Enjoy the content of this month's newsletter, enjoy the roads out there in your Porsche and remember miles of smiles!
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Chip Witt
President
November 2020 President's Message
Two days ago I received what must have been, quite honestly, the twenty-second monthly reminder from our der Riesenbaum Editor telling me that the President’s Message for the month’s issue was imminently due (I never quite managed to get ahead of the deadline). As I read the email from Andy that he’d be putting the newsletter together over the weekend, it suddenly dawned on me that this may be my last such reminder or writing effort...at least for some time. We have traditionally not had a December issue of the dR, and as this year closes, so too will my time as Redwood Region President. It seems as if the last two years have flown by, making the time feel so short yet, in retrospect, amazingly rewarding thanks to all of you.
I got involved with the Redwood Region Board because I wanted to give back. I shared my desire with the Region President at the time, Vern Rogers, and he quickly got me information about the next scheduled board meeting and encouraged me to join as Secretary. Nowhere in my wildest thoughts would I have imagined the fun, warmth, and, yes, challenges I’d find along the way. I am thankful to have been able to work closely with people that continue to surprise and inspire me. Many of you continue to show me how important our community is to you...even amidst unprecedented challenges that have prevented “business as usual” over the last year. Being part of that, and having responsibility for a small piece of its survival, is something for which I will always remain grateful.
I have received some follow-up communications to our 2021 Redwood Region Officers election ballot that was recently sent to all of you. Some have inquired as to why my name does not appear on it. First, let me say, I have enjoyed my time being the Redwood Region President, and am happy there are those that would have me continue on in the role. That being said, outside of extenuating circumstances that have forced a need for someone to sit in the President's seat for an extra year, the presidential role has typically been held for just two consecutive years by any one individual. This allows for new ideas to blossom and avoids stagnation in leadership to stifle progress. This is a concept which I agree with fully. I feel that I have left my mark over the last six years, but change is good...and can be very rewarding if embraced.
Ben Davoren is my friend, has been a great partner and trusted confidant over these last two years in his role as our Vice President, and continues to have my confidence as a leader in this club. As such, he also has my full and enthusiastic endorsement as our next Redwood Region President. I am very glad to have a front-row seat to see where he and his new administration take the club in the years to come. Personally, I am very excited and look forward to seeing how we can all support him in continuing to make Redwood one of the most vibrant and fun regions in the Porsche Club of America.
Andy Cole is dedicated, excited, and full of ideas that will help build the future of the club. He is another one that has continued to deepen his involvement with the club and the board through sheer desire to serve. He has been serving as our tireless dR Editor most recently, and I look forward to seeing his passion continue to shine through in his efforts on the club’s behalf. He will make a tremendous Redwood Region Vice President.
Rick Duste is relatively new to our region, but, as a man of action, one of the first things he did after attending a couple of events is ask what he could do to help the club. He enthusiastically took on the responsibilities of working with the club’s sponsors as our Sponsorship Coordinator. His fastidiousness in attending to the needs of our sponsors fairly and in a timely manner quickly made him a respected representative of our board and our club. I expect that same level of attention to detail and steadfast commitment to be the hallmark of his time as Redwood Region Secretary.
Vern Rogers is someone most, if not all of us, know quite well. He was a three-year President of the club, and sat in the chair I will begin occupying in January (Past President) when I first joined the board as Secretary. One could accurately say that Vern will be book-ending my tenure on the board as he rejoins us to take on responsibilities as Redwood Region Treasurer. His integrity and dedication to our club make him a natural fit to occupy this critical position as our beloved, long-time club Treasurer, Jerry Gladstone, steps down.
As for me, I will remain involved with the board as I sit on the Executive Council for another two years as the Redwood Region's most recent Past President. I will continue on as the club's webmaster, and, of course, as an active participant in Redwood events. I will also be taking on a new leadership role in Zone 7 as a PCA Sim Racing Coordinator, something that is just getting off the ground, has sparked new passions, and has been very rewarding thus far.
