the track,while promoting and appreciatingthe storied Porsche marque.Being a part of the club and aroundall those Porsches must have hadan effect because my dad ended upbuying a Porsche just a little after ayear of running with the club. It’s a2002 Porsche Boxster S, and we’vetaken it to a few track events with thePOC, even though the main track carI’ve been working on and honing mydriving skills in is the Mustang. And,as a driver driving a non-Porsche carat these events, I can definitely sayI feel very safe and confident withthe great majority of the people withwhom I share the track. I have graduatedfrom the Performance DrivingSeries to the Time Trial Series (TimeAttack, now) and have licenses forboth series. I feel the POC has givenme a solid foundation on which tobuild the driving skills necessaryto be a competitive, safe, and awaredriver, no matter what organizationwith which I might drive.This past Saturday at the Streets wasa great refresher for me, and a greatway to kick off my summer of highperformance driving. The camaraderiesurrounding the group, andthe friendships I’ve formed drivingwith the club (despite driving a non-Porsche marque), make coming backto POC events very rewarding for mydad and me. I love driving with thePOC and plan to continue runningwith them until I can no longerdrive! My plan is to one day (whenI’m out of college) own a Porscheof my own and Cup Race with thePOC. For the time being, however,I will continue to track the goodol’ Stang, and I hope to see othermarques in this great club; I amproud to have joined and am happythey’ve allowed me to be a smallpart of their Porsche community. lR A N D O M L Y P R O F I L E D M E M B E RAndrew D. Weyman: Being a racerdemands a lot of focus, concentrationand hard work. What’s your “real job,”and how long have you been at it?Mike Skinner: I have been a healthcareIT professional and manager for30 years. When I was 19, I went towork for Ross Perot. On my first daythey told me I had to wear a tie to workevery single day, and I could wear anycolor of tie I wanted as long as it wasred. For the younger POC memberswho don’t know who Ross Perot is,ask someone like Will Marcy—he can tell you.ADW: What can you tell me aboutyour track car?MS: It’s a 1999 HRG-built and numberedfully race-prepped Boxster 2.5GT5, #698. I’m always curious what’sbehind a permanent car number. In mycase I talked Wendy into marrying mein June 1998.ADW: How long have you been amember of the POC?MS: Two and a half years.Mike SkinnerBY ANDREW D. WEYMANPHOTOGRAPHY BY MAX SLUITERADW: You’re a Cup Racer. How else doyou participate in the POC?MS: Beside being a Cup Racer, I’m anInstructor, a Velocity contributing writerand photographer.ADW: You’ve written several articlesfor Velocity. What’s that experience beenlike?MS: Writing for Velocity adds disciplineto my overall racing experience by givingme a structured way to think aboutmy experiences, behavior, contributionsand desired areas for improvement—both on the track and in the pits. Writingfor Velocity also gives me a strongersense of the club’s community.ADW: How many POC track eventshave you attended?MS: Um…all of them? Ok, maybe Imissed a handful in 2.5 years.ADW: What tracks have you driven?MS: Willow Springs, The Streets ofWillow, Auto Club Speedway roval,Auto Club Speedway infield, Buttonwillow(both directions), and Chuckwalla(both directions). I missed Laguna lastyear because we were in Cannes. Thatwas a real “quality problem” to have. So,I really want to drive Laguna, Miller,and COTA—and then go from there.ADW: What’s your favorite track?MS: Chuckwalla, counter-clockwise.ADW: The 2015 Tribute to Le Manswas your first endurance race. Whatwas it like?MS: It was like being on vacation in afar away land, and knowing that eventuallyI would have to get back on theplane—I just didn’t want it to be over!This year’s Tribute reminded me that“plans” are really just “mental guidelines.”At just about every point duringthe weekend something happened thatproduced a change in circumstance.And that change in circumstanceproduced a different decision. And thatdecision resulted in a new scenario thatI hadn’t contemplated. And so on, andso on. That’s racing! It was an awesomeexperience in many different ways.I learned about being a team member,endurance driving (and preparation).I also improved my situational awarenessskills under “red” conditions sharingthe track with very fast cars travelingat truly astonishing closing speeds.TOP TO BOTTOM: Lyle Tonelli working it in PDS. Steve Rajcic making his way through the Streets. Jan Weir using some brute downforce coming through a turn.Justin Daily’s paint job hints at his on-track game face.ORIGINALLY FROM CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, AND 51 YEARS YOUNG, MIKE SKINNER IS A RESIDENT OF WEST HILLS, CALIFORNIA.HIS RIDE OF CHOICE IS HIS 2004 PORSCHE 996 GT3, AND FOR THE TRACK, HIS BLUE GT5 BOXSTER RACER NUMBER 698.42 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015 AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 43

