Like the automobiles that inspire most of our activities, the Connecticut Valley Region of the Porsche Club of America has an illustrious history - not on a par with that of the marque assuredly, but hey, lots of us are in the Region's history so it must be illustrious. At the time of our 25th Anniversary celebration in 1984, Linda Goodman researched the history of the Region, presented it at that gala, and subsequently printed it in Challenge. With her permission, it has been edited, expanded for 1970-1985, and updated through 1999 by Prescott Kelly.

           In last month's Challenge we recapped those glorious days of yesteryear, 1959 through 1975, when CVR was formed, grew into its teenage years, and built the foundation for the wide range of members and activities from which we benefit today. Now, for the next installment of the story:

~ 1976 ~

Sam Praul is President, Paul Virostek is Vice President, Jim Corcoran is Treasurer, and Ed Tobolski is Challenge Editor. Some guy named Nick Siena appears as "Competition Chairman" - sounds suspiciously like a self-appointment to us! (But, Nick is still better at tuning Weber carbs than anyone else we know.)

January - George Riley appears to explain his "Motor Specialty Company" - the first recorded public sighting of Gerry/George, who later built a major collection of racing and other Porsches in Hardwick, MA. Sam Praul shows up in the first 930 Turbo seen on these shores. Ed Tobolski immediately renames his 356 autocross car "The Turbo Eater".(It turns out to be true!)

March - First paid ad in Challenge (from the now defunct Porsche/Audi of Avon).

May - Driver's Ed at Lime Rock -still a novelty- with Bill Schmid and Steve Cohen, among others, as Instructors! Ken Williamson's 906 (with airport gears) was the scourge of the day.

June - Gerry McCarthy, former guru of the Herb Wetson (nee Wetanson) racing team, resurfaces as Region Tech Advisor, setting in motion a relationship with CVR that continues to this day. Zone 1's 48 Hours of Watkins Glen came off without a hitch. Sam Praul had the only Turbo there. A 1957 Speedster is in the classifieds for $2,000. (Argh.)

August - Bill ("Mr. Clean") Miller shows up for the region Concours and wins. He would later become a major Zone and National Concours player. Second Driver's Ed of the year at Lime Rock. Registration fee is $15, and you get a couple of hours of track time(!).

November - Al Holbert is the speaker at the Annual Banquet held at The Buckboard in Glastonbury. Dinner is $8.

~ 1977 ~

Sam Praul continues as President, John Mangum is VP, John Rhine is Treasurer and Ed keeps Challenge. Siena and McCarthy still hanging around.

January - Schedule for the year includes five Autocrosses, two Lime Rock Park Drivers' Ed days, two Tours, and one Rally. Nate Cantwell appears at a Monthly Meeting as a sales rep for Intrepid Unistructural Design (stainless steel exhausts for 911's). Classified has a '55 Speedster for $1,200. (double Argh.) Ashley Carroll is appointed Executive VP of the National Club.

March - International Automobile in New Britain, Phil Gaudette's premier restoration shop of the day, restores a Carrera Speedster for Naples' (FL) Miles Collier. Miles is planning an assault on the SCCA C-Prod title in the car. Later, it is retired to the Collier Museum.

May - Chip Hall imports a 904 from England to join his ex-Bruce Jennings Carrera Speedster. 356 Cabriolets are allowed at Drivers' Ed without roll bars for the first time. Stock Porsche FTD at the time trial was a 1:13.4 by Frank Carrington in his new Turbo.

July - Zane Nevins ("the man from Ziebart") does the Monthly Meeting. Ziebarting a car costs $100+/-. Kent Schach sells four Minilites for a 911 for $200.

August - There are 45 cars for Drivers' Ed II. Cost of the Lime Rock track is $450 for the day. The Waterbury Republican sends a reporter to write about this new craze of Porsches on the track. Don Mylchreest is featured for an off-track excursion in his 1965 C Coupe. (In these days, 356's spend as much time off the track as on, except for Ed Tolboski's - and Ed's nickname is "The Spinner")

September - Porsche Parade in San Diego and CVR officers go to meet Ferry Porsche.

October - The last Autocross has a runoff with a Hoffman P+A loaner of a 924.

~ 1978 ~

Sam Praul does another tour as President, joined by Mike Delasco as VP, Steve Theaker as Treasurer, Bob Clough as Challenge Editor, and Frank Carrington as Competition Chair. With Frank, there will soon be lots more competitive events.

January - Fast Eddie Tolboski finally does it: breaks his ankle in three places against a stone wall. Fortunately, he reports that the accident was on a toboggan, not in his 356 Coupe. Some are skeptical.

