2013 – SHENANDOAH REGION

Shenandoah/Euroclassics Columbus Day DE at VIR by Rick Ebinger

With a fall event, you never know what you are going to end up with for weather. This year was no exception at the 12th annual Columbus Day Driver’s Education event at VIR. Euroclassics Porsche of Richmond and the Shenandoah Region combined up to put on this annual event for a one-day experience on a world-class race track. With a few days of cold rain leading up to the day on the track, we all waited to see if we could pull off a perfect day or yet another challenging and rainy one. Still, any day on the track, wet or dry, is a great one. This year dry and nice was the ticket.

We ran once again three groups, Touring (yellow), Solo Intermediate (red), and Advanced (white). Touring has a pace car at highway speeds, no passing, and helmet optional; Solo Intermediate is passing on three straights with a signal; and Advanced is passing with a signal, no corners please. Everyone can move up and down depending on their skill and experience, and some even take advantage of multiple classes throughout the day. I had a first-time student who started with me in yellow, ran with some other instructors in yellow, rode with other instructors in red, drove with another instructor in red, and eventually followed me in red solo behind my car for a session. He did great and had a great time. Following an instructor in a class where passing is involved is a trick we do to give the sensation of solo driving, but with the tricky decisions taken away. As the lead, I can determine the speed which should be set; I can slow up on the straights or turns, or accelerate as the student shows control and competency. In this case with the rookie in tow, we started off by warming up for the first half lap, and moving up in speed. With the individual having 580 HP, he had little trouble keeping up with me on the straights with my 914; however, the turns opened up some room between us, and I slowed down each straight to let him catch up. A group of faster cars approached us and I picked the straight to let them by both of us with control and room, the student followed perfectly. We continued on, and after a few laps I started seeing more space between us and he started missing apexes. He was done, and in only four laps. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you are at the edge, over 130 MPH through 17 turns per lap, you get eaten up fast if you are not used to it. We came into the pits and discussed the low and high points, and his feedback was great. He was hooked, and respected what he had accomplished for the day. This was early afternoon and I watched for him when the red class came up again. He was nowhere to be seen, but I knew he had a ton of track time and followed my advice to take account of yourself and the car, and make sure they are both ready to go each time. I thought he was tired and was glad he learned a valuable lesion to give one back to the track. Roger Barret, who first got Erik Boody and me onto the track back in 2000, had a simple superstitious rule that if you had a good day or weekend on the track you always give back the last run session to the track and call it a day early out of respect. Roger sold it as he wanted to start the after-event party in the paddock a little sooner than everyone else, but he was always a little deeper than that. It makes sense since the last runs of the day are when you are the most tired, the equipment is pushed the most, and people are trying to get the most of the weekend and want to do one more “fast” lap. I always think of him when the end of the day nears and take that “give one back” approach. Thanks Roger for the wisdom. It will never be forgotten.

Many of our club members were out and about turning fast laps, and enjoying a nice cool fall day. As usual, VIR was perfect, but I have to complain about the missing Oak Tree. I was very sad to hear it toppled this summer in a storm, but more sad that it wasn’t being replaced. I understand all the reasons, and it does greatly increase the vision of that part of the track. That is all true, but it just isn’t the same. The angle is the same, the pavement is the same, the turn is the same, but it’s different. Maybe it messes with my depth perception, or I without knowing had a turn-in point I used in my mind that is gone and changes the feel of the turn. I am sad about the decision to not replant the Icon back in the same place, and sadder that part of the track’s personality is missing and not planned to return. The experience of VIR is and always will be special, and I think that is diminished just a tad by the changes that nature made and man decided not to repair. It is only my opinion, but I miss that area of the track, as I am sure many others are who have lots of laps under the old Oak Tree.

The event was a hit as usual, with no issues whatsoever. I think I was the only one who put four off track, and that was a missed shift because of a transmission linkage adjustment that I just couldn’t get right. It is funny that in the autocross world the car was fine, but problems like these occur at higher speeds and different gears you just did not notice before. Nothing like telling everyone to be careful and then shifting hard from second to third under power coming out of the pits and hitting first instead. Luckily the tires locked and the car made a right run into open field, and didn’t over-rev the motor. For those of you who can’t picture what that would be like, it is like pulling the e-brake at 65 MPH with full rear tire lock immediately. As in all things when you try to remain positive on stupid stuff, I say it could have been much worse. I lived with fourth and fifth the rest of the day just to avoid changing gear stacks and had a ball.

