michael comet - cars, dogs, photos and musings: June 2014

Well I was lucky enough to attend the Golden Gate Region PCA event known as the Porboys Autocross School at the Alameda naval air field. This is a once a year event that they run to help new or relatively new people enter the world of Autocross (AX for short). Unlike their normal AX events they run during the year, this event includes a Skid Pad circle as well as a simplified course where times are not kept or recorded. So it's just a fun way to learn and practice and get better.

This was my third AX event and it was a blast. They pair you up with 2 instructors, one of the morning and another for the afternoon. The late afternoon runs you can do solo which I did. I had some great instructors. Ken Jones took me and the other student around the course for the walk and then talked about various issues. A great driver and very clear logical/technical. He was great to have for the first part of the day to help me get used to the course and was followed up by Doug MacKenzie another great instructor. He helped me find areas to try things and areas to improve during the afternoon, so it was a great tag team.

I also met and worked with other people during the event. Previously I always did course work. This time I learned the inside of the trailer and timing system and bit and was the announcer. The trailer was nice to stay out of the sun but no breeze wasn't fun. Usually Alameda seems really cold, it was hot today. For my last working session I asked for course work and got to be the flag worker to start the cars onto the course which was also fun.

During lunch I got to ride twice with Ken in his "true California 911 Targa" :) I also got a ride with I think it was Will Campbell in his Datsun 2000. Apparently these cars were used quite a bit for race training at the Bondurant school. He actually has Bondurant's signature with others on his dashboard. Amazingly quick... I didn't feel like he was braking at all during the run haha...just lightning fast.

One other note I finally turned Traction Control off for the car... I actually enjoyed it a lot more... I could feel more of what the car was doing without fighting it... definitely was easier to lose it a bit more and I had one fun accidental trail brake that I oversteered on...heh. But cool!

Here are some pictures followed by a video of my last and I think maybe clean run at the very end of the day... Some of the photo credits go to another new friend I met "Hao" who was driving his White Cayenne S I believe.

Another 981 owner, great taste in car and color :) With tinted taillights

Line up for tech inspection

View from the trailer

The grid silver 981 BS to my left and my 981 CS on the right

Oooh look at all the pretty colored lights!... ok ok I finally turned traction control off ! Cool!

First instructor Ken on the right

Grid. Photo Credit: Hao

Me on the grid ready to go! Photo Credit: Hao

Photo Credit: Hao One of the flag workers told me I had the best looking car in the Paddock!!!!

Shot of Hao's White Cayenne

The Datsun 2000... fun ride!!!

The End (literally)

Video:
If you want to see it larger at youTube use this link!

For those who love German cars, especially Porsche, there is a once a year event that is PCA sponsored that involves all things from the cars from Zuffenhausen. There is a week long event known as the "Porsche Parade" that involves a show/concours with judging, fun drives, Rallies, Autocross, food and other events. The week culminates in a short "parade" at the end, which in this case is planned to be slow laps around Laguna Seca Raceway with all the cars.

The parade moves from city to city each year, and this year it just happened to be in Monterey, CA. While I usually attend Car Week at Pebble Beach too, this event was special enough I wanted to head down. In addition I have always missed the German car gatherings during Pebble as I am typically at other concours the same day. This afforded me a chance to come down and check out other German cars.

My plan was to leave fairly early, head down and pick up my registration info, visit the concours (which is actually open to the public) and then take a drive down Highway 1 to Big Sur. Things went mostly as planned other than some worse than expected early rush hour traffic, and long late registration lines.

This is me entering the Seasside/Monterey area... I only saw one other Porsche on the way down.

The concours was hosted on the golf course at the Hyatt in Monterey. Their parking lot is quite small and so the organizers arranged for parking at a nearby college lot with shuttles to get people back and forth. The parking there was a show in itself.

Inside of the Ballroom building where registration was Porsche had some cars on display, including information on their Techquipment options. I went downstairs and waited to do late registration first. The line was very very long. After a few minutes of waiting on not moving, I asked someone who was walking out how long they waited. They said they started waiting at 9am. It was then 11am. I decided a two hour wait wasn't going to happen, so I opted to leave and come back when the lines might be shorter. I had heard they were going to stay open during the planned lunch break so that was my hope which panned out well.

Clear tailights... green.... racedeck flooring... I'll take it!

The parking lot at the Hyatt was probably 30% Porsche or more too

Deciding to leave registration I headed over to the concours. It was bigger than I expected it to be the two images below show the right and left views as I entered.

Throngs were around this area since it's where the special 50 year exhibit and race cars were

Mmmm 911 RSR... I had just watched these race at Le Mans online

Ground clearance? Who needs that?

New 981 Boxster GTS complete with Leather and Alcantera interior with CF bits...

I tried not to look too hard at this car as I don't have plans to upgrade any time soon...haha

The tinted tail lights on a Cayman S...works well on dark or very light colors.

I started by walking around from the earlier 911s, then to the 356 and then to newer model cars. Obviously many of these cars were restored but the level of quality was simply outstanding. This yellow 911 was probably one my favorites. I just loved the color and it was pristine. It looked like it was just off the showroom floor.

Engine might be cleaner than my kitchen....

A nice Targa also want... haha

Nice green 1972 911

Not quite accurate, for example wrong wheels, but still nice

A rare speedster with the Continental badging some had from 1955

Gorgeous

Judging in progress!

So I guess you unscrew the headlight covers to clean them...

1970 911 Owner was saying completely original other than seats and floor mats

1971 911/930 WANT...

Moving onto newer models

New 911 50th anniversary edition... LOVE IT

Mexico Blue 911 Carrera 4S

Owner was going to do a Paint to Sample anyhow and then found this at a dealer instead

981 time!

Got to see Clark Kent aka Superman car... aka BlzPwr from Planet-9 Forums

Sapphire Blue, Red interior, and Yellow Gauge cluster. Superman would approve.

Not one, but TWO Boxster Spyders... plus a black one down a but, plus one at parking lot...etc..etc...

Wife says she approves this license plate

I've never seen a Black spyder... love it with those wheels and silver lip!

To whomever brought this thanks...now I want one...lol

1973 914-6 GT

Cayman R

Because Carbon Fiber makes you fly higher

Carrera GT

356 Speedster and a 911 Speedster behind!

The business end of a 1972 917-10

Wow!

Porsche 1970 style 917

Porsche 906

Inside of the 917-10

Cool to see this car in person, as posters of it currently adorn my office wall

1985 Porsche 962C

997 RSR

After this I opted to get get back in line to try to pick up my registration... this worked well as I only had to wait half an hour to get my badge and goodie bag. Outside I got to spot some other fun cars in the lot.

Main entry to the hotel registration lobby

New 991 Targa on display...

Decided to make one more round of the Concour...the sun finally came out!

997 RSR

Caterham 7 in parking lot

IMPOSTER !!!!!!!!!!!

You know...just another Spyder parked in the college lot...

At this point I grabbed some lunch and headed down Highway 1 for a relaxing drive to Nepenthe restaurant and shop in Big Sur taking some pictures and GoPro video along the way.