Blog

Greetings to all our wonderful Porsche family!

Just as predicted last month, April disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Spring is packed with exciting Las Vegas Porsche Club events, from HPDE weekends to scenic drives and coffee gatherings

🏁 HPDE

Our next HPDE event is coming up on May 17th and 18th, and there is still time to sign up for what is always an exciting and rewarding weekend.

If you’ve been considering attending, now is the time to reserve your spot.

HPDE is not about racing. It’s about learning how to drive your Porsche safely and confidently at speed in a controlled environment. Let’s be honest—very few people buy a Porsche without wanting to experience the incredible performance and handling these cars were built to deliver.

This is the perfect venue to do exactly that.

The program includes:

• A closed course environment
• Detailed classroom instruction
• In-car coaching with experienced instructors
• A safe and supportive learning atmosphere

The car control skills you gain translate directly into everyday driving and can make a tremendous difference when navigating real-world roads and traffic situations.

Don’t miss out!

🗺️ Tours

Reid Smith and Richard Cruz are currently putting together our exciting September Lake Tahoe Tour, scheduled for September 7th through the 11th.

As a Tahoe native myself, I honestly cannot think of a better drive to experience. I’m especially looking forward to heading back home for a couple of days as part of this amazing tour.

Keep an eye out for the official announcement because space will be limited, and this is one event you will want to jump on immediately.

Don’t get left behind!

🌄 Day Drives

If you missed the Gunlock Lake Drive, you missed a great one.

We had 17 cars from Las Vegas, joined by a fantastic group of our Utah members once we arrived at Gunlock.

Unfortunately, the waterfalls once again did not appear due to the mild winter and limited rainfall. Instead… we got cows.

Lots of cows.

Some greeted us on the road as we arrived, while about six of them decided the pavilion area looked like an excellent place to hang out. They remained very welcome guests right up until two of them decided our Porsches might make excellent scratching posts.

Thankfully, several members quickly stepped in and gently encouraged them away from the cars before any “custom cow detailing” could occur. The cows stayed nearby, but thankfully the cars remained untouched.

Everyone had a wonderful time, and we received many compliments about both the drive and the route. The weather was absolutely perfect, which made the day even better.

❤️ Charity

Giving back remains an important part of our club’s mission. We will continue supporting charitable organizations through volunteer efforts and fundraising activities.

Last month, we presented checks to our beneficiary organizations, and more information can be found later in the Drives section.

This year, we are placing special focus on Gaudin Technical Institute as one of our primary charities. The organization is now fully funded through donations and provides incredible opportunities for students.

This is a truly worthwhile cause, and it deserves all the support we can give.

☕ Cars und Kaffee

Held on the last Sunday of every month, Cars und Kaffee continues to attract a fantastic crowd of automotive enthusiasts.

We welcome everyone, and the variety of vehicles is always impressive. Alongside our Porsches, we regularly see Italian exotics, British sports cars, Japanese GT-Rs, classic muscle cars, off-road rigs, and even vintage motorcycles.

The event runs from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Good Wolf parking lot at Imperial Street and Commerce in the Arts District.

Coffee is available for purchase, and the atmosphere is always relaxed and welcoming.

☕ Chef William’s Red Rock Motor Club

Our very own Chef William hosts a monthly gathering on the first Monday of each month at Red Rock Country Club.

The event begins at 5:00 p.m. and is open to everyone. A terrific group of people always attends, along with a wonderful collection of cars.

Food and beverages are available for purchase in the clubhouse, making it a perfect way to spend the evening with fellow enthusiasts.

Be sure to check it out!

🥤 Espresso and Exotics

Last month, I mentioned this new addition to our growing list of events, and VP Mark Coronado and I attended the April gathering to see what it was all about.

We were impressed.

The event has a great atmosphere, with three nearby food establishments making coffee and breakfast incredibly convenient. A nice variety of Porsches showed up, along with Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, Maseratis, and other impressive machinery.

Our own Ed Hanford also brought his beautiful Alfa Romeo GTV, which absolutely stole my attention. What a fantastic vintage classic.

This event takes place on the second Sunday of every month from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at:

Mothership Coffee at The Bend
8740 W. Sunset Rd., Unit F-150

The organizers are wonderful people and fellow Porsche enthusiasts, so be sure to stop by and check it out.

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See You on the Road

As always, thank you to everyone who continues to make this club such an incredible community. Whether on the track, out on a scenic drive, or gathered over coffee, it’s the people who make every event memorable.

We look forward to seeing you at the next event. Until then, drive safe and enjoy every mile. 🏎️

BYLAWS AND SOUTHERN UTAH ANNEXATION – See updates elsewhere in the issue.

WEBSITE. – Our new site is close to being unveiled. What an improvement and we are so excited to launching the new site. Farhaad Shiekh oversees the transformation and is doing a magnificent job. 

Board Members for 2026

Gary Lea – President

Reid Smith – Immediate Past President / Yoda

Mark Coronado – Vice President – Brunches

Marnie Cameron – Secretary – Charity

Ed Hanford – Treasurer – Finance

Jed Weintraub – Director – Compliance

Open – Historian / Insurance

Val Dodd – Director – New Member

Farhaad Shiekh – Director of Social Media/Webmaster

Craig Shanklin – Southern Utah Director 

Ken Hollman – Southern Utah Director

Chanelle Bautista – Director

Richard Burns – Director

Brad Cameron – HPDE Co Chair

Brian Schmidt – Chief Driving Instructor

Richard Cruz – Tour and Drive Co Director

Barbara Barron – Chief Volunteer Officer

Paul Jarrett – Porsche Dealer Representative

Martha Burba – Mix and Mingle Coordinator

Lynda Colluci – Brunch Speaker Coordinator