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Published Quarterly By The Space Coast Region, Porsche Club Of America

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welcome 

President: Ralph Fritsche 

Welcome to the new Escape Velocity Magazine 

for 2010. I hope each of you had a great 

holiday and are ready to join in on all the fun 

that the Space Coast Region PCA has in store 

for you this year. 

Once again we promise a full schedule of activities throughout the year 

with enough variety to suit everyone’s interests. 

Let’s begin by taking a quick look back at some of the Space Coast Region’s 

achievements for 2009. 

The Space Coast Region hosted 50 events with 40 of our members attending 

a minimum of 10 events. That’s quite an achievement and is a tribute to our 

region officials who invest a lot of their time to provide you with what I feel 

is the best regional experience in the PCA. 

We raised $6,600 for our charity the Women’s Center of Brevard. We are 

also happy to reaffirm that we will be continuing our support in 2010. 

As you all know by now, at this year’s Parade, Escape Velocity magazine 

and our editor jack Roberts, were awarded the prestigious Paul Heinmiller 

Memorial Trophy for producing the most outstanding regional newsletter. 

But, that wasn’t the only award that Space Coast took home from Parade-- 

Neila and Daniel Bird received a first in class award at the Parade Concours 

with their 356. 

From a competition perspective, our region also graduated three Drivers 

Education Instructors: David O’Neal, Jonathan Parker and Christian 

Funk. 

We also improved our Autocross Performance with a near win at the Citrus/ 

Space Coast Challenge along with several class victories. In addition, 

there were also top in class awards at this year’s Zone Challenge. 

The final event of the year our Holiday Party was held at the Eau Gallie 

Yacht Club. With more than one hundred and twenty members and guests 

in attendance the party was a resounding success. Highlights included our 

traditional slide show, outstanding door prizes and Autocross and Concours 

trophy presentations. Awards were also presented to the advertisers, 

photographers, and contributors to Escape Velocity Magazine. 

Looking ahead to the beginning of the year, we have the traditional races at 

the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The Amelia Island 

Concours will have special events for Porsche enthusiasts and Targa 66 will 

be back at the Palm Beach International Raceway. The Autocross season 

will be picking up shortly and the Sunrise to Sunset Rally will be back once 

again. Perhaps even more exciting is the preliminary word on the street that 

Rennsport Reunion will be coming to Daytona again this fall. 

So stay in touch with the Region website and look for the Email blasts as we 

do our best to keep you informed with all the fun that this year has in store. 

As I close, I would just like to once again thank each of our advertisers and 

contributors to Escape Velocity for their continued support. This newsletter 

would not be possible without your generous support. 

It’s my honor to serve one more year as your President and in that capacity 

if there is anything I can do to make your experience with the Space Coast 

Region and the Porsche Club of America more enjoyable please don’t 

hesitate to drop me a line. 

volume 4, Issue 1 

our officials 

Ralph Fritsche | President 

flachbau930@cfl.rr.com 

321.777.8401 

John “Blake” Blakely | Secretary 

blakeblakely@mac.com 

321.213.1203 

Brian Reinert | Membership 

brian.reinert@rms.com 

321.298.0089 

Jonathan Parker | Webmaster 

jgparker@cfl.rr.com 

321.751.9032 

David O’Neal | Vice-President 

doneal@cwisdom.com 

321.636.6449 

Kirk Stowers | Treasurer 

kstowers@cfl.rr.com 

321.676.2590 

Steve Hoffman | Events Chair 

steve1rob2@aol.com 

321.867.7075 

Tom Gorsuch | Sponsorship 

tgorsuch@cfl.rr.com 

321.626.0563 

Craig Kempf | Escape Velocity Editor 

craig@ckc411.com | 321.752.5802 

Jack Roberts | EV Advertising & Assignments 

jackeroberts@hotmail.com | 321.727.0046 

Ron Menck | Safety 

rmenck@cfl.rr.com | 321.243.5356 

Andre Martineau | Drive & Dine 

amartineau@cfl.rr.com | 321.427.5619 

Mike Masters | North Region Coordinator 

mdmasters911@gmail.com | 386.290.7479 

David Kelly | South Region Coordinator 

mdkelly1@bellsouth.net | 772.713.4084

Editor 

letter from the 

With some big shoes to fill, I take the torch from Jack Roberts and attempt to build on the Heinmiller Award-winning 

Escape Velocity. As I ease into the role of editor, I want to thank Jack for his help with our first issue. I know that my 

constant push for high resolution, high quality images and my insistence on ads submitted to proper specifications likely 

bordered on “nagging.” Looking forward to an increase in the overall quality, visual impact and engaging content during 

the coming year… the extra effort will be worth it. This is your magazine and my job is to work hard to make it the best it can be. 

Warm regards and best wishes, 

Craig Kempf 

CEO & Art Director, CK Communications

what we do...by the numbers 

By Tom Gorsuch 

The Space Coast Region collected data this year to better profile what 

we do. The following is an accounting of the 47 events held in 2009 

-- 64 total event days. Our goal is to increase participation. As we all 

know, it’s not just the cars, it’s the people. 

We began the year with 366 primary members and estimated a 20% 

increase by year’s end. As of November we have 710 primary, family 

and affiliate members. We have been leading the 2009 factored growth 

contest for most of this year and hope to bring the trophy back to the 

Space Coast. 

The Space Coast Region runs from Volusia County down through 

Indian River County. Each area offers its own unique opportunities 

for events and participation. There is, literally, something for everybody. 

The charts below illustrate event distribution and event type. 

Our social events include banquets and monthly Kaffee gatherings 

and we are continuing our efforts to hold these events throughout 

the three-county region. Our driver skill development events include 

autocross and drivers education (DE). Our driver skill events are held 

in cooperation with other Zone 12 Regions. Thanks to Citrus Region 

for including us in their autocross series and thanks to Gold Coast, 

Suncoast and Citrus Regions for welcoming us into their DE programs. 

Technical events are typically educational in nature and include car 

care, shop talk sessions and group participation at the race track. The 

final category, touring, is very popular but occurs less frequently due 

to logistics. We are considering a monthly mid-week “Dash and Dine” 

for 2010. 

Our most popular event is the December Holiday Party and we 

recorded record participation for the Collier Collection Tour, a twoday 

event, which included a tour to Naples and a pre-tour party with 

special guest, Derek Bell. The popular Sunrise to Sunset Rally had 85 

cars from Suncoast, Citrus and Space Coast Regions. These events can 

require substantial planning but the appreciation of the participants 

makes the effort very rewarding for all involved. 

Our Region has raised over $6,600 on behalf 

of our 2009 charity, the Women’s Center in 

Brevard. We have promoted five charity events 

for the Women’s Center including the Venetian 

Masked Ball, the Sunrise to Sunset Rally banquet, 

Summer Banquet, Panamera Test Drives 

at the multi-region Daytona OktoberFAST, and 

the Oktoberfest Picnic and Concours. We have 

won the prestigious Heinmiller award for the 

best newsletter in all of the PCA. Twentytwo 

authors contributed articles for Escape 

Velocity in 2009 and advertising revenue has 

continued to increase each quarter for the 

past two years. 

Help us to continue to be the best that we 

can be. Let us hear your ideas, join us in 

upcoming events and be sure to bring your 

Porsche enthusiast friends. 

