If you thought that the closest you were going to get to a Panamera in your driveway was Porsche’s great Picture it web-site, well forget it. They don’t even have the Panamera loaded up as an option yet (my guess is they will add it soon).

However, for as little as fifty bucks, you might win one. Thanks to the Porsche Club of America, for less than the cost of a tank of premium, you could drive away in a 2010 Porsche Panamera S. Limited to only 5500 tickets, the deadline for entry is November 23, 2009 and the winner will be announced on December 14, 2009.

It’s that simple. The only catch? You must be a member of the PCA to play. As if you needed another reason to join!

I would wish you luck, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to win. Here’s another link to the entry form if you feel like trying your luck.

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[Source: PCA]

The 27th Annual Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (www.pvgp.org) was held on Sunday, July 19th. This culminated 10 days of events that included a kick-off rally, fund raisers, car shows, and various other activities including the very popular Saturday car club shows. The money raised by the PVGP Association benefits the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities who attend the Allegheny Valley School.

Over the past 26 years, $2.4 million has been raised from various sponsors, private donations and the car clubs that hold events over the weekend. With approximately 250,000 spectators, 1200 volunteers, 6 races and record attendance by the car clubs, this year should be another great year for the charities.

What many people don’t know is that the PVGP is not only the largest vintage grand prix, it is the only one run on city streets in the US. With 22 turns over the challenging 2.33 mile street course, it is a day of excitement as you watch vintage cars, and in many cases very rare collectibles, challenge one another as if they were racing for a large purse. In fact, the drivers actually pay an entrance fee and are not awarded any money for podium finishes. They do, however, get a very nice trophy and the bragging rights of winning one of the most prestigious races of the season.

How does this event relate to Porsche enthusiasts? Aside from some very nice Porsches competing in the races, the Allegheny Chapter of the Porsche Club of America and its’ members show up in force not only to see the races but to support the charities by holding two fun filled days of events. Approximately half, of our chapter’s 650 members attended this event in one way shape or form. This year over 150 Porsches parked along side of the race course on the Schenley Golf Course…yes they let us part on the golf course! Members and their guests enjoy looking at very clean and detailed cars that participate in the concours, as well as other excellent examples of Porsche automobiles. After enjoying a catered lunch both days, raffles are held in support of the PVGP Association and for the first time apparel was sold and items were collected to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan (Porsche Project for Patriots – P3). This year some specimen 356s and Speedsters were displayed accompanied by twin turbos, a GT2, GT3’s as well as every other model known to Porsche. This event has become so popular among Porsche enthusiasts that members of other Porsche clubs come from outside our region and as far away as Canada to attend.

All of us are looking forward to next year and especially in 2011 when Porsche will be the featured marque of the event. It’s a great venue if you like nice people, racing and great cars. All PCA members are welcome to attend with registration information available for next year’s PVGP on our website beginning in late Spring 2010.

PorschePurist.com would like to give a special thanks to Dave Tilstone of the PCA’s Alleghany Region for contributing today’s post and information about the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. If you would like to contribute to PorschePurist.com showcasing the many benefits members receive from participating with your region’s PCA chapter, or an event in your region, please feel free to comment below or get in touch with me using the site’s Contact page.

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[Source: Dave Tilstone PCA Alleghany Region]

As those of you who have been following our reports know, we’ve been in Keystone, CO following the Porsche Parade courtesy of Mobil1. Today’s Mobil 1 TSD Rally, which drew a hearty number of participants in various Porsche models (and even a couple of reporters in a signal-green GT3 masquerading as a Ford Focus), was our reason for attending the parade. We had eagerly anticipated joining other Porsche lovers on their scenic adventure.

For those of you unfamiliar with this type of event, a TSD rally is a Time-Speed-Distance contest where two participants — a pilot and co-pilot — draw a pre-determined start time. Using this time, cars report to a check-in location where they are given a packet containing ultra-secret route instructions. Cars then drive to the secret start location, where they wait 30 minutes after their start-time to begin the actual event. Participants must follow the route and prescribed speed limits closely. The event includes several checkpoints which cars must clear, having completed the segments as closely to the “perfect” time as possible, with penalties doled out for going too slow/fast.

Before the event, participants had the opportunity to attend a “Rally School” to familiarize themselves with the event rules and language of the route instructions. It’s a good thing, too, because the instructions generally read like this:

Right at STOP — CAST 18 – SL40 CAST 39 – Left after “Red Cliff,” CAST 14 – etc.

