PCA
PCA

Welcome to Space Coast!

Welcome to the Space Coast Region of the PCA serving members in the East Central Florida Counties of Brevard, Indian River and Volusia. We are part of PCA Zone 12. Not a member? Join PCA here and don't forget to select "Space Coast" as your region!

November, 2009 Escape Velocity Magazine

Some Recent Event Pictures:
HSR Race At Daytona
More Oktoberfest pics
 Concurs and Oktoberfest at Porsche of Melbourne
Klub Racing Shop Tour
Gunnar Racing Shop Tour
Daytona PCA Octoberfast Club Race 

Flight Deck

Details on Upcoming Space Coast Events

Sun, Nov 22                  SKILL         Ladies Day AX with FLC, Tavares, 8am.  Ladies: FREE Flier

Sat, Dec 5                       TOUR          Drive to Historic Sportscar Races, Sebring International
                                                          Raceway, Drive departs Sam’s Club, US-192 east of I-95
                                                          (Exit 180) at 8am.

Sun, Dec 13                      SOCIAL       Kaffeeklatsch, Panera, Indian Harbour Beach, 9am.

Sat, Dec 19                  SOCIAL        Holiday Party, Eau Galle Yacht Club, 6pm. clubregistration.net

We’re pleased to announce that we will return to the Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Indian Harbour Beach for our annual meeting and Holiday Party on Saturday evening 12/19. We’ll be in the Main Dining Room with the wonderful view of the waterfront. Attendance will be limited to 150. We’ll begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6PM, followed by dinner at 7PM. Our menu will include a mixed green salad with house dressing, a plated dinner (your choice of a grilled Rib Eye Steak or grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango chutney. All this will be accompanied by the Chef’s choice of an appropriate starch, a fresh seasonal vegetable, rolls and butter, coffee and tea. Desert will bring fresh cheesecake with a fruit topping. A children’s menu of Chicken “Fingers” or Pizza will be available as well. The dinner is priced at $30 for adults and $7.50 for children pre-registered on-line prior to December 10th. Later reservations will be $35 and $10.

Other activities of interest…

Sat & Sun, Dec 4-6       SKILL       Club Races & Driver Education with Florida Citrus Region,
                                                           Roebling Road Raceway, Register at register.pca.org

Sat & Sun, Dec 4-6       SKILL       Driver Education with Ohio Valley Region,
                                                           Daytona International Raceway, Brochure  Application

Any Questions? Contact our Events Chair Dave O’Neal at doneal@cwisdom.com.

See our Calendar tab for all the details

Flight News: 10/24/09

Klub Sport and Gunnar Racing Shop Tour by Ralph Fritsche

For several years I have hoped to arrange a visit to one of Florida’s  race shops.  Fortunately, Jonathan Parker’s racing contacts facilitated a memorable event.  Our caravan of Porsches headed south to Riviera Beach where, hidden to even locals, lie two of the most fascinating Porsche facilities that Florida has to offer.

Our first stop was Klub Sport Racing, where we were greeted by Phil Bagley and Bruce Ellsworth.  They are longtime friends who have been able to turn their passion into a profitable business specializing in acquiring vintage Porsches, restoring them to racing condition, then selling them to vintage racers.  They also operate a successful “arrive and drive” program where all the racer need do is show up and compete--Klub Sport transports, maintains, and repairs the vehicle.  The shop reflects their reputation for meticulous preparation, looking more like a museum with a large selection of factory racing posters on the walls and a variety of engines and parts neatly stored throughout the facility.

We stopped for lunch at a local sports bar and then headed for Gunnar Racing, just a few blocks away.

My desire to visit Gunnar began when fellow SPC member Steve Hoffman and I were at the 2008 HSR Races at Sebring. There, sitting unattended was a tired-looking white Porsche 917 with shipping papers on the dash indicating it had just arrived in the US. 

Well, fast forward to a couple of months ago when I learned of  a YouTube video series produced by Kevin Jeanette of Gunnar Racing (go to www.youtube.com and search “Gunnar 917”).  In this great 23 part series Kevin documents restoration of the very same 917 for this year’s Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races.  In watching the videos, it was apparent that Gunnar was somewhere in Florida. Jonathan’s friendship with Phil and Bruce at Klub Sport led to an invitation to visit Gunnar, with  just one stipulation--Kevin insisted that the visitors arrive in Porsches!  We abided by his wishes as 50 members showed up in 40 Porsches.

Kevin greeted us as we arrived and for the next three hours treated us to a 1st person tour of Porsche racing history, as    Kevin had been there when much of that history was made and had worked on many of the very cars now in his shop.

Gunnar Racing’s facilities include everything needed to perform complete restorations.  Rare racing Porsches are located throughout the facility, including the newly restored 917 now back from Monterey, now in the same yellow and red livery as when it appeared at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1970 and more recently on the cover of the October Panorama.

As a token of our appreciation, Jonathan presented our hosts with Space Coast Region caps.  We’ll be watching to see if Kevin wear his in a future YouTube video.

For discussion opportunities, please join our forum at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/spacecoastpca/

And Visit Our Sponsor: http://www.porscheofmelbourne.com

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