The event was hosted by the NNJR region, and was at Pocono, on the north course. For those of you unfamiliar with that course, it is a 1.5 mile road course that uses NASCAR turn 3 as the main straight, and then has a road course inside the NASCAR oval.

Here is a short description of the course: From the hot grid you proceed clockwise (opposite the NASCAR guys) onto NASCAR turn 3. For the NASCAR guys it’s a turn, but PCA it’s a straight. In other words, you could use full throttle the entire way around the turn. In my car (an 89 944 turbo) I would start the turn in 3^rd gear, shift into 4^th at 6500 rpm when I was close to apex of the corner, keep accelerating out of the turn and hit about 125 mph before I had to make the next turn. At the end of the straight, you exit the NASCAR track by making a right hand kink (T1). You go down a short chute of about 100 yards, then make a 90 degree right turn. I down-shift from 4^th to 3^rd gear before T2. Exiting the turn puts you onto the second straight. At the end of the straight is a slow, tight left turn. I downshift to 2^nd gear before making that tight left turn (T3). You accelerate on a very short straight, just about hitting redline in 2^nd gear, then make a decreasing radius right turn (T3). The track starts to curve left after exit of T3, and I shift into third shortly after the exit of T3, and before the road curves. The curve continues for about 90 degrees, and I am feathering the throttle for entire time. The track finally straightens for a short while, then you make the last turn, a right that dumps you back onto the NASCAR part of the track.

OK, so my weekend started Friday afternoon, when I arrived at the track at about 5:00pm. I brought along a friend who volunteered to work as my crew, and my two nephews, age 12 and 10, who were there to help out and for me to get them started on Porsches as soon as possible. Get to the track, boy it’s crowded already! Pocono has been undergoing a lot of construction for about a year, as they upgrade the facility for the NASCAR boys. I was here in April, and the place was still torn up, no roads in the infield, no garages, porta – potties for bathrooms, etc. Well, the NASCAR race is in two weeks, and the place looks a lot different. First of all, there is pavement to drive on, not dirt, the garages were open, and there were bathrooms. Most of the garages were either taken or reserved, but I didn’t care. We drove around the paddock and found a decent spot – in a corner of the lot, against the front straight. We were located next to the Hoosier truck, so it was always a little loud, but you can’t really expect quiet at a race track, can you! Anyway, we unload the car from the trailer, unload some gear, and head over to registration and tech.

Saturday dawns early, and I’m at the track by 7:15. The weather looks great, in the mid 80’s with a nice breeze, not too much humidity, and no chance of rain. Not normal Pocono weather! I eat some breakfast and head to the driver’s meeting. I stop and say hello to all my club race friends, there are quite a bit there, and that’s one of the things that makes the racing so great.

First warm up session. I drove the north course last October with Metro PCA. My best lap times were in the 1:02 range. I hope to get down to the 1:00 flat range. The course is pretty simple to drive (IMHO) as there are paint marks on the track surface courtesy of the Bertil Roos driving school. The track is pretty much a ‘connect the dots’ track, where if you put the tire on the mark, you are on the line. The only exception is T1, which is very wide and fast. There are multiple lines through there. Anyway, on the track the car feels great. I have a new set of Kumho V700’s, 245/45/16 front, 265/45/16 rear. The tires are coming up to temp, and the car feels great. Nicely balanced, plenty of power, running nice and cool. I am in race group 2, which is comprised of cars in class B, C, D, E, and GT 4 and 5. I’m class E, so my class is the slowest in the group. I’m watching my mirrors for the faster cars (like the 993 bodied 911 of Chris Musante and the 993 cup car of Franco Giovanni) while working my way around some of the slower cars.

I’m working my way around the track, concentrating on getting through T1 quickly, when I come up on a GT4S 914 – 6. The 914’s have a lot less power than I do (or at least they should) but weigh MUCH less, and have lots of aero aids (read LARGE wings). So I’m catching the 914 down the front straight, and I don’t want to lose him in the corner so I try to push it hard in T1. I figure the 914 isn’t going to slow down very much because he’s so light and all, BIG MISTAKE. The 914’s brake lights go on, and he starts to turn. I put on the brakes and turn in. Suddenly, the 914 is slowing much faster than I anticipate. I’m at max braking, the car is slowing at the max, but I keep getting closer and closer. There is nothing I can do. I keep getting closer, then ‘tap’ I hit him square in the bumper. It’s a VERY light tap, and it just pushes him down the track a little faster. Touching cars in PCA club racing is a no no, but I don’t know what to do. The session ends a lap later, and I cruise back to my paddock spot. I look at my car, no damage. There is a faint spot of orange paint on my white bumper, and that’s all. I head into the paddock to find the other car, as I want to apologize to the driver. I find the car, no damage at all, just some faint white paint on his freshly painter bumper. The driver is not around, so I head back to my paddock space.

