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Andy Porterfield (1932-2012)
13 years ago
General
On April 17, 2012 the SCCA lost a great member. Andy Porterfield, SCCA member for 55 years, two-time national SCCA champion, SCCA Board Member, SCCA Enterprises Board Member and driver of the fastest damn GT-1 Camaro I've had the pleasure to see, passed away leaving behind his wife, son, daughter and grandchildren.
Despite flagging many of the Cal Club races that he participated in, I never had a chance to sit down and talk to him personally. However he was a major inspiration to me. Sometimes I worry that life's slipping past me and that the door is closing on my chance to race, even just at the club level. But seeing Andy out on the track, a man in his late 70s in a car that was faster than anything else (at least until Michael Lewis would show up in his GT-1 Jaguar XKR) gave me hope that maybe there's still time enough... there's still time for me to get into a Formula Mazda and have a few years of fun.
SCCA and Cal Club lost a wonderful person this week. I don't know where you go after you die, but wherever it is, I hope it has great tracks so Andy can keep on driving that Camaro.
Race on, my friend.
Despite flagging many of the Cal Club races that he participated in, I never had a chance to sit down and talk to him personally. However he was a major inspiration to me. Sometimes I worry that life's slipping past me and that the door is closing on my chance to race, even just at the club level. But seeing Andy out on the track, a man in his late 70s in a car that was faster than anything else (at least until Michael Lewis would show up in his GT-1 Jaguar XKR) gave me hope that maybe there's still time enough... there's still time for me to get into a Formula Mazda and have a few years of fun.
SCCA and Cal Club lost a wonderful person this week. I don't know where you go after you die, but wherever it is, I hope it has great tracks so Andy can keep on driving that Camaro.
Race on, my friend.
But I'm glad that he was able to continue doing what he enjoyed for so long. An inspiration, and a hope that I still might end up on a SCCA grid.
I'm sure there's good weather, and that they're running on Brooklands, and the old GP circuit at Monza with the banking; that there's Can-Am, Group-B, LeMans started properly, turbocharged F1, and always a field of drivers to push your limits.
Race on.
"Melange still races!"