Zone 12 Happenings, and … Parade 2019!
Category : News
Hope everyone has enjoyed a fun and eventful summer so far. Of course, our summer will last a bit longer, usually prolonging until the week before Christmas. But “officially” at least, we’ll start moving toward fall soon, and there are many great events to look forward to in Zone 12, all the way into next year.
Speaking of next year … Even though we just had Parade, let’s get ready to focus on Parade 2019! In case you haven’t heard, we’re lucky enough to be the Host Zone for Parade 2019 – with Parade being held right here in Boca Raton (July 21-28, 2019). It will be at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, a Waldorf-Astoria … and the room rates will be very reasonable for this luxurious resort (well under $200/night). Those of us in the Sunshine State don’t usually get these low rates, even as Florida residents. So, plan your 2019 summer vacation to be at Parade in Boca.
This year at Parade, there were 900 registrants (900 Porsches!) and almost 1,800 attendees. It took 40 year-round Volunteers and more than 700 on-site Volunteers to make it happen. Next year, it’s our time to shine!
For 2019, we’ll need 100s of Volunteers as well, from all over the country. The Parade Committee will start planning Tours, Rallies, and all the other events soon, and they’ll be seeking our local expertise and help. So if you’re interested in helping on the front end, please let your Region Leadership know now.
Parade 2019 – July 21-28. At the Boca Raton Resort and Club.
Parade is our chance to not only win individual event awards, but also be recognized at the National level. At this year’s Parade at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Zone 12 had several individual event winners. But two of our Regions were honored with very special awards.
North Florida Region won the 2018 Public Service Award. This is a National Award, given in recognition of outstanding service to the Region’s community and charities. It was very well-deserved and an especially heartwarming legacy, since the club lost its beloved leader Bob Wilson earlier this year. Bob was a caring, compassionate person and as President, he and his team lead NFL with heart and soul – doing well by doing good. NFL is still recovering from their loss, but they had an excellent example to follow and are flourishing under their new (and continuing) leadership team, which may no doubt result in another National award someday soon.
Puerto Rico Region won the 2017 National Membership Award for Greatest Factored Growth and Membership Retention. Despite a very challenging year, the Puerto Rico Region, led by Jaime Rullan and team have not only helped maintain their club’s bond through all the hardship, but they’ve grown membership in spite of the difficult times. This recognition is the result of a great team effort of their board members who are enthusiastic and committed to the brand and PCA, making great strides in several key areas:
- Created a well-balanced event schedule for the year, including Driving Tours, Drivers Education, Concours D’ Elegance as well as social events (dinners, wine tastings, etc.).
- Planned events that included all family members, in particular, significant others.
- Hired a social media consultant to manage their Facebook page, growing from 400 to 6,000 in less than a year, constantly posting events and photos.
- Established a solid alliance with their local Porsche dealer, becoming the Porsche experience enhancer as part of their sales process.
Congratulations to North Florida Region and Puerto Rico Region for their impressive awards and to all the Zone 12 winners in the individual categories and events.
Check out all the 2018 Award Winners and National Award Winners.
Check Out These Upcoming Big Events Around the Zone
Tire Rack Street Survival School at Sebring; September 15-16 (DE weekend)
Suncoast Region will be the local host for the national Tire Rack Street Survival (TRSS) school, during the September Sebring DE weekend (Sept 15-16, 2018). As the official TRSS website says, “The primary emphasis of the Tire Rack Street Survival® is a ‘hands-on’ driving experience in real-world situations! It’s about more than driving – it’s about LIVING!”
The school is open to fully licensed drivers only, ages 16-21. If you have a teen who is already driving, he or she can benefit from attending this great driving school.
Also, if you’d like to help out and be an instructor, please contact TRSS coordinator John Sabatini (john.a.sabatini@gmail.com).
What: Tire Rack Street Survival® school
When: Saturday, September 15th, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Where: Sebring International Speedway
Cost: $95
OktoberFast PCA Club Race at Daytona; October 25-28
The Zone 12 OktoberFast Club Race will be held the weekend of October 26-28, along with an advanced solo DE and an exciting Autocross. You can register now on ClubRegistration.net for the Advanced Solo DE and Autocross. The Club Race registration opens on Sept 10.
Advanced Solo DE, 10/26-28/18 (search for “PCA Zone 12 Oktoberfast Advanced Solo DE”)
The DE will be held in conjunction with the Zone 12 PCA Club Race. Our Driver’s Education Series is open to PCA and non-PCA members and welcomes all makes and models, including convertibles with the proper roll bar protection. There will be only one run group, using the PCA expanded passing rules. There will be no instructed run groups. See ClubReg for full details.
AX, Sat 10/28/18 (search for “OKTOBERFAST AX“)
The AX will be held on the Kart Track inside the speedway, so you’ll get to watch the incredible Porsche race cars competing on the famous 24-hour course, while you’re enjoying the autocross. Please preregister (only $30 now; $40 if not pre-registered on ClubReg), to allow the time to process the registration data. Course map and confirmations will be sent a few days before the event.
Everyone is welcome – experts, novices, and young drivers (over 16 with a valid license). Instructors and loaner helmets will be available.
Zone 12 Charity Event at American Muscle Car Museum in Melbourne, FL; Saturday, November 10
Please mark your calendars for the chance to visit the American Muscle Car Museum (AMCM) in Melbourne, on Saturday afternoon, November 10. This is where Space Coast holds their Autocrosses, but you’ll actually get to go inside to see all the amazing cars, displays and classic automobilia. Zone 12 and Space Coast Region will host a charity event at this one-of-a-kind private collection.
AMCM is not open to the public, but they do open on special occasions to host non-profit fundraisers, car activities, and educational tours for school-age children. It’s a 123,000-square-foot complex that houses the personal collection of Mark Pieloch. Mark has been a car enthusiast for over 40 years and has amassed more than 250 cars, ranging from classic 1950s models to 1970s American muscle cars, to practically every color of Ford GT, to modern “sophisticated” muscle like a 2017 Shelby GT350R, and 14+ of the all-time most collectible Porsches.
Registration will be on ClubRegistration.net, starting in September. Attendance will be limited, and your charity donation will go toward a great cause. The Wabasso School is a special education center serving students ages 5-22. Students are provided specialized instruction, so they can not only achieve academic gains but also increase their social, emotional and behavioral skills. They work to develop communication, daily living, and occupational skills to integrate successfully into the real world.
Complete event details will be available soon, such as lodging options, caravan plans and best travel routes, dining plans and other info. Please plan to take advantage of this great opportunity to visit this wonderful private car museum with some of your PCA friends, while also helping a worthwhile cause.
Visit American Muscle Car Museum for more information.
Hope to see you at a Zone 12 event soon!
Lisa – Zone 12 Rep
Are you a new PCA member? Well, welcome to the Club!! But you might be asking, “What’s all this about a ‘Parade’?” Porsche Parade is the “big” Porsche Club event of the year: our annual national convention. Parade has a potpourri of activities, and club members from all across North America (and elsewhere!) come together for this once-a-year extravaganza to participate in a week of competitive events, to socialize and enjoy their cars, with seminars and tours adding to the event’s variety. For many club members, Parade is their big vacation for the year. It provides them with an opportunity to see new parts of the country as well as to visit with PCA friends that they only see once a year, at Parade!