We got to meet some new people, see some old friends we see only a few times a year, and enjoy one of the most beautiful and challenging courses in this country. The best part is, it is in our own backyard. I have been to only a few different tracks around, but VIR is something you must experience at least once, even if it is just spectating. Thanks go out to Mark Cooke and the Euroclassics staff, and to Alex Smith and our club who work hard to put on this event and to make sure each and every one in attendance has the best time they can. I look forward to it every year. I can’t believe 12 have come and gone.

Sergio Asensio

Tim Ashbridge

Holcombe Baird

Erik Boody

Mel Brannan

William Boyd

Jeremy Brittain

Bob Brown

Susan Bryant

Jim Condon being passed by Gary Wimble

David Cottrell

Frank DePew

Glenn Dubiel

Matt Einstein

Matthew Ernst

Steve Escobar

David Few

Susan Few

Rory Ingram

John Kessler

Carl Kite

Stuart Kramer

Rob Langley

James Lewis

Vernon McClure

Mark O'Callaghan

Lawrence Page

Emmett Richardson

Carter Rise

Chris Sadler

Steve Sarfaty

Rick Shelton

Johnny Slagle

Alex Smith

William Stallings

Steven Walters

Sherry Westfall

Joe Wiggins

Gary Wimble

Jack Woodfin

Anita Sangi

Danny Marshall

Flow Porsche of Charlottesville’s Panamera Launch by Greg Glassner

OK, I admit I wasn’t going to drive 200 miles roundtrip to Crozet to attend the September 12 launch of the new 2014 Porsche Panamera. But when President Sherry scheduled our monthly PCA Shenandoah Region board meeting at the same venue, it made sense.

Don’t get me wrong, the Panamera is an impressive ride, and the 2014 range boasts improvements across the board, but it is somewhat north of my budget — Arctic Circle north, in fact.

So Wells Fargo doesn’t have to worry about me applying for a $100,000 car loan, even if Flow Porsche would take my 30-year-old 944 in trade.

But that doesn’t stop me from being impressed with what Porsche has done with the Panamera, and a little envious of those who can afford one.

I remember seeing the Panamera shortly after it came to these shores at the Hilton Head Concours, which I attended with fellow PCAers Bates McLain, Dan Graff, and Keith Welty. I was underwhelmed with its looks, thinking it looked a bit like a plastic model of a BMW or Lexus that had been placed in the kitchen oven and allowed to melt.

Dan and Bates were sufficiently curious, however, to pony up 25 bucks apiece to be driven around the Savannah racetrack in one piloted by a professional driver. They emerged from the comfortable interior all smiles, exclaiming “it goes like a Porsche.”

Sales of that early Panamera did not exactly soar, although the crummy economy may have been a factor.

Unfazed, the folks at Porsche continued to refine and massage the Panamera and have turned it into a remarkable package that, while still no ravishing beauty is now quite handsome, especially in the understated “Yachting Blue” metallic of the one unveiled at Crozet’s King Family Vineyards.

The tan leather interior of the new Panamera is flat-out beautiful and boasts far more rear seat legroom than I imagined possible. If anyone buys one, I’d be honored to be driven around on a sinuous mountain road some day.

Flow Porsche General Manager Chris Wilson and his crew, including Ned Gallaway, Jason Robson, John Slaughter, and Everett Backe, collaborated with the folks at the Vineyard to throw an excellent party with wonderful wines and very tasty food, which included shrimp, sliders, and scrumptious miniature crab cakes.

They may have wined and dined me a tad too much since I neglected to write down any details about the new Panamera.

For the record, it is available with a wide variety of options and engine combinations, ranging from a 310 h.p. 3.6 liter V6 starting at $79,000 to a very robust 520 h.p., 4.8 liter V8 with twin turbos with an equally robust list price of $162,075.

