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Porsche Club of America
The Northeast Region

By Dennis Cataldo, Autox968@aol.com
NOR'EASTER Online - December 2001

It seems like yesterday that I sat trying to figure what to write for my first column, and wouldn't you know it, I am sitting here trying to think of what to write for my last. As you probably know, because of course, you voted "Dennis" on the club election ballot; I will be the club secretary for the coming year and no longer the Administrative V.P. Yes, it was a close race for secretary but the "write-ins" couldn't form a consensus to elect ether Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or Goofy, so I won by unanimous default.

This turned out to be a very busy year after all, the challenge of finding speakers, locations and subject matter that would be interesting and educational to the masses becomes a daunting task in short order. We have, as you know, over 1400 members and the interests of the club vary greatly from the "cleaners" to the "Speedadicts". In case you missed one of my earlier columns, Speedadicts is my term for the autocross and track junkies that will spend every last penny to go just one second faster. I would say the meetings at the Collings Foundation, Boston F1 and David Murry stand out as this year's highlights.

In addition to planning the clubs eleven monthly meetings, I made a break-through year in exploring many of the tracks in the Northeast, traveling from Mt. Tremblant in Canada down to Virginia International Raceway, in all, cracking 20 Drivers Ed days in 2001. My favorite is Mt. Tremblant, the area is beautiful, the ride is reasonable, the accommodations are superbly affordable and, most of all, the track scared the *#*# out of me. I like a challenge, and if turns one and two at Tremblant don't scare you, your last name is probably Schumacher.

Further, the late year transition to a car with the motor at "the wrong end", or "the right end" for the majority of you, proved both nerve bending and rewarding. I learned to drive on a 76' 911, but since then I have only owned front engine "water coolers". With the jump to the 2001 Carrera, I kept in accord with water-cooling but finally, without any other modern Porsche offerings to the contrary, surrendered to the traditional Porsche engine placement. With trembling hands I rolled out onto NHIS for my first drive in the new car in late October and within the first few laps my fears were replaced with smiles. Porsche has come a long way in development and engineering, the 996 defies the laws of gravity previously established by the earlier variations of 911's, I referred to those as "lift to spin". The 996 handled amazingly well for a stock car, lapping NHIS with considerable speed and agility. Not quite the level of security the "prepared" 968 afforded but very, very close. I am looking forward to 2002, driving this car in track prepared form and on many of the countries finest road courses.

So for 2002 I am the club scribe, attending meetings with computer in hand, ready to record all of the exciting news for the active members of the club. The coming year should be great for everyone. The various committees are already hard at work trying to enhance offerings for next year. We have multiple dates at NHIS and very favorable correspondence from Lime Rock, Mt. Tremblant and other great tracks within driving distance.

A concours group ready to hold new events, complete with logistics changes that will benefit the "cleaners" of our club. The new Administrative V.P already has meeting dates and subject matter confirmed all the way into late spring beginning with a trip in January to Paul Russell's restoration facility in Essex, MA. The Autocross committee had secured a second race site and plans to expand the competitive series while making the qualification for annual class win easier to meet. And, Dave Weber has been working on the clubs first concert ho-down featuring Nik and The Nice Guys, a social event that should be a blast for everyone.

Of course, there will be many more offerings of the other activities that the club loves to do. I suppose I could just keep rambling about the great things coming forward and we haven't even finished off 2001. Thank you to everyone who gave me positive feedback throughout the year on my job and column. I was a pleasure working for all of you. Remember, you don't have to be part of a committee or board to write in the NOR'EASTER, so what are you waiting for?

Porsche Club of America The Northeast Region

Porsche Club of America
The Northeast Region