March - Rally is cancelled: the Region has no Rallymaster. (What is it about Rallymasters?) Doug Bok advertises that he is looking for a 356 restoration project. (A start down that fateful road.)

May - Some young hot shoe named Bruce MacInnes is introduced to CVR by Bob Sharp Racing. Over the next 20 years, perhaps half the Region will be Bruce's students at Skip Barber Schools or PCA events. The "wussie flag" lives!

June - The Zone 48 Hours at the Glen has a registration fee of $32.50. Track time is starting to get expensive?

July - At the Porsche Parade in Snowmass, Colorado, Gerry Sutterfield in his 917K (ex-Gulf-Wyer) and Dick Barbour in his IMSA 935 twin turbo, lead the autocrossers through their paces.

September - Downeast Region holds the first DER Volksfest, their version of Porscherama, and CVRers begin a tradition of trekking to Maine for this fun event.

~ 1979 ~

Frank Carrington is our new President, Guy Farnsworth is VP, Steve Theaker continues as Treasurer, and Bob Clough continues as Challenge editor.

March - The Region now has 269 members. Zane Nevins shows slides of his factory Treffen, including 935 track time at Weissach, at the Monthly Meeting. The Ground Round in Glastonbury becomes the regular Monthly Meeting site, and will continue as such for the next several years.

May - Drivers' Ed at Lime Rock sells out for the first time, even though entry fees are up to $20 per day. Schattanbaum and Metro NY get one day each at Lime Rock for 1979. Other PCA Regions begin to host events at tracks such as Bryar and Pocono, and CVRers learn to trek out-of-region for track days.

July - The Porsche Parade in Reston, VA hosts a large contingent of CVR folk. Most caravan down together behind the Carringtons. The annual Picnic/Concours attracts 80 people. Participation is up at all Region events as Carrington pushes the Region ahead. SCCA racer Dave Geremia (now vintage racer - in both senses)of Waterbury advertises his new Durable Porsche Service in Challenge.

September - Porscherama is alive and well. Entries with hotel room and meals are up to $88.75.

October - The final Autocross has 28 cars entered.

~ 1980 ~

Frank Carrington is President, Larry Albert is VP, Steve Winkler is Treasurer, and Bob Clough keeps Challenge. Mike and Peggy Bergan serve as Secretary, Jack Mella and Joan Milot do Membership, and Don Mylchreest is Activity Chair.

January - The annual calendar shows a third CVR Drivers' Ed day at Lime Rock and total track days are up to 10 from 6 in 1979 (counting Porscherama). Five Autocrosses dot the calendar.

April - Driver's Ed is up to $25 a day. There's nothing like success!

May - The first Zone 1 Concours and Swap Meet, chaired by NNJR's John and Donna Paterek, is held at the Orangeburg, New York, headquarters of the Northeast Porsche/Volkswagen/Audi distributor. Over 80 cars enter the Concours and CVR's "Mr. Clean" Bill Miller gets his first taste of major competitive success with a First Place.

At the Region's second Lime Rock track day, the club hosts its first "Time Trial Challenge" PCAers from seven regions came to compete and Northeast Region wins this inaugural event. (Will racing be far behind?)

July - CVR sends 37 entrants to the Zone 48 Hours at the Glen. Louise Birney-Thompson and Frank D'Amelio put together the first CVR Yearbook to submit at the Portland, OR Parade in a quest for "Region of the Year" honors.

August - Barb Clough writes an article for Challenge extolling the highs of Drivers' Ed for liberated housewives - the beginning of a whole new chapter in the Region's activities. Hoffman Porsche-Audi hires Gerry McCarthy away from Avon P+A.

October - The Monthly Meeting is held at Traynor P+A in Fairfield with the Holbert Racing D-Prod 924 on display and Bob Russo from Holbert's to explain how it works.

~ 1981 ~

President stays Frank Carrington, Albert as VP, the Bergans as Secretary, Winkler as Treasurer, and some guy named Ken Fengler ("handsome and debonair") as Program Chair. Bob and Barb Clough keep Challenge. Mylchreest and Peletz become co- "Track Chairs" - first use of that title in the Region.

January - The first ever Zone 1 Tech Tactics is held at the Harley Hotel in Enfield. "National speakers" (no names) and "multiple topics" are promised. Sounds weak at the time, but the event survives for the next 19 years, so something right happens in '81!

Photos in Challenge of the Christmas Party at the Carrington's show a lot of folks we all still know looking much younger, with lots more hair, and a lot of mustaches (on the guys that is).

February - The annual calendar is announced with six Autocrosses and three CVR Drivers' Ed days at Lime Rock.