We reported at check-in, a parking structure in Lionshead, and were glad to meet Lee Sammons, who is a “rallymaster” and was in charge of developing the route. Using our favorite line, “we’re journalists with PorschePurist.com,” we secured a few route details from Lee, who pointed out scenic areas and places where we might get lost. Good thing, too, because even after the rally school we were not exactly sure we would know how to follow the route directions.

We hopped back in the GT3/Ford, reset the odometer, and were off on the route. Aside from the gorgeous Colorado scenery, following a variety of Porsches was a definite highlight for us. Perhaps tipped off by the camera dangerously held out the passenger’s window as our fearless Motorsport Editor drove as if on a race track, drivers soon realized that we were there to photograph their cars. They played to the camera: some smiled, some waved, we got thumbs-up signs, and even a peek at a Ferdy Bear who was riding with a couple in a Guards Red C4S.

Aside from those who were there to enjoy, there were a few participants who were clearly taking the TSD Rally very seriously. Cathy and Mike Martin, driving a yellow ‘03 996 with black racing stripes, told us they had participated in the Targa Newfoundland Rally and that we could interview them later because they “were here to win on Mobil 1”! While most drivers and copilots smiled whilst driving, there were a few whose focus was palpable. I met a woman at the Mt Massive Golf Course (site of our second checkpoint) who exhaled, wiped sweat off her brow, and said, “this is stressful!”

At every checkpoint, friendly PCA volunteers worked seamlessly to enhance the participants’ experience. The first volunteer would call out the arriving car’s number, and the car would be registered. The remaining volunteers would hand the car a slip and send it on its way to the next segment. At the first checkpoint, volunteer Sean Cridland approached us and said, “are you from Porsche Purist? I want a case of Mobil Oil!” We were happy to take his contact information and continue on our way (congratulations Sean for finding Valerie and Christian and winning a case of Mobil1).

More scenic roads lead us to Leadville, CO, which reportedly has one of the coldest, snowiest winters in the country, often 9 months of snow! That was not the case today, where sunshine and perfect temps in the 70s greeted us. After taking a brief break there and enjoying several cars which we’d been following waving as they came by, we resumed our adventure through the mountains.

The Mobil 1 Rally finished at the epicenter of the Porsche Parade, the Keystone Conference Center. As cars came by, smiles were the norm, and Porsche owners fresh off their 3 ½ hour adventures through the Colorado roads crowded the parking lot. As we were ready to call it a day, Tim Drummer approached us and asked for a case of Mobil 1 oil for his Cayman S, becoming our second and final winner. The perfect end to an adventurous day!

Even though we didn’t have our Porsches with us, we truly enjoyed being a part of this event, a visual feast of nature and cars shared with friendly people. We’re already looking forward to next year!

Just a quick note of gratitude to PorschePurist.com’s Valerie Roedenbeck and Christian Maloof for the great coverage and photos. Of course, thank you as well to Mobil1 for supplying the oil for PorschePurist.com to give away and sending Valerie and Christian out to report and attend.

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As if Porsches of various vintages were not beautiful enough on their own, setting the Porsche Parade’s Concours at the Keystone Ranch Golf Course added the perfect backdrop in which to enjoy our favorite cars. When we arrived the fairways were already scattered with Parade attendees and volunteers enjoying the cars on display, and we were happy to join them.

The Historic Display section greeted us first, and there were quite a few memorable cars there. There was a widespread display of rare cars including a 1960 Carrera Abarth, a 356 Super-90 GT, and a 1966 906, always a crowd favorite. Motorsport Editor Christian Maloof, who owns and races a 1995 993, particularly enjoyed the ’73, ’93, and ‘97 RSRs on display. As far as race cars went, the 1968 908-2 Spider once driven by Bobby Rahal was a highlight for all Porsche race car lovers.

An immaculate 550 Spider, complete with leather clasps holding the engine compartment down, was a highlight for us. Its silver paint was pristine, and the owner clearly enjoyed driving and displaying the vehicle.

By far the most rare Porsche there was a white 1998 GT-1. It was on display next to the more “common” Carrera GT. For those of you who may not be familiar with the GT1, it was a homologated version of the Le Mans-winning GT-1 R. These ultra-rare road cars once sold for 1 million dollars!

