09 June Scene Cover - Porsche Club of America - Chicago Region

that end I’m going to add some ... for lack of a better term,
‘encouragements’, to Rally 4. I won’t say when or where ... or
for that matter, WHY, but an interim (during the rallye) prize
will be awarded. And how about ‘most improved’ at the end?
They do that for Autocross - why not for Rallyes: The car/
team with the greatest spread of worst to best scores (leg to
leg) will also collect a prize. And perhaps a lowest leg score
prize. The details will be published in the next issue of the
MidShip Report.
Wheels of misfortune – Part 87.
Right before Rallye 1, I drove out to Omaha, Nebraska
for the Berkshire Hathaway Stockholders meeting. It’s a
legendary gathering in the finance world and I enjoy the show
they put on as much as the drive there and back. This year, I
drove the Elise - 475 miles out on a Friday, 475 miles back on
Saturday. It’s a good ‘tune-up’ for the longer drive to Porsche
Parade in July, which is being staged in Keystone CO.
At the Berkshire meeting, the company fills an expo hall
with displays that represent its companies or business lines.
This year there were several cars on the display floor, and I
was somewhat surprised at the reaction. The display I
specifically sought out was a 1935 Duesenberg SJ – a
gorgeous work of art with a supercharged Straight 8 that
could hit 140 MPH (top right). The other car on display was
a Chinese import – the BYD E6 - a hybrid sedan (right).
It was, as I saw it, an unremarkable car, of moderate build
quality, and positively dull styling. The surprise was that I
had no trouble getting up close and getting clear, un-crowded
pictures of the Duesenberg. The crowd was never less than 4
deep around the shapeless, soulless Chinese Hybrid. Strictly
speaking, neither car is ‘available’ in the US. Do I need to ask
what’s wrong with THAT picture?
www.pca-chicago.org 23
June 2009