Social 

Skill 

Touring 

Technical 

event types 

Indian 

River 

Brevard 

Volusia 

event locations 


in this issue 

President’s Column 

What We Do 

Blue Ridge Boxster Summit 

German Porsche Club Cup 

North & South Coordinators Added 

Streamliner 

Ladies Day AX 

Results Are In 

Sebring Historic Races 

2009 Holiday Party 

My First Autocross 

Tech Corner 

2010 PCA Driver Education Calendar 

Classifieds 

Clear Bra 

Performance Corner 

Drive & Dine 

Coming Attractions 

Rolex Preview 

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page | 10-11 

page | 12-13 

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page | 20-21 

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picture this 

Can you picture it? You should experience it. Blue Ridge Boxster summit... 

Picture this. It’s dusk in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. 

You’re winding along a road that, until just this moment, you’d only 

experienced in your dreams. From time to time, the canopy of trees 

that cloaks the snaking asphalt parts to let a sliver of moonlight 

pass. 

All you hear is a rising and falling of the engine’s revs. All you see is 

a wickedly winding white line that separates you from the darkness. 

All you feel is a crisp evening breeze rushing through your hair. 

It’s been five minutes since you reached the mountain pass and 

started down the northern side; it seems like only a few precious 

seconds. Suddenly, you burst from the protective grasp of the 

maples into the expanse of valley that spans toward Blowing Rock. 

The ribbon of road straightens, and you feel your right foot push 

reflexively to the floor. The engine’s song climbs sweetly, and the 

stiffening wind chills the back of your neck. 

In your headlights, wisps of steam curl upward, the road wet from 

a recent shower. But now the clouds have parted. In front of you, 

the brilliant moon illuminates Boxsters as far as your eyes can see. 

Behind you, it’s the same. 


By Al Washka 

We bought our Boxster in October, 2003. Digging around on 

the web led us to Porsche Pete’s Boxster Board (www.ppbb.com) 

where everyone was talking about the Blue Ridge Boxster Summit 

(BRBS). Unfortunately, we had missed it for 2003, but made sure 

to attend in 2004. The climb into Blowing Rock on US 321with the 

top down and the crisp mountain air was unbelievable. Traffic kept 

the speeds low, but running in third gear, the sound of the engine 

echoing off the rock walls and the views of the mountains on both 

sides was like something out of a movie. 

BRBS started as an informal gathering of Boxster owners in 

Asheville in 1999 and has continued every year since. Of the three 

original founders, only one remains involved – Karl Folkens, a 

South Carolina attorney. Ably assisted by Ron Kucynski and 

multiple volunteers for specific activities, the tradition continues. 

For the last several years, it has been held at the Meadowbrook Inn 

in Blowing Rock, NC.

Typically BRBS starts with some optional 

activities on the Thursday after Memorial 

Day. Last year’s activity was a trip to VIR 

and the opportunity to drive our cars on 

the track. Thursday evening the formal 

activities start with a dinner and socializing 

in the bar. Friday morning there 

is a “Shine and Show” where participants 

show off their cars, followed by a 

fun run. Similar to the Tax Day Rally or 

the Sunrise to Sunset Rally, participants 

drive the mountain roads of the area 

gathering points by visiting specific sites 

dictated by clues. You may recognize a 

few SCPCA faces in this picture. 

Friday night there is a dinner and, you 

guessed it, socializing in the bar. Every 

year is an opportunity to see old friends 

and make new ones. Dinner companions 

typically follow rally team lines, but 

those change a little every year. 

Typically, one dinner during the weekend 

is held off-site. In the past we have 

driven to Hound Ears Club for dinner 

in a rock grotto around their pool, or 

had dinner at a local restaurant. The 

drive to Hound Ears from Blowing 

-sion. Imagine a string of mostly Boxsters 

75 cars long with the occasional 

911, 944 and even a Ferrari, at speed on 

a twisty back road. As we rounded one 

turn a young boy had ridden an ATV 

down to his mailbox and mouthed, 

“Wow!” as we went by. 

Saturday there are tech sessions, supported 

in the past by Suncoast Porsche 

and Pedro Bonilla, founder of Pedro’s 

Garage www.pedrosgarage.com. Pedro’s 

1999 Boxster has over 150,000 miles on 

it and almost as many modifications. 

He has helped many a participant with 

repairs and modifications and given 

talks on almost every subject related 

to Boxsters. He manufactures a line of 

specialty suspension and intake parts. 

He is a true fount of information on 

Boxsters. Also on Saturday, for those 

not mechanically inclined, there are 

classes by the Meadowbrook chef 

and bartender, as well as shopping 

excursions to the shops and outlets in 

Blowing Rock. 

In 2007, there was a requirement to take a picture on a one-lane bridge. 

You may recognize a few sCPCA faces in this picture. 


Saturday evening is the final dinner and 

bar session, which typically lasts into the 

early morning on Sunday. Later Sunday, 

everyone gathers for a last breakfast 

together and makes plans for next year. 

The weather in Blowing Rock is a great 

respite from our heat in late May, early 

June and while Boxsters are suggested, 

anyone is invited. It’s not the cars, it’s the 

people, after all. Check it out at www. 

brbs.org. 

7

An American 

By Thomas Rodehaver 

After attending several of the Porsche Club 

Cup events for the 2008 season and placing 

fifth in class one, I decided to run all events 

in 2009. 10 events were scheduled at various 

tracks in Europe, most of them in Germany 

(Lausitz, Spreewald, Schleitz, Hockenheim 

and Leipzig), but the season included two in 

France (Anneau and Dijon), one in Austria 

(Salzburg), one in Sweden (Knutsdorp), and 

one in The Netherlands (Assen). A lot of 

travel would be involved to attend all. After 

the first two events, I also decided to attend 

a few of the Porsche Sports Cup events that 

included tracks in Germany (Hockenheim 

twice and Lausitz) and Belgium (Spa). This 

would provide ample opportunity to gather 

points. The Club Cup included two timed 

sessions and the Sports Cup had one. With a 

possible total of 26 timed sessions, only the 

top 15 would count toward the final championship 

standings. My work was cut out for 

me over the next 7 months. 

The first event was Eurospeedway Lausitz, 

a tri-oval with road course similar to 

Daytona. It has several tight chicanes, two 

medium-fast hairpins and uses two of the 

three long straights. I couldn’t seem to get 

a rhythm that would lead to the consistent 

laps needed for the timed sessions. Needless 

to say, I didn’t fare well, placing sixth in the 

first session and seventh in the second. The 

next event, Anneau du Rhin, was only two 

weeks away and was a new track to me. 

Anneau is used for driver training and 

includes a good mix of challenging corners, 

including a very fast right-hander after a 

long back straight. Finishing a disappointing 

eighth in the first session, I managed to win 

the second session. What a great feeling! On 

Monday the results were posted and I was 

in second overall by a mere five points, but 

trailing first by almost 15. 

Spreewaldring, a small track in eastern 

Germany designed more for motorcycles 

than for cars, was next. Small and tight, with 

many slow corners, it was my least favorite 

track of the year. Scoring a fourth in the first 

session, my primary competitors fared better. 

Herbert Bier, driving a 964 Carrera 3.2, 

jumped from fifth place to take first overall. 

I still held second overall, but now by a mere 

two points. 

Dijon, a former F1 venue in France and now 

hosting the DTM (German Touring Cars), 

was next. It hosts many fast corners and lots 

of elevation change, 17 meters (56 ft) from 

the top left-hander to the hairpin at the 

bottom, then back up 22 meters (72 ft) to 

the next double-left. The last corner, a very 

fast right-hand downhill transition to uphill 

sweeper that leads to the 1,150 meter (3,772 

ft) front straight where top speed in my car 

was just over 120 MPH before braking for 

the fast downhill off-camber right-hander. 

I managed to take top honors in the second 

session and with this result I was able to 

take the overall lead for the first time in the 

season. 

