Author Archive: Gary Lea

Author Archives for Gary Lea

An Insider View

By Gary Lea

This weekend I took the plunge and did the HPDE event at Spring Mountain. I have been meaning to do it for five years, but work always seems to get in the way. This time I decided, now that I am retired, I would do it . I was the third person to sign up and most likely will be again in our next event.

When I was young, I would do anything I could to get the adrenaline rush. Skiing, cycling, kart racing, a weekend at Jim Russell School, and driving anywhere I could get away from traffic and police to go as fast as I could. I was lucky to grow up in Lake Tahoe and to have the [...]

Greetings to all you wonderful Porsche People!

Welcome to December! In our family we wish everyone a Feliz Kuanshannukamas! I believe that covers most of the winter celebrations.

November was a bit of slowdown for us as far as activities. With the Exception of Reid’s Birthday and the November HPDE it was a slower pace…..Thankfully

At this moment we are looking at a very good turnout for our November HPDE with an expectation of 85 cars for this last of the year event. that means we will have run all three events this year in the black and no red in sight. I am even finally taking a turn driving the track this weekend. 

We must give a special shoutout to all the volunteers, but a special mention goes to Brad Cameron, along with Brian Schmidt, who continue to do an amazing job on continuing the success. Many notable people [...]

If you missed this year’s tour, mark your calendars for September 2026 and set a reminder to watch for it so you don’t miss it next year.

So, this past weekend, I and a group of Las Vegas individuals traveled to St. George to support the annual Charity event organized by the Utah group. The event aimed to benefit the Automotive Technology School at Dixie Technology College.

The event was an absolute success, meticulously planned by the incredible husband-and-wife team of Di and Craig Shanklin. Their dedication to the club is truly remarkable, especially considering their global travels.

If you haven’t attended this laid-back and highly enjoyable monthly event, you should seriously consider giving it a try.

Cars und Kaffee takes place the last Sunday of every month at the Good Wolf in the Arts District. The location is at the corner of Commerce Street and Imperial Street, and the event runs from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Originally focused on German and primarily Porsche automobiles, the event has expanded beyond that narrow focus and now hosts an interesting array of cars every month.

Greetings to all our wonderful Porsche family!

October was filled with fun and exciting times. Let me share some of the activities that took place this month for those who missed them. These events are featured in this month’s newsletter.

FALL COLORS TOUR

The Fall Colors Tour in Utah (actually held the last weekend of September) was a great drive led by Ken Hollman. We wound through Utah from Hurricane (pronounced Hurakahn) all the way to Cedar City via Colorado City. We then drove up through the mountains to Duck Creek, where we were greeted with the stunning fall colors of yellow and orange as far as the eye could see. It was an absolutely wonderful drive, and we had a great turnout with 31 attendees. We’re already looking forward to it again next fall, and it’s only been a couple of weeks!

VOLUNTEER DAY AT JUST ONE STEP

Another Autofest has concluded, and it was an absolute triumph. We once again secured the coveted Top Marque spot at the show, showcasing over 85 cars. While we fell short of our ambitious goal of 100 cars, our performance was undoubtedly outstanding. The closest competitor was the Corvette Club, with a remarkable 21 cars. But let’s be honest, they were no match for us.

This year, we celebrated our second annual show and shine, with 11 cars vying [...]

Greetings to all you wonderful Porsche People!

Welcome to October! This usually means a drop in temperatures that we’ll all be delighted about.

September was an incredible month for us. We had many great things happen and some wonderful success stories.

First of all, our September HPDE set a new record for a late summer event. Despite the temperatures being in the 90s, we had 101 cars and drivers attend. By all accounts, it was a very well-received event, and people had nothing but positive praise for their experience. One person even wrote to PCA National to praise the event—haven’t heard of that in a while!

We must give a special shoutout to all the volunteers, but a special mention goes to Brad Cameron, who is the new CoChair, along with Brian Schmidt, who stepped in to run the show while many were on vacation or busy with other things. [...]

In the year 2025, car enthusiasts from globally await the annual Monterey Porsche Werks Reunion. This esteemed event, held in the picturesque coastal town of Monterey, California, serves as a celebration of Porsche’s automotive heritage. From classic vintage models to cutting-edge sports cars, the Werks Reunion showcases the pinnacle of what the iconic German automaker has to offer.

Upon arrival at the venue, attendees are greeted by an impressive array of Porsches, each exhibiting unique characteristics. The ambiance is filled with the resonant sound of flat-six engines and the distinct aroma of exhaust. From the iconic 911 to the luxurious Panamera, the Werks [...]

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