Air|Water 2026: A Vegas Crew Rolls Into L.A.

Last month, a strong contingent from the Las Vegas Region PCA made the pilgrimage to one of the most unique gatherings on the Porsche calendar: Air|Water in Los Angeles.

What started as a few cars heading west quickly evolved into a full Vegas caravan. Familiar faces including Dave Sullivan, Radu Muntean, Matt Miller (and his dad), Steve Vitoli, Mario and Marissa, and Chef William all made the trip.

Joining the group were our friends from Gaudin Classic — Steve Thiel, Mikey Patriquin, and Emily Hedwall — along with members of our extended Porsche family from Southern California.

In the end, the weekend became exactly what these events are supposed to be: less about the cars, even though there were plenty of incredible ones, and more about the people.

A Proper Entrance… With a Twist

In true Cars Unknown fashion, JP’s route to the event was anything but straightforward.

He first flew to San Francisco to retrieve Romi’s Porsche 934, which had remained in the Bay Area following last month’s Cars und Kaffee gathering at the Deeb Spec warehouse. From there, it was a quick turnaround south to meet up with the rest of the crew.

The rendezvous point was an upscale hotel in Newport Beach, where JP connected with Romi, Emily, Mikey, and Matt.

Earlier in the day, Romi had already kicked things off with a spirited run through Angeles Crest Highway behind the wheel of a rented Lamborghini SVJ alongside none other than “Ben the Professor.”

Naturally, JP later found himself driving the SVJ into what was, at its core, a Porsche-only event.

Let’s just say… a few pearls were clutched upon arrival.

The Event

This year’s Air|Water had a noticeably different atmosphere, and in the best possible way.

The weather was perfect, and the crowd felt lighter than in previous years. That gave attendees more time to truly experience the cars, enjoy conversations, and reconnect with friends without fighting through shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

As always, the cars themselves were an incredible mix of air-cooled icons, water-cooled performance monsters, race cars, customs, and everything in between.

But what stood out most wasn’t a single vehicle. It was the ability to slow down, take everything in, and appreciate the details.

Friends Old and New

One of the highlights of the weekend was reconnecting with familiar personalities from across the Porsche community, including the legendary Ben the Professor, Michael O’Neil from Rennch, and Matthew Whitsell from 914 Rubber.

Events like Air|Water continue to blur the lines between enthusiasts, builders, and industry insiders in the best possible way.

Why We Go

At the end of the day, Air|Water isn’t just about horsepower or rarity.

It’s about the shared enthusiasm that brings people together from different cities, backgrounds, and corners of the Porsche world.

For the Las Vegas crew, the weekend served as another reminder of why we do this: the drives, the stories, the friendships, and occasionally, the slightly questionable decision to drive a Lamborghini into a Porsche event.

Honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

See you next year. 🏁