50th Rolex 24 at Daytona

• February SMOKE SIGNALS (PDF version) is available in the Newsletter section. Printed version will arrive in members' mailboxes early next week.

• Check out the inline version (needs Flash). Click in RIGHT or LEFT margins to turn the pages.

An Observation: while rummaging around the admin section of this web site in hopes of cleaning things up a bit - deleting, archiving, and moving articles to different categories, etc - I came across a bit of information that got me to wondering about activity on the site. In 2009, the highest hit count was 611 on the December issue of Smoke Signals. In 2010, the highest hit count was 542 for the January issue. Hmm, back to back months with decent activity but dropping. In 2011, the highest hit count was only 356 (yeah, a good Porsche number at least) for the September issue of the newsletter.

Has the economy affected Porsche ownership and activity? Are people simply too busy to visit the site? What are your thoughts? You can use the COMMENT link below this article to voice your opinions.

For 2012, I hope to drive more visitors to the SMT web site. One way to do this is to offer up good content that is easy to find and entertaining to read. I received TONS of good comments on the site revisions thus far and I appreciate everyone who took the time to let me know. I have been asked about adding a forum and, to be honest, that had been one of the things I had thought about adding. If the membership will use the forum, that will make a HUGE difference in site activity. Stay tuned for more news on that.

…and Wings

Three years ago, I offered to do a winter drive-out, and it was a great success. Last year, another winter run, with a different venue. This year it was back to a local routing.

Kind of exciting that in the dead of winter you begin counting incoming Porsches for the beginning of the drive. Fifteen!!! It’s cold, and the sun refuses to co-operate, but it is dry. Last minute coffees… and rest rooms, and we’re on our way. We head away from the busy truck plazas at Straw Plains and into the country. I’m heading up the pack with Rick + Janis Berry doing the honors at the rear.

All of the roads are tarmac, two lane roads. We stay away from populated areas. Onto Hwy 11E, then across the Mascot bridge, and hang a right on Clear Springs. A mistake on my part requires a U-turn on Rutledge Pike, but then all's OK, as we turn left onto Richland and we’re good again. We travel a good distance on Indian Ridge viewing some truly neat and beautifully east Tennessee countryside.

We finally hook up to Highway 92 north of Cherokee Lake and we’re running toward Jeff City… all fifteen cars in a nice row. Left onto the main street of Jeff City, through downtown, and then back into the countryside again. A quick left, and then a slight left, and we’re .8 of a mile from the Black Oak Marina.

Once there, we park our steeds, mill around for a bit stretching our legs and looking at the view (even in winter with the lake water down). The Marina staff has our tables waiting; all in one room, overlooking the lake. Tennessee loses to Kentucky on the big screens, and we begin getting our food delivered by the Marina staff. Everything from ribs to (you guessed it…) wings.

Folks… it’s not just the cars, it’s the people. Just ask the 32 of us that had a great time in each other's company!

Vic Rola 

Waiting for everyone to arrive at the starting point. Cold and windy at 10:30am.

Cruising the back roads of east Tennessee.

Lunchtime stop at Black Oak Grille.

Grey cars on a grey wintry day.

Red beauties.

Multiple generations.

Inside the Black Oak Grill

Waiting for everyone to arrive at the starting point. Cold and windy at 10:30am.

Cruising the back roads of east Tennessee.

Lunchtime stop at Black Oak Grille.

Grey cars on a grey wintry day.

Red beauties.

Multiple generations.

Inside the Black Oak Grill

 

Harper Infiniti Press Release
From:  Bill Johnson, Marketing Manager, Harper Dealerships

Harper Infiniti is pleased to announce that the Red Bull Formula 1 World Championship winning race car, sponsored by Infiniti, will be on display Saturday February 4th. at Harper Infiniti, 9737 Kingston Pike.

The Red Bull Formula 1 Team has won the last two Formula 1 World Championships for both constructors and drivers. The car will be on display all day and everyone is invited to come to Harper Infiniti to see this rare racer. Enjoy free refreshments served in the showroom and register for free door prizes to be given away.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the Formula 1 World Championship winning Red Bull racer Saturday February 4th at Harper Infiniti, 9737 Kingston Pike.