Blog – 4/12/2021

Blue Ridge BloggerPete Kauffman

The Blue Ridge Blogger – April 12

Membership

New Members

No new members this week.  When you see a Porsche out there, be sure to tell them about our club.  You can get a card to insert under the windshield wiper that gives them the contact information.
Results from the 2nd Annual Gary Bell Rally
Well, Saturday was a great day for a drive in the countryside and we did drive.   Over 100 miles over the mountains, twists and turns thru the valleys, along the streams, cross farm lands, in and out of parklands, thru forests cascading views of our beautiful Virginia, all at or below the legal speed limit.  The rules were simple, follow directions like drive 9.2 miles to the intersection of Route 604, then turn left   And answer questions along the way, like “How many knomes are amongst the mushrooms?” or “How many slides on the play fort?”   There were 30 questions to answer along the 100+ mile drive.  And we were trying to match a time to complete the course based on driving the speed limit.  If  you came in too early, you were disqualified.  It required careful driving and a good navigator to successfully complete the course.  And the winners were:
1st place –        Kamran Razvan and Bethany Teague       150 points    $50 Gift Cert.2nd place –      Al Durham and Beth Durham                    145 points    $25 Gift Cert.3rd place –       Greg Micheal and Lauren Micheal            125 points    $10 Gift Cert.

Back Story on the Gary Bell Rally by Jim Laub

Back in October 2019 Bill Hume and Gary Templeton of our Blue Ridge Region – PCA club organized the 1st Annual Gary Bell Memorial Rally.  It was my first rally.  The event was blessed with beautiful fall day weather and colors, interesting drive and great turn out from club members.  My wife Sharon agreed to be my driving companion and navigator.  It was great fun, but there was some anxious moments inside our car between driver and navigator trying to stay on course and answering the many landmark questions tied to final scoring.  To our total surprise we were awarded 1st place. After the award presentation I was told (kiddingly?) the winner has to plan the next rally. Holding a prestigious club trophy in hand and my marriage still in tact, I agreed to consider the challenge. 

I shared this experience and request a week or so later with fellow club member Tom Mohr at Rotary club meeting. He shared his interest in being involved.  In January the club started planning events for this new year and most planned activities got shelved due to COVID-19 uncertainties.  Fast forward to January 2021 I got word that a newer BRR-PCA club member and fellow Rotary club member Jim Wallace threw in his name as an event planning volunteer.  The three of us met at Rotary and agreed to reach out to Bill Hume, Rally Chairman and offered our services.  His only request – “ let’s do it soon, we need to get together as a club”.

Special thanks to President Reid for quarterbacking club communications and establishing our registration system through MotorsportReg

What does it take to create a Rally

 Four meetings with three volunteers

1st meeting

  1.   PCA rules and regulations provided by our our club president
  2.   Decide rally driving time and distance.  Target was 2-1/2 hours and 125 miles.
  3.   Start discussion on an interesting route.  Reviewed previous club tours and rallies.
  4.   Used Google maps on a large screen monitor.
  5.   Agreed to have a mid point stopping point to to stretch legs and monitor event.
  6.   Consider potential event dates.

 2nd Meeting

  1.   Refine route, calculate travel time and distance.
  2.   Discussed rally scoring and landscape trivia questions.
  3.   Plan 1st. drive of identified roads for condition, speed limits and visuals.
  4.   Finalize event date and post event on club website.
  5.   Request Certificate of Liability Insurance.
  6.   Club President setup event reservation program on MotorsportReg.com 

3rd Meeting

  1.   Refine route – our challenge was finding a suitable mid point stopping point   
  2.   Drive route (we all drove route independently) for scoring time and trivia questions.
  3.   Rough draft of rally directions and trivia questions.
  4.   Make restaurant reservations for event participants (end of event). 

4th Meeting

  1.   Review and finalize (2) handouts for rally participants q
  2.   Assign event staffing
    •  starting location – drivers meeting
    •  Rally rules, general course overview, sign waiver of liability, field questions.
    •  mid-point location – confirm time sheets are being completed and monitor event.
    •  finish location – collect scoring cards, determine event winners, award prizes.
    •  complete PCA insurance submittals – Observer Report.

ActivitiesCars and Coffee   April 24     Martin’s German Cars No Registration Required

Martins German Service is hosting a Cars’n Coffee on April 24

Keith has extended a Special Invitation to the Blue Ridge Region.

The event start time is 0900 hrs. But we are advised to arrive at 0800 hrs to enjoy exclusive P car placement.

The Annual Vinton Dogwood Festival Car Show April 24 Registration Required

The Annual Vinton Dogwood Festival Car Show

Saturday, April 24, 2021.  10 – 4

Ron Vanderpool 540 309-6945 

Email Ron

 BRR Board of Directors Meeting April 14  Please email

   Board MeetingYou are invited to our quarterly Board of Directors Meeting coming up on April 14, 2021 from 5:30PM to 6:30PM.    Because of the Covid-19 virus, this meeting will be held as a Zoom Meeting.  If you want to participate, email Reid Kuder at president@brr-pca.org. 
ALL MEMBERS NEW AND OLD ARE WELCOME!
HPDC April 30-May 2 Must Register by April 24
Upcoming is an excellent event for those new to track events.   Our friends at First Settler’s Region PCA are having a 3 day HPDE for all skill levels at VIR April 30 to May 2. A chance to let your thoroughbred run!  

PCA – First Settlers

Friday, Apr 30 — Sunday, May 2, 2021Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA

Registration ends in a month at April 24, 2021 10:59 PM EDT

Registration Fees: 

  • Drivers:  $595
  • Instructors with one student: $295

Swap Meet May 1  Registration not required unless you are a seller.

 Link to Swap MeetWerks Reunion May 22  Must Register

 Schedule

7:00 AMEvent Check-in Opens
7:00 – 9:00 AMRegistered Judged Cars placed on judging field
All DayPorsche Corral open for registered cars
7:00 – 10:00 AMCoffee and breakfast items available for purchase
9:30 – 12:00 PMJudging
10:00 – 4:00 PMBars stocked with variety of beers & wine for purchase*
11:30 – 1:00 PMLunch available for purchase
2:00 – 3:00 PMAwards Ceremony

*please note that food and drinks will only be allowed in designated seated areas. Masks are required throughout the event as per PCA Event Participant Guidelines.

4477 Buccaneer Trail
Amelia Island, FL 32034

MapSatellite

Map data ©2021200 m Terms of UseReport a map error

Registration will open on Wednesday March 24, 2021 12:00 PM (EDT).

Pelican Parts Virtual Car Show  -Starts March 15

And Of Course 
A Porsche Gone Bad
First
Comment written at the top of the answer sheet for the Trivial Questions at the Second Annual Gary Bell Rally
“After 44 years of marriage, we filed for divorce after 10. miles!”

Second
Comment expressed by the navigator from an earlier Porsche Rally
“All three questions we missed were about objects on your side of the car!”

Lastly
A look at Porsche Rally Racing

Rally Racing