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I'm a member, although I question why sometimes. I joined to participate in track events, but they don't seem to have a membership requirement to participate. Much more Porsche as a status symbol than Porsche enthusiast is the vibe that I got at social events. Some snobbery, some haters, my friends and I are typically the youngest of the bunch in our 30s.
My biggest gripe with the local group is that I am very experienced track driver and former motorcycle racer, but because I had never tracked with PCA they started me out in novice. My instructor signed me off solo after the first session and requested they move me to a more appropriate group but the DE chairperson declined. Then I was reprimanded on track for "driving too fast for the group I was in" by the DE chair. Huge WTF moment. I only tracked with them once more and was again placed in Novice.. "We dont bump people up groups after just one event" so I haven't been back. Others have had similar experiences.
PCA in WA is a joke for track events or trying to climb the ladder for club racing. It's so bad that they declined my DE registration when I was trying to get ready for a race back in 2016. I canceled my membership and only reason I'll join again would be club racing with a different region or if somebody can drain the swamp of snobs in WA:
Originally Posted by PCA WA
Hi Scott,
After discussing with our track chairman, we’d respectfully suggest that our Driver Education event is not a good fit for your purposes. Rather than leaving you on our waitlist, we recommend that you sign up with Turn2 Lapping on Jun 17 at the Ridge. Their structure is perfect for what you are looking for – Test & Tune
I'm a member since I bought one about 4-5 years ago.
I pay 50$ a year for a 10% discount on things at the dealer. I go to Concours and participate sometimes.
I read the Porsche magazine and then leave it laying around the house forever.
I get raffle tickets. And stickers. Which only add 1+HP.
PCA in WA is a joke for track events or trying to climb the ladder for club racing. It's so bad that they declined my DE registration when I was trying to get ready for a race back in 2016. I canceled my membership and only reason I'll join again would be club racing with a different region or if somebody can drain the swamp of snobs in WA:
You northwest folk should consider contacting the national PCA governance directly. What the track chair is doing up there is ridiculous.
Just curious as to how many guys here are PCA members? Why are you a member? Why aren’t you a member? What kind of things would you like out of your local club?
My local club is kinda........ old. Not many exciting things to do. Just trying to see what other people around the country do that they enjoy.
thanks
Been a PCA member haven’t had much time other than a few concours events. Like any social club there’s a ton of different characters we all have one thing in common that brings members together. PCA membership isn’t area specific activity. You are welcome to enter any activity outside of your PCA area. Some areas are more DE track autocross oriented some more social.
PCA in WA is a joke for track events or trying to climb the ladder for club racing. It's so bad that they declined my DE registration when I was trying to get ready for a race back in 2016. I canceled my membership and only reason I'll join again would be club racing with a different region or if somebody can drain the swamp of snobs in WA:
I've been biting my tongue but now that you've mentioned it I'll jump in and agree with you lol. I'm not a current PCA member but I have my national pca instructor card and I'm part of the Northwest instructor group. Once a year I see bmw, audi, pca club guys all get together for our annual instructor meeting. I do get a sense of snobbery from some Porsche guys, especially towards the bmw/audi guys.
Last year during the meeting, an instructor asked the host Ross Bentley for tips on how to encourage and help a student who spends the whole day on track but simply can't get up to pace. I can't remember his exact words but before Ross could answer, the pca boss stood up, cut Ross off, turned around to everybody and yelled in an angry tone "I have a problem with that. If you can't get up to speed, you should quit and take up golf." The entire room went silent in disbelief. This was an instructor meeting, for people to share info on how to be better instructors, and this was his honest advice. Tell the student to go home.
Interesting to hear how much the experiences vary by region.
I think the San Diego chapter is awesome. Many volunteers who put in a ton of work to make every event I've been to (mainly AutoX and back roads tours) a pleasure. If you're in San Diego, I recommend it.
I'm in the same region as autobonrun. In fact, here's a pic of him and me at our last autocross (I'm the fat one):
He's a really good dude, but I doubt that he and I would have ever met if not for the Kansas City Region PCA. And there are a bunch of other guys I can say the same thing about. Sure, there are a few people in our region who are annoying: don't know when to shut up and let someone (anyone) else speak during a conversation; overbearing types; track guys who think that anyone who isn't a track rat is a p*ssy; etc. But, you just stay away from those types and focus on the guys you enjoy visiting with. Things I enjoy about PCA and why I think it is $46 well spent each year:
1. The magazine is good
2. The aforementioned friendships with guys that I likely would never have met otherwise
3. Autocross is fun, inexpensive and not a big time consumer
4. Saturday morning breakfast meetings to kick off my weekend - no agenda, just a bunch of car guys getting together to talk life and cars. And I'm back home before the wife & kids roll out of bed
5. Networking - our group is filled with professionals. Our real estate guru in the club got me a smoking good refinance on my office building loan when my current bank was giving me "meh" refinance terms
6. Learning about the other and different era models of Porsche. I like the Porsche cars, but no way I can afford a brand new GT3. However, if I wanted to drive one, all I have to do is ask one of several club members who owns one. Same goes for the older models - a nice 356 probably isn't ever going to happen for me, but with several PCA friends as owners of them, I get to know what they're like (and why I probably wouldn't enjoy the 356 ownership experience anyway).