ADW: What do you enjoy most aboutdriving with the POC?MS: First and foremost, the constantattention to safety. Next, the camaraderieand family. And then it just gets down togoing fast!ADW: What’s the greatest lesson you’velearned while on the track?MS: Expect the unexpected. “Expect” reallymeans “be prepared to adjust.” That canmean anything from a tire surprise to a carpointed the wrong direction in a high-speedsweeper. Oh, and everything in between.ful passing opportunities—and not drivinga line that indicates a passing attempt,especially if I’m not within striking distance(which puts even more distance to the carin front of me by giving up time driving theslower line).ADW: Do you have any hobbies other thanracing? If so, how might they relateto driving?MS: Snowboarding. Maybe it’s a reach, butI do find myself identifying where the apexis for a particular ‘turn’—and what the likelyoutcome is with a late apex or early apex.And it’s a lot cheaper.TIME ATTACK 11 - 12 — CUP RACES 9 - 4 - 11 -12ONCE UPON A TIME AT A TRACK CALLEDButtonwillow...BY ANDREW WEYMANPHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAIN JAMAR AND CALIPHOTOGRAPHYADW: What are your driving goals?MS: To be able to leave the track every weekendand honestly say that I gave it my best.ADW: What are the driving techniques youare working on?I’ve also practiced Bikram Yoga severaltimes per week for 10 years. If you aren’tfamiliar with Bikram Yoga I can just tell youthat there are no creepy candles or musicinvolved. Among other benefits, BikramYoga improves my breathing and helps toidentify “fight or flight” instincts—and howto persevere in these situations to stay safeand focused.ADW: What tips can you offer to newdrivers?MS: From my own experiences I can offerMike and Wendy Skinner at the track.MS: Situational awareness is the techniqueI work on most. And although situationalawareness is part of many different skills andtechniques, I’m also working hard on qualifyingstrategy and starts. Recently I’ve alsobeen working harder on anticipating successtwoimportant tips. First, find a way to turnoff the world when you get in a racecar.Nothing going on in our lives has any placeinside a racecar. Second, ask questions—lotsof them. Ask the same question of at leastthree different drivers. If you have an ideathat you think might be a good one—run itby someone. If you have what you think is areally good idea, run it by 10 people. lThe Boxster transmission now lovingly called, “Tranny.”I love Buttonwillow Raceway Park and had beenlooking forward to this event for a long time. Thetrack is fast, technical and challenging. But I hadno idea about the unusual challenges I would faceduring the weekend of The Luau on Lerdo Highway.POC President Andrew Weyman beat the odds to finish at Buttonwillow. — CaliPhotography44 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 45

I headed out to the track frommy home in Malibu early Fridaymorning with a planned stop atmy garage in Northridge to pickup my car and trailer. Traffic wascooperating and I arrived at thetrack late morning, ready forpractice in the afternoon. Afterall, I hadn’t driven Buttonwillowin the clock-wise direction fora long time. Practice, practice,practice!Well, my plans were thwartedwhen, one lap into my secondpractice session, I shifted intofourth gear and the shiftervibrated like an adult novelty onsteroids. The transmission I hadbeen relying on for countlesshours of track time had finallygiven up. Now what?I had been transporting a re-builttransmission in my trailer formore than a year. A few weeksago, in an effort to tidy up themess of parts and tools thathad grown to resemble an obstaclecourse inside my trailer,I off-loaded the transmission intomy garage. The trailer was lesscrowded, but the very thingI now needed was a two-hourdrive away (each direction).Determined to race, I roamed thepaddock to find someone who hadthe tools and time to change outthe transmission for me. I knowjust enough about fixing cars to bedangerous. I also know when toask for help and I wasn’t about todrive four hours to get the sparegearbox if I couldn’t find someoneto install it.Dwain Dement was nearby andI explained my predicament. Hewanted to help me out but hedidn’t have the manpower andtools to do it. He recommendedthat I check with Vali Predescu.I did and without hesitation,Vali said, “Absolutely! Go get there-built transmission. We’ll starton it right away and finish thejob tomorrow morning.” Off toNorthridge!LEFT PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Gunter Enz running his new 997 in GT2. MichaelMonsalve, on his way to a class win. Duane Selby, sporting new livery, and fast as usual.RIGHT PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Alex Bermudez winning the weekend’s three BSRclass races. Kevin Wilson’s car proving its potential. John Gordon catching some air inthe esses. — Photography by Alain Jamar and CaliPhotography46 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 47

