Spiel Magazine 210

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President’s Report

Welcome 2021!
Many Club members made the most of the fantastic summer and I have enjoyed people posting their stories and pictures on the Club Face Book page. Since mid-January members have been participating in events most weekends across the country including the PCNZ Pirelli Racing Series, a track day, social lunch runs, cars and coffee type events, the South Island Endurance Series, the Skope Classic and SWOTS.

PCNZ Track Day at the BMW Festival
To have a PCNZ track day included into a national race weekend programme is quite a coup and I think showcases the profile of our Club-sport activities. Incorporating Parade Laps enabled us to display our Club’s heritage of 356’s and early 911 cars (and their owners), which we don’t often see on the track these days. The feedback from the organisers was excellent and I have already asked to be invited back for 2022. Hopefully, this is an annual event moving forward.

On a personal note, it was good to blow the cobwebs out participating in a track day, the first one for me in several months. I always enjoy the pre-event banter I have with John McMillan, as we are of similar speed. I still have his tyre rubber smudge marks on the front bumper of my car from our last encounter.

Club Member Stories
We are always on the lookout for people to share their Porsche stories, I currently have a few Club members writing their ‘Turbo Rally Cab’ and ‘RAUH-Welt Begriff’ stories for future Spiels. If you would like to share your story, car, or project with a picture or two in Spiel, please feel free to contact the Spiel team or myself. 

Welcoming Club Members from other Marques
From time to time, I cop a bit of flak for owning a ‘Prancing Horse’. In my defence this was a ploy to grow the Club’s membership by poaching good people from the ‘dark side’. I would like to welcome new Club members Lani Fogelberg and Roger Ashead, Lani being the current Ferrari Owners Club (FNZOC) Auckland Area Chairperson and has recently purchased a Cayman. Lani is a BMW nutter too and has a mint E36 M3. Roger Ashead is one of the FOCNZ magazine editors and has recently purchased a Macan. They are both good friends and true car enthusiasts, so I look forward to them joining us at future Club events – (they are also good prospects for the Committee? Shhh - is it too soon?)

The Importance of Concours to PCNZ
This year PCNZ won the Ellerslie Concours, our third time in the past six years. While polishing the underside of cars may not be everyone’s thing, it is a significant part of the Club’s history and regularly winning over past decades has been a significant contribution (six figures) to the Club’s financial success with the winner getting a percentage of the gate takings. It has been my observation that there is a loyal team of around 20-25 Club members who have regularly contributed over the past decade (thank you team), but I would like to make special mention of Ashley Powell, who has been instrumental in leading many of our campaigns over the years.

SWOTS
At the time of my writing this report (in AL3 lock-down), approximately 100 Club members up and down the country will be descending on the Nelson based SWOTs. It is really encouraging to see the attendances at these weekends significantly increase in recent years. I always say to new Club members that you should attend these weekends if you wish to get entrenched into the Club, as spending three days with the same people (over a wine or five) is a great way to make new Porsche friends. I note we have ‘Thelma and Louise’ (AKA Michelle Neville and Teresa Conway) coming down in Rosie (991.2 GTS Cabriolet) (every back road is pre-programmed into Google Maps) and I look forward to their story in Spiel (no pressure TC?)

2023 Porsche Festival?
2023 marks the 75th anniversary of Porsche, so we are in early talks with Hampton Downs about organising another Porsche Festival for Jan 2023. It’s early days with more information to come.

Editor's Report

Volunteers
The clubs we belong to all depend on volunteers. The Porsche Club of New Zealand is no different. We need enthusiastic, competent members to volunteer for our various Committees to enable the Club to deliver on its full potential for its members. 

The National Committee would like to extend a sincere invitation to members to step up and volunteer for one of the local/Social Committees or even the National Committee to spread the load more evenly and to work together to make our Club and our members' experience within the Club, as good as it can possibly be. This is especially vital in our fastest growing region of Auckland.

All members involved really treasure the friendships that we have made in our time on the National and local/Social Committees. It is a lot of fun and the occasional bit of hard work.

If you would like to accept this invitation, contact the local Committee member in your area, or someone on the National Committee and have a chat. All the appropriate phone numbers are in Spiel and on the website.

25th Anniversary of the Boxster
2021 is the year we celebrate 25 since the 1996 launch of the Boxster. Throughout the year I plan to publish a number of stories about the original concepts, the development and success of the family. That now embraces the Cayman and the 718 variations. You may have read my Southern Tour in September 2020 and can now read about Steff and her recent 986 road tripping. The Boxster is being enjoyed by the six drivers having fun in the Pirelli Porsche Race Series. The guys are very keen to expand the group to all who are interested. Let me know of your Boxster stories.

Ellerslie Intermarque Concours'
Congratulations must go to our brilliant team of people and 356s who succeeded at the Ellerslie Intermarque Concours'. The story of the Speedster and the Coupe will be detailed in Spiel 211. 

I am always amazed at the positive energy and the diversity of ideas that comes from our people. Do not hesitate to tell me about your Porsche related projects and experiences. Please keep on having fun and enjoying our favourite marque.

There are more than 700 members so there will be many more tales to be told. Accept my challenge and please flood my inbox. spiel@porsche.org.nz