Next up was the higher caliber Porsche 

Sports Cup event at the Hockenheimring. 

The Sports Cup has stricter rules and unlike 


IN THE GERMAN PORSCHE CLUB CUP 

– YEAR 2 

Trophies at the Porsche leipzig facility. 

the Club Cup, everyone is on the track at 

the same time. Despite finishing with only 

a fair result, I managed to stay first overall 

and was invited to join a team that was 

part of the Porsche Center Mannheim and 

funded by the Penske Group. I was now 

part of the Team Penske Sportwagenzentrum 

in Mannheim, Germany. 

Schleizer Dreieck is Germany’s oldest of the 

operating true road courses. This course 

offers great elevation changes and very fast 

downhill sections. After Schleitz and 12 

timed sessions, I was leading by 18 points 

with 14 timed sessions remaining. 

I was then on to the Porsche Club Days 

at the Hockenheimring. Anyone with a 

Porsche can join and drive their car on 

track under controlled conditions. The F1 

track is hard on the brakes though with 

a long parabolic straight into the tight 

hairpin. Gerald Kuckenburg, in a 987, 

did very well at this event and cut my lead 

down to only five points, with the top four 

positions within a 20-point spread. 

On to the Eurospeedway Lausitz, again, but

First place session one at salzburgring. 

this time for a Porsche Sports Cup event. 

This course was still not to my liking, but 

a second-place gave me valuable points 

over the competitors who didn’t trek to this 

event. My lead was now back to 10-points. 

Just outside Salzburg, Austria is the 

Salzburgring, a very fast course with a very 

long (1,500 meters) uphill and curving 

back straight leading into a long right-hand 

sweeper with two or three apex points. 

There seemed to be several different lines 

into and around this sweeper and fortunately 

it was wide enough to allow for two and 

sometimes three cars to drive side-by-side. 

My new favorite track rewarded me with 

another first-place finish! Herbert placed 

third in both sessions and was again hot on 

my tail as we traveled to Leipzig. 

The Club Cup rents the Porsche Leipzig 

test track for this event, a track designed to 

test handling in real world conditions on 

simulated real world race tracks. This is not 

my favorite track, with two slow hairpins 

and the nauseating “bus stop.” I must be 

doing something right though because after 

last year’s first in class and second overall, 

I managed another first in class and third 

overall. With a third in session one, I went 

home with three trophies. 

The next Sports Cup event was in Belgium 

at the famous Spa-Francorchamps F1 track 

and another first in class, with my timed 

session taking top honors in all classes. 

The next event was in Sweden and, unlike 

last year, my wife and I spent two days 

driving through Denmark into Sweden to 

take part in this event. This included two 

spectacular bridges, but luckily no ferry (my 

wife is definitely not a boat person). The 

wind and rain in Knutsdorp caused extreme 

hydroplaning and I could feel the wind rock 

the car. I was lapping faster than the GT3’s 

only because my extreme performance tires 

were a little better than their semi-slicks in 

the wet. 

I remain first overall with only three more 

times session for the season as I attend the 

last Sports Cup event, again in Hockenheim. 

My two closest rivals are also in attendance. 

This was also the largest group for a Sports 

Cup event, everyone trying to collect the 

last possible points and gain any advantage 

before the final event. I score a 4th place, 

but unfortunately Gerald, my nearest rival 

takes top honors and maximum points. 

There is still a chance he can beat me at the 

final event if he scores 3 spots higher in both 

timed sessions. 

On to Assen and the motorcycle capital of 

Europe, maybe the world. This is a fast track 

and one I absolutely love. It is mid-October, 

cold and rainy. The day starts off wet and 

the track is very slippery. All of the braking 

zones are smooth as glass and, mixed with a 

little rain, almost impossible to attack. Once 

a car goes off here, it will sink axle deep in 

the soft gravel. 

The timed sessions are in the afternoon and 

the track has dried almost completely. I can 

attack the course, even in the smooth breaking 

zones, without care. The back straight 

sports a fast kink with flat curbing in the 

apex you can run over before braking for the 

final turns. The results were two third-place 

finishes and well ahead of my closest rival. 


I did it! I won class one and finished eighth 

overall. With 67 competitors in my class 

and 395 overall, this was a pretty good 

year. All top three finishers were honored 

at the Porsche research facility in Weissach 

and my wife and I attended to pick up my 

class-winning trophy. Another year of great 

driving, fun and camaraderie with fellow 

competitors -- let’s hope next year is just as 

successful.

Coordinators 

Added for 

North and 

south Regions 

By Dave O’Neal 

2009 brought a record level of activities 

available to members within Space 

Coast Region, averaging one event per 

week, and 2010 will see a similar level of 

activity. To better serve the needs of our 

members in Volusia and Indian River 

Counties, we have created the positions 

of North and South Region Coordinators 

to be filled by Michael Masters and David 

Kelly, respectively. These members, 

located a local phone call away, will be 

able to answer any last-minute questions 

on upcoming events and provide the best 

“local knowledge” for activities that are 

staged in their communities. Continuing 

in 2010, the monthly Kaffeeklatschen will 

be held concurrently in Vero Beach, Daytona 

Beach, and Indian Harbour Beach. 

Mike and David will host the North and 

South locations with support from 

available officers. 

My wife Deb and I live and work in Daytona 

Beach. I am a native of Florida, and I work 

at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 

Deb comes from the Seattle area, and she 

has worked in the Emergency Department 

of Halifax medical Center for more than 25 

years. 

I first became aware of Porsche cars during 

the 1979 24 Hours of Daytona. I was 

high school kid working on a local race 

team. During the race weekend I became 

infatuated by the black Interscope Racing 

935 Porsche driven by Ted Field, Danny 

Ongais, and Hurley Haywood. I had never 

seen anything like that beautiful car. It 

was incredibly fast and unbelievably high 

10 volume 4, Issue 1 

mike and Deb masters, North Region 

tech. On every lap it would come tearing 

through the tri-oval, and then it would spit a 

two foot plume of fire from the glowing red 

turbocharger as the driver downshifted for 

turn one. Daytona did not have any external 

lighting back then, and so this spectacle was 

particularly impressive during the dark night. 

Late in the race I was over the wall helping 

to replace a failed wheel bearing on our car. 

A normally aspirated 911 was pitting in the 

next box. There were no speed limits on pit 

road in those days, and I happened to be 

standing a few feet behind the 911 when it 

launched out of its pit box at full throttle. 

The screaming wail of that six cylinder 

engine stopped me in my tracks. I watched 

dumfounded as the car rapidly disappeared, 

leaving two black streaks of rubber all the 

way down pit road. I just stood there saying 

wow, wow, WOW! That impression never 

left me. In my mind I can still see and 

hear that car accelerating away as if it were 

yesterday. 

In 2009, after waiting 30 years, I finally 

bought my (first) 911, and each time I get 

behind the wheel of my car, I can feel the 

souls of those Porsche racing cars from 1979.

David and Kathy Kelly, south Region 

My wife, Kathy, and I are originally from 

Virginia and have moved several times over 

the years. We are retired from IBM and 

divide our time between Vero Beach and 

Cape Cod, MA. We have lived in Indian 

River County for eight years and hope to be 

here year round sometime in 2010. 

My interest in cars blossomed with sixties 

muscle cars. Everyone raced in those days 

and it was usually a matter of who had the 

most carburetors, the wildest cam and the 

biggest V-8. One day a friend who could 

build anything, decided to put a Chevy 

small block in his Austin Healy. Soon, the 

small block gave way to a 427 cubic inch 

big block and everything changed. It was 

the fastest car I had ever seen. That V-8 

powered, partial aluminum hybrid fired my 

interest in sports cars. 