With a smile on his face, Vali said, “Go get it.You’ll race tomorrow.” I’ve done crazier things…An hour and forty-four minutes later(I drove a bit fast), I was remindedthat transmissions are heavy. Gettingthe spare into my truck by myselfmeant intense determination, usingmy legs along with my abs, and a fewcolorful words. Back to Buttonwillow!An hour and fifty-three minuteslater I arrived at the track to see mycar sitting up on jack stands, thebroken gearbox sitting on the groundnearby and very little activity in thepaddock. Luckily, Joel Silversteinand Ron Rosenblum hadn’t left fortheir hotel and they offered to help.We off-loaded the rebuilt transmission(also known as the answer tomy prayers) and I dragged my dirty,sweaty, exhausted self to Bakersfieldto check in at the Holiday Inn.I arrived at the track on Saturdaymorning to see Steve Parker undermy car and my replacement transmissionalmost installed. It was readyfor the second Orange group sessionand I was back on the track! I neededthe practice and it was a fantasticopportunity to work on braking less,getting on the throttle sooner andfinding the fastest line throughCotton Corners. I love this track!Next up was qualifying and it wasgoing great. That is, until my newlyinstalled transmission gnashed itsgears while I was on my third lapexiting Riverside and setting up forPhil Hill. I made it back to thepaddock without 4th gear and toldVali the news. My weekend was over.No racing for me. I felt like a sadcharacter in a children’s fairy tale.But wait! I had another transmissionin my garage. This one was out of awreck and I had no way of knowingif it was good. For that matter, therebuilt one didn’t perform very well.I was torn. Was it worth another tripto Northridge? With a smile on hisface, Vali said, “Go get it. You’ll racetomorrow.” I’ve done crazier things…I got back in my truck, headedto Northridge and an hour andforty-eight minutes later, I washoisting and cursing once again. Igot the transmission into the truckand headed back to the track. “Thisis insane,” I told myself. “I’ve filledup my truck with more diesel fuel intwo days than I have in a month.”It was late when I arrived at thetrack. My car was once again sittingon jack stands with the bustedgearbox on the ground. I somehowgot the third transmission of theweekend out of my truck and headedto the main building to discover thatthe Luau was over. A few diehardswere still sitting around bench racingand talking about how much theyenjoyed the Luau food. Most mem-bers had made it back to their RVsand hotel rooms for the night.Once again, I got to the Holiday Inn,dirty, sweaty and exhausted. I’m notsure what happened after that butI made it to the track Sunday morningand found Steve Parker undermy car, finishing up the installation.By the way, Steve is the last guy thatshould wear white a shirt at thetrack. I noticed that the gear oilI supplied was unopened. Vali toldme there was oil in the transmissionalready. I had no idea what gradegear oil was in there or when it waslast changed. My car was readywith just enough time prior tomy qualifying session to testRed run group ready to hit the track for Saturday’s practice run. — Photography by Alain Jamar48 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015 AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 49

shifting through all the gears.I drove through the paddock andit seemed to shift okay. I gridded upwondering if my third and finalgearbox, would get me throughthe races. I qualified in three lapswithout transmission failure andgot off the track. No need to drivethe car any more than necessary.I sat on the grid prior to the firstOrange race and thought that thetrue test was yet to come. Wouldmy gears cooperate and make itpossible to finish at least one race?The green flag waved and the racewas quickly marred by contactand lots of off-track excursions.I moved up several positionsand kept away from the craziness.I drove as hard as I could whiletalking to my transmission andencouraging it to make it to thecheckered flag. If you didn’t know,it turns out that talking to yourtransmission is an importantpart of racing. I finished fourth.That’s right, three transmissionsand I took home fourth place inthe BSR class. I actually finisheda race! The weekend was turningout to have a fairy tale ending.Sunday’s second Orange racewas yet another challenge