That is a bit mind-boggling to an old codger like me who shelled out $4,200 to buy a new 914 in 1972. But the Panamera is not your grandfather’s Porsche, as they say.

Porsches new and old at King Family Vineyards for the Flow Porsche launch of the new Panamera

Porsches new and old at King Family Vineyards for the Flow Porsche launch of the new Panamera

Munchies and drinks indoors

The wine table outdoors

The star of the show under cover

and being revealed

Looking at the new Panamera outside

and in

Signing up for door prizes

Shenandoah Region PCA 18th Anniversary Party at Pharsalia:

The Shenandoah Region celebrated its 18th birthday on August 18 with a tour to Pharsalia, an 1814 plantation located on the side of de Priest Mountain and overlooking the Tye River. A surprisingly large group of intrepid drivers braved heavy rain to meet in the morning at the Mountainside Grille near Crozet, most in their Porsches and a few in “other” cars. Sherry Westfall, with nephew Andrew Stevens as navigator and niece Emily Stevens as back-seat driver, led the driving tour to Pharsalia in her burgundy 996. Steve and Penney Heim did “sweeper” duty in their all-weather Cayenne.

The first stop was at Chiles Peach Orchard. Then we drove along some curvy and very narrow country roads in the Greenwood area, including a hairpin marked “5 MPH” that really was a 5 MPH turn, even for a Porsche. After a short stint on Route 250 we turned south at Afton, VA and headed to hill country in Nelson County, where Pharsalia is located.

Pharsalia was originally built in 1814 by Thomas Massie and now belongs to the fifth generation of the Massie family. Current owner Foxie Morgan set aside the riding ring for our Porsche parking lot. Fortunately, by the time we arrived, the rain had stopped. We walked to the main plantation house, where we were served an outstanding lunch featuring tomatoes and corn on the cob grown at Pharsalia, baked beans and bacon, fried chicken, cole slaw, quiche, and blueberry cobbler with ice cream for dessert. All that in addition to our 18th anniversary birthday cake.

After lunch, Foxie gave us a tour explaining the plantation buildings, including the smoke house, domestic slave quarters, kitchen, ice pit, and the main plantation house. Even on a cloudy day, the views of the mountains, orchards, and vineyards surrounding Pharsalia are spectacular. Pharsalia is not generally open to the public, but it can be reserved for weddings and other special events, as described on their web page.

After leaving the Mountainside Grille we drove to Chiles Peach Orchard

The morning started out very wet,

but the rain stopped by the time we arrived at Pharsalia

The Heim's Cayenne looks like a magazine ad

It's not just the cars, it's the food, much of it grown at Pharsalia.

It's not just the cars, it's the food, much of it grown at Pharsalia.

It's not just the cars, it's the food, much of it grown at Pharsalia.

Sherry led a short membership meeting

Our 18th anniversary cake, with a picture of Dick Pitman's 356B on top

cutting the cake

The line for cake, ice cream and blueberry cobbler

The line for cake, ice cream and blueberry cobbler

Carol and Ginger Snap DePew

Foxie Morgan leading the Pharsalia tour

Pharsalia has many gardens

Katie Sullivan waiting for the tour to start

and quarters for the house slaves

The back of the main house

A window in the old brick kitchen

The ice pit, about 20 feet deep

Behind the small building is a large veggie garden

Where Foxie Morgan lives

Orchards everywhere

The front of the main house

Inside the entrance hallway

Foxie's grandmother

Sherry and Jim were the last to leave

Sherry Westfall, PCA Enthusiast of the Year: by Alex Smith

I am at the 2013 Porsche Parade in Traverse City Michigan, and it is one of the best I have ever attended. The turnout was one of the largest ever and the weather was perfect for one of the largest concours in recent memory.

But best of all on the night of the concours banquet our very own president Sherry Westfall won the PCA national Enthusiast of the Year award! She was presented with a punch bowl big enough to sit in, and a glass trophy.

The award is well deserved because Sherry is our tireless president who attends to every detail in the club and then some. She is a devoted PCA enthusiast and I am so glad she was recognized nationally with this most prestigious award. Three cheers for Sherry, a well-deserved honor. We are so very proud of you.