Along came the Porsche 930 Turbo with 

flared fenders, wide wheels, and a whale tail, 

and I knew something fundamental had 

changed in the sports car world. Later, when 

the Porsche 928 was introduced, I said, “one 

day I’m going to have one of those.” Twenty 

years later, an India Red 1988 928 S4 followed 

me home. With that Stuttgart V-8 

began a decade of PCA interest, 928 Owners 

Club events, and attendance at PCA Races. 

Driving into the Paddock at Sebring for 

the first time and walking through the pits, 

talking to drivers and crew, taking photos 

of the race cars, and enjoying the history of 

the place, I knew it was a special experience. 

Suddenly, I was pit crewing and assisting 

friends who were racing. Porsche had become 

“it” for me. Soon, there was a Boxster 

in addition to the 928. 

At Rennsport Reunion in Daytona the thrill 

was the same, with 550 spyders, 917’s and 

962’s, and more like-minded car people. 

That led to more races and Porsche events, 

and more photographs of Porsches doing 

what they are supposed to do. Now, as the 

Boxster leaves for its next assignment to be 

replaced by a 996tt, the process has come 

full circle with the two models that started it 

all. In some ways, it has been a race against 

time to complete what was started a long 

time ago. 

I am thrilled to be part of the Space Coast 

Region and to be a member of such an active 

group with so many events and venues close 

by. It truly is about the people and the cars. 


11

Revealing the Mystery 

of Porsche History 

By Ralph Fritsche 

Ferdinand Porsche was a prolific automotive engineer, but many 

people are not aware of the extent of his influence on automotive 

history. His legacy lies, not only in the cars that bear his name, but 

also on the history of companies that today would be considered 

both competitors and collaborators. 

This story illustrates just such an example. The year was 1931 and 

Ferdinand Porsche was still struggling with the economic affects 

of the great depression; however, in April of that year 

he and Adolf Rosenberg founded an automotive consulting 

firm in Stuttgart. The pair brought together 

several old coworkers, who would continue to play a 

leading role in Porsches future. They included Karl 

Rabe, Erwin Komenda and Porsche’s son Ferry. 

The Porsche consulting firm worked on many projects 

and business steadily grew. Then in 1932 Porsche 

founded a subsidiary company in order to develop a 

racing car, although at this point a customer for the 

project hadn’t been found. The P-Wagen project (P 

for Porsche) was designed to be a Grand Prix racer 

according to the current regulations of the 750 kg 

formula. 

In 1932 the struggling German automobile manufacturers 

Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer joined forces to form 

Auto Union in an attempt to gain a better market position at the 

expense of Mercedes-Benz. The Auto Union chairman of the board 

was in search of a showpiece project and at Adolf Rosenberg’s insistence 

he met with Porsche who had worked for him before. Then 

at the 1933 Berlin Motor Show, the new German Chancellor Adolf 

Hitler announced two programs intended to demonstrate Germany’s 

growing engineering prowess to the world. The first was the 

People’s car project (of which Porsche’s involvement is well known) 

and the other was a state-sponsored motor racing program initially 

intended to provide Mercedes-Benz the opportunity to develop a 

high-speed automotive industry. 

Auto Union and Porsche, sensing an opportunity, arranged for a 

meeting with Hitler at the Reich Chancellery to plead the case that 

for the good of Germany it would be better for two companies to 

develop the project. Much to the dismay of Mercedes, Hitler agreed 

to split the seed money between both Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz. 


Paddock at the AVUS race, 1937, start number 31, Bernd Rosemeyer’s car. To 

the right of it, one of the two single-seater race cars which started in this race for 

Auto Union alongside the two streamlined cars. 

With an agreement in place, Auto Union purchased the Porsche 

subsidiary and along with it the P-Wagen project. The motor racing 

program proved to be a huge success and the Silver Arrows from 

both Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz dominated Grand Prix racing 

until the start of World War II. 

The Porsche/Auto Union Grand Prix car typified the Porsche 

philosophy of unconventional design. Even thought the weight of 

the car was restricted to 750 kg, Porsche opted for a mid mounted 

16-cylinder engine. Light alloys were used in both the block and 

the head in order to keep weight down. In its initial versions the 

supercharged engine displaced just under 4.4 liters and produced 

295 bhp, which drove the rear wheels via a five-speed gearbox. 

The final evolution of the original Porsche P-Wagen design was 

the Auto Union Streamliner. Although evolved from the original

Porsche design, the basic layout remained unchanged. Power for 

the Streamliner in its final form was 545 bhp. One look at the 

Streamliner and it was clear that this was no ordinary Grand Prix 

racer. Its aerodynamic design and futuristic body were products of 

Germany’s growing aviation industry. Designed to cut through the 

wind, the Streamliner’s primary purpose was to set world speed 

records both on track at the Avus circuit in Berlin and on the long 

high-speed section of the A5 autobahn between Frakfurt and 

Darmstadt. In this role, the Streamliner went head-to-head against 

Mercedes-Benz. New records were set and old ones fell with the 

best drivers of the day taking turns at the wheel of the Silver Arrows. 

The Streamliner was piloted by Bernd Rosemeyer. Rosemeyer 

was a national celebrity and one of the most famous drivers of the 

era. His marriage to the young and attractive German aviatrix Elly 

Beinhorn only added to his celebrity status and the Nazi party did 

all they could to capitalize on the couple’s fame. 

Rosemeyer and the Streamliner first broke world records in June 

of 1937 and he then bested his own speeds in October. In fact, in 

three days, Rosemeyer broke 15 world speed records. He was also 

the first man to break the 400 km/h (248 mph) barrier on an ordinary 

road. In January of 1938 the stage was set for another series of 

record-breaking attempts between Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz 

on the A5 between Frankfurt and Darmstadt. The date was 

January 28th and Rosemeyer’s competition was Rudolf Caracciola. 

The Mercedes driver went first and set a new record 

of 432 km/h (268 mph) early in the morning. Rosemeyer 

went next but by now reports were coming in from along the 

autobahn route that the winds were picking up. On his third 

run at 11:47 AM and after clocking a speed of 449 km/h (279 

mph), something went terribly wrong and Rosemeyer lost 

control of the Streamliner. While the source of the mishap 

was never officially determined the result was tragic. The 

Streamliner skidded left and then swerved hard right and 

off the highway. The car went airborne and Rosemeyer was 

thrown out as it somersaulted through the air. He died at the 

scene. Rosemeyer’s death also brought an end to the Auto 

Union speed record runs and to the Streamliner itself. 


Today when the Streamliner is mentioned in automotive circles it is 

usually associated with the modern evolution of Auto Union, Audi. 

It was Audi who organized the memorials on the 70th anniversary 

of Rosemeyer’s death in 2008 and it was Audi who displayed the 

Streamliner as the centerpiece of its 100th anniversary celebration 

in 2009. 

Make no mistake about it -- even though today the Streamliner still 

carries the four- ring symbol that has evolved from Auto Union 

into the Audi logo. Without Ferdinand Porsche there would be no 

Streamliner. 

One look at the Streamliner 

and it was clear that this was 

no ordinary Grand Prix racer. 

1

Ladies Day 

ladies enjoy Their Day at the Autocross 


The season finale for the Florida Citrus Region (FLC) 2009 

Autocross Series was held on Sunday, November 22nd at the 

Lake County Public Safety facilities in Tavares. The 4th Annual 

Ladies Day AX attracted a large crowd that was divided into 

three run groups – one exclusively for the ladies. Fourteen Space 

Coast Region (SPC) representatives were in attendance, including 

five competing in the ladies division: Kevin & Rita Brackett, Collin 

& Vivienne Davey, Doug Dieruff, Ralph Fritsche, Curt & Roxanne 

Guy, Tom Kirk, Andre & Cheryl Martineau, Dylan Sawchuk, 

Ginny O’Neal and me. 

