Mardi Gras Region Members:

It's nearly the end of Summer 2011, and we've had a changing of the guard at Legendary Mardi Gras Region. I've recently been re-installed as Region President, or, in local parlance, its "Captain." I thought it a good idea to send some sort of immediate message to the membership, so here it is.

First, Mardi Gras Region has been privileged to enjoy the leadership of Philip "Chip" Lynch during this last year. As our Captain, Chip managed DE's, hosted our meetings and parties, and broke new ground with a number of great Saturday meetings at places like Middendorf's in Manchac. As a direct result of his efforts, our membership has grown to new levels. I hope to build on that legacy. Now enjoying captain emeritus status, Chip has returned to a busy Northshore law practice. On behalf of the Region, I extend a hearty thank you to Chip.

Other things are going on, too.

I've returned recently from Savannah, Georgia, where I attended the 2011 Porsche Parade along with Mardi Gras Region "First Lieutenant" Rick Payton. I will have many pictures of beautiful Porsches and astonishing Savannah on the Mardi Gras Region website in the very near future. I had the opportunity to speak with our own Zone 5 Representative, James Shoffit, about the prospects of competing for selection to host the next available Parade in 2016. As always, he's in our corner.

Some of you may recall that Rick Payton and I made an effort two years ago to entice the PCA Parade Committee to select New Orleans. Unfortunately the City's offer of free use of the air-conditioned Morial Convention Center was trumped by PCA concerns about July heat here in New Orleans. Defies reason, doesn't it?

OK, it's now two years later and another PCA official I cornered at the broilling hot and humid concours event at Forsythe Park in Savannah was Manny Alban, PCA's President. He had a great time in New Orleans when we hosted PCA's national committee meeting in February 2009. He observed that the heat of Savannah was a great indicator of what New Orleans might be like in mid-summer. As anxious participants in the outdoor concours were hastily departing in the face of an incoming thunderstorm (too funny -- imagine getting rain drops on your Porsche!), Rick and I reminded Manny that we'd have provided a mile long indoor car parking corridor at the Convention Center, thousands of hotel rooms right across the street, plus ballrooms and restaurants either upstairs at the Convention Center, or within walking distance.

I also observed, somewhat dryly, that the Savannah Parade was not terribley user-friendly. It was headquartered at a half-empty meeting center on one side of the river, while historic Old Savannah, all the better hotels, all the decent bars and restuarants, and the concours location, were on the other side. We can do better here. Ultimately, Manny was assured that things would be starkly different (and better) here. As a result, I believe the initial effort to obtain a Parade for New Orleans and Mardi Gras Region was successful.

There are, of course, things planned for this fall. We will attempt to get a couple of DE's accomplished, likely at Circuit Grand Bayou. We will have our annual Blessing of the Porsches in the French Quarter, a bigger and better Ferdinand Porsche Birthday Party party at Galatoire's (or similar locale), and a special ceremony to honor the person(s) who has been MGR's outstanding member this last year.

We don't presently have a PCA Club Race, but that is going to change very soon. For those who have been living on the Moon, MGR member Laney Chouest has been building a dream track -- Nola Motorsports Park -- just 15 minutes from downtown New Orleans. If you've ever visited Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, you will understand what will soon be in our backyard. I hope to get this race back on the calendar at its traditional time in mid-November. Much more on this soon!

Lastly, we have a new Porsche dealership. Porsche of New Orleans has recently opened at 3700 N. Causeway Boyulevard in Metairie. That's one block south of the Causeway bridge for our Northshore members. Ryan DeToro, PNO's Service Manager, has invited MGR to a special event on Saturday, August 20th at 4:30 p.m. All of the new Porsches will be available for test rides, MGR members will be offered many valuable discounts for service, DE car prep, and many other things. In addition, this will be a catered event, so I will be necessary for those who plan to attend to let me or Rick Payton know as soon as possible. My email is rmmjr@cox.net, and Rick's is rpayton35@aol.com. This is a beautiful new facility owned by a dealership organization that has promised to become an active partner with MGR. This will be a great event.

That's all for now, but I'll repeat the message about the PNO event, and as new things pop up I'll let you know about them.

Richard Martin

Captain, Legendary Mardi Gras Region