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Hi gang. By the time you read this we will have completed most of our events for the year with 1 or 2 left. While I was contemplating about what to write for this article, I starting thinking about where and when did Autocross start and I wonder if Autocross is the same around the world? Well, a little bit of research led to more and then some more... You get the picture. So here is a very condensed version of what I was able to find out thus far.
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It is hard to believe; 75 Porsches on display, perfect weather, and over 550 NNJR members in one location. Sounds like a recreation of a German car equivalent of Woodstock, but in reality it was one epic celebration of NNJR’s 55th year in existence. As the 8:00am hour rolled around, I pulled up to Harbor Hills Day Camp in Mendham to be greeted by Warren Gisser and Hank Menkes ready to get the event started. The weather could have not been more perfect. As we set up the display field, we optimistically prepared for a showing of 60 Porsches ranging in age from 1951 all the way to present day.
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NOTICE OF THE 2012 ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION OF 2013 OFFICERS…
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I carefully move the shifter through the gates before I start the engine, a dress rehearsal for the opportunity I am about to have. Reverse up and to the left? Check. The 1-2 shift seems easy enough, and 3rd gear is spaced perfectly. Piece of cake.

            Turning the key, the engine comes to life with a loud bark, and immediately settles into a turbine-smooth rumble. Foot on clutch, shifter eased gently into first, left pedal out slightly, right pedal in slightly, the revs build and….stall. Hmmm. Let me try that again. Vroom…snick…stall.

            “Don’t feel so bad,” chides the Paul Miller rep with a smile. “You cannot start this car normally. You have to gently let out the clutch until it starts to catch, and then let it out a little further until the car starts to roll.” I start to try his approach before my brain kicks in again, pushes the right pedal, and stalls the car. One more time, and I am going to follow the directions to the letter, for better or for worse. I lift the clutch, the car starts to roll, I lift it a little more, and I am off! I squeeze the gas a bit, and finally, I am actually driving a Porsche Carrera GT. (copy editor's note: I heard from a reliable source that some small petite lady (my daughter) after hearing that all of the male drivers stalled the Carrera GT had no problem and did not stall it. She is still giggling about it.)

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The tale of how a NNJR PCA guy and die-hard road racing fan found himself surrounded by thousands of NASCAR fans, and lived to tell about it.

             This adventure started with a message from fellow NNJR instructor Scott Lynn: “Let’s have lunch.” Great idea. I knew that Scott had been working on starting his new charity for the benefit of amateurs who are injured in motorsports activities, and I am interested in hearing how that is going. Turns out that Scott had been invited on short notice to set up a trailer at the June Pocono 400 event to introduce the Motorsport Rehabilitation Foundation to NASCAR fans. Really cool. Let me know if you need any help…

            As a draw for fans, Scott and co-founder Michele Randall had the idea to display a vintage stock car racer associated with the old Flemington track. Great idea!

            A day later - Thursday - my phone rang. “We need to be at Pocono tomorrow afternoon and the race car deal fell through. We need something else to draw fans to our tent. Any chance you could bring your Cup Car?” “Sure, but it’s a Porsche, it has nothing to do with NASCAR.” A check with Pocono confirmed that this was indeed a “Chevrolet Event,” no other cars welcome. But “Oh wait, it’s a race car? No problem.” What had I just gotten myself into? 

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Summer has fully arrived and for concours enthusiasts, that means that our annual “Do It Yourself Concours Workshop” was again part of our concours agenda. Ray Catena Porsche generously agreed to host this event at their outstanding service facility in Edison, NJ on June 3rd. 

Despite erroneous reports on the local radio station that Route 1 was closed in both directions at the Route 287 exit as a result of an overturned tanker truck, over forty members showed up for this workshop ready and eager to learn the tips, techniques and secrets of proper Porsche car care from our celebrated team of concours experts. With our club’s emphasis on recruiting new members, it was encouraging to see a number of new faces interested in proper Porsche care.