Visiting PCA National AX champions Dan and Sharron Shields set 

blistering times that were not matched by any of the regular AXers. 

Cheryl Martineau won the Grand Prize of a free DE registration for 

Roebling Road in Savannah. SPC ladies Martineau, Guy, Brackett, 

O’Neal and Davey placed 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 10th, respectively. 

Kevin Brackett placed 2nd in Class P4, Collin Davey and Andre 

Martineau placed 2nd and 3rd in Class S2, Doug Dieruff placed 3rd 

in Class S1, and I won Class P5 (with no other cars entered). 


ladies Day AX l-R: Rita Brackett, Roxanne Guy, vivienne Davie, 

Cheryl martineau, Ginny o’Neal 

Cheryl martineau at speed

THe ResulTs ARe IN AGAIN By Dave O’Neal 

space Coast Takes seven AX Trophies from Florida Citrus 

FLC’s AX Chair Bert Del Villano and wife Anne presented 

graciously a record SEVEN trophies to SPC members for 

the 2009 Autocross season at the SPC Holiday Party on 

December 19th. Doug Dieruff won the S1 Class for stock 

911s, Andre Martineau and I finished 2nd and 3rd respectively 

in Class S2 for stock Caymans and Boxsters while 

Cheryl Martineau placed 3rd in Class SL, Ralph Fritsche 

won 3rd place in Class P2 with his 944, Kevin Brackett 

finished 3rd in Class P4 for 911 Turbos and GT3s, and 

surprisingly, I also finished 1st in Class P5 for modified 

Caymans and Boxsters. 

New locations are being explored by FLC for the 2010 AX 

season. The Martineau’s and I attended a very successful 

test day was held on Sunday, January 4th at the Orange 

County Convention Center. This venue, located at I-4 

and the Beachline Expressway is a mere 45 minutes from 

central Brevard County, half the time it takes to travel to 

Tavares. The AX series will resume in April 2010 – check 

the website for dates, times and final locations. 


Dave o’Neal 

Tom Gorsuch 

1

509 East NASA Blvd.

2010 Porsche Panamera 

800.719.6713 

2010 Porsche 911 Carrera 

porscheofmelbourne.com 

Top 4 Reasons to Bring your Porsche to 

Porsche of Melbourne for Service: 

15

seBRING 

By Ron Menck 

We left Melbourne at 7a.m. on a very rainy 

Friday morning with some expectation that 

when we arrived at Sebring it would be dry 

enough to experience the best of Historic 

Sports Car Racing, as the Sebring event 

is HSR’s seasonal finale. The drive down 

wasn’t the customary December day we’d 

hoped for--you know, with the sun glaring 

and shadows of the trees blinking across 

the windshield as we headed south on US 

441. Nope, instead it was eyes focused 

on the wake of mist from the car in front, 

windshield wipers working to the rhythm of 

Eddie Rabbit’s “Drivin My Life Away” and 

an attentive attitude to watch for pools of 

standing water in the road. 

Four of us (Curt Guy, Steve Hoffman, Ralph 

Fritsche and I) stopped in Fort Drum for 

breakfast and discussed our plan for the 

day. As we left, the sky had cleared and 

road was dryer and we were able to open 

the cars up and let them run as we enjoyed 

a more spirited drive the rest of the way to 

Historic Races 

Sebring. The weather was good as we arrived 

at Midway road where we dismounted 

and began to circle the in-field on foot. Our 

first stop was at the Klub Sports Racing, one 

of the West Palm Beach race shops we had 

visited in October. Klub Sports hold a race 

within a race at the HSR with their vintage 

Porsches and it’s a big draw for we Porsche 

fans. I quickly learned that following region 

president Ralph Fritsche from paddock to 

paddock is like having your own personal 

tour guide and curator, as Ralph seemed 

to be steeped in the knowledge and history 

of every racing Porsche we saw. Throughout 

the morning, Curt snapped pictures, 

Steve looked for car parts, and I wandered 

behind Ralph. By the end of the day, we had 

enjoyed several hours of racing, viewing and 

shopping for t-shirts before it began to rain 

again and brought our fun to a close. 

I highly recommend that you plan to attend 

an HSR event in 2010. Events will be held 

in both Daytona and Sebring, and you’ll 


experience first-hand vintage cars from 

the ’50, through the ‘90s of all makes and 

models racing in three different series with 

about a dozen different sub groups over a 

period of 4 days. In the infield you can talk 

with the drivers, watch the preparations 

up close and of course watch the races for 

spots on the podium. Best of all, it’s quite 

inexpensive a nice drive there in your 

Porsche and totally cool! 

1

Holiday Party 

By Jack Roberts 

The party’s over. The 2009 Holiday Party and Annual Meeting 

of the Membership of the Space Coast Region of the Porsche 

Club of America is now history. 

We gathered, we drank good wines and old whiskies, we told 

stories (some of them true), we enjoyed a wonderful dinner, 

we won fabulous prizes, endured speeches, distributed 

awards, elected a slate of officers, danced to the music, and 

celebrated another landmark year of Porsche fun. 

The sight of our fun and frolic was the Eau Gallie Yacht Club. 

We had booked ourselves a prime location, taking over their 

main dining room mid-way between the dance floor and the 

walls of windows overlooking their marina and the decorated 

boats of their Christmas Parade fleet. The entire club was 

decorated for the holidays, which put us all in just the right 

mood. On entering the cloubhouse, we were greeted by Ron 

Menck and Linda Reiss who offered us tickets for the door 

prize drawings and made sure that we were properly badged 

to assist those who were more accustomed to seeing us in 

Porsche t-shirts and Piloti’s. 

From there we moved to the bar and the Hors d’oeuvre line, 

where I am pleased to report there was far less pushing and 

shoving than last year as our ladies were clearly on their best 

behavior. We enjoyed our cocktails and light conversation 

(mostly--”Wow! You clean up real good!”) for an hour or so. 

John Vasconi had no sooner reminded me of the difficulty in 

standing so long in high heels, when President Ralph Fritsche 

rang the dinner bell and we quickly found our places. 


Well, you know what a big tease Ralph is--although we got to 

eat right away, he kept talking and we had to keep stopping to 

clap, and would you believe he staggered out the door prizes 

throughout the entire evening so we couldn’t leave early! 

Those that did collect the door prizes were greatly pleased 

that they had waited, as goodies donated by Porsche of Melbourne, 

Dan’s Werkshop, and Brown and Bigelow went home 

with some lucky people. 

Karen & Jim Georgeff 

Greeters--Ron menck & linda Reiss 

Trina simpson & fiance 

Ryan Gorsuch

But there were still more goodies--We also awarded each of 

the advertisers, photographers, and contributing authors with 

a ceramic replica of the November `09 issue of Escape Velocity 

Magazine. More than 20 advertisers and almost as many 

volunteers collaborate in one way or another to produce every 

issue of our Heinmiller Award-Winning magazine. Although 

new editor Craig Kempf of CK Communications wasn’t available 

to join us for the evening, we’re all quite excited to see the 

improvements his professionalism will bring to the magazine. 

ellen & Jonathan Parker 

From Porsche of melbourne 

Terry murphy, Joe Adams, 

Christian Paul 

David & Kathy Kelly 

Rita & Ray Gettings 

Jack Had a lot of support in Winning the Heinmiller 

eileen & Bill Keeney 


erika, Tom & elaine Gorsuch 

Deb & mike masters 

Grace Parker & Karen Georgeff 

Jonathan Parker introduced the candidates for election: President--Ralph 

Fritsche; Vice President--David O’Neal; Secretary--John 

“Blake” Blakely; Treasurer--Kirk Stowers. There 

were no other candidates and the group was approved by 

acclamation. Parker also informed the group that there had 

been insufficient time to complete the process of reviewing 

the bylaws to determine if any changes were needed, so there 

was no further business to be conducted. 