7. I haven't done a DE yet, but it's nice to know that when my schedule finally permits a full weekend spent at the track, I've got track-experienced buddies to guide me through it.
8. Parade laps at the DE events for a $20 donation to a local charity our KCRPCA supports (since I can't get away for a full weekend at the track)
9. Supporting local charities through club events
10. Our annual Christmas party at Union Station in Kansas City is really a nice event. I don't do many of the other social events, but that one is cool and my wife actually likes it. $90 covers the entire evening for the both of us - that savings alone compared to our typical date night out is way more than the $46 annual dues
11. The discounts mentioned by many others
12. Access to group outings to places like the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Porsche Palooza in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Rennsport Reunion, Auction Week in Scottsdale. Small groups of our guys have attended all of those things in the past year, and it's nice to have the option to be part of a group.
Bottom line, it's an easy call - the good far outweighs the negatives.
Last edited by FRUNKenstein; 11-15-2018 at 01:52 PM.
I've been a PCA member since 2009 and really enjoy the group overall. I get so much value from the TechEd events, which I also volunteer at and sometimes write articles for our local chapter magazine, called Spiel. The more involved I've become, the more I've enjoyed the group.
PCA in WA is a joke for track events or trying to climb the ladder for club racing. It's so bad that they declined my DE registration when I was trying to get ready for a race back in 2016. I canceled my membership and only reason I'll join again would be club racing with a different region or if somebody can drain the swamp of snobs in WA:
That's ridiculous.. guess what... there's a lot more than just you and I who have been treated this way. BTW, is your car at Cantrell?
Originally Posted by SOS
I've been biting my tongue but now that you've mentioned it I'll jump in and agree with you lol. I'm not a current PCA member but I have my national pca instructor card and I'm part of the Northwest instructor group. Once a year I see bmw, audi, pca club guys all get together for our annual instructor meeting. I do get a sense of snobbery from some Porsche guys, especially towards the bmw/audi guys.
Last year during the meeting, an instructor asked the host Ross Bentley for tips on how to encourage and help a student who spends the whole day on track but simply can't get up to pace. I can't remember his exact words but before Ross could answer, the pca boss stood up, cut Ross off, turned around to everybody and yelled in an angry tone "I have a problem with that. If you can't get up to speed, you should quit and take up golf." The entire room went silent in disbelief. This was an instructor meeting, for people to share info on how to be better instructors, and this was his honest advice. Tell the student to go home.
LOL that's kinda funny since my first event with PCA they stuck me in Novice... and got yelled at for my pace "too fast, slow down".. just put me in the correct group.. speeding on a race track my ***
Originally Posted by Carlo_Carrera
You northwest folk should consider contacting the national PCA governance directly. What the track chair is doing up there is ridiculous.
this has been done.. many toes have been stepped on, including some that are relatively big fish in the Porsche community.. we will see if anything changes this coming year.. not gonna hold my breath
I've been biting my tongue but now that you've mentioned it I'll jump in and agree with you lol. I'm not a current PCA member but I have my national pca instructor card and I'm part of the Northwest instructor group. Once a year I see bmw, audi, pca club guys all get together for our annual instructor meeting. I do get a sense of snobbery from some Porsche guys, especially towards the bmw/audi guys.
Last year during the meeting, an instructor asked the host Ross Bentley for tips on how to encourage and help a student who spends the whole day on track but simply can't get up to pace. I can't remember his exact words but before Ross could answer, the pca boss stood up, cut Ross off, turned around to everybody and yelled in an angry tone "I have a problem with that. If you can't get up to speed, you should quit and take up golf." The entire room went silent in disbelief. This was an instructor meeting, for people to share info on how to be better instructors, and this was his honest advice. Tell the student to go home.
I wonder if any of these guys post here? Maybe they'll get the message.
I've been biting my tongue but now that you've mentioned it I'll jump in and agree with you lol. I'm not a current PCA member but I have my national pca instructor card and I'm part of the Northwest instructor group. Once a year I see bmw, audi, pca club guys all get together for our annual instructor meeting. I do get a sense of snobbery from some Porsche guys, especially towards the bmw/audi guys.
Unfortunately, various regions in PCA have always been like this and probably always will. I have been a member since 94 and was a regional instructor but decided to give it up and just race with NASA and SCCA instead. I found that climbing the DE and racing ladder in PCA was purly political and was determined by how close you were to the inner circle. I do still like the pca magazine though.
11-14-2018, 09:21 AM
