Pre-registration for Feb 6 AX is now open

[JayG]

If you don't have a Porsche, you can join as a Quest member

[Steve Grosekemper]

If you don't have a Porsche, you can join as a Quest member

A quest membership is for those looking to buy a Porsche and gets you access to forums and open events like tech sessions and cars and coffee.
It does not get you into an AX event; just to clarify.

[kleggo]

We have some Fantastic X Car people in the club but, oh, not this story again! I prefer not to instruct in X Cars. I like and want to instruct in the performance, handling and safety of a Porsche, not a Ford Fiesta Wagon. I'm a paying Member too. Go back thru the AX database when we allowed so many X Cars and see how many people were consistently coming and then bought a Porsche to drive with us - not an impressive amount. Do we need to burden our Instructors with these people?

As for us benefiting financially when we allowed all X Cars in (non members) - they benefited from driving with us too. Plus, many of these people just bailed after their runs were finished anyway, not helping with cone pick up or hanging out and being part of the group.

This thread is an interesting discussion, that should have it's own topic specific thread.

Jennifer, not singling you out, this just seemed like a good chance to jump in.

I'm not informed enough to understand why some instructors felt they did not want to instruct a student driving a non-Pcar.
When I was more active I didn't care what the student was driving as long as the car was safe and the student listened.
My most "uncomfortable student driving experience" was in 2015 with a student driving a RWD only tuned 996 Turbo on R6's. There was significant over-driving going on and I had to firmly shut the student down before he initiated his third spin in 3 laps......................... We also had a discussion regarding their equipment choice that was not very well received.

Fortunately I was able to find an instructor to show me the line out @ Chucky last weekend when i was driving my F 360 instead of a Pcar.

Thanks Mike!

Craig

[marcus981]

Let's not forget that this is the Porsche Club of America. Their mission statement says it all, and it can be found here:
https://www.pca.org/about-us

Many members join and decide to attend the various PCA events because of their specific interest and passion about Porsches, and their desire to meet other people with similar Porsche interests and passions.

In addition, most of the PCA sponsors decide to sponsor the club because they have Porsche business interests and want to reach a Porsche audience.

Sure, for a particular event (like an AX), there may be some members that are just happy to be there driving in or instructing in any kind of sports car.
But I'm sure there are others who are primarily interested to see, learn about, and talk about nothing but Porsches.

I personally don't mind some number of non-Porsches attending PCA driving events. However, like Jennifer, I'm not interested in spending my day or my weekend instructing in a non-Porsche (unless maybe I'm lucky enough to ride in Craig's Ferrari).

I also don't think it would be very reasonable to ask the pre-registration team to add yet another special request (who is willing to instruct in what type of car) to further burden their instructor/student pairings.

When the barrier to becoming a PCA member is simply finding a Porsche VIN number to use, that's not really in the spirit of the PCA's mission and the reason Porsche people attend PCA events. It has nothing to do with elitism, since there are a large number of used Porsches that can be had for well under $5K, and the club is equally welcoming to people driving one of those models as they are to people with the latest and greatest models.

I'm not against X-cars, but I just get confused when people get worked up about a PCA policy that prioritizes Porsches. It's the Porsche Club after all.

OK, I think I've added at least my $0.03 now.
Marcus

[martinreinhardt]

I agree with Marcus, my thoughts exactly.

[jenniferreinhardt]

Fortunately I was able to find an instructor to show me the line out @ Chucky last weekend when i was driving my F 360 instead of a Pcar.
Craig

Glad you had a blast in your new car Craig.
I guess at TTs we still need many X-Cars to cover the costs of running the big track events. I've only done a few TTs, but used to support Martin at our TTs, and still do at his other club racing events. I did notice that PCASDR TTs kind of lost that family feeling with non-members in X-Cars. Oh well, I guess we need them and they are getting great instruction and lots of seat time with us.

[ttweed]

I did notice that PCASDR TTs kind of lost that family feeling with non-members in X-Cars. Oh well, I guess we need them and they are getting great instruction and lots of seat time with us.

I have no dog in this fight, but when we have club members driving Porsches getting waitlisted and turned away from our TT events, isn't it time to review our X car policy for TT entries as well?

[jenniferreinhardt]

When the barrier to becoming a PCA member is simply finding a Porsche VIN number to use, that's not really in the spirit of the PCA's mission and the reason Porsche people attend PCA events. It has nothing to do with elitism, since there are a large number of used Porsches that can be had for well under $5K, and the club is equally welcoming to people driving one of those models as they are to people with the latest and greatest models.