formy gearbox. During the raceI continued my dialogue withthe transmission I now lovinglycalled, “Tranny.” Would my sweettalking, good luck and perseverancedo the trick? The answerwas a resounding YES! Not oneproblem shift and I ended upon the podium with a thirdplace finish.With determination, encouragement,and help from my fellowclub members, I got to race twoout of three races instead ofthrowing in the towel. It was afairy tale ending to a great POCweekend. And they all livedhappily ever after… lTyson Schmidt Co-owner and Master Technician with 24 years experience ● Servicing all your Porsche needsLearn to race with a professional instructor ● Official Porsche Owners Club tech stationP O R S C H E R O A D & R A C E S P E C I A L I S T STOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: Dave Tung readying himself for competition. Newcomers Steveand John Rajcic are all smiles. Mike Skinner strategizing with Eric Oviatt. Steve Parkerwalking the Buttonwillow Park grounds. — Photography by Alain Jamar508 S. Victory Blvd. Burbank, CA 91502818-848-8848ProMotorsportsLA@aol.com50 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 51

BUCKET LIST NURBURGRING 24 HOURSWELCOME TOTHE GREEN HELLBY KEVIN EHRLICHThe headlines for Porsche were somewhat grimheading into the 2015 edition of the Nürburgring24 Hours. Challenging for overall honors was goingto be a stretch.The 997 GT3 R platform is at the end of its developmentlife. Gestation of the new model has been a bitdelayed. The successor 991 GT3 R car was shown inthe Porsche hospitality building publicly for the firsttime. Following a trend already seen in the US, somecustomers—such as the well-known Haribo Racingteam—moved from Porsche to other platforms (theMercedes AMG SLS in this case).The Audis have proven dominant over the past fewyears, and a new and much meaner looking R8 LMSwas making its race debut at the Nürburgring 24 intenton continuing the trend. The BMW Z4 was making itslast Nürburgring 24 appearance with factory support.Without an overall win to the Z4’s credit, BMW waskeen to claim top honors before moving on to the M6program. As in past years, the Z4 was very fast but thequestion was fragility.The Mercedes AMG SLS was also likely seeing its lastopportunity to claim another Nürburgring 24 hourwin. AMG will continue to support customers whowant to race, but factory emphasis will move to thenew GT race car in 2016.Against this backdrop, only three Porsches took thegrid in the top class: local legends Manthey Racing andFrikadelli Racing (“The fastest meatball in the world”)along with regular entrant Falken Racing. Of course,they weren’t racing alone. Even though a little lighterthan past years, the entry covered 21 classes and about150 cars at the green flag. There was a scattering ofprivateer 911 and Cayman models through the field,but the top of the grid was filled by Audi, BMW andMercedes—with the SCG003 from American JimGlickenhaus thrown in the mix to make its race debut.A start at the Nürburgring 24 hours is somethingto behold. The starting grid is open to spectatorsPHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHORbefore the race, which results in thousands of peopleswarming the cars, drivers and crews. No special passor credential required. The starting grid itself is so largethat three pace cars are used to divide up the field andrelease each group separately.The story of the race has been reported in detailelsewhere, but it was another Nürburgring classic. TheBelgian WRT new Audi R8 LMS took top honors witha 40 second gap over the Marc VDS BWM Z4. Althoughthey won with a German car, the victory marksthe first overall win for a non-German team in manyyears. Team Falken claimed a very happy third placeoverall a lap off the lead for their best ever result. TheFalken Porsche showed bruises and tape on its nosefairly early in the race from an incident in the rain.The Manthey Racing GT3R finished 17th overall withan 11 gap to the leaders. The Frikadelli Porsche endedits race prematurely near midnight with crash damageinflicted just near the Karussell. Sadly, the car was inthe lead when it encountered trouble. The overnighthours claimed many other casualties, including severaltop running Audis. The BWMs were, as predicted, fastand fragile. Crash damage took out at least one andanother produced quite a fireball on pit lane (quicklyextinguished).As always, rain played a factor by visiting duringThursday’s evening practice and then for the firstthird of the race. Many cars suffered damage dueto rain-related accidents and the changing conditionschallenged drivers and crews on tire selection.At one point, it was pouring on the Dottinger Hoheand completely dry in the pits.A spectacular crash and spectator death in a preliminaryrace several weeks before the