There were two 959s on display. A 959 in polar silver (whose owner proudly proclaimed his use of Mobil 1 in not just this priceless race car, but his Cayenne as well) had once not been street legal in the USA.

In the GT3 department, there were quite a few interesting specimens on display, including the classic orange plus red, white and even silver cars. Some were clearly driven on the track, whereas others were a lucky owner’s garage queen, but all were spectacular.

There were plenty of beautiful 356s. One, a Porsche 356 Speedster proudly showed the Mobil 1 Pegasus and displayed its original toolkit.

Next to the Historic Display were six Porsche tractors. It’s important to remember Porsche’s beginnings, and the tractors serve as a reminder of the company’s early focus. Included in the display were Diesel Juniors, Standards, Super-Export 329 and a Goliath.

Everywhere, owners were lovingly cared for and displayed their cars, happy to tell us about their history, current use and even value. Every Porsche owner has his or her own way of enjoying his or her car, and at the Parade, it’s all good.

If you want to see our constantly updated album, take a look at our Pictures of the Porsche Parade 2009

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It’s a beautiful day in Keystone, CO! Keystone sits between snow caps and is surrounded by lakes and a river, which makes the setting all the more perfect for the 2009 Porsche Parade.

On the drive to Keystone, our 3 ¼ cylinder rental Ford Focus lacked the torque needed to attack the mountain passes, but it sure coasted beautifully once we managed to clear them. Luckily Motorsport Editor Christian Maloof was at the helm, as slow hands were crucial on this trip. It was on one such majestic coasting sessions that we caught up to our first P-car of the week, a midnight blue Cayman S. Oh, how it made me long for my own Fritz, sitting in my garage far away in Michigan.

On our final approach to the Parade epicenter, we pulled up next to a 993 whose color we did not recognize. The owner was kind enough to tell us it was oak green, a stock color in the 1970s, which he’d had custom-applied to his 993. We would soon learn rare and custom Porsches are de rigueur at the Porsche Parade.

When we arrived at registration, we were greeted by kind volunteers who handed us water, a bag of snacks, and instructed us to park and walk to the main building. The parking lot was awash in even more beautiful cars of all vintages – a 964 RS, two 996 GT2s, a lone 912, a 911 E and many more to mention. Owners were interacting, washing and otherwise enjoying the beautiful landscape.

The sound of modified 997s with aftermarket exhausts bounced off an immaculately preserved 356 winding by, creating a wonderful cacophony of engine sounds. The stark contrast of new and old Porsches made for an exotic palate of colors, shapes and sounds. The visual treats were aplenty, too: at our lodging check-in, the parking lot was taken by a Carrera GT, one of 50 Azurro California Blue 911 Club Coupes, and a 356, all in a row. Nowhere else is a Porsche lover faced with three such choices!

Registration was incredibly well organized, with clear signage, well informed volunteers and an overall positive attitude. We spent the next few hours talking with our friends Bob Rybarczyk from Mobil1 and Eric Gedeon from Rally Sport PCA, who had driven his Boxster from Ann Arbor to attend the event. We quickly found at these events one quickly makes friends, as people didn’t hesitate to approach us to ask us about our involvement with Porsche. (No takers on the case of Mobil oil yet, though!).

PorschePurist.com’s Christian Maloof

A highlight of meeting Porsche folks came when we met Vu Nguyen (executive director of the PCA, Leonard Turner and Betty Jo Turner (editor of Panorama Magazine). I enjoy my Panorama every month, and I was glad to be able to tell Betty in person what a phenomenal job she does editing our club magazine.

Today promises to be an equally exciting day. More and more Porsches are driving in to Keystone, and a few key events are on our radar. First and foremost, we’ll be joining Bob from Mobil 1 at the Concours D’Elegance early this morning. From what we have seen so far, there is bound to be an amazing display of perfectly cared for Porsches. We’ll be posting photos by lunchtime today, so join the judges in deciding which of the many is the most beautiful!

After the Concours, we’ll stop by the Historic Display to examine a bits of Porsche history that we’ll also share with you via Facebook and Twitter (if you haven’t already befriended/followed Porsche Purist, do so now!).

At 1:30, we’re scheduled to participate in the PCA Rally School. As we’re quickly learning, the Mobil 1 TSD Rally is no silly scavenger hunt. The rules are complex, the instructions require attention to detail, and the drivers who place well work very hard to earn their top spots.