Soon, one of the scrutineers comes over, and I’m in trouble. The driver of the other car is with him, and he asks me if I’m the one that ‘kissed’ him. I say that I am, and that I was looking for him. We agree that there is no damage to either car, but I have to complete an incident report, and turn it in. I do so, stating that I hit the other car because I did not anticipate him slowing down so much. I turn the form in, and that’s the end of it (or so I think).

Back to my paddock space, review tire temps and pressures. Make some adjustments, then head out to the grid for my second practice run. On the way, one of the scrut’s stops me, and informs me that I have to sit out the session because I did not report the incident. I say fine, then I go to find Fred Seipp, the steward, to talk to him about the incident. I find Fred, and we review what happened. I tell Fred that I wasn’t used to running with such a diverse crowd, and that I didn’t know all the drivers in the group. Fred tells me (correctly) that that’s all the more reason to use caution, and that I should think about that while I sit out the session. So I’m a bad boy, and I need a time out J

Back to the paddock, check car over, everything looks good. The new K tires are working well, the car is very nicely balanced, and I’m having fun. Check the time sheets from the first session, best lap was a 1:02.9. Not bad, I know I can do better. The leaders were down in the 1:00 range, and I should be able to get there. Missing the second practice does not help.

I’m gridded in 24’th position for the fun race. The rookies are required to participate in the practice starts, they’re optional for everyone else. I usually do them, so I can get a feel for the starter, traffic, and the cars around me. The extra track time doesn’t hurt either. So we lined up, and were to do 3 starts, then a 7 lap race after the last start. Start 1 was fine, I was on the outside going into T1, and lost a position. Start 2 was bad, I missed the shift. The third start was great, I got by a few cars, then the race was on. I drove hard and managed to hold the cars off. I finished second in class, but most of the fast guys didn’t do the fun race, so I didn’t have high hopes.

Sunday started with a short practice session, then qualifying, then the race. First practice I take it easy. Fred S gets by me on the second lap in his 72 911 RS. He then slows me down for a while until I dive under him in braking for T1. I get two quick laps in, then the checker flies. Check timing, and I did a 1:02.03. Better, but not into the 1:01 range. Each session I pick up a few tenths, but there is no way I’m going to gain the second a lap I need to be competitive with the leaders.

For qualifying I was in the back of the pack, behind Mike Piera and ahead of Fred S and Eric Ravid in his #43 red 951S. Eric has been a second a lap faster than me all weekend, so I don’t know why he’s behind me. My plan is get let Eric by, then try to stay on his tail. The grid marshall’s inform us that we’re going out on a green track, in other words, once you get out there, go for it! No warm up laps. We head out, I’m behind Mike P, and we zoom off. The car in front of Mike is Georges Pellegrini in his 88 951s, and Georges starts off slow. Mike goes to drive under him in T1, then Georges puts the power down, and they both pull away. I check my mirrors, and there is no one behind me. Great! My tires are still warm, and the track is clear. Forget about Eric, get going! I turn one quick lap, car is great. OK, time to push it.

My third lap is very good. I’ve been having problems with the last turn, the one that leads onto the front straight. That is the most important turn on the course, because if you screw it up, you’ll be slower around the entire front straight. The problem with the corner is that the turn in point is very bumpy, the apex is also very bumpy, and there happens to be a large wall at the track out point. You can take the corner a lot faster than you think, because as you exit the corner, the track becomes banked, and the banking really increases your grip. So, I’ve been working on apexing earlier and earlier, and concentrating on carrying more speed through the corner. On my third lap I got an excellent drive out of the corner, zoomed down the front straight, and held my breath as I took T1 off the banking and into the corner. The car stuck, so I gave a short boost of full throttle down the chute, then HARD on the brakes for the third gear T2. Concentrate on a late apex with early application of throttle. On the brakes, reach the turn in point, feel the rear start to step out a little, squeeze the throttle on, feel the throttle stick the rear tires, then go to full throttle. The RPMS scream up to redline as I reach the braking zone for T3. This is a tight second gear left. I get as wide right as I can, then squeeze the brakes, do a heel-toe downshift, turn in and stand on the throttle. It works perfectly. I’m at the right hand T4, I don’t have a great line in this corner, it’s off camber, and a strange shape. I make it through, grab third gear on the exit, and hold on as I make the left curve that leads to the last corner. Over the timing line, and I know I have a good lap.

The track is still clear (I have no idea where Eric is) so I try to relax, concentrate on being smooth, slow in, fast out, etc., and see if I can get a better lap. As I go by T1 I see waving yellows. A car is stuck off track on the outside of T2. OK, I see it, continue my lap. I come up to slower cars and prepare to pass. I’m about to pass when, uh oh, forget about it because the black flag is out. Pull into the pits and line up while the car is removed from the track. Back out we get another few laps, but none are very memorable.

As we came off the track, my group was called to the impound. On the scales, my car weighed 3014. I had a little less than ¼ tank of fuel, so I have to add a few gallons to make sure my car makes weight (2998) at the end of the race.

