PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA • SUNCOAST REGION PORSCHE Profile FEBRUARY 2018 Celebrate Your Everyday Supercar with Porsche of Tampa Why Choose Porsche of Tampa? • We offer 6 months same as cash financing as well as honoring most extended warranties • We proudly provide support for the Drivers Education Program • Porsche Club members enjoy discounts on parts and labor • 2 years unlimited mileage warranty on all Porsche Parts redeemable at any Porsche Dealer in North America • Complimentary HPDE technical inspections for all clubs Visit Our All-New eCommerce Storefront PorscheOfTampaParts.com For Genuine Accessories & Lifestyle Items We are the #1 Porsche Customer Satisfaction Dealer in the State of Florida. Our service department has over 80 years of combined Porsche Service Experience & 4 technicians achieving Porsche Gold Level Certification. Porsche of Tampa | 1-275 & Fowler Ave. | 103 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612 | For appointments (813) 933-2811 www.PorscheOfTampa.com PORSCHE FEBRUARY 2018 ProfileAlso available at: www.SuncoastPCA.org Celebrate Your Everyday Supercar 12 16 with Porsche of Tampa 2018 Officers & Board of Directors Why Choose Porsche of Tampa? Officers President – John Vita • We offer 6 months same as cash financing [email protected], 941-920-6698 as well as honoring most extended Past President – Mike Mackenzie warranties [email protected], 727-510-5079 Vice President – Denise Remus • We proudly provide support for the Drivers [email protected], 727-215-7452 Education Program Secretary – Pamela Richard [email protected], 727-385-6606 • Porsche Club members enjoy discounts on Treasurer – Terry Richard parts and labor 727-385-6605, [email protected] • 2 years unlimited mileage warranty on all Elected Directors Social – Jen Lane Porsche Parts redeemable at any Porsche [email protected], 727-220-7664 Dealer in North America Safety – Dave White 22 [email protected], 727-709-0822 • Complimentary HPDE technical inspections Competition – Bill Sumansky INSIDE THIS ISSUE for all clubs PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA • SUNCOAST REGION [email protected], 727-514-1151 PORSCHE Membership Chair – Larry Mendez The President’s Message .............................5 [email protected], 813-695-7093 Profile OFF TRACK ................................................7 Board Members at Large Event Schedule .............................................7 Grant Painter The Membership Starting Line ..................9 [email protected], 727-773-5822 Emad Sultanem Photo of the Month ..................................11 Visit Our All-New eCommerce Storefront [email protected], 646 -327- 6202 Tech Notes...................................................12 Mike Campbell PorscheOfTampaParts.com [email protected], 863-227-4315 AX November ............................................15 For Genuine Accessories & Lifestyle Items President Appointed AX December & Finale ............................16 Webmaster – Paul Bienick AX January ..................................................19 941-544-2775, [email protected] Festival of Speed Preview .........................21 Marketing/Comm. Director – Rick Meyer 813-417-9779, [email protected] Products for Porsches................................22 We are the #1 Porsche Customer Satisfaction Dealer Profile Editor & Publisher – Norm Sippel Dan Gurney Obituary ...............................23 in the State of Florida. Our service department has over 727-787-5929, [email protected] FEBRUARY 2018 La Biela .........................................................26 80 years of combined Porsche Service Experience & 4 DE Registrar – Denise Remus technicians achieving Porsche Gold Level Certification. 727-215-7452, [email protected] ON THE COVER Business Card Corner ................................27 DE Tech – Peter Vosotas Porsche 804 #30 as raced by Dan Gur- Editor’s Notes .............................................29 727-479-2090, [email protected] ney winning the 1962 French Grand Charitable Endeavors – Mike Campbell Prix. Photographed by Norm Sippel at Marketplace .................................................30 863-227-4315, [email protected] Porsche Museum, Zuffenhausen 48 Hours at Sebring Co-Chair – Joshua Breckeen Do you have a photo you think is worthy PORSCHEProfile 727-251-5289, [email protected] of a Porsche Profile cover? Graphic Artist Photo Editor Chief Track Instructor – Amy Riches Send your high-res vertical images in PDF or JPEG format to: [email protected] Melissa Schneider George Wienhold [email protected], 941-518-0004 [email protected] [email protected] PORSCHE PROFILE • FEBRUARY 2018 3 Porsche of Tampa | 1-275 & Fowler Ave. | 103 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612 | For appointments (813) 933-2811 www.PorscheOfTampa.com President’s Message By JOHN VITA Wow! What a start to the year. January was unfamiliar with an event how to get the most a whirlwind of activity highlighted, for me, by out of it. What is particularly amazing is the the delivery of my 2018 Macan GTS! There