Category: From The Archives

From the Archives #16, June 2023

In the past months we’ve jumped ahead from the beginning years of our region to see how things were going after, say, 10 or 20 years. Now let’s go back to 1975, when the fledgling Las Vegas Region had two solid years under its belt.

For its third year, the LVR had its third President, a fellow named Paul Riley. His opening column promised a number of events for the year 1975: 5 autocrosses, 3 rallies, 3 tech sessions, a ski tour, dinner meetings (presumably several), a swim party, summertime picnics (how many?), a fund-raising dinner (although he referred to these in the plural), a Christmas party, and a gathering specifically for the officers’ installation. 

And in the next paragraph he invited members to suggest other events, especially if the member was willing to chair the event.

All this with a total membership of 64 primary and 38 associates [...]

From the Archives #15, May 2023

In looking through the Sandscript issues in 1984, we came across a fascinating letter to the Editor, bemoaning the terrible situation that driving and automobiles were in. The writer claimed that the 1980s of driving was the first era in auto history that was slower than the previous one. He complained about the terrible effects of emission controls on drivability, the increased weight due to crashworthiness requirements, and the general total lack of pizazz in cars. He was worried that the age of automobile fun was over, and that things would only get worse.

He was half right. For those of you who aren’t old enough (like over 60) to remember the dark ages of the car, let me educate you. For those of you that are, I’ll refresh your memories.

The smog and general air quality in big cities across the US had deteriorated from the late 1940s [...]

From the Archives #14, April 2023

We’ve chosen this month to look through 1984, at least the first half of that year, a time when the Las Vegas Region was ten years old. The most striking thing to us was the sheer number of major events/activities that the rather small (about 100 members) LVR managed to put on the in first half of 1984.

In mid-February 1984, the LVR folks put together what was called the “West Coast Weekend.” This was a 3-activity event, not counting the eating, drinking, and gambling that was very favorably reported on. The venue was at Laughlin (hence the gambling); the activities were a slalom, a rally, and a tech quiz. The number of workers was huge, and all were thanked individually in the subsequent issue of Sandscript.

In mid-March there was the “Holtville Weekender.” The three activities at this one were an autocross, a rally, and a slalom. Again, [...]

From the Archives #13, March 2023

We’ve spent most of the last year reviewing our Region’s first year, 1974. Once we jumped ahead ten years to look at 1985, only to discover that poor attendance at Las Vegas Region events was the primary topic in most of that year’s newsletters.

Now let’s take a look at …April 1995. The big event was the opening of the Las Vegas Speedway Park, now known as Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Our LVR held a track event, in coordination with the Porsche Owners Club (POC). The new twist was that they did actual wheel-to-wheel Porsche racing on the brand new road race course. They held two races on Saturday and one on Sunday, and all apparently went well. They were described as “good clean racing and intense competition.”

In the May 1995 issue of Sandscript, there was an article about a product offering that looked really good pre-internet (yes, [...]

From the Archives #12, February 2023

We’ve spent most of the last year reviewing our Region’s first year, 1974. Once we jumped ahead ten years to look at 1985, only to discover that poor attendance at Region events was the primary topic in most of that year’s newsletters.

Now let’s take at look at 1995, at which point in our history the Las Vegas Region was 20 years old (and the Porsche 911 had been on the market over thirty [yes, 30] years).

In the February 1995 meeting, the main topic of discussion was the Region’s need for a computer and printer for publishing the Sandscript, and a compatible laptop to be used for racing events. Note that the Region still had “meetings.” We don’t have meetings of the membership anymore. I guess the monthly brunch at the RRCC is as close as we come to a membership meeting. The Board meeting are open to [...]

From the Archives #11, January 2023

After looking through the Las Vegas Region Newsletters from the first couple of years of the Region, I was struck by the number of ads from gas stations. Yes, just regular old Phillips 66, Esso, and others, all trying for customers. The ads must have been worth something to the advertisers, because those little business-card-sized ads cost $8 per month.

Yet today, it makes me wonder why we’re not getting ads from electric charging stations. The conspiracy theorist in me has several explanations for this, but I’m sure you have your own. We’ll be glad to publish the most outlandish ideas if you send them in.

There was an interesting report at the April 1975 LVR board meeting. The Newsletter reported: ”If all of the advertisers would pay their past due bills, the newsletter would be nearly self-supporting.” Maybe I should rethink the value of the gas station ads.

From the Archives #10, December 2022

For the past year we’ve been reviewing the Las Vegas Region’s first year, 1974. This month I thought we might jump ahead ten years to check out development in our first decade.

You might recall that during the LVR’s first year, they had roughly 40 members, and that the event reports showed that essentially everyone participated in everything. Pretty much 90 to 100 percent of the membership came to all of the events. But by 1984, it’s clear that the situation of non-participating members had set in.

The Newsletters of 1984 contained complaints and questions about these non-participants in almost every article. There were notes that putting on an event, and then having only five or six cars show up, was not acceptable. There were doubts about finding event organizers or sponsors, since there might be only a few folks attend the event. In February 1984, there were requests [...]

From the Archives #9, November 2022

The Las Vegas Region newsletter, named “Sandscript” for the first time in February 1975, asked readers to support the advertisers. It was noted that without the advertisers, the monthly newsletter wouldn’t be possible. The issue contained 14 ads. These included a beauty salon, a jeweler, three restaurants, two gas stations, a printing shop, a house painter, a real estate agent, and four having to do with Porsches. The latter included a half-rear-cover ad from Sunland Motors, the Porsche-Audi dealer of the day. This was the largest and most expensive ad, so good on Sunland.

The February Sandscript included a listing of the PCA Zone 8 events scheduled for the 1975 year. It pointed out that the Las Vegas Region was the smallest Region in Zone 8, and that the LVR was fortunate in having such a well-organized and active nearby Zone in which to participate. (Nearby??) I can’t resist [...]

From the Archives #8, October 2022

Our Las Vegas Region started out its 1975 year with big plans and a new President, Paul Riley.

Their first year, 1974, had finished up with several cars participating in an autocross/time trial (they don’t seem to differentiate and use the two terms interchangeably) at the Ontario Motor Speedway, and an LVR Christmas party that had an accordion player (!) for entertainment (Why don’t we do that?). The time trial featured a 3.2-mile course, including a 1-mile straightaway. The several 356s entered reached 120 mph on that straight, which is just about exactly their top speed. There was no mention of the speed of the accordion player at the party.

At the first Board meeting of the year, it was pointed out that the Region Newsletter (still unnamed) cost $200 per month. They agreed to try to meet this cost by way of advertisers in the Newsletter. In looking [...]

From the Archives #7, September 2022

We’ve decided to take a short break from relating the Las Vegas Region’s past from fifty years ago, and instead jump to a time only fifteen years ago… 2007 (BTW, how can 2007 be 15 years ago? It was just yesterday.)

The newsletter, Sandscript, announced that after a two-year wait, the Las Vegas Region polo shirts were in hand and ready for sale. Only $20 each, with a pocket in front and the Region’s logo on the back. (We don’t have Region shirts any more, do we?)

AND, …..2007 was the year that the “Team Porsche” demolished the competition for the fifth consecutive time in the open-road race (ORR) called the Pony Express 130. As it was run in 2007, this was an 83-mile ORR (yes, 83 miles of open road racing, right here in Nevada). On State Rt. 305 (look it up), traffic is halted, and a legal [...]