Ralph returned to the podium to introduce his appointed 

officials for 2010, including: Vice President--David O’Neal, 

Secretary--Blake Blakely, Treasurer--Kirk Stowers, Events 

Chair--Steve Hoffman, Membership Officer--Brian Reinert; 

Newsletter Editor--Craig Kempf, Advertising Manager--Jack 

Roberts, Webmaster--Jonathan Parker, Sponsorship--Tom 

Gorsuch; Safety Chair--Ron Menck, Drive & Dine--Andra 

Martineau, North Region Coordinator--Mike Masters and 

South Region Coordinator--David Kelly. 

There being no more goodies to be had and no seconds on 

dessert offered, the crowd began to thin, leaving plenty of 

room on the dance floor and at the bar for those not yet inclined 

to call it a year. But before too long, even they decided 

to go home and rest up, `cause there is no end to the club 

activities planned for 2010 including a monthly “Dine and 

Drive” and a new and much closer autocross site. More on 

that elsewhere in this issue. 

martha murphy & stephanie Paul 

21

22 volume 4, Issue 1

mY FIRsT AuToCRoss eXPeRIeNCe By Tom Kirk 

What started as encouragement from Rita 

Bracket and David O’Neal at the Club 

dinner at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club back 

in July, resulted in finally getting to my 

first autocross on November 22nd. This 

Lady’s Day event was sponsored by the 

Florida Citrus Region PCA and was held 

at the Lake County Public Safety Training 

Facility in Tavares. 

The activities were scheduled to start at 8:00, 

necessitating an early rise and departure 

from Satellite Beach. With a full tank of gas 

and a big cup of coffee, I was on my way. 

Upon arrival at the facilities it was great 

to see the Porsches lined up in the cool 

morning air, like thoroughbreds ready for 

a romp around the track. This serenity was 

soon punctured by the sharp sound of gun 

shots as the road course is surrounded by 

shooting ranges used by law enforcement 

officers improving their aim. I eventually got 

used to it, but definitely did not want to stray 

too far off course. 

Unlike pictures I had seen of cones on parking 

lots, this was a sinuous road course that 

looked more like a small race track. David 

and Ginny O’Neal graciously lead me on a 

walk around the track, explaining how to 

best execute turns, braking zones and areas 

to avoid. 

David and others suggested that I might 

benefit from having an instructor ride 

with me, especially since this was my first 

autocross. There were several instructors 

available and I was directed to George with 

the Florida Citrus Region PCA. George 

rode with me for each of my first sessions 

and helped me learn to trust the performance 

and handling that lies inside these 

remarkable automobiles. 

Lunch was provided and awards were presented. 

Based on the cars with the winning 

times, horsepower was not the determining 

factor. Smoothness and control were the 

keys to success. 

That was it for the official event, but thank 

goodness they opened the track for some 

fun runs after lunch. The time clock was 

still in use, but no one was keeping score. 

Most of the participants left after lunch. 

This allowed me to put in some laps in 

quick succession, experimenting with the 

controls (sport mode on / off and PSM 

enabled / disabled), seeing the effect varying 

combinations had on my car’s handing and 

resultant lap times. I learned more about 

my car’s handling in those thirty minutes 

that I have owning it for two years! 

Fittingly, Kevin and Rita Bracket (my 

original encouragers) escorted me home at a 


rather adult pace, making quick business of 

the long straight stretches of smooth tarmac 

between Orlando and the coast. 

I had a wonderful time in Tavares and thank 

the Florida Citrus Region for organizing 

such a great event. This was so much fun 

that I am watching the calendar for the next 

one I can attend and am considering a DE 

event in the near future. 

If you want to play with your car in a safe, 

fun, supportive environment with other 

Porsche enthusiasts, I strongly encourage 

your participation in an autocross event. 

Maybe I’ll see you there. 

2

TECH CORNER 

By Mike Steele, Porsche of Melbourne 

Welcome to a new year and a new focus for 

the Space Coast Region. Currently many 

members enjoy participating in Driver’s 

Education events and autocross events. I 

am hoping more members will join in the 

fun and experience what your Porsches 

offer. When talking with some of you 

about participating in such events, some 

have asked about the wear and tear on your 

car. This article will address some of the 

stresses driving events place on you and 

your car. 

First, I should discuss the differences 

between a Driver Education (DE) event and 

an autocross event. DEs are usually held at 

a professional racing facility, such as Sebring 

International Raceway or at Roebling Road. 

They are organized for an emphasis on 

learning how to drive your car at speed on a 

race track. They are NOT competitive, with 

instructors mandatory for new drivers. Auto 

cross events can be held in smaller facilities, 

including large parking lots. They are often 

shorter driving distances, with much lower 

speeds than DEs. They are competitive 

events, and the level of instruction for new 

drivers is not as intensive as a DE. 

This being said, the stress each of these 

events places on your car is different. Auto 

cross events, while competitive, put much 

less stress on your car in a stock class than 

a DE does. Speeds typically do not exceed 

100mph, and each session usually lasts under 

two minutes. Although cornering forces are 

high in these events, braking forces do not 

build up enough heat to warrant concern. 

As long as street tires are used, the cornering 

forces remain well within a range your 

Porsche is designed to handle. In Auto 

crossing, upgrading parts of your vehicle 

will change the classification in which you 

compete. Typically as you go up in class, 

the level of competition goes up as well. 

Driver Education events can increase the level 

of stress on a car dramatically. However, the 

actual level of stress is directly related to the 

driver’s skill. A new driver will not be able to 

confidently drive a car in such a manner as to 

increase the stress on the car. Good driving 

is a skill that requires many hours of practice. 

However, put a professional driver in a stock 

car at a DE, and the car could be driven past 

its limits in a few short minutes. Larger 

racetracks can see cars pushing 140mph and 

beyond on long straights. Braking from 

these speeds repetitively for a 30 minute 

session introduces a huge heat load on the 

brake system. 

Porsches delivered right from the factory 

are very capable for light driving at the track 

(read: beginner driver, not professional 

driver). The engine, suspension, and brakes 

are well engineered for durability. For new 

drivers, the likely outcome is the car will be 

able to drive harder than the driver is willing 

or capable of driving. 

For those who have several sessions under 


their belt, some upgrades are forth coming. 

Contrary to what one may think, more power 

or engine upgrades are not the solution for 

better track performance. The first upgrade 

most everyone does is the brake fluid. Porsche 

DOT 4 brake fluid has a dry boiling point 

of 500°F. A common DOT 4 replacement 

fluid allows for 600°F boiling points. This 

allows the brakes to take more heat before the 

fluid begins to boil in the calipers. Porsche 

has designed the brake pads to be a good 

compromise between comfort and sportiness. 

For those who are willing to sacrifice 

some comfort, upgraded pads will resist heat 

and fade more. Another trade-off of track 

compound pads is the rate at which they 

wear into rotors. Of course, improved rotors 

are available to match the track pads. 