March - The first annual Zone 1 Frozen Fantasy is scheduled at a lake front resort in Laconia. A winter sports weekend, no car activities, are planned. This is a short-lived idea. Ron Barnaba's name first appears Challenge, over an article on brake maintenance.

May - The Zone 1 Concours and Swap Meet has its second incarnation as does the CVR-led Time Trial Challenge. The Time Trial attracted entries from 10 Regions, BUT it rains. NorthEast Region wins again with CVR second again. Fast lap in the rain is a 1:25.65!

July - Bob Akin speaks to CVR for the first time. The Regional Concours is held at Castle Point (yes, the same one) with 70 people in attendance.

At the Asheville Parade, the Clough's 911 Weissach wins its Class and Division and is judged for the Manhattan Trophy. Eight CVRers take home Autocross trophies, including Pam Kudra, Marion Howard, and Carolyn Carrington. (Oh, their husbands all trophy too, along with Kenny Fengler and Bob Clough).

November - Sam Posey speaks at the Annual Banquet. For the first time there are recognition awards. Barb Clough is "Enthusiast of the Year." The Cloughs also win Concours overall. Rally overall is the Tobolskis. Rookie of the Year is Rocky Rookey. (We didn't realize he was that old!)

~ 1982 ~

Bob Clough is President, Kenny Fengler is VP, the Paul and Pam Kudra are Secretary, Steve Winkler is Treasurer, and Ken and DG Blackman take over Challenge. The year will see a lot of change as both the Cloughs and the Fenglers leave the area, leaving Steve Winkler to move up to President in the fall.

January - Frank Carrington retires gracefully to be Chairman of Tech Tactics. (Several other CVR ex-Presidents will follow Frank into this job over the next 15 years.) In his three years at the helm, Frank's enthusiasm and hard work take the Region from a nice sleepy Porsche place to a powerhouse of a Region. (To this day, we all are reaping the benefits of his efforts.)

The annual calendar shows seven CVR Lime Rock days as the multi-day Drivers' Ed weekend is reinvented for local use.

February - Skip Barber his very self speaks at the Monthly Meeting. Bank balance is $1,679.42. Whee!

March - The first of the year's Drivers' Ed days is announced in Challenge under the headline "RACE!" That was before the insurance realities set in; the author is later soundly rebuked.

April - The season's first track event is snowed out! Much public gnashing of teeth. The treasury declines.

May - The Time Trial Challenge is held again with CVR vanquishing NER in our third try, led by the Howards and Zane Nevins. Over 100 drivers enter the Drivers' Ed portion and 87 run the Time Trial.

June - Monthly Meetings move to Tunxis Plantation and Bob Overby (two-time SCCA national champion in a 356 Speedster) speaks. Over 80 people attend. At the Reno Parade Chuck Wastson's blue Turbo barely loses in Class. Some kid named Jim Newton preps the car with Chuck. (Stay tuned...)

August - The Monterey Historics feature Porsche for the first time. (The second time will be in 1998.) Some attendees find their life's priorities changed.

October - Ken Fengler's two-month reign as Region President ends as he takes a job in south Florida. Fortunately, Mike Bergan now has a place to stay for the winter when the bike shop is closed and good races are being held at places like Daytona and Sebring.

November - Some old codger named Kelly who last attended a Monthly Meeting in 1971 submits an eight-page article to Challenge on the 1982 Monterey Historics week. At January's Monthly Meeting he'll bring two videos and over 200 slides to show what it was all about.

December - Year-end bank balance was $3,111.34.

~ 1983 ~

Steve Winkler is President, Jon Grosjean is VP, Jack Mella is Treasurer, The Kudras stay Secretary, Wally Simon takes over the Track program, Chuck Watson is Concours Chair.

January - The annual calendar shows CVR with seven track days at Lime Rock plus Porscherama. Metro NY and Schattanbaum account for another seven days at LRP. Then there are two Rallies and six Autocrosses.

Vietnam-era Top Gun Grad (no kidding, and you thought he only drives fast) John Boles takes over from Doug Troyer as Zone 1 Rep. (The Zone Presidents' meetings will never be the same again.)

May - Jim Newton and Jim Kelly introduce us all to Auto Associates of Canton as they hold their first Monthly Meeting for CVR in the old "downstairs" shop. (Many area bankers commemorate that day - just as many wives frame invoices and burn their husbands - or is it the other way around?)

June - The Zone 48 Hours track event moves to Mosport (eh?) while the future of the Glen is settled. (By mid-year Corning Glass Works was negotiating to buy the track and keep it operating.) CVRers love Mosport. Gordon Zimmerman joins CVR with ONLY a '63 356B. Things did change soon.