Alex Smith
Past President
Shenandoah Region

Shenandoah Region PCA 18th Anniversary Party at Pharsalia:

After leaving the Mountainside Grille we drove to Chiles Peach Orchard

The morning started out very wet,

but the rain stopped by the time we arrived at Pharsalia

The Heim's Cayenne looks like a magazine ad

It's not just the cars, it's the food, much of it grown at Pharsalia.

Sherry led a short membership meeting

Our 18th anniversary cake, with a picture of Dick Pitman's 356B on top

cutting the cake

The line for cake, ice cream and blueberry cobbler

Carol and Ginger Snap DePew

Foxie Morgan leading the Pharsalia tour

Pharsalia has many gardens

Katie Sullivan waiting for the tour to start

and quarters for the house slaves

The back of the main house

A window in the old brick kitchen

The ice pit, about 20 feet deep

Behind the small building is a large veggie garden

Where Foxie Morgan lives

Orchards everywhere

The front of the main house

Inside the entrance hallway

Foxie's grandmother

Sherry and Jim were the last to leave

Porsche Parade 2013 in Photos: Porsche Parades are always photogenic,

The concours was held on one of the golf courses at the Grand Traverse Resort. Weldon and Phyllis Scrogham were on the “Supreme Court” of experts that reviews protested concours scores. A highlight of the concours was David Cottrell’s nearly perfect (298.2 out of 300 points) 1992 Carrera Cup car, which benefitted from preparation work by Cole Scrogham. Shenandoah member Deane Parker showed his very yellow Cayman S. There was a separate area in which historic cars were displayed, including such gems as (1) the first 911, which was custom built for Ferry Porsche and is now owned by Jerry Seinfeld, (2) the 934.5 (a 934 upgraded with some 935 parts) that Peter Gregg used to win the 1977 SCCA Trans-Am Championship, (3) a 1984 911 SC/RS Rothmans Rally that won the Qatar Rally in 1984 and 1985, and (4) a 1943 Schwimmwagen amphibious reconnaisance car based on the WV Kubelwagen.

At the concours banquet, Shenandoah Region President Sherry Westfall was named “Enthusiast of the Year” and presented with a large engraved bowl by PCA President Manny Alban. She also received a glass trophy to take home. Porsche A.G. flew over a new 991 GT3, the first in the US, and drove it into the banquet hall for PCA members to admire.

There were three scenic tours in the Traverse City area; the most popular were to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and to the Sleeping Bear sand dunes. There are many spectacular beaches on Lake Michigan and several photogenic old lighthouses. The village “Fishtown” has been preserved to give a sense of what old fishing villages look like.

The final day was Porsche overload as hundreds of Porsches were staged by type and driven through Traverse City.

The Parade concours on the golf course, being watched over by Protest Judge Weldon Scrogham and by Sherry Westfall

Alex and Gail Smith

Alex and Gail Smith

His 298.2 point 1992 cup car earned David Cottrell first place in the performance group

His 298.2 point 1992 cup car earned David Cottrell first place in the performance group

A row of 356s, including one with this beautiful 4-cam engine

A 1600 cc "super"

A fuel-injected 356 outlaw

Rows of early 911s, 914s, and 928s

Rows of early 911s, 914s, and 928s

Jim Condon's sister Peggy tries on a 2014 Cayman

Peter Gregg's killer 934.5

A 1984 911SC African rally car

A World War II "schwimmwagen"

Porsches lined up on the Mackinac Ferry dock

The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island

A Grand Hotel carriage: no cars allowed

Sherry Westfall and Jim Condon leaving Mackinac Island

Sherry's with her "Enthusiast" trophy

Porsche flew over the first 991 GT3 for the Parade

The "Sleeping Bear" dunes tour

The Point Betsie lighthouse and the Mission Point lighthouse on Lake Michigan

The Point Betsie lighthouse and the Mission Point lighthouse on Lake Michigan

Fishtown in Leland, MI

Caymans staging for the Parade of Porsches

Sherry Westfall, PCA Enthusiast of the Year:

Alex Smith
Past President
Shenandoah Region

Pioneer Porsche Dealer Hugh Heishman at RPM by Greg Glassner

Hugh R. Heishman, a pioneer foreign-car dealer who did much to establish the Porsche Brand in Northern Virginia, regaled those in attendance at the recent Richmond Porsche Meet awards banquet with stories of how he got into the business.

