Slipstream - February 2017

PCA Tours – A 2017 Overview
By Tom Martin, Region PCA Tour Co-Chair
he Maverick PCA Tours program enjoys a
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long, varied, and colorful history throughout
the 50+ years of the Club. The purpose
of the Tours program is to provide members
with a suitable environment to explore the limits of
their Porsche in a non-controlled environment, within
the limits of the law.
Tours were held sporadically during the early years
of the Club, but in 1971, past President Charlie Davis
created and conducted the first of many Tours to
Eureka Springs in Arkansas. Unfortunately, they were
characterized by major accidents. A couple of drivers
and cars were simply not capable. In 1980, the Tour was
made a non-official event and only drivers who could
safely drive 1100 “spirited” miles in 2.5 days were invited!
It continued as an invitation-only event until about
1985, when tourists became a major issue. By that time,
Eureka Springs had turned into a mini-Branson and
lost much of its charm, and Highway 1 in southeast
Oklahoma became polluted with RVs.
The Club continued to conduct several Tours to
the Hill Country and East Texas. Most were multi-day
events. In the ensuing years, thanks to a long line of
Tourmeisters, the PCA Tours program has evolved
into what it is today. Tours run between 60-100 miles
in length, and are completed in a few hours on a weekend.
End destinations usually incorporate a suitable
dining venue, and wine is almost always involved. Go
figure. Major accidents are a thing of the past, possibly
because of increased driver skill, but more likely due to
the advanced electronic driver aids that Porsche incorporates
into their vehicles.
For the 2017 season, we have assembled five Tours
that we hope will afford Mavericks the chance to stretch
their Porsche’s “legs” and showcase some interesting
roads and destinations. They include locales such as the
Mitas Hill Vineyard in McKinney, the Ennis Bluebonnet
Tour, Fortunata Winery in Aubrey, Lantana Lodge
in Pilot Point, and even MotorSport Ranch, where we
will be doing parade laps on their most excellent road
course. The schedule appears on the Maverick website
and also directly below.
Stay tuned to Slipstream for “PCA Tour Previews,”
and the Maverick website to receive all the latest details
and updates on the PCA Tours. Hope to see you all
sometime on a Tour!
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