July - Pam and Paul Kudra, Linda Goodman and Eric Grossman take over Challenge. Good things start to happen immediately. Metro NY returns PCA to Bridgehampton for the first time in many moons and 123 cars show up, including 18 from CVR. Chuck Watson moves the Concours to the Copper Beach Inn in Ivoryton. Just because we’re car junkies doesn't mean we shouldn't eat well - and 112 of us show up. Pam Kudra goes to cheesecake, skimpy attire to clean the 912E.

August - The Porsche Parade in the Ozarks sets new records for overheated Porsche owners. (Who would go to the Ozarks in August?) Well, Chuck Watson and Jim Newton return with Chuck's 930, and this time they do win the Manhattan Trophy for "Best-in-Show." (Do you remember when Joe Sangiovanni won CVR's first Manhattan Trophy? No? Reread history Part I!)

November - The annual banquet moves to the Aqua Turf Country Club. (Good food is on the rise at CVR events.) Bruce MacInnes is the speaker. Everyone likes Bruce – he is really funny.

~ 1984 ~

All the officers stay in place except that Nancy Haugh (Wally Simon's p.r. chief) is added as Secretary, Linda Goodman is Program Chair, and Jim Newton is elevated from Watson slave to Concours Chair. Little do we know at the time that Newton's appointment is "for life."

January - Ashley Carroll writes a reminiscence for the 25th Anniversary kickoff issue of Challenge. Challenge switches to coated stock so now we can all recognize what the photos actually show. Calendar shows Lime Rock Drivers' Ed days up to eight with an October addition.

February - Frank Carrington's 4th Annual Tech Tactics happens- bigger than ever - at the Harley Hotel in Enfield. Ron Barnaba's Porsche Werkes advertises "gray market" Porsches.

April - Challenge does its first sexist cover: Pam Kudra as a "Connecticut Valley Girl." Wes Davenport, Boz Coffin and Tom Weaver build their reputations as fearless Cannonball One Lap of America participants.

May - The Time Trial is won by CVR with a new index set by Soter Slomski. Nick Ventura gets FTD with a 1:01.35 in the batmobile.

June - Challenge sports a metallic silver cover to commemorate the Region's 25th Anniversary. Zone 1's 48 Hour Drivers' Ed event stays at Mosport for another year.

July - The Porsche Parade is held in Appleton, WI. CVR wins the coveted Region of the Year Award - something that had been building since Frank Carrington's second year - and finally it happened. Frank, Bob, Kenny, Steve, and about 100 activity chairs and workers earned this honor for the Region. Toni and Bill Reichardt put together the winning yearbook.

November - The Region's 25th Anniversary party is held at the Golf Club of Avon with PCA President-elect Jim Perrin as the guest speaker.

~ 1985 ~

Eric Grossman is President, Prescott Kelly is VP, Nancy Haugh continues as Secretary and Jack Mellas as Treasurer. Mike Bergan is Program Chair, Wally Simon has Track, and Rocky Rookey is Autocross Chair. Challenge Editors stay another round.

January - Nine (!) track days at Lime Rock, six Autocrosses and two Rallies led by Tom Weaver highlight the annual calendar. Wally Simon is building up the track schedule. Go Wally!

February - Over 125 PCAers attend Tech Tactics, including 42 folks from CVR.

March - The Cannonball team of Tom Weaver, Boz Coffin and Joel Lang finish second in the One Lap of America in a Audi 5000 Quattro sponsored by Porsche-Audi of Avon. Tom's Regional Rallies are now called the New England Cannonballs.

May - At the Time Trials, both Jim Spacek and Ed Tobolski set new lap records in their classes to help CVR keep the Region title.

June - The Zone 48 Hours returns to Watkins Glen after a two-year hiatus. Bob Akin speaks at the Monthly Meeting about his upcoming run at the 24 Hours of LeMans.

July - The Porsche Parade is held in Costa Mesa, CA with the driving event at Riverside Raceway. After a bad wreck by a nice lady from Texas, it is deemed that future Parades will have only autocrosses, not race track venued time trials. Too many attendees at Parades come from Regions with no track programs and therefore have too little track driving experience. Jeez!

October - Two CVR members go to Kansas and win SCCA Autocross trophies: Mike Piera takes 1st place in A Stock in his 72 911 Targa (thought they flexed a lot?) and Soter Slomski takes 3rd place in D Sports Racing. On the Regional front, Mike wins the season Auto-X series and the runoff, with Charlie Mayer second in the season series and third in the runoff. Paul Kudra takes second in the runoff, and Jack Mella third in the season series.

November - The Annual Banquet features a new racing team: Rob Dyson and Drake Olson (of Bridgewater) tell us about racing the Porsche 962 in IMSA.