An early believer in the adage “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” Heishman started out as a dealer for the Crosley, an ill-fated attempt to convince Americans to drive fuel-efficient, technologically advanced automobiles.

The brainchild of radio tycoon Powell Crosley, the Crosley was first produced immediately before World War II in limited numbers. After hostilities ended, Crosley launched a complete line of tiny sedans, convertibles, and station wagons sporting disc brakes and powered by a 44-cubic-inch overhead cam engine.

What caught Heishman’s eye, however, was the Crosley Hot Shot, a two-seat roadster that vaguely resembled the Austin Healey “Bugeye” Sprite which was produced a decade later. Though short-lived and far less successful than the later Chevy Corvette and Ford Thunderbird, the Hot Shot was America’s first post-war sports car.

Heishman said he became fascinated by Crosleys when a Hot Shot was hastily stripped of its bumpers and windshield and entered in the 1950 SCCA Sam Collier Memorial 6-Hour Race at Sebring Florida. It survived the endurance test and was declared the winner over a field of snarling Ferraris, Jaguars, and Allards.

Many headline writers of the day failed to note that the race was run to an Index of Performance that handicapped the larger-displacement engines and gave a decided mathematical edge to under-1 liter cars.

Although the Sebring “victory” was a bit of a fluke, the Crosley was embraced by sports car enthusiasts, and its engine fit nicely into the SCCA’s under-750 cc production and modified classes. It powered H-Modified chassis for many years, in fact.

Suspecting that such favorable publicity would sell the fuel-sipping Crosleys to car-hungry Americans, young Hugh Heishman applied for a dealership franchise for his family’s car-repair business in the D.C. suburbs and Joe Heishman Motors was born.

Although the business bore his father’s name for many years it was pretty much Hugh Heishman’s baby, and he was off and running.

Though the Crosley boasted cutting-edge technology, the build quality was something less than world class, Heishman noted. Crosley buyers had to plant their right feet to the floor to keep up with highway speeds, and this combination yielded lots of work for the service department.

“We made a lot more money fixing Crosleys than we ever did selling them,” Heishman said, chuckling…

After Crosley went bottoms-up, Heishman Motors began selling and servicing other makes, including the British MG and Morris Minor and a cute German equivalent of the Crosley, the VW Beetle.

This brought Hugh Heishman into contact with Max Hoffman, an Austrian immigrant who almost single-handedly introduced, or reintroduced, the Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Alfa-Romeo, and BMW brands to the Eastern United States.

A visionary as well as a sharp businessman, Hoffman had an uncanny knack for knowing which makes and models would interest Americans searching for something a little different than what Detroit was offering. He is credited with inspiring the Mercedes 300SL, Alfa Guilietta, BMW 507, and Porsche Speedster.

For many years, East Coast dealers wanting to sell these desirable models had to deal with Hoffman’s New York City distributorship as a middleman.

Eventually, all of the manufacturers under the Hoffman umbrella decided to set up their own distribution networks, and that is how Heishman, already a VW dealer, became a Porsche dealer. Several visitors from Germany approached him and the deal was done pretty much on a handshake.

When the new 911 model was introduced, Heishman said, it was not without a few bugs. Calling on his experience with the less-than-perfect Crosley 15 years before, Heishman was well-positioned to make his customers’ cars right.

Still believing that racing improves the breed and showcases high-performance cars, Heishman campaigned a number of Porsches and even a VW and an Audi, at Marlboro, MD, Summit Point, WV, Virginia International Raceway (VIR), and at Watkins Glen, Daytona, and Sebring.

Heishman Motors prepared and ran a rare Porsche 911R with considerable success during 1968–70. When Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood teamed up to win the IMSA race at VIR in 1971 in Porsche’s new 914, Hugh Heishman drove an Audi that finished 8th overall and second in the Sedan Class to George Alderman’s Datsun 510. Heishman also ran a 914 in SCCA events at Summit Point and other tracks.