Please be sure to vote! Even though the gentlemen on the ballot are running unopposed for these four elected positions, the by-laws dictate that we must have a certain percentage of affirmative votes cast to make their positions official. Let’s blow the doors off to close out 2020, and make sure this election has the most votes ever cast by membership in Redwood history! As a reminder, the link to vote is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TMQRYVK
I want to personally extend my gratitude to the board members, event volunteers, and sponsors that have served with such dedication along-side me these last two years. This club relies on its volunteers and sponsors to do anything, from conducting an event to producing a newsletter. Without people willing to step-up and give something of themselves, none of us would have the club as we know it. I appreciate each and every one of you.
Thank you, be well, and stay safe out there!
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Collin Fat
Zone 7 Representative
PCA Makes Glovebox Available to All Regions
PCA Glovebox is now available to all regions to store or archive all their important documents such as copies of their bylaws, articles of incorporation, signed waivers, policy and procedures documents, tax returns, and other important information that many times gets displaced or lost when board members transition from the old board to the newly elected one. In addition, PCA Glovebox is a great place to store items related to the history of your club such as its original PCA club charter, old newsletters (digital copies), photos, or records of the members of the club that have served as club presidents. It is also a great place to store original purchase documents for the club laptop, autocross trailer and registration, insurance documents, and other documents related to the business of running each club.
PCA Glovebox was asked for by region presidents looking for a National repository for important documents. Glovebox is a highly secure, cloud-based storage repository. It is available now to all region leadership, Zone Reps, and National Committee chairs. Region leadership that can have access includes all the board members, club historian, safety chair, concours, DE and AX chairs. In addition, the information is constantly backed up and it automatically tracks all the edits of documents and who made the change. It provides continuity of important information and only requires a quick flip of the switch when your board positions transition from one board to the next. No longer will documents and the history of the club become lost.
Glovebox works similarly to Drop Box as a depository for large amounts of data that would generally be stored by club leadership on several computers owned by past and present board members or event chairs. The issues with this manner of storage are several. If the members computer was lost in a fire, hurricane, or by theft, in most cases the information would be lost as most members don’t customarily backup their information. It also helps ensure that all future board members have access to all the information needed to do their jobs and have the information needed at hand. Too many times, information is lost during the transition of boards for one reason or the other. Glovebox will aide in protecting this valuable information and make the transition much more seamless.
Zone Autocross Series Update
The Zone Autocross series held six Zone events in the month of October with Golden Gate and Loma Prieta regions hosting events at the Cow Palace on the weekends of October 3rd and 4th and again on October 24th and 25th. Sacramento Valley along with Redwood regions hosted a dual event at Thunderhill Raceway on October 10th and 11th. Due to restrictions imposed by Cow Palace management, all events at this location were restricted to 50 drivers. At the Thunderhill event, participation was only limited by each region with Sacramento and Redwood Regions capping registration at 75 drivers so that they could provide a quality experience for all participants. The current Zone standings are posted on the Zone 7 website.
Drivers need to compete in at least 50% of the scheduled events (4 out of 7) in order to qualify for year end awards. Due to restrictions imposed by various counties in Zone 7, our annual awards banquet will not be held until February of 2021 and in conjunction with the Zone 7 Annual Presidents meeting. It will likely be a virtual ceremony or perhaps a drive by event where winners drop by to receive their awards. Watch for details. For more information contact Zone 7 AX Chair Grady Carter at gradyz7ax@gmail.com
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PCA National Autocross Chair Visits Zone 7 AX Event |
At the SVR Thunderhill event, PCA National AX chair, Kathy Thorp attended along with her husband Bill. They drove all the way from San Diego to check out our event and walked away totally impressed with our organization, Covid 19 procedures, large attendance, and fun atmosphere. Pictured l/r Bill Thorp, Collin Fat, Kathy Thorp. |
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Zone Autocross Continues to See Growth Among Women and Young Adults
Zone autocross participation has been impacted by restrictions related to Covid 19, yet regions continue to attract new members to the sport for those regions with an autocross program. Most significantly, I have seen a noticeable increase in the number of women who are participating over the course of the last 3-4 years and the change has been quite noticeable. When I first started autocrossing in 2007, I might have seen 1-2 ladies per event competing. Today, I am seeing 5-7 women competing. In addition, I have noticed that many members have been bringing out their adult or teenage children to also introduce them to the sport. These trends bode well for our sport as we continue to face issues finding autocross sites not only in Zone 7 but throughout the nation.