We’ll probably close the afternoon with a visit to the Art Show, which showcases various depictions of the cars we love. We’ll tell you more about what we see and learn later today – stay tuned!

As the day goes on, we’ll work on putting together a complete photo album for your review as well. Lots more pictures to follow….

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As you read this post, the PorschePurist.com team is spread across the US at various Porsche related events. This week we are at the PCA Porsche Parade in Keystone, Colorado (courtesy of Mobil1) and in Birmingham, Alabama at the Barber Motorsport Park to drive the Cayman and Boxster with PDK and see how they perform on the track. We’ll be blogging, Tweeting and updating as much as we can from the various events.

With regard to the PCA Parade and Mobil1, don’t forget that you have until Tuesday night to enter our contest to win one (1) of five (5) cases of Mobil1 oil and one last chance on Wednesday at the Parade itself.

Three questions?
1. How many of you are going to Parade?
2. Who has been to the Porsche Sport Driving School (PSDS)?
3. Any tips from those of you that have been to PSDS?

We’re all pretty excited about the various events and anxious with anticipation at the thought of driving with the likes of David Donohue, Patrick Long, Hurley Haywood, etc. etc.

Lastly, don’t forget about our recent poll. Is Driving a Porsche a Reason to be Begrudged? If you haven’t yet voted, you can do so in the post or in the poll on the sidebar to the right.

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The 2009 54th Annual PCA Parade, being held June 29th to July 4th in Keystone Colorado, is fast approaching. This year, the Parade’s Time Speed Distance (TSD) rally on July 1st is sponsored by Mobil 1. As most of you know, Porsche and Mobil 1 have a long and storied partnership dating back to 1996. 13 years later the relationship is stronger than ever with Mobil 1 used as the exclusive factory fill, and recommended service fill, for all Porsche engines and a sponsor to Porsche Motorsport.

To help celebrate this working relationship, and showcase Mobil 1’s involvement with the PCA 2009 Porsche Parade and TSD Rally, PorschePurist.com’s Valerie Roedenbeck and Christian Maloof are attending the Parade and Rally courtesy of Mobil 1 and will be reporting live here on the blog, Facebook group and Twitter on their experiences and adventures. It should be very interesting to see how a Grand-Am KONI Challenge driver (Christian) does trying to stick to the time/speed rules of the rally (assuming they even let him drive) We’re kicking things off and revving up the excitement by giving away five cases of Mobil 1 oil.

That’s right, free Mobil 1!

If you’re one of the five lucky winners*, just pick your favorite flavor/viscosity and we’ll ship it directly to your door, courtesy of Mobil 1. Here’s how you can win:

1. Spread the word. We want people to know about Mobil 1’s involvement with Porsche and the PCA so help us spread the word by posting a link to this article on another Porsche related web-site, Porsche based forum or other automotive enthusiast site. Once you post the link, let us know by commenting below (be sure to include your email and let us know where you posted the link). We’ll randomly pick two winners from this group of entries on the day of the TSD.
2. Follow-us on Twitter. Do you Tweet? If so, you can win a case of Mobil 1 oil. How? Simple. Follow PorschePurist on Twitter. We’ll keep a list of all those who start following us as of the publication of this post. We’ll randomly pick one of the next 100 people who sign up to follow our updates and announce the winner on the day of the TSD. It’s that simple.
3. Find us at Parade. Valerie and Christian will be participating in the TSD on July 1st and enjoying the other events with everyone else. They will both be wearing PorschePurist.com polo shirts (and also have some goodies to hand out). The first person to find them at Parade, mention this post and ask for a case of Mobil 1 will win. Make sure when you see Valerie or Christian you give them your preferred choice of oil and your address!!!



PorschePurist.com’s Christian Maloof and Valerie Roedenbeck with Wolf Henzler at Sebring 2009
4. Random Reader. If you want a case of oil and feel like telling us why we should send one to you, comment below. The best reason, as determined by our judges (that’s me) wins!!!

If you can’t make it to the PCA Parade this year, be sure to check out PorschePurist.com as we will be live blogging when we can, tweeting when we can’t and giving a daily round-up while we’re there.

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*Can only ship to the US and Canada

[Source: PCA, Mobil 1, Porsche and 993C4S]