An unusual chapter in Heishman’s biography came to the attention of PCA Panorama readers recently (Porsche Panorama, February 2013).

Having campaigned a VW-powered Zink prototype at Daytona in 1969, finishing 18th, he came back to the 24-hour event in 1970 with a highly unusual entry, a lowered Deserter GS dune buggy powered by a highly modified 1600 cc Volkswagen engine.

All went well until Jo Siffert, driving a powerful Porsche 917, collided with the dune buggy in practice and a protest was lodged against the unorthodox entry. Although the race stewards ruled the incident nobody’s fault, Heishman, then 37 years old, withdrew the entry voluntarily.

Because Porsche was in a titanic prototype battle with Ferrari that year and Heishman, after all, had a Porsche dealership, discretion was better than valor in this case, Heishman told the PCAers.

Perhaps it is just as well.

Heishman BMW-Porsche-Audi remains a going concern in the DC-Metro marketplace, and Hugh Heishman was kind enough to come to Richmond to share his early days in the business with the PCA members at RPM.

Greg Glassner is Vice President of PCA’s Shenandoah Region.

First Settlers Region DE at VIR

The First Settlers Region ran a sold-out DE at VIR on Friday—Sunday, May 17—19. Fourteen drivers from the Shendandoah Region took part in the main event (Mel Brannan, Hamish Brookeman, Rachael Clark, Jim Condon, David Derr, Matt Einstein, David Israel, Erin Israel, John Kessler, Joshua McClure, Vernon McClure, Emmett Richardson, and Sherry Westfall) and three drove in the the DE Intro (Cameron Caswell, Iain Fraser, and Jeff Sivers). The sunny photos were taken on Friday, and the cloudy DE Intro photos on Saturday.

White group drivers David Derr and Sherry Westfall

White group drivers David Derr and Sherry Westfall

Mel Brannan shared his car with Rachael Clark

John Kessler

David and Erin Israel

David and Erin Israel

Emmett Richardson

Jim Condon

Vernon and Joshua McClure shared this 991

Vernon and Joshua McClure shared this 991

DE Intro drivers Jeff Sivers, Iain Fraser, and Cameron Caswell head out onto the track

DE Intro drivers Jeff Sivers, Iain Fraser, and Cameron Caswell head out onto the track

DE Intro drivers Jeff Sivers, Iain Fraser, and Cameron Caswell head out onto the track

Sherry reassures the two Lindas that Jeff and Iain will come back alive

Cameron at Turn 3

Ian in NASCAR bend

Jeff hounding a GT3 through Turn 4

Cayman Launch at King Family Vineyards, May 9, 2013

Flow Porsche of Charlottesville showed two new 981 Caymans against a picturesque background of mountains around the King Family Vineyards near Crozet on the evening of May 9. The Flow people (including General Manager Chris Wilson, Jason Robson, John Slaughter, and Everett Backe) also arranged for excellent hors d’oeuvres (the shrimp and the crabcakes were top notch), wines, and soft drinks.

Both are S models with the 3.4L engine; the gray one has a PDK automatic transmission and the white one has a 6-speed manual transmission. The new Cayman has an unbroken convex fastback, just like the 911, and unlike the slightly notched 987 Cayman. Otherwise the old Cayman is extremely smooth and flowing, while the new one has subtle creases in the fenders and door indentations leading to more conspicuous engine air intakes. The passenger compartment is noticeably wider and also longer, with the base of the windshield now well forward of the door hinge. Seen from the side, the new Cayman appears more balanced and, I dare say, more like a Ferrari. The front and rear fenders rise higher over the wheels, making the big (20 inch) wheels seem even bigger. As with the 981 Boxster, the 981 Cayman has a significantly higher and wider rear than its 987 counterpart. For comparison, see the photo of Brian Fox’s silver 2007 Cayman S, which is for sale now that he bought a 981 Boxster S. Seen side by side, the 981 appears more muscular, the 987 more graceful. The 981 interior follows the Panamera style, with a long central console covered by switches.