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Region Elections
Many regions in Zone 7 will be holding elections for club leadership in November. Please get involved and vote or even consider chairing a dinner or club driving tour. If that may seem too much to tackle, volunteer as a co-chair for an event. Your club is always looking for volunteers to help. Remember, PCA would not be able to provide all the events and programs it schedules yearly without the help of a dedicated membership of active volunteers.
Events of Interest
1) Loma Prieta Region 50th (plus 1) Anniversary Gala, March 13, 2021
2) PCA Spring Treffen at the Marriott Scottsdale, Arizona; May 5-9, 2021; treffen.pca.org
3) Porsche Parade at French Lick, Indiana, July 11-17, 2021; porscheparade.org
4) PCA Werks Reunion, August 13, 2021, Monterey; werksreunion.com
5) PCA Fall Treffen at the American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin, October 13-17, 2021; treffen.pca.org
6) PCA Spring Treffen at the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado, April 27-May 1, 2022
7) Sacramento Valley Region 60th Anniversary Celebration, May 7, 2022
Note that past Treffens have sold out in as little as one hour due to their growing popularity.
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Back in the Paddock Again |
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Stacy O'Connell
Autocross Co-Chair
It might have been short (only two events this year), but we wrapped our season at the paddock at Sonoma Raceway this past Sunday.
40 drivers showed up ready to run. With a cross over course designed by Autocross Co-Chair Drew Powers, the competitive juices were flowing.
Not only was it fun to see some familiar Redwood Region faces, but many GGR, LPR and SVR members were there as well, including AX Chairs from all three other regions: Himanshu Patel (GGR), Dave Dunwoodie (LPR) and John Leet (SVR). Thanks for your support and participation!
The morning got off to a bit of slow start when the timing system refused to send times to the computer, but after some software whispering from Himanshu, it was back up and functioning fine and we got four runs in the morning and six in the afternoon. As the sun went behind the hills of Sonoma, the temperatures starting dropping and some of the later runs for the second run group proved to be a bit more challenging!
Congrats to Monty Pack for winning both TTOD raw time and PAX time! With Dave Dunwoodie and Drew Powers coming in 2nd and 3rd raw time and Drew Powers and Grady Carter 2nd and 3rd for PAX.
I had my fastest time of the day on my last run of the day (always the dream but very rarely the reality). The number was a bit a surprise that I had to head over to the trailer to confirm with Chip Witt, our timekeeper, that my time was legit and actually belonged to me. It was and it did. The mantra in my head "gas it and turn early" really paid off. Due to some last minute cancellations, Sharon Castle, Patricia Jeffries and I were the only women who made it out on Sunday, but as Collin mentions above, we are seeing more and more women autocrossing across our zone. It's a trend I'd like to see continue!
All in all a fun day was had for what was the last AX of the year for not only Redwood but Zone 7. We are hopeful for more dates in 2021 and look forward to what mods drivers will do on their cars over the winter and who will be replacing (or supplementing) their current model with something new.
Drew and I hope to see you on course in 2021. Stay safe and healthy and have a happy Thanksgiving and holiday season.
Reminder: Snell 2020 helmets are now available. At the start of our 2021 season, the oldest helmet allowed is a Snell 2010. Be sure to check your expiration date so you're not caught off guard with an expired helmet.
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Incoming Treasurer Vern Rogers waiting for starter Larry Sharp to wave the flag |
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Driver Steve Forshay is not about to question Safety Director Brian Cooley's grid instruction! |
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A bird's eye view of the course from atop the grandstands at Sonoma Raceway |
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Former AX Chair Greg Matsumoto claimed his tires were holding him back... until they didn't. Fake news! |
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AX photos courtesy of Chip Witt & Darrel Huckabay |
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Alan Geddes
Redwood Region Secretary
Our board meetings are on the last Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm. The next board meeting is November 24th and will be held virtually. Please visit the Redwood Website for login details. All members are welcome to attend.
You can read previous board meeting minutes here.