event lead organizersto impose speed limits on two parts of the track. Therewas and remains considerable debate about the wisdomof speed limits on a green racing track. No questionthat the speed limits impacted the racing. Some carsreach terminal speed more quickly than others. Somecars lose the chance to use their top speed advantage.Peril lurked at every slow zone,whether for speed limits or crashesor track repairs, and some carssustained damage or had close callsas they or others failed to slow at thesame rate or the same spots.Speed limiting as the ultimatesolution is still an open questionand there are a range of options andopinions. The purist still struggleswith the idea of any speed limit ona green race course. The KremerPorsche team made a simplestatement by putting the universalGerman autobahn unrestrictedspeed sign on its car and on thedoor of its hospitality suite.Tradition at the Nürburgring (forsome of us at least) dictates a morningwalk among the garages, pitsand along the track to survey theretirements, the repairs in progress,and the rolling wounded. The ethosof the event to survive and finishis an essential element of whatmakes the race unique. Marshals,spectators, crews and drivers allwould rather see a car limp home tothe finish than retire, regardless ofthe finishing position. Body panelsare often missing and prodigiousamounts of helicopter tape are usedto keep loose bits together.Tradition also was maintained inthe forest camping areas alongsidethe track. The same people campin the same areas year after year.Unlike places like Le Mans werecamping areas are a hundred yardsfrom trackside, the Germans builddirectly adjacent to the track. Theengineering is impressive. Scaffoldingis pieced together to create tallviewing structures. Wood patiossport satellite television, flowerboxes and artificial grass. Generatorspower everything from refrigeratorsto tv, to monster sound systems.52 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015AUGUST 2015 VELOCITY 53

In addition to the main event, thePorsche Carrera Cup Deutschlandmakes a regular support raceappearance each year. A paddockfull of Porsche 997 Cup cars is awonderful sight and the racing isclose. An an indicator of the lengthof the track (15.2 miles), a racelength covers only four laps.If the older cars are more yourstyle, the Classic race on Fridayhas an enormous range of vintagecars. Many of the cars ran in theNürburgring 24 hours in their day.The field ranges from Mercedesand BMW sedans to Alfa Romeos,Fiats and Volkswagens. As youmight expect, Porsches are verywell represented with everythingfrom a simple early 1970s 911 to asmall and nimble 904, to 911 and935 models with monster flares andwings. The Classic race is arguablya highlight of the race weekendfor many spectators. It also giveswindow shopping spectators achance to wonder what type ofvintage vehicle they wish theyhad (or regret selling previously).Any retrospective on the Nürburgring24 hour race will inevitablyfocus on the contenders for theoverall race victory, but there are somany other cars, classes and sliversof stories up and down the pit lane.There are crowd favorites that won’tthreaten for the overall win and yetcontribute to the texture of the race.The most compelling aspect ofthe Nürburgring 24 hours is thatthere is a vast quantity of smallervignettes as each team and eachdriver have their own event. Thespectator is invited to focus on thesmaller battles down the order andin class. The stories of perseverancein overcoming damage or poorreliability of particular teams createreasons to pull for a particular car.The rules of the event also permitrecovery of damaged cars andencourage drivers and teams to fixand re-enter the fight which onlyadds to the “never say die” allure.This year’s race certainly lived upto the reputation as a classic raceon the endurance racing calendar.It will be remembered for the introductionof the new Audi and thelikely farewell for the factory AMGSLS, BMW Z4 and Porsche GT3R.Rumor suggested that Audi alreadyhad 50 orders for its new R8 LMSin the queue. With the introductionof the new AMG GT, BMW M6and Porsche 991 GT3 R, a lot ofpeople have May 28-29 circled ontheir 2016 calendar. lCLOCKWISE TOP LEFT TO RIGHT: Black Forest spectators can sit very close to where the action is. Porsche was very well represented, with everything from a simple early911 to a small and nimble 904, to a GT3 Cup, RS, RSR and older 935 models with monster flares and wings. Fans are allowed to walk the pre-grid before the start of the race.54 VELOCITY AUGUST 2015

www.caliphotography.comRACE TRACKSAuto Club SpeedwayButtonwillow Raceway ParkChuckwalla Valley RacewayMazda Raceway Laguna SecaSonoma RacewayWillow Springs Motorsports ParkYou bring it, we’ll shoot it.AJD AD CONCEPT — 2015