Willow Springs features
Paradoxical Cars & Metaphorical Stars
Thank you Porsche Cars North America for your continued support
Note from the Editor:
In this issue, we hope you enjoy Robert Pendelton’s whimsical take on our February event at Willow Springs...as well as the great photos taken by our professional photographers. Remember that all members are invited to submit articles and photos for publication in Velocity where they will receive valuable points needed to qualify for a championship and POC bucks to help with registration costs.
DM
VELOCITY Staff
Editor /Art Director
Don Matz
Production Manager
Matt Hollander
Contributing Writers
Don Matz
Robert Pendelton
Contributing Photographers
CaliPhotography
Frank Spasaro
Don Matz
Joe Wiederholt
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Ron Palmer President
Scott Craig Treasurer
Nathan Johnson Secretary
Joe Wiederholt VP Motorsports
Dwain Dement Chief Driving Instructor
Matt Hollander Social Media Director
Don Matz PDS Director
Cover Photo:
Ana Predescu in the cockpit by Frank Spasaro
Metaphorical Stars
...but every cloud has a silver lining, and in this case the PDS group was the beneficiary, receiving one extra driving session to fill up the “timer-less time” (paradox?). I noticed a few changes to the line-up including: Nigel Maidment’s car now sports the coveted number “1” as a reward for racking up the most (paradoxically, the highest number of) service points in 2019. Alex Hainer’s mid-engine Spec Boxster completely metamorphosed into a rear engine GTC-6 car, bumping her up to the Red Run group where was there now is paradoxically less “red” as Eric Olberz’s car shed it’s cherry red skin to reveal an underlying skin tone of fluorescent blue with yellow highlights. My apologies for any other changes in the line-up that I missed.
Weather for the weekend was pretty much the same both days, with chilly mornings giving way to ideal conditions that blended into just enough heat to think about busting out the cool suit. Late day sessions were characterized by gale force winds, a light dusting of slippery desert sand on the track, and virtually everything else, including those cute little tumble weeds lightly dancing across Turn 8. Saturday night featured a catered dinner at the track, and it was a great way to let the adrenaline buzz from the day carry into camaraderie in the evening. Kudos to Ron Palmer and the rest of the board for making that happen.
No track records were set for the weekend, but skills were improved, battles were fought, and lifelong memories and friendships were made. In BSR class Anders Hainer and Bryan Van Noy finished first and second in all three races, and for once the Spec Boxsters were not the focus of the competition committee’s attention, with only one minor incident all weekend. Karen Robinson and
Frank Spasaro Photography
Joe Wiederholt
I traded places several times, and for a good chunk of race one I found myself dicing it up in the top ten, that is, until I spun-off on Turn 2.
Car racing is still new enough to me that I recall the view looking in from the outside. Metaphorically speaking it’s Forrest Gump simple, and James Bond cool. Put your foot down, and hold on. But it turns out that the road to developing skills in car racing is paved with paradoxes and complexities. Trying to take that turn faster? Slow down on entry or finesse the brakes to transfer weight to the front. Want to be a faster driver? Get a slower momentum car. Drop wheels on the outside of the turn, and slingshot across the track to the inside.
Perhaps the most insightful paradox that I know of was given to us by the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel when he said that “We learn from history that we do not learn from history,” but the most charming and memorable paradoxes no doubt come from the legendary baseball catcher Yogi Berra, who left us with a number of gems including: “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Matt Hollander will no doubt relate to that one having been penalized one extra lap in the third orange race after a photo-finish pass of Nigel Maidment at the waving checkered and “oh crap, how did I miss that” waving yellow flag.
The biggest paradox for the weekend had to be the cool looking but odd sounding Ginetta G57 cars puttering around in the red group with Charlie Persico and Vali Predscu at the wheel. If you aren’t familiar with the G57, it’s got the profile of the Batmobile, with the rip-roaring sound of a lawn mower under a blanket. Think the imaginary love child of Cat Woman and Herbie the Love Bug. Very disturbing. But cooler than that, maybe more like David Bowie or Prince, those cutting edge rock stars who millennials now characterize as “gender fluid”. But at my age, I must admit that “gender fluid” sounds like something that ends up on a tissue at the bedside.
Don Matz
I think the designer of the G57 must have spent a lot of time when he was a kid at Disneyland running back and forth between Tomorrow Land and those slot-car/bumper cars. Remember those? I loved those cars, and come to think of it, I’m pretty sure that was the first “car” that I ever drove. I still remember my disappointment when I realized that the guy in front of me wasn’t even using his hands. But never mind that, I did my best to keep the power down and guide the car around without touching the rail. My first real car was a bumble-bee yellow, black-striped, 4 on the floor 1975 Dodge Colt that I drove like a bat out of hell, 4-wheel sliding around every corner of the neighborhood. It was Rolling Stones wild and Janice Joplin powerful; wreck-less and nearly out of control. Fast forward 40 plus years, Janice, sadly, is gone, but Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are still going at it, and I’m Willie Nelson “on the road again” slipping and sliding and battling for glory.
All in all it was another great Indiana Jones wild, Steve McQueen cool, Carol Shelby fast, and Chick Richardson weed-whacking weekend. So clear your schedule if necessary and sign up for Buttonwillow. Stay on track and bear in mind Hegel’s words that “To be aware of limitations is already to be beyond them,” or even better, “Berra” in mind that “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” and “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
Frank Spasaro Photography
Frank Spasaro Photography
Frank Spasaro Photography
Frank Spasaro Photography
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Upcoming Events Click on event
photo to register
Buttonwillow
March 14-15, 2020
Let’s all return to this great track! If you’re thinking about Cup Racing, here’s your chance...sign up for our first Racers Clinic of the year.
Registration Open
Autocross at El Toro
March 22, 2020
Always a great way to learn basic car control and to hone your skills for PDS, TT and Cup racing.
Registration Open
Willow Springs
April 18-19, 2020, 2020
Our second WSIR event of the year which, again, will feature all series... Cup, Time Trial and Performance Driving.
Registration Soon Open
Be sure to check out the POC website for our 2019 schedule of events and to stay current on PDS, Time Trial and Cup Racing standings.
And, don’t miss the Official POC Facebook Page with photos, videos and comments from our members. The POC 2020 Coffee Table Book is Now Available Get Yours Now!