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Membership Report & Information |
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Tom Short
Membership Director
In October 2020, 36 PCA Redwood Region members marked five or more years in the club, including one member each with over 50 and 40 years in our club, three more members with over 30 years in our club, and ten more who have been member for over 20 years. Congratulations to all of you for such long-term loyalty and thank you to all of you who are marking anniversaries – I hope you are enjoying your membership. and taking advantage of all the great benefits our club has to offer!
In October we welcomed seven new members to Redwood Region PCA. You will be receiving a complimentary Redwood Region name badge shortly. Also, if you’d like to order a name badge for your associate or family member, follow the instructions on how to do so on our website.
Regarding our events, the health and safety of our members and fellow car enthusiasts is of utmost importance to the Redwood Region and the broader Porsche Club of America. As a result, we have greatly reduced our regular calendar of activities due to recommended health and safety social distancing measures currently in place. We still have some upcoming virtual events as well as some interesting new challenges that you can do on your own, so be sure to check out our website calendar and watch for our email and newsletter for more info.
If you spot any errors or have any questions about membership please email me.
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For Sale 1998 Boxster
71k miles; Pastel Yellow/Boxster Red interior; 2.5L; 201 hp @ 6000 rpm; 181 ft-lbs. @ 4500 rpm; 5 speed Tiptronic transmission; Power driver seat; CD Player; Climate Control AC; garage queen most of its life; Excellent condition. California car.
$8,900.
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For Sale 2001 996
This future collectible 2001 996 911 Carrera is finished in Arctic Silver over Black Partial Leather is a fantastic example owned by Porsche owner all my life. Optioned with the proper 6-speed manual gearbox and with 88,000 miles it fits the perfect bill of a gorgeous driver-quality 996 at an entry level price. It originally left the factory in June 2001. I bought in April of 2018 with 68,000 miles. At the time it was my second car to a 2015 Cayman S. I sold the Cayman to a fellow PC member. I’m now buying a C4S. This Carrera has clearly been well cared for throughout its life. The Carfax (I cannot find it) when I bought it showed the transmission out at around 32,000 miles. This is consistent with IMS bearing replacement then. I believe I am the second owner. This Carrera represents a great value in the 911 market, the most popular and desirable color combo at a fair price.
$24,000 with Fabspeed $23,250 w/o more pics and detail available.
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OEM side marker lights $100.
Fits 991, 981 and 718
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Porsche 991 911 Parts
Exhaust: 2014 991 30k miles, $600
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Hi Tec Automotive
Marin's Highest Rated Porsche & Audi Facility Since 1985
Specializing in:
-Audi & Porsche, new & vintage
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-Entire building
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Come and visit our new showroom
San Rafael
415 258-9619
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Porsche Marin
When you want the best selection and prices on new, used and pre-owned Porsche vehicles, Porsche Marin offers exactly what you’re looking for. 911, Boxster, Cayman, Cayenne, Macan, Panamera and more.
Mill Valley
415 578-9101
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Autobahn Automotive
Sonoma County's premier automotive location for maintenance, servicing, auto repairs and performance upgrades for your Porsche and BMW since 2007
Santa Rosa
707 545-1958
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Dress in style and get your Redwood Region branded items in our Goodie Store. |
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Der Riesenbaum is the official newsletter of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, encompassing Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties. This publication is intended to inform Club members about Club activities and other related matters of interest.
We encourage letters to the editor, feedback, questions and suggestions about our newsletter and the Redwood Region in general. Want to contribute to the newsletter?Submit photos and articles about Club events or related activities. Please submit your entry by the 5th day of the month for inclusion in that month's newsletter. Articles received after the deadline will be considered for the next month's newsletter. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all materials submitted for publication.
Want to reach an audience of Porsche enthusiasts with your marketing message? Consider advertising in der Riesenbaum. Contact the editor for more information and rates.
All written content and images in this publication are protected by copyright. Permission is granted to reprint any original content herein provided credit is given to the author, the der Riesenbaum and to the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region. The opinions expressed in der Riesenbaum are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, its officers, or its members.
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Thanks for supporting our Club!
Andy Cole
der Riesenbaum Editor
Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region
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