Autocross

The Pinnacle

Such a wonderful distortion of space and time…the Porsche Hartford gala opening! (Paul Roth photo)

47 years of the Hoffman Porsche franchise, and over 100 years in the auto business, lead us here to this night being “the pinnacle” proclaimed Brad Hoffman.  November 12th was the formal Porsche Hartford ribbon cutting, the only Gen 5 facility in New England. About 1,000 people helped celebrate this rare occasion, including the PCNA President, generations of Hoffman family, employees, the mayor, and us “extended family and friends”.

The “party room” was packed full of friends and remembrances worthy of being the pinnacle. But where were the special display cars? (Paul Kudra photo)
…Oh, there they are. It was much easier to see them before the crowds arrived. (Paul Kudra photo)

CVR members were everywhere. A few were even given the honor of displaying their special cars in the main “party room” to set the right ambiance. The glow of those six cool cars attracted many to take a closer look and pose for pictures with them. While we in PCA often see these kinds of cars at club activities, it was clearly a fun treat for others. They were also a great interaction-catalyst that sparked attention to how much fun and enthusiasm PCA adds to the Porsche experience. Tasty food, car-themed specialty cocktails, detailed Porsche cookies, stations that made Royce-of-New York high-end customized leather luggage tags while you watched, and custom mixed fragrance stations curated by experts, all made for nice remembrances of the occasion. I hesitate calling the “party room” a “shop” for fear of misrepresenting its true vibe. Same for the “showroom”, being devoid of cars it felt like a multi-story night club, beautifully decorated with abundant floral arrangements and with an oversized Hollywood style “Porsche Hartford” sign engulfed in a balloon vineyard.     

Guy LaChance and Frank Arute were among the many CVR members that didn’t want to miss this epic evening. (Paul Roth photo)
A genuine good time. The specialness of the occasion was not lost on ultra-active CVR members like Paul Kudra and Tim & Christine Beckwith. (Paul Roth photo)
A different twist on “sweet dreams”, these detailed Porsche cookies were very popular. (Paul Kudra photo)
Some of the cookies were so realistic you might have accidentally tried to open your Porsche with one! (Paul Roth photo)
Arriving early to drop off their Special Display cars, Lynn Keller was able to enjoy one of the tables with Jackie and Mike Keller. (Paul Roth photo)
Dueling ivories kept it lively and feeling like a night club. (Paul Roth photo)
Congratulations to longtime friend Ethan Gombossy for achieving this pinnacle. As Porsche Hartford’s Service Director, if it happens inside the new facility, he likely had a hand in it. What an accomplishment! (New member and soon to be AutoXer – Ethan Lichtenberger photo)
Hoffman Family members and PCNA dignitaries made it official, Porsche Hartford is now open! (Paul Roth photo)

As a customer for 46 of their 47 years in the Porsche business, I reflected on the dozens of memorable evenings Hoffman hosted over those years. With that unique perspective, I savored how truly special this evening was. “Pinnacle” was indeed an apt description. With tastefully brief and humble recognitions, and after a generous donation by the Hoffman Foundation to the Connecticut Children’s Hospital, there was one more thing to do. In thanks to the customers that got Hoffman to this point, a Porsche Dream vacation grand prize winner was announced. Screams and applause erupted from the many CVR AutoXers gathered when one of our own was chosen. Charles Letouzey, known to many in CVR for his avid CVR AutoX driving and overall CVR participation in DE, Rally, Concours, Meetings, Tech sessions, not to mention being CVR’s illustrious Web-Meister! Maybe it was his dashing french style, or accent, but the win was such a wonderful way to end the evening.

Matthew Hoffman hands CVR Member Extraordinaire, Charles Letouzey the grand prize as our familiar friend Jonathan Hoffman (right) enjoyed the moment. (Paul Roth photo)

Perspective on the evening also made me realize that to truly enjoy your Porsche you need to participate in PCA events with it. That opens the door to evenings like this and to many decades-long friendships that follow. That’s the key to CVR’s AutoX program success. Your participation opens such wonderful opportunities. No matter how many years you’ve been driving, or what kind of Porsche you drive, our AutoX-University program will help you refine your driving skills towards earning a spot in our nationally famous Hoffman Cup Run Off event, now entering its 13-year legacy. Porsche Hartford is unique in the whole country and in fact the whole world, in this regard. AutoX driving makes you appreciate the capabilities of your Porsche like nothing else, while being easy on your car and maintaining its concours level appearance. Proof? Just look to the blue 911 on display at the Porsche Hartford gala, with 12 years-worth of AutoXing on its restoration, still winning concours and shining bright.

Paul Kudra offers proof that AutoX is compatible with keeping your car show ready, with a great score in the 2016 Porsche Parade Concours and a win in 2022. This ex-David Donohue special display car drew lots of attention and selfies. (Paul Roth photo)
Lynn Keller’s non-metallic Amaranth Violet 968 with color-matched Cup 2 wheels, cloth Porsche script seats, and no sunroof make it super rare, as does it’s Japanese heritage. (Paul Roth photo)

Inspired by the 1974 color, Rob Keller’s Birch Green (Light Green) is one of only 15 in the U.S. this color. (Paul Roth photo)
Custom Grotto Blue Pearl Metallic paint is one of over 13 unique features of Paul Kudra’s 1978 911 RSR re-imagined. It has graced the Challenge cover and calendar several times, most recently in August 2024. Tom Butler’s Signal Orange RSR tribute was featured in Excellence Magazine in Dec. 2006 and has won numerous concours awards, including the Newport Concours. Mike Keller’s 2008 Transsyberia Cayenne was built to commemorate Porsche’s three race victories in the Transsyberia Rally and is 1 of 119 built for North America, 1 of 40 with the Off-road Roof Light package. It was also the perfect paint scheme to be next to Tom’s 911. (Paul Kudra photo)
Mostly original Olympic blue paint still wow’s 50 years later on Paul Kudra’s 1974 914 2.0. This was the first Challenge color cover (June 1986) and has been with the Kudra’s for over 41 years.

Bring your driving enjoyment to a pinnacle by joining us for the 2025 CVR AutoX season. “Better Driving…Faster!” AutoX-University lessons, renown camaraderie and instructors, make the journey fun, and will help you earn a spot in the 2025 Hoffman Cup. Provisional dates are as follows:

2025 CVR AutoX Schedule:

  • May 10 – Pequot Street, Hartford*
  • June 7 – Pequot Street, Hartford*
  • June 21 – Pequot Street, Hartford*
  • August 2 – Lime Rock Park, B-Paddock
  • September 13 – Lime Rock Park, B-Paddock
  • Sept 27 – Pequot Street, Hartford*
  • Oct 24 – Hoffman Top-20 Celebration *
…Sweet dreams Charles! Were you thinking of where you want to go courtesy of Porsche? Or, winning the 2025 Hoffman Cup Run Off? (Charles Letouzey photo)

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