Blog 11/22/2021 – Blue Ridge Region

Members

No new members this week.

Activities

Stories

Swannanoa

Here are a few more of the wonderful pictures that members sent me for the Blog. Thanks to Donna Templeton, Charles Aird, David Hayes, and Alvin Johnston for the pictures.

A Driving Tour to Edelweiss and Swannanoa by Dave Hogan

A Weekend at VIR

For years I raced my 1977 Porsche Carrera in PCA Club Race and Historic Races. The time came to hang up my spurs and in 2015, I sold the car to one of my students, an airline pilot for Delta. This fall, he called me and offered to share the car with me at the upcoming PCA event at VIR. How could I say no? So, I dug into the closet and pulled out my helmet, gloves, shoes, driving suit and Hans device and headed to VIR. I signed up to instruct as well.

The car is a well prepared, competitive E-Stock PCA, 1977 Porsche Carrera with a Euro engine.

So, I arrived Friday morning, a chilly, but sunny beginning to a three day weekend. We went thru the normal check-out and preparation and I lined up near the back for my first run.

There were about 230 cars at the event. That is about 45 cars per run group. I normally run in Black because the car, albeit well prepared and quick, has only about 240HP and weighs around 2300 pounds. The field consisted of a variety of Porsches from early 911s, street Boxsters, Caymans, 944s as well as BMWs, VWs, Acura’s, Cadillacs, Corvettes. But the number of Porsche performance cars was staggering. Here are some numbers. Cayman GT4s – 12, 911GT3s – 12, 911GT3RSs – 7 and even a Taycan!

I had no problem adjusting to the car. I had driven it for years, so it was second nature. And I have driven VIR at least 25 times, at least half of which were race events including Endoro Races which are typically hour long events. That adds up to hundreds of laps at speed around VIR. But my mind and body were not ready for the g-forces and track control. You build up thru experience and during my years off, I had forgotten. And I had no option but to start in Black. Anyways, I survived and little by little I got up to speed and did not embarrass myself too much. At least no one came over to yell at me. (Nor did they say what a good job I did!

My student was a 911 guy. He was relatively new to DEs and a first timer at VIR. He bought a 2000 Boxster with street tires, good racing seats, but no harnesses (boo). He called it his learner car. I mention this to you because that car was awesome. I was amazed how controllable it was and over the two days, he made remarkable progress. I signed him off at the end of the second day. If you are thinking about Drivers Education, you might consider an older Boxster. For under $10K, you can be on the track and have an easy to maintain, performing car to enjoy DEs.

My last laps at VIR were with my student. We came over the hill on the back straight into an area where oil had dropped during the previous run session. As we made the kink to the left, we hit the remnants of the spill and did a 180 ending facing the corner worker’s stand in a mighty cloud of grass and dirt. No harm, no foul!. He did the right thing – “when you spin, both feet in!” We came into the pits, were checked out by the steward and went back out and finished the session. But it certainly added some excitement to the day!

Met some great new friends, Ed, Justin, Oscar, and of course, my old friend, Dan Bates, who owned the car.

Hogan’s Corner

Bring A Trailer

Looking for content, I was scanning BAT for interesting stuff and this one rated a “Hum”!

This Porsche 924 Carrera GTR was constructed in late 1982 as the lone all-tube-frame example built by Holbert Racing in Warrington, Pennsylvania. The car was sold upon completion in 1983 to team owner and driver Paul Miller due to a shift in focus by Holbert Racing before the ensuing SCCA Trans-Am season. It was piloted by Miller to nine top-five finishes during three seasons of Trans-Am competition, also undergoing frame, body, and engine modifications in accordance with evolution of series rules. After time with three additional owners it was purchased in 2012 by the seller, who commissioned a restoration to its 1985 form before displaying it at Rennsport Reunion in 2015 and racing it at the 2018 running of the same event. A turbocharged and intercooled 2.25-liter Audi inline-four powers the wheels through a rear-mounted Hewland five-speed manual transaxle equipped with a limited-slip differential. Additional features include Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, double-wishbone coilover suspension, adjustable anti-roll bars, Wilwood disc brakes, multi-piece BBS center-lock wheels, and twin fuel cells. This tube-frame 924 Carrera GTR is offered with extra body panels, spare parts, historical photos, press guides, restoration photos, service records from current ownership, and a New Jersey bill of sale.

Currently the bidding is at $185K. There is more time! Click here for details.

Porsche Gone Bad

First – Coldplay’s Ken Berryman

“For me I just had to have a 911 in my collection as it’s just such an iconic car.” Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman (@guyberryman) shares his timeless 911 story, featuring his 1967 Porsche 911 S.

Click Here for his 911 Story

Second – Porsche 356 That Has Raced Round the World

Safe to say this isn’t your normal Porsche 356. It’s not some Photoshop folly, either. Or some tin can replica. This is a genuine 1956 Porsche 356 A. Why is it dressed up like it’s going on a stag do with Sir Killalot? Because it’s going somewhere special. Somewhere cold. Somewhere dangerous. Somewhere called ‘Antarctica’.

If you haven’t had time to pick your jaw up off the floor yet, don’t bother. Antarctica isn’t the start of this plucky little car’s journey. It’s actually the end – the last stop on a seven continent tour that’s seen this Fifties Porsche race 20,000 miles around the world. Literally around the world. Having taken part in six of the most unforgiving and brutal rallies motorsport can serve up.

Click Here for more.