fuenfer

How did the PCA start and become this large national organization? Did it start "centrally," with headquarters assigning various "regions" their territory, or did it begin with a variety of different clubs deciding to merge and become the PCA? Also, who was the first region to start doing DEs?

(These questions came up during lunch at a recent Watkins Glen DE - I figured the best answers would be found on this forum).

911URGE

http://www.pca.org/join/history.html

Also, PCA has a Historian. They can be contacted at historian@pca.org

Manny Alban

[QUOTE=fuenfer;5662120] Also, who was the first region to start doing DEs? QUOTE]

This is one I would like to know. I know several regions lay claim to fame of holding the first DE (don't think there were even called DE's back then). I guess the true definition would be a PCA event where there were students and instructors versus an open track day.

It should be easy to research, I'm sure people are still talking about how they didn't get promoted to a higher run group, didn't get a pass, didn't need to give a pass, why weren't there more passing areas, etc.

TREMPER

I think the answer to the first PCA DE, as we now describe the events, is either NNJR or GGR in the early '70s..GGR, I think, claims 1972 and NNJR 1973. I do not know which is correct..
Pete

Steward B.

Pete, a reliable source has confirmed that Nord Stern region held its first DE at Brainerd International Raceway (then known as Donnybrook Raceway) in 1970. I think that trumps GGR and NNJR......

Big6Dad

NNJR touts this year as the 37th year of Safe, Serious fun, (DE's) so that would make the first one in 1971.

DarkSideDE

Pete - Metro NY was doing DEs in the mid-1960s at Limerock Park. All those cute little 356s....

But Metro's history is very interesting. It was formed before there was a PCA. After PCA was formed - they "wooed" NY to join them. NY did. But when the promises PCA National made to NY were not kept -- NY left. It took 4 years for NY to return.

They have their own historian - Ted Ohland - he was their newsletter editor for 30+ years... he'd probably know more if we asked him.

fuenfer

I'd heard that's what happened with the Jersey Shore region, as well (i.e., it was formed independently of the PCA, but then joined later on).

Mike in Chi

Post #5:

Post #6:

Just like a drivers meeting. No one is listening to B.
(except, of course, me)

SCOTITUDE

Just a blurb from our website,

History

Our club was originally founded in 1952 as The New York Porsche Club. This was a year before Max Hoffman began importing 356's into the USA and three years before PCA was founded!

In 1953 we began publishing The Porsche Post, our club newsletter. It has been published continuously ever since. The Porsche Post is likely the oldest Porsche specific publication in the Nation.

The first annual Snowflake Rally was run in 1957. Rallymaster Doug Grewer created a 150-mile event open to both members and non-members. The winners of the first Snowflake Rally were Club members Jerry and Doris Jankowitz. This year Metro hosted the 50th annual Snowflake rally with a course created by Metro Rallymaster Ted Ohland.

We joined The Porsche Club of America in 1958 and officially became the Metro New York Region of PCA.

Today Metro offers its member many activities to allow them to enjoy their favorite marque more fully. This includes: Autocross, Club Racing, Concours, Driver Education, Rally, Social Gatherings, Technical Meetings, Treks, and a whole lot more

Scott Graber
Safety Chairman
Metro NY PCA

DarkSideDE

Scott - the "official" Ted Ohland history is missing a chunk. If you are in contact with Ted, you may want to know the rest of that - "joined in 1958" because it is interesting and it is part of Metro NY's history. Ted can tell you about the "missing 4 years."

Meanwhile, to get back to this thread and when the first DEs were formed.

Zone 1 had three regions in the 1960s, New York, Northern New Jersey and Connecticut, that got together and held a Tri-State Porscherama. (The earliest one we can remember was 1965 -- but they had been going on before then.)
It was a weekend - Fri, Sat, and Sun at Limerock Park. The host hotel was the Interlocken Inn. Friday afternoon they held a Driver Ed (with run groups and instructors) Saturday morning a DE and in the afternoon: Autocross and 1/4 mile drag race/time trial. Early Sunday morning was a concours followed by a rallye through Connecticut. The Awards Luncheon was Sunday right after the rallye. The event was limited to 100 participants. It always filled up - immediately! If you didn't send you $100 dollars the first day it opened - you didn't get it in. (The whole weekend cost about $300.)

Any other old timers around remember the good times at the Tristate?

fuenfer

NNJR still holds a Porscherama, though without Metro NY and CVR. Any reason why the tri-state Porscherama was discontinued?

APKhaos

PCA Potomac is called The Founders Region for a reason.
During the year 1954 a group of Porsche owners from the Washington metropolitan area got together to share not only the joys of driving a Porsche but also with the interest of helping each other out with the maintenance of these rather unique vehicles in the US at the time. After a couple of organizational meetings they voted on the procedures for admission and membership dues and in January 1955 the Porsche Club of America was incorporated, and Potomac was chartered as the first PCA Region. The original charter is in Potomac's club archives. We bring it out every so often to remind ourselves that it all started here.



Potomac was also instrumental in starting the PCA Club Racing program. The first PCA Club Race on the east coast was hosted by Potomac at Summit Point.

race911

I know GGR wasn't the first on track, but it was at Laguna. And I believe they actually did a time trial.....

Stories I heard when I first started hanging around in 1980 was that there was no way in hell they were going to make money, probably even cover costs, on renting the track.

DarkSideDE

I think it has to do with the size of the regions. A Tristate that only allowed 100 people - Metro, NNJR and CVR have more than 4000 members combined. I don't know the actual figures but each one has more than 1000 members on its own.

I hope you keep the Porscherama alive - enjoy it - and may everyone have a great time at it.

Do you still set it up like the originals were - with DE, Rallye, Concours and Drag Strip?