While discussing brake fluid, I must touch 

upon the required 2 year maintenance of 

flushing ones brake system. Brake fluid is 

hygroscopic. It readily absorbs moisture, and 

the boiling point is thus affected. Porsche 

brake fluid has a wet boiling point of 356°F. 

Not flushing the fluid can severely limit a 

track day. In fact, PCA events require a 

yearly service interval on brake fluid instead 

of the Porsche required 2 year interval.

The other obvious wear item from track 

time is tires. Tire life can be prolonged 

with a proper alignment, and a vehicle 

that spends a lot of time at the track will 

require different alignment settings than a 

car driven primarily on the street. Michelin 

Pilot Sport Cups and Pirelli Corsas are very 

good dual purpose tires that are approved 

by Porsche for street and track use. Switching 

to a race compound tire is something 

we discourage, as the increased cornering 

forces of ‘slicks’ require more upgrades to 

the vehicle. 

On February 13th, will be hosting our annual 

Tech Session at Porsche of Melbourne. Part 

of our focus this year will be on tracking your 

Porsche, with some club members displaying 

their cars. We hope to have an assortment 

from stock to complete race vehicles. The 

idea is to show that anyone can get involved 

and try on a track day or two with the car 

you currently drive. We will be available to 

discuss questions about track events, as will 

other club members who participate. I think 

all will agree that PCA Drivers Education 

days will make you a better driver, and are a 

ton of fun! 

Driver Education Calendar 

Listed below are the PCA DE events scheduled on tracks in our area: 

Sat & Sun, Jan 23-24 

Fri – Sun, Feb 5-7 

Friday, Feb 19 

Sat & Sun, Feb 20-21 

Saturday, Mar 20 

Saturday, Mar 27 

Sat & Sun, Apr 17-18 

Sunday, May 2 

Saturday, May 8 

Saturday, June 12 

Saturday, July 24 

Sat & Sun, Sep 11-12 

Sat & Sun, Nov 6-7 

Saturday, Nov 13 

Sunday, Nov 14 

Looking to buy, 

sell or even trade 

a Porsche or 

Porsche-related 

item? Free classified 

ads are available for 

members. Submit 

ad content and 

high resolution 

image (optional) 

tocraig@CKC411. 

DE with Florida Crown Region at Roebling Road, Savannah 

8 Hours of Sebring DE – Advanced Solo Drivers Only 

DE Instructor School w/ Florida Citrus Region at Roebling Road 

DE with Florida Citrus at Roebling Road, Savannah 

DE with Gold Coast Region at Palm Beach International Raceway 

DE with Suncoast Florida Region at Sebring International Raceway 


DE with Gold Coast Region at Homestead Miami Raceway 



DE with Gold Coast Region at Homestead Miami Raceway 



DE Instructor School with Suncoast Florida Region at Sebring 


For registration, fees and accommodation information, 

please check www.register.pca.org 


Classifieds 

FoR sAle: 1 7 Porsche 14-4 2.0l Roadster 

1973 Porsche 914-4 2.0L Roadster, chrome yellow with black interior. 

All rust repaired with new panels, rebuilt engine, new Sebring exhaust, 

all new interior, two Targa tops. More info/photos on request. 

$9,000.00. Don Lykins 904-940-8779 or dlykins@bellsouth.net. 

2

CLEAR BRA 

By Ralph Fritsche 

Several years ago I stumbled across the 

concept of the “clear bra” as a way to protect 

the painted and glass surfaces of a vehicle’s 

exterior finish. The concept was interesting 

but the technology and local installation 

options seemed to fall short. A couple of 

years later after picking up my ’88 factory 

slant, I decided to give the product another 

look. This time things were different. 

An online search showed that the concept 

had really taken off with several new 

products and varieties. Similarly, the highend 

installers had elevated the process to 

the level of an art form. Of course, Installation 

prices reflected the level of work and 

effort involved but nobody could deny the 

quality of the results. Unfortunately, even 

today high quality clear film technology paint 

protection is not something readily available 

on the Space Coast. A current review of the 

online forums made it clear that despite 

the improvements in film quality, the most 

important consideration today is the 

selection of a knowledgeable and experienced 

installer. During my research, 

I found that the “go-to” installer with 

the skill to maximize the benefit of this 

technology was Ryan Burroughs of Auto- 

PaintGuard in Tampa. 

A couple of weeks ago when the Roxanne 

and Curt Guy picked up their new 2010 

GT3 the topic of clear bras came up once 

again. Roxy and Curt plan on tracking their 

new car and quality paint protection was 

mandatory to ensure the cars finish and 

appearance remained undamaged. I made 

the call to Ryan and I quickly determined 

that he was indeed the man for the job. He 

offers a variety of clear film products that 

provide the consumer with options 

providing ultimate protection, pristine 

clarity or something in between. Another 


benefit to a wide product selection is the 

size of sheets available. There are only a 

few films that come in rolls wide enough to 

cover an entire Porsche hood. 

Total hood coverage was important to 

Curt. In his case, he also wanted maximum 

protection for the front bumper, fenders, 

mirrors and lights. The installation process 

took about six hours. Ryan has a super clean 

and modern facility, which is important 

when dust and grit can affect the outcome 

of an installation. Time passed quickly as 

we watched Ryan do his thing. At times it 

was hard to believe that a big piece of film 

was going to be coaxed into a perfect fit, but 

Ryan’s talent and experience made it happen 

and the results were virtually undetectable. 

Curt was extremely happy with the result 

and indeed the entire experience. Ryan also 

expressed a willingness to travel to the Space 

Coast to perform installations here if there 

is interest within the club. I would highly 

recommend checking out Ryan’s website at 

www.autopaintguard.com where you can 

view a gallery of his work and contact him if 

you would like additional information. Ryan 

provides a 5-year manufacturers warranty 

on all installations and for the quality of 

work, pricing is more than fair. For those of 

you who are interested in an installation on 

your vehicle and the possibility of a group 

installation session just drop me a line and I 

will help set something up.

Want to Share? 

Escape Velocity invites its readers to submit 

articles and photos dealing with topics of 

interest to the Space Coast Region members. 

If you have a personal Porsche experience 

you’d like to share, a technical tip, or just 

pictures of your car in fun places, please 

forward it to Jack Roberts for consideration. 

Articles accepted will be subject to editing. 

You may email submissions to: 

jackeroberts@hotmail.com 


What the best dressed 

sCPCA members are 

wearing this spring... 

Space Coast PCA gear available at Porsche of 

Melbourne. The new visors are now in stock. 

27

CoRNeR 

performance 


A new DFI Porsche engine provides a significant technological 

enhancement, let alone the performance increase of an additional 30 

horsepower. As an alternative to a new car, Porsche of Melbourne can 

provide a Porsche-approved ECU upgrade for pre-2009 models that, 

on paper, matches the performance of the newest engine. Before a 

Thanksgiving DE at Road Atlanta, I had Mike Steele install the APR 

ECU upgrade to my 2008 Cayman S which is outfitted with factory 

sport exhaust. The ECU install takes one hour labor, and the catback 

exhaust takes two hours labor. Mike said fitting was easy, and he was 

impressed with the quality of the APR products. 

The increase in torque was immediately noticeable, with the greatest 

gain in torque between 3000 and 5000 RPM where most of us do our 

non-competitive driving. The power was very helpful on the hilly 

road course in Braselton. Without a dynamometer, the exact results 

are difficult to quantify; however, the Escort GT2 timer showed sub-5 

second 0-60 times – a marked improvement over my purely stock 

numbers – and a confirmation of increased power. 

Collin Davey offers the following observations on the addition of ARP’s 

ECU upgrade and cat-back exhaust system to his 2006 Cayman S. 


