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Since before I could drive, I always wanted a Porsche 911. But not just any 911 though, I wanted a Red Targa, as that always seemed the most aesthetically correct combination. I had this want long after Red Targas fell out of fashion. Heck, even after air-cooled Porsches fell out of fashion. I also wanted a Red Ferrari 308 Targa, but that is a different story.

Then one day in 1997 my better half and I were at a used car lot investigating a Mercedes 300TD to replace our dying commuter car. And there it was: a slightly rough looking but beautifully classic red 1974 Porsche 911 Targa. My childhood desire was for a later car, complete with obligatory whale tail, but this was better! I forgot they even used to have brushed stainless Targa bars! I had to have it! It was cheap (relatively) and I justified it by saying that I always wanted to have a project car to work on and that this was just a glorified Beetle. Right? Well that argument worked and both the Benz and Porsche came home with us.

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Concours enthusiasts love clean and shiny wheels. Perfect looking wheels really make the car pop. A vehicle however, with dirty or even damaged wheels can really take away from the look of a gorgeous automobile. Wheels are more expensive than ever, with many people installing custom aftermarket wheels for a more personal look. OEM wheels are nicer than ever as well, and enhance the posture and stance of a great looking vehicle. Care must be taken to protect this ever increasing investment.
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Well, as you are reading this, it probably is still pretty cold out. No better time than now to begin to think about the coming Autocross (AutoX) season. You need to start getting your car ready for the season so you are ready for our 2012 season. We know that there are a number of you out there that are sitting on the sidelines, thinking about AutoXing, but are a bit apprehensive. Read this primer, come to an event or two, ask for an Instructor and give it a shot – you will have a blast.
In the most basic sense, AutoX is a test of driver skill. As you take your runs at each event, your car control skills are evolving and improving. Precision and speed are the fundamental skills being tested and developed. Scoring is based on the time it takes you to drive a defined course. Your individual time is compared to other cars in your same car class and the day’s winners are determined by whoever has the best time in their class. More on classes later, but classes are the way to ensure a level playing field; if you are driving a 944 or a Miata, you would not want your time compared to a GT3, right? Penalties are assessed for knocking over cones or knocking them out of the chalk marked box. AutoX events are held in a nice safe and controlled environment – empty parking lots. Our courses are designed to allow for a competitive event but not too tortuous so as to make it too difficult (especially in the beginning of the season). You drive at varying speeds as you navigate the course and speeds are generally below highway speeds.
So, you have decided to join us – now what?
  NNJR Autocross Series 2012Each driver must wear an "M" or…
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It seemed like a good idea at the time. I accidentally planned a business meeting in Montreal at 9:00 AM on a Tuesday morning, followed by two days at Lime Rock on Wednesday and Thursday. Of course, with roughly four hundred miles each way between home in New Jersey and my client’s office in Montreal, it would be pretty tough to make the round trip in time to turn around and head back out for the two and a half hour ride to Lime Rock. So, I decided to do what any reasonable person would do; I packed up my twenty seven year old 911SC, threw in my clothes bag, briefcase, tools and helmet, and headed up the New York Thruway into the Great White North.

It all was working out beautifully. The three liter engine of my 911 settled into a beautiful, cacophonous mix - part mechanical, part whirring from the huge engine fan. I got into such a groove that I drove non-stop, past Albany, past Saratoga, through Lake George, all the way until the “sortie” signs clued me in that the US/Canadian border was approaching. I took the last exit in New York for a McDonald’s and gasoline break.

 

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Before you get too excited, this is not a steamy exposé of what you might fantasize of what takes place behind the pavilion at Schooley’s Mountain Park after a competitive concours event. Remember, this is a family magazine. On the contrary, this article is meant to help those new to the activity who are interested in entering their Porsches in PCA concours events. So read on and benefit from these insider’s tips.
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