Slipstream - January 2020

BK: And join the club you did! Tell me
about some of it?
JH: Well, when I first joined in 1973,
Barry Gibbs was our Region President;
Barry, his wife Joan, and I became
good friends. In 1977 I became
Region President (with 172 members
at the time), and the following year
I received the Selcer Award (today
this is the James Shoffit Award).
Then in 1979, I was the Tours Chair.
I contributed to Slipstream with a
monthly column, “Notes from the
Garage Wall,” from 1993-95. Lastly
in 2002, I was the Region Tech Chair.
Back in those days the club was all
about driving events, so I attended as
many as I could. I think I have driven
on about a dozen tracks here in Texas
and some out of state during Parades.
BK: Tell me about some of the Parades
you have attended?
JH: The first was in 1977 out in San
Diego. I have attended 16 Parades,
the last being in 2011.
BK: You not only went but you
participated, and did some winning?
JH: I did, back in 1978. I took 4th in class
in the Aspen Parade Autocross, which
that year was run on a racetrack. At the
DFW Parade in 1987, I got 6th Place in
class in the Tech Quiz, and the next year
at Pike’s Peak, took 5th Place in class,
again in the Tech Quiz. Then in 1997
the 911E took 1st Place in the Concours,
5th Place in the Autocross, and I won
1st Place in the Tech Quiz. In 1998, the
944 Turbo took 1st Place in class in the
Concours, along with a 1st Place in the
Men’s Turbocharged Modified class in
the Michelin Slalom Challenge.
BK: And I hear you have taken a few
factory trips?
JH: That I have. My first was in 1976; it
was part of the Treffen program and was
also the launch of the 924. Went back
in 1993 when they were doing testing
on the Tiptronic, in the 993. I got to
ride a few laps with a factory engineer/
driver. Then in 2011 went back to see
the Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen.
Every month as I write these
interviews I think the same thing:
what if? What if I had not run into
this guy at Mayo’s; what if I had
not had the chance to invite him to
show his car at Park Place for the
992 launch?
So if and when you meet someone
new, don’t miss out on “Driving
Friendships!”
John Halla and Ferry Porsche at the 22nd
Porsche Parade in San Diego, 1977
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