I had the APR UCU upgrade and cat back exhaust fitted - it has 

exceeded my expectations! With the APR ECU upgrade and the cat 

back exhaust APR claim an extra 26HP and 39ft lbs torque. I can 

feel all the torque gains from as low as 2500 RPM. The horsepower 

gain is certainly noticeable, but is overshadowed by the extra torque. 

One of the unexpected benefits is that the engine seems to be much 

smoother throughout the rev range. 

With only the ECU fitted, consumption was 1 to 1.5 mpg worse 

than stock. With the cat back exhaust fitted it is 1 to 1.5 mpg better 

than stock. From inside the car the exhaust system produces a much 

deeper grumbly tone. Idling is a really deep sound. Up through 4K 

RPM it is louder than stock, but very sharp - no droning or resonance! 

Over 4000 RPM it gets an edge, just a little louder than stock. 

At highway cruising speeds it sounds the same as stock. From 

outside - it sounds deep and grown up; very different from stock. It 

sounds like the sports car it is. 

You can check out APR’s website for more details on the ECU 

upgrade and exhaust system or ask Mike at Porsche of Melbourne. 

Collin and I are both satisfied customers.

Bon Appétit 

space Coast PCA Drive and Dine 

By Andre Martineau 

A young man at his first job as a waiter in a Brevard County restaurant, 

has a Porsche owner from Dine and Drive sit down at a table to order: 

“Gimme three flat tires and a couple of headlights.” 

Bewildered the waiter goes to the kitchen and tells the cook, “I think 

this guy’s in the wrong store, look at what he ordered!” 

The cook says, “He wants three pancakes and two eggs sunny-side up.” 

The waiter takes a bowl of beans to the Porsche owner. He looks at it 

and growls, “What’s this? I didn’t order this!” 

The young man tells him, “The cook says that while you’re waiting for 

your parts you might as well gas up!” 

PCA Space Coast Drive and Dine welcomes all of you to join my wife 

Cheryl and me to experience restaurant dining in Brevard, Indian 

River, and Volusia Counties. As the title implies, the concept adds 

another venue to the PCA Space Coast events that promotes more time 

to spend with fellow Porsche enthusiasts by meeting at a starting point 

and then driving to a restaurant. It will be held the last Tuesday of the 


month so as not to conflict with other monthly PCA Space Coast 

events. Also, Tuesday is usually a slow night for restaurants and 

they will most likely be able to accommodate a club type event. 

Because the PCA Space Coast membership is equally represented 

in three counties, the Drive and Dine will be held in one of the 

three counties on a monthly rotational basis. This will enable club 

members to enjoy restaurants in the county were they reside. 

Like the waiter above I’m new at this, and volunteered for the 

Drive and Dine PCA Space Coast chair. I hope to find restaurants 

that will provide good food in an ambience that is inviting. We 

welcome suggestions for discovering unique local restaurants that 

are not chain or fast food. No Palaces of Indigestion! The first 

D&D will be held at Captain Hiram’s in Sebastian off Route 1 on 

January 26, 2010. 

Oh, and one more thing, please ensure your car and not you is 

gassed up. 

2

coming attractions 

Watch our website http://sspc.pca.org for updates and more info. 

Feb 4-7 

Feb 5-7 

Feb 6 

Feb 13 

Feb 19 

Feb 20-21 

Feb 23 

Feb 27 

Feb 28 

Mar 7 

Mar 9 

Mar 11-14 

Mar 14 

Mar 19-20 

Mar 20 

Mar 20 

Mar 27 

Mar 30 

Apr 11 

Apr 16 

Apr 17 

Apr 17-18 

Apr 24 

48 Hours of Sebring. Club Races, DE, AX 

Targa 66. Palm Beach International Raceway 

Drive to Targa 66. See website for Details 

Tech Session. Porsche of Melbourne 

Citrus Region DE Instructor’s School. Roebling Road 

Citrus Region DE. Roebling Road 

Drive & Dine. Location to be determined.Check website. 

Drive to South Region.Location to be determined. 

Sunrise to Sunset Rally registration opens. 

Kaffeeklatschen. Panera Indian Harbour Beach, Daytona, Vero 9a.m. 

Porsche Parade Chicago registration opens. 

Amelia Island Concours. 

Drive to Amelia Island Concours. 

12 Hours of Sebring Weekend. 

Drive to 12 Hours of Sebring. 

Gold Coast Region DE. Palm Beach Int’l Raceway 

Suncoast Region DE. Sebring 

Drive & Dine. Location to be determined. 

Space Coast/Citrus AX.New closer location. Tentative. 

Sunrise to Sunset Welcome Reception at Porsche of Melbourne. 

Sunrise to Sunset Rally 5. 

Crown Region DE. Roebling Road 

Kaffeeklatchen. Panera Indian Harbour Beach, Daytona, Vero. 


ouR ADveRTIseRs 

Porsche of melbourne 

page | 2, 1 , centerfold 

sharpe’s Body shop 

page | 

Auto Paint Guard 

page | 

Wine’ D Down Room 

page | 7 

Brown & Bigelow (lois & Jack Roberts) page | 

Blake Blakely Photography 

page | 10 

CK Communications 

page | 11 

GAGe-IT-Well 

page | 11 

Roxanne Guy, mD 

page | 14 

Autogeek.net 

page | 1 

AAA 

page | 22 

Dan’s Werkshop 

page | 2 

sos Dent 

page | 2 

Atlantic Coast Insurance 

page | 2 

Taylor Custom Remodeling 

page | 2 

marino’s mobile Detail 

page | 2 

Zipper urogynecology 

page | 27 

Klubsport Racing 

page | 27 

Nancy Taylor/Prudential sterling Properties page | 27 

CPA Wealth management 

page | 2 

FIT Aviation 

page | 2 

Tamburr motorcars 

page | 0 

Glover oil Co. 

page | 0 

Horst seibert/Porsche of melbourne 

page | 0 

Kempf’s Jewelry 

page | 1 

Aesthetic Plastic surgery Center 

(m.J. Castellon, mD, FACs) 

page | 2

Rolex Preview 

Some people resolve to exercise and lose 

weight. Tried that--didn’t work, so this year 

we resolved to turn out Escape Velocity in a 

more timely manner. 

Unfortunately, that requires an earlier cut-off 

date which doesn’t allow for the January 30th 

Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona to be covered in 

this issue. Instead, we’ll be covering it in 

Escape Velocity’s electronic version, to be 

found on our website at http://spc.pca.org. 

A great benefit of this is that we can offer 

you many more photos there, as there are 

no printing and mailing costs associated. 


A great number of activities for race fans 

and Porschefiles were scheduled at the 

event, so check the website in early February 

to enjoy and article and photos of Space 

Coasters enjoying a great race. 

1

�� 

P O R S C H E C L U B O F A M E R I C A 

1122 Cheyenne Drive | Indian Harbour Beach, Fl 2 7 

�� 

find us on 

www.drcastellon.com | 321.729.9909 

1499 South Harbor City Blvd., Suite 301 | Melbourne, FL 32901 

�� 

�� 

Love is in the air. 

Schedule a body 

contouring 

consultation for 

a sexier figure 

by summer 

facials | peels | mani/pedi 

liposuction | tummy tuck 

�� 

saline & silicone | lift/reduction 

�� 

facelift & browlift | microlaser peel 

M.J. Castellon, MD, FACS 

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon 

PRsRT sTD 

u.s. PosTAGe 

PAID 

All seRvICe 

GRAPHICs

7TEGI 'SEWX 6IKMSR - Space Coast PCA Home Page - Porsche ...

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