It happens once a year and as trend follows, The Porsche Club Malaysia Annual dinner requires some driving distance before the gastronomic fair. Last year the convoy headed to Port Dickson and this year the venue was our Sepang International F1 Circuit.

Monsoon has persisted this time around and it has been raining heavily for the past days leading up to the convoy’s rendezvous. The location was just after the KLIA toll at 6.30pm and to the amazement of many, the rain had stopped whilst just 3km back, it was still pouring. By the roadside, the Porsches socialize and group up, while on lookers honk and flash at the likes of a mobile motor-show, encompassing many millions in value.

At about 7.15pm the rain caught up and the convoy begins to mobilize towards the circuit. The pack was mostly accounted for with 100+ Porsches registered days before, heading carefully under the torrent sky. It took 15 minutes for the parade to arrive and with a second stroke of luck, it stopped raining again.

Not missing a chance, the convoy immediately headed on to the track for parade laps. With the circuit lights off, pitch black it was and still very wet; but that did not hinder neither 911 nor Cayenne to explore the asphalt at honorable speeds. It would have been a tedious task for the leading car though, as he pioneered a route for the rest of the millions of dollars to follow suite. Well Done Mate!

The back of the pack though, is where you ought to be. The view over looking the Porsches from their wide-bodied rears are breath taking. It is like a stream of red tail lights drawing out the track in the darkness and it reflects from the wet ground. As the Porsches are in motion, this red ‘stream’ comes to life as it is moving and ever changing. At the breaking points, like a Mexican Wave, third brake lights fire up in orderly fashion as if choreographed. I was tailing behind a Porsche only to realize that is was the Gemballa Avalanche version; which looked very intimidating projected from my 993’s headlamps. Only to realize how wide the car was, it looked like a wild animal in its habitat, and I; the nature documentary host.

After a few laps, the convoy headed back to the pits. The cars were parked along the pitwalk and members and friends proceeded for registration and refreshments. As guests mingled, their tables were prepared from across the roasting and grill of the live kitchen. A president’s speech was given and soon the long awaited dinner followed. Another distinctive signature of a PCM dinner is its array of foods and their quality control; a testament of the good folks behind the scenes.

Champagne, wines and a live band mellowed the guests while lucky draws and performances added to the color of the night. A lucky few were even given taxi rides by racing drivers behind the wheel of track-prepped Porsche Caymans. A few vendors had booths setup to display Porsche related paraphernalia. JT CARS was present with the Porsche Gemballa Avalanche and the Porsche 993 GT2 Lightweight.

The event ended about 11pm with many heading home earlier for work the next day. In all it was another successful Porsche outing with minimal fuss. Next up, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Published December 2006

TAGS