Shenandoah PCA members (Sherry counted at least 23) and cars were out in force, along with Gary and Donna Templeton of the Blue Ridge Region (there is no longer a Porsche dealer in Roanoke). Bill Krause brought his blue 1960 356, new member Alex Sullivan his red 1966 911, Jeff Sivers his white 1981 930, John Nunley his 1991 930, Tom Otis his white 1995 993, and there were even two white 991’s in the parking area.

The stars of the show: two 981 Cayman S's

This one has a PDK transmission

Porsches of all sizes and shapes

were at the King Family Vineyards

The 981 now has a 911-like fastback

The fenders have barely noticeable creases

The Ferrari-like side view

Brian Fox's immaculate 2007 Cayman S is for sale

Bill Krause's 1960 356

Alex Sullivan's 1966 911

Jeff Sivers' 1981 Euro 930

John Nunley's 1991 930

and a white 991

Linda Sivers, Goodie Store Chairman

Three Boxsters with fun tags

Three Boxsters with fun tags

Three Boxsters with fun tags

Zone 2 DE at VIR: The first PCA-sponsored DE of the season at VIR is the Zone 2 DE; it ran from Friday, March 15 through Sunday, March 17 this year. It is popular among track junkies needing a speed fix after the winter layoff, but the weather can be “variable.” This year we were lucky, with only one brief shower on Sunday afternoon. Friday morning started out cold (mid-20’s), which is bad for traction but good for engine power. Fortunately, almost everybody stayed on the track and went faster than usual. This DE is also famous for its excellent “heavy” nacho bar on Friday evening and banquet on Saturday evening, courtesy of Boxster driver and “cheftster” Andrew Moore.

The number of Shenandaoh Region drivers continues to grow. New drivers this time included Vernon and Joshua McClure sharing a shiny new 991, which they kept shiny, and Clint Shuler in his “new” 2006 Cayman S. The other Shenandoah drivers were track veteran Mel Brannan, Hamish Brookeman (who installed GT3 seats in his Cayman S), Bob Brown, Rachel Clark with a “new” 944, Don Coleman, Jim Condon, Matt Einstein, John Kessler, Scott Leopold, Emmett Richardson, and Sherry Westfall.

Vintage racecars like Nort Northam's Porsche 911 were driven into town on Thursday for Taste of the Race.

Lunch on Thursday of race week necessitates a stop at Taste of the Race in downtown Sebring.

Audi displayed past winners such as this R15 TDI and R8 TSI at a special Fan Zone.

Drivers Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg drove this Porsche Carrera RSR to victory at Sebring in 1973.

The Porscheplatz at Sebring had big support from Florida dealers and PCA regions.

PCA members drive under one of Sebring's many pedestrian bridges during 3 laps of the track.

Actor Patrick Dempsey's team fielded two Porsche GT3s in the GTC class at Sebring.

Being PCA Shenandoah's Sebring pit reporter has its perks.

The GT field starts the 12 Hours of Sebring behind the prototypes.

A trio of Porsches leads a Viper and Corvette through Turn 4.

It was a successful swan song for the P1 Audis, which finished 1-2 at Sebring.

Sebring fans enjoy a good party, as do the Frying Gizzards.

RICHMOND HISTORICAL TOUR, February 24, 2013 by Dick Pitman

After we had to change dates on short notice because of the threat of wintry weather, a “Plethora of Porsches” met at the Historic Tredegar (Iron Works) for a guided tour of The American Civil War Center and the National Park Service Museum. The collaboration of these two museums has developed this historic site into one that must be visited.

Although I have lived in this area for some 34 years, I had yet to avail myself of the time to visit there.

The exhibits at the American Civil War Center are as good as one would find in a major museum; they are extremely well laid out, and the documentation I found excellent!

The visit to Tredegar was arranged by Shenandoah member Anne Wilkes who is on the board of directors of Tredegar. Anne was unable to join us because of her unfortunate encounter with a deer while driving her 993 Cab. We wish Anne a speedy recovery!