Back in my pits I check timing and scoring, and my third lap was my best, with a 1:01.84. So I did break 1:02. However, everyone else also went faster. I’m gridded 24’th overall, and 8^th in class. The order for E class is John Sullivan with a 58.7!, John Ktistes, Mike Piera, Tim Rosengrant (in a C4) Georges Pellegrini, Bertil Lundqvist, Eric Ravid, Me, Eric Palotas, Fred S, and Mary Tietjen..

Time for the lunch break, get some food, meet my wife and daughters (1.5, 4.5 years old), and think about the race. The prospects for a good finish are not promising. I’ve been driving pretty hard, and the car is working well, but the lap times are not there. Before the weekend, I would have guessed I would be in the top half. Now I don’t see that happening.

Race time. On the grid. Some confusion with the grid workers over car placement, then about how much time before the race. No problem, I’ll just get set. In the car. Window net in. Harness on. Balaclava on. Helmet, neck brace, then gloves. Start the car. Tighten harnesses as much as I can. Get the 2 minute mark from the grid workers. Nervous. I think ‘please make a good start’ then take it from there. My race plan is to make a good start, then drive hard for a few laps to get away from the cars behind. Drive easy for the next 10 minutes of so to save the tires, then go hard for the remaining laps. Cars now heading for the track. The splitter directs me to the right (inside) lane. I’m behind Mike P in his green and yellow 911, next to him is Eric R in his red 944T, and next to me is a brown 911. Follow the group around the track on the warm up lap. Make sure the brakes work, try to get some heat in the tires. Go around the track. On the last section the flag workers are motioning to us to tighten up the grid. Make the last turn onto the straight, and the leaders take off. The field is very loose, so no green. Fine with me, one more lap around, and I know my tires will be up to temp.

Do one more lap, no pace car. My car feels good. Stay tight to Mike’s rear. On the main straight, find the starter, there it is, the green flag! I’m in second gear at about 4000rpm, perfect. I get a good jump and the car zooms ahead. Mike goes low to pass a car, I follow. I pull down inside Mike to pass him, but his engine is now on the cam, and I can’t pass. Stay close, I’m on inside going into T1. Lots of cars, I think there’s a 911 on my right, but I can’t tell. Go through T1 side by side, don’t track out because there’s a car there. OK, stay right for the entrance to T3. Late brake, pass another car. Make the turn, the field is spreading nicely, now I have room to drive. Get onto the front straight, and I believe I have passed three cars.

The race is on, drive hard, see what happens. I’m thinking that there’s no way I’m going to be able to pass anyone else, so drive smooth and try to keep the cars I passed back there. George P is behind me in his 951S. He’s gaining on me all around the track. Next lap he passes me on the straight when I bobbled the last corner. I make up the distance in T1, but then he pulls away after T2. Same thing with the next guy behind me. Mike P is pulling away, although he’s not that far ahead.

Do a few quick laps, now it’s time to cool it to save the tires. There’s a GT 4 914 behind me. I can pull him on the straight, but he kills me under braking. I can hold him off in the infield by making my car wide, but he’s in a different class, and I don’t want to hold him up so next lap I let him by before T1. I try to stay close.

About 15 minutes into the race I see waving yellow before the left hander. Eric R has spun off the track, he pulls back on in front of me. Maybe I can pass him. I follow him onto the front straight, and dirt is coming out from under his car. He pulls me on the straight, I catch up on the infield. I concentrate on the last corner: Scream around the left curve, feel the car lean and drift right, but I want to get a real good run on the last corner, so I stay on the power and just ride it out. Get the car back to the left to set up the last corner. On the brakes, and sooner than I want to, I force myself to release the brakes to give the front end some grip. Make sure to do it smoothly, then turn the car down to the apex. Back on the power, feel the car turn past the apex then start to hop, bump and drift up right up to the wall with the NASCAR writing on it. I know the car is going to stick, and I stay at full throttle. I’ve made a good turn, and I have gained on Eric. I’m right behind him, and the plan is to draft him down the straight, then pull down low and pass going into T1. However, it doesn’t work that way. Eric just pulls away on the straight, and I’m not close enough to try and pass. Damn!

Watch for the next lap or two as Eric pulls ahead. Here come the leaders behind me. Boy are those cars fast. Give them point-by’s to let them know where I want them to pass. I HATE those pesky 914’s. So much grip, so little weight, so good under braking. How do they get so much power from those little engines? They pass me going into the left hand T3. OK, clean track, time to give it all I can. I watch as Eric has caught George P. They battle, then Eric gets by. George is going much slower. Can I catch him? I try. I am gaining each lap, but I’m running out of time. One lap I think about diving under him at the end of the front straight, but I’m not close enough. Next lap I will be if I can hang in there. Get a good run out of the T2 and tail him through T3. Prepare for a good last corner, but there it is, the checker. Damn, not enough time!

Oh well, I ran a good race and I had a good time. I ended up finishing right where I started. I guess that makes sense.