Category: Desert Drives

Posts related to Desert Drives

By Reid Smith

April 12th was a special day for our Las Vegas Region. We made history by having a record turnout of 55 cars participating in a drive! It all started when Frank Grimmelmann from AZPCA let me know that they were planning a Fun Run weekend and wondered if we could organize a drive. They had 19 cars on the way and we supplied the rest! The Mt. Charleston area is beautiful this time of year and we were fortunate to have great weather and roads. 

By Reid Smith

What a day we had at the Porsche Sprint Challenge held at Spring Mountain Motorsports Raceway in March. Over 30 LVR members enjoyed viewing Qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday with perfect weather. The tailgate lunch hit the spot, with sandwiches and much more!

Hi S. Utah Las Vegas Region PCA Members,

We have decided to add a new Meetup location for the Nevada Highway Tour for S. Utah members. The meetup location will be in Caliente NV, at the Knotty Pine restaurant, where we will plan lunch on May 19th. This will save you from driving to Las Vegas that morning.

Join us Saturday, May 10th at the Western Sky Aviation Warbird Museum at the Saint George Airport at 10AM followed by a pay as you go lunch at the eclectic Side Car Café less than 10 minutes from the museum.

This amazing museum features some of the first jet fighters and trainers to enter service during the Korean and subsequent Cold War, including US and Soviet models, some of which are still flown here regularly.  You’ll walk around static display aircraft including a four engine Douglas C-54 Skymaster, a veteran of the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and 1949, where it also acted as a ‘candy bomber’, a practice started by a Utahan.  Head up inside the C-54 to see how it completed its long career at Buffalo Airways and be amazed by the [...]

April indeed fooled us all by passing in the blink of an eye. It’s amazing how time is moving at light speed these days!

Reid’s April Magical Mystery Tour was a great success, as was the event for everyone from Utah and Arizona. Reid is a master of putting together drives.

Gaudin Porsche:

Henderson Porsche had a bang-up Grand Gala Event on Thursday, April 17th. These people know how to throw down a shindig. Live music, unbelievable food and beverages, and most people dressed for a Broadway premiere. I had one of the best roast beef sandwiches of my life. I was under the weather, but I’m glad I made it to the Gala. It’s good to see our friends enjoying their much-deserved success. Congrats to Paul Jarrett and the team for a fabulous grand opening. The facility is state-of-the-art and stunning. Gary had a few Porsches from the collection there, and everyone is a [...]

From the Archives – February 2025 

Hello! Welcome to my first “From the Archives” article for our newsletter. My name is Jordan Godorov and I am the Las Vegas Porsche Club’s newly minted historian. Do you have a question about the history of our local club or the Porsche brand in Las Vegas? Drop me an email at jordan_godorov@yahoo.com 

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Most of us know that our local Las Vegas authorized Porsche dealership has been Gaudin Porsche since 1986. Being a Las Vegas native, I was curious to know who sold Porsches before Gaudin did. According to Gary Ackerman, the dealer principal of Gaudin Porsche, the dealer immediately before Gaudin took over the franchise was none other than Mike Salta. 

Mike Salta

Salta, for those that might not be aware, was one of the country’s first “mega” car [...]

Hey Las Vegas Porsche crew! Heading to Air/Water in Orange County? Join our caravan! DM JP on Bid Nerds Instagram for the when and where. Let’s roll together!

https://www.instagram.com/bidnerds

Hi, my name is Ken Hollman and I am addicted to Porsches. 

This began in 1972 when I purchased by first Porsche, a 1965 912 (s/n 010), and since we had a mortgage and two small girls in our young family, we could not afford.  This was my daily driver for about three years and as things do, practicality caused me to trade it for a Chevy pickup.  I fought the addiction for about 25 years when another 912 came home with me.  This one required renovation, most of which I did myself over the next several years.  At this point, the urge to compete overwhelmed my better sense and I auto-crossed this car for a couple years.  Wanting better lap times, a 914 followed me home, also requiring a complete makeover.  This car became competitive in local SCCA and PCA events with my wife, Betty, earning the SSCA women’s class championship, two years running.  [...]

Our first HPDE for 2025 was a resounding success. We opened registration early and offered an early bird discount. We had a tremendous response and sold out 2 weeks in advance of the event date. 

We were fortunate that that the weather cooperated all weekend with temps in the high 60’s to low 70’s. Nothing better to get out and exercise your car and test your driving skills.

Due to the large turnout, we had the front entry gates opened @ 6AM so we could get participants registered early and allow them to get their cars through tech before the drivers meeting.

This and all of our prior events could not happen without the efforts of our volunteers led by Lisa Disabatino managing all aspects of registration to Ryan Raser and Andy Stahl @ tech ensured a smooth flow from driver registration to completing tech in record time. 

Brian Schmidt, our Chief Driving instructor, managed [...]

I am always very curious as to what drew people to their first Porsche ownership experience?

For me it started the year I finished college at the tender young age of 26. (I waited till I was 22 to start). I had started a decent paying job and at the time I was driving a 1974 BMW 2002, It was a wonderful car and I have thought many times about purchasing another for vintage type events but at that age the lure of a Porsche was stronger than my desire to keep the BMW 2002.

That desire started in 1959 when I saw my first Speedster at a local SCCA auto cross. My parents were racers. Mostly English cars such as the Triumph TR3s of various years. Up to the TR4 when they decided they had enough and stopped racing. That being said I will never forget this beautiful silver Speedster with red interior and [...]

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