Good post Marcus. To discourage and 'work around' any further misuse of the associate member policy is to perhaps require people to bring to Tech Inspection their car registration that shows they, or someone in their immediate family, owns a Porsche. We already have to show our ID and Membership card, plus passport, immunization record and utility bill - HAH, just kidding about that very last part Steve G.!) Or, at the least, perhaps there could be a certain trial period of say a year or so, that they can drive with us and if they don't have a Porsche by then, well, we know it's not because of their love of Porsches that they are in the Club. But, of course, if we need the money again, we cancel it all. Everyone benefits again - cost of events, organized events, lots of seat time, free drinks, etc.

Probably none of this is realistic to set in place and maintain, but heck, at least we got the forum going!

I did notice that PCASDR TTs kind of lost that family feeling with non-members in X-Cars. Oh well, I guess we need them and they are getting great instruction and lots of seat time with us.

I have no dog in this fight, but when we have club members driving Porsches getting waitlisted and turned away from our TT events, isn't it time to review our X car policy for TT entries as well?

Yeah, TTs are a different animal. I'm sure the TT Chairs have this policy for some reason. If we lose the Stadium one day, there will be a lot more Porsches at our Away Events.

[JayG]

with all of this in mind, should SDR club members get priority over other PCA members?
I am not proposing that, but that could be a direction it goes

[jenniferreinhardt]

Just to be clear, cause I kid around a lot and probably sound like a meanie, I don't mind a sensible proportion of the Members/Drivers to be in X-Cars and especially highly regard the X-Car people who volunteer. But, abuse of the Associate Member policy needs to be handled if it becomes a larger problem.

And, all of this is Gary Burch's fault because he likes to stick it to the man and get us all riled up!

[Steve Grosekemper]

I did notice that PCASDR TTs kind of lost that family feeling with non-members in X-Cars. Oh well, I guess we need them and they are getting great instruction and lots of seat time with us.

I have no dog in this fight, but when we have club members driving Porsches getting waitlisted and turned away from our TT events, isn't it time to review our X car policy for TT entries as well?

Tom & Jay,
If you want to get into the event sign up when it opens.
The PCA-SDR members who didn't get into CVR didn't sign up the first day, or the first week, or the second week...
These events are logistically complex, don't make it even more difficult for people running the events.
Just signup when the event opens up.
Want to better your chances?
Instruct, buy a season pass and buy your own transponder.

Just my 2 cents.

[ttweed]

To discourage and 'work around' any further misuse of the associate member policy is to perhaps require people to bring to Tech Inspection their car registration that shows they, or someone in their immediate family, owns a Porsche...

Can you elaborate on what you see as "misuse of the associate member policy" or point me to the PCA national or regional policy or bylaw that states an Associate member must be in your immediate family?
Thx,
TT

[JayG]

I did notice that PCASDR TTs kind of lost that family feeling with non-members in X-Cars. Oh well, I guess we need them and they are getting great instruction and lots of seat time with us.

I have no dog in this fight, but when we have club members driving Porsches getting waitlisted and turned away from our TT events, isn't it time to review our X car policy for TT entries as well?

Tom & Jay,
If you want to get into the event sign up when it opens.
The PCA-SDR members who didn't get into CVR didn't sign up the first day, or the first week, or the second week...
These events are logistically complex, don't make it even more difficult for people running the events.
Just signup when the event opens up.
Want to better your chances?
Instruct, buy a season pass and buy your own transponder.

Just my 2 cents.

I was not advocating anything

[mrondeau]

This really does deserve its own thread.

FWIW, I had a blast at last weekends TT and did check rides and instructed in non P-cars. The student that I inherited after lunch due to his instructor having mechanical difficulties, was driving a bone stock early Miata with 14" wheels and street tires. In one session we took his times from back of the pack to a much more respectable pace. We shaved 13 seconds off his time and helped him to realize how much fun this driving thing can be. Dave was one of the best students I've had in quite a while and it was a pleasure to instruct him.

While I understand the reasoning behind the AX policy of excluding non-members, I don't see it as a problem at TT. We have an excellent event history and people enjoy driving with us. Some of those people are members who would rather drive their "track car" than their nice newer Porsche. Some of those track cars are not Porsches. I judge the driver by his actions and personality, not by the badge on their car.

As far as the "family feeling" at TT events goes, it's still as strong as ever.

I'll finish with this. I love my Porsche cars and people. I firmly believe that they make some of the best cars you can buy and that the driving experience is top notch. We all have our favourite year and model and they are very diverse and varied. I know that deep down, every driver wants one and dreams of driving it well. I hope that when they achieve that dream, they join our club and sign up for the PDS. There is no better way to start learning to drive a Porsche than with the San Diego Region. I mean, WE ARE SDR!, after all.

[jenniferreinhardt]

Tom, just brain storming, not quoting the rules. The AX registration job really opens your eyes to the people driving with us, the many questions and special requests made, and the statistics of who is continually supporting, volunteering and coming to our AX events.