production of the 48 Hours at Sebring club is just something about taking delivery of a race. That committee, made up of Suncoast car with 9 miles on it that is truly exhilarating! and Goldcoast members, does an amazing The car is awesome and I would encour- job producing the first, biggest, most amaz- age everyone to head down to your favorite ing club race of the year. If you missed it, put dealer and take a test drive! It is always a great it on your to-do list for next year! Congratula- time to see what is new from Porsche and no tions to the committee on another outstand- better way than to stop by and let the experts ing event! On the social front, we had our who partner with us show you. first Date Your Porsche Night at the Floridan Back to business. January began with an Palace in Tampa. It was a resounding success awesome planning session to kick off the and a great indication of all the fun things we year. Your board did a phenomenal job of are going to do as a club this year. I encour- putting together a solid plan for the year that age you again, to look at Jen’s “Off Track” is 100% designed to benefit our membership. column and be a part of the fun! I hope you will read this issue thoroughly In closing, I want to say how much I ap- and pay particular attention to Jen’s Social preciate the support and guidance from all, in Column for updates on what is happening in my first month serving you. This is an amaz- your region. As January progressed, we saw ing club with amazing, supportive people and the completion of our activities at the Rolex I am very appreciative of that. I hope to hear 24 in Daytona and our very own 48 Hours from more of you in the future. Your ideas, at Sebring. If you have not attended these suggestions, and feedback are critical for our events, you are missing out! In fact, I talked team to do its job. Your club is in great shape, my wife into going to both this year and she we are off to a fantastic start, and looking loved it!! It is truly amazing how welcoming forward to what lies down the road! our club is and eager to show people who are PORSCHE PROFILE • FEBRUARY 2018 5 UPCOMING SCHEDULE OF Can anyone say “Brrrrrr!!!” January came in with a vengeance and •EVENTS February 1-4: 48 Hours at Sebring even gave us some snow up in the panhandle! • February 13: Board Meeting, Bert Smith By the time you are reading this article, we will have had our first Porsche, St. Petersburg Autocross and Social of 2018. We also attended the Rolex 24 at Daytona • Feb. 17: FOG Gathering of the Faithful, Speedway and enjoyed spending time with other members at the PCA Mission Inn, Howie-in-the-Hills Hospitality Site. • Feb. 18: “Porsches and Polo” at the Saraso- February begins with the 25th running of 48 Hours at Sebring from ta Polo Club sponsored by Suncoast Porsche February 1st–February 4th, 2018. The 48 Hours at Sebring is held • Feb. 21: Date Your Porsche Night – through a joint effort of the Suncoast and Gold Coast Regions. Auto- Miller’s Ale House, Sarasota cross will hold an event at Sebring during the 48 Hours at Sebring. Make sure to stop by the Goodie Shop in the Gallery of Legends to purchase • Feb. 24: TRSS Teen Driving School, Sebring merchandise marking our 25th Anniversary! • Feb. 24-25: DE, Sebring February 17th, FOG has planned Tour 02 to Howie-in-the-Hills to • March 4: AX, Brooksville view the 356 Florida Owners Group Concours Event “The Gathering • March 7: Kart4Kids, St. Petersburg * of the Faithful.” This is a display of 356 models that are among the best • March 9: Werks Reunion, Amelia Island * in the country. Rarely do you see this many 356 cars together. Many of • March 10: Cars and Coffee at Amelia Is- the cars on display are from members of our own Suncoast Region. The land * setting is the lovely Mission Inn. The FOG will have a corral set up for • March 11: Amelia Island Concours our Porsches. The contact for this event is Mark Krekorian. He can be d’Elegance, Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island * contacted at: [email protected] February 18th, Suncoast Porsche is sponsoring “Porsches and Polo” • March 9-11: Firestone Grand Prix of St. at the Sarasota Polo Club. We appreciate Suncoast Porsche hosting this Petersburg, St. Petersburg waterfront * event again this year! A polo match, refreshments, a catered lunch and, • March 17: 12 Hours of Sebring * of course, Porsches will be on Parade! Email mkomyati@sunsetauto- • March 18: Date Your Porsche Night, Dave group.com or call Margharita at 941-921-8007 to register to receive a & Buster’s, Brandon wristband. You must have a wristband to enter the area for this fun-filled • March 25: Festival of Speed, Porsches on day. Parade, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg February 21st, we will be heading out to Miller Ale House in Sarasota • March 31: Porsches & Pancakes, The for “Date Your Porsche Night.” (Registration to open in February at Hanger, St. Petersburg www.clubregistration.net.) *Non-PCA event. PCA insurance does Our first 2018 Suncoast PCA DE & Teen Driving School (The TRSS not apply.