Our guide, Sean Kane, first led a walking tour of the grounds, showing and explaining the history of Tredegar.

In addition to cannon, railroad wheels, and other items that were cast in metal, I did not know that the woolen operation on the property changed over to making Confederate uniforms during the Civil War.

Tredegar was in operation as a foundry from 1837 thru 1957. That is quite a run!

Being located on the James River certainly aided in the operation and shipping of the finished product.

To the rear or north of Tredegar are the remains of the canal where barges would work their way through a system of locks to vary the height needed to go up or down the canal. Some of this system is still evident as is the canal bed and the stone walls of the canal. The pumping facilities, water wheel, and mill race have been preserved in addition to some furnaces. Examples of some cannons, including a Napoleon wheel-mounted cannon, have been placed about Tredegar to show what was produced to support the Southern War effort.

I could go on about Tredegar. If you didn’t make the tour, you must go!

Sherry had a great set of driving directions for the group to take us from Tredegar to Rocketts Landing and M-Bistro & Wine Bar, where Anne had arranged for us to have lunch. The short 2.5-mile drive, adjacent to the James River and the old tobacco warehouses that are being turned into condos, took us close to the Richmond Holocaust Museum. I heard some remarks from fellow participants that they had heard of it, but didn’t know where it is.

After watching Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing Lincoln” on television the other evening, I found out that when President Lincoln visited Richmond after the surrender in April 1865, he landed at Rocketts Landing. More history!

Anne, who is a walking history book, works for her father’s company WVS Companies LLC, which is redeveloping Rocketts Landing. They are in the process of preserving part of Richmond’s past while creating a modern, enjoyable, and functional space for people by building condominiums, restaurants, and other businesses that incorporate remnants of historic buildings.

I am sure that everyone enjoyed the location, food, and selection of M-Bistro for lunch, so much so that some of us had to request doggie bags for the remainder of our lunches. We had our own room set off from the lunch crowd, and the service was excellent. I felt like we were special patrons! Well done!

At the conclusion of lunch we “ambled” out to the parking lot where you could then hear the beautiful sound of Porsches starting up and see them getting in line for the 23.6-mile drive down Old Osborne Turnpike to Shirley Plantation. It was warming up so those who had Cabs and Boxsters dropped their tops for the trip. Nice!

Old Osborne Turnpike parallels the James River on the East side as we traveled South. We passed some nice countryside homes, a couple of marinas, and in one area the road is divided and the trees over hang the road. Very Picturesque! I tried to do some photos, without crashing, of the group under the trees, but they came out a little fuzzy!

Arriving at Shirley Plantation we had a Porsche Corral to park in. Our guide, Alice, met us at the parking lot and escorted us to the home. Shirley is on a leg of the James River East of Hopewell and began being built in 1723. We could only see the first floor since the family has living quarters on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Many old family pictures, paintings, and history were in evidence.

During the Civil war and after the battle at Malvern Hill, which is located North of Shirley, many wounded Union soldiers who just could not make it to Westover Plantation where they were supposed to recuperate, camped on the grounds around the main house at Shirley. The Hill Carter family, residents of Shirley, cared for wounded as if they were their own. When Union General McClelland heard of this noble act, he wrote out a protective order to other Union forces not to hurt the family or take the home.

Just to the right and North of the home is a large Willow Oak. A couple of us walked out to it. Shades of “Gone With The Wind”! Not being good with ages, I guessed it must be at least 150 years old! To my surprise the sign said it was 350 years old!

Shirley Plantation is still a working farm of some 800 acres. In the past was much larger and the home originally had a lead roof! As economic conditions changed, the family had to sell off acreage, the lead roof, furniture, and other items. It was mentioned that about 80% of the furniture is original, as are the windows. As family weddings were held at Shirley, it became commonplace for the brides to test their diamonds by scratching their initials onto the window glass to see if the stone was actually a diamond! One could see these etchings on the windows.

It was a beautiful day for a drive, to see historic places and to be with our Shenandoah and First Settlers Region friends. It goes with out saying that I always enjoy the times that I have to share with you Porsche folks!! Let’s do it again!!

By Dick Pitman (1961 356B, 1984 911)