September held two CVR AutoX events to close out the 2025 season. Either of them would have been enough to keep a big smile on your face until next year, but combined, they make it hard to wait that long. Then the new F1-inspired Hoffman Cup Run-Off rules made for epic motorsport.
AutoX 5 commemorated PCA’s 70th Anniversary at Lime Rock’s glorious B-Paddock, nestled in the Berkshire hills and surrounded by the Downhill turn of the track. The weather on September 13th was also glorious, making it a mega day for flat-out motorsport. This was the second sold-out AutoX in a row and the 70 drivers counted themselves lucky for knowing the secret of how fun our CVR AutoX events are.
The new AutoX “Run Order Tower” listing each driver’s name in run order helped keep a steady flow of cars pulling up to the start line. With that, we were on pace to match the record number of runs from the previous Porsches@TheRock AutoX event, but we had strategically ended before the threatening sky had a chance to dampen our fun. The course design helped as well, featuring a fast flow through the many slaloms just like the Zone1 AutoX did a couple of weeks prior. CVR AutoX Instructor and Registrar, Rob Bosco was the perfect candidate to give informative and inspirational insights at the morning’s AutoX-U talk on how to best take these slaloms. Rob had a breakthrough drive at the Zone1 AutoX, making big gains in those slaloms throughout the weekend.
The 5th course of the season fueled some close class battles, including a rare see-saw battle for the fastest time of day between 3 very different Porsches (a GT4RS, a Turbo, and a Modified Turbo look). At one point, just over one-tenth of a second separated Pat, Ed, and Paul, and Tony was within 2 more tenths. Each driver dug deeper for their next run while being equally quick to offer observations and advice to the others, helping them go faster. This is what CVR AutoX is all about, and it was truly one of the highlights of the year for me despite ending up a few tenths shy of the win. In the end, Pat Salerno showed why he’s a national champ, relentlessly able to squeeze another 3-tenths out of an already virtually perfect lap.
3-tenths seemed to be the magic number for the day. Brian Fournier ended up that much ahead of a beautifully driven run by Scott Sylvester to take P5. Yu Fang made a giant leap forward on his last run, ending up 3-tenths ahead of Michael Carleton’s impressive best run and taking home the novice class trophy towel. We stayed dry the whole day after all, and only a few of us who lived on the far side of the state got a car wash on the way home. Wow, what a day!
AutoX 6 was held on September 27th to end our season back in Hartford’s Pequot lot. The unusually warm summer-like weather set the stage for an epic final event. The 6th new course of the year initially looked daunting to many, but after a run or two, it revealed surprising flow and speed if you deciphered how to connect key corners together. This challenging “final exam” focused on several drivers sitting “on the bubble” of making the Top-20 for the year or holding onto one of those spots.
One of the great joys I get from the CVR AutoX Series was exemplified by how close the best-3-of-6 event scores stood coming into the last event. A remarkably close 299.94 for me and 299.26 for Ed Bogue. This effectively meant that the whole season would come down to just one good run. Ed and I have been enjoying this kind of close competition together for the better part of 33 years, since he took his first FTD in June of 1992. On that day, he edged me out with a score of 100.00 to 99.77. Our friendship dates back several years, when he first came to a CVR AutoX. We have been steadily helping each other get faster, and as a result, our driving styles have been steadily converging, Ed getting smoother and I wilder. Neither of us would want it any other way. We still enjoy geeking out over things like shock and alignment settings, and how to better convey various driving techniques at the AutoX-U sessions before each event. As we continue to learn more, so do the rest of the CVR AutoX drivers. Yes, the bar keeps getting higher!
As AutoX 6 unfolded, Brian Fournier was the only other Top-20 contender able to lay down a time that advanced his season’s score. Fighting the low grip, I focused extra hard on making smooth inputs so as not to upset the car, and having extra patience waiting for it to do as I asked. This apparently resulted in enough grip to put my car up on two wheels in places, while producing an index killing time for most others. I’d offer an apology, but it would be insincere since I really enjoyed the extra challenge to do my best. At least those already locked into a Top-20 position had a fun AutoX in which to practice for the afternoon’s Hoffman Cup Run-Off. As soon as we finished the morning runs, we placed our lunch orders at the tasty Lollapaloozaburger food truck provided by Porsche Hartford. By the time we finished lunch, the final results for the season were calculated, and the Top-20 were announced. Time for the main event!
Spaceships! Just before lunch, each driver was given a special T-shirt commemorating the day with custom artwork titled “Spaceships!”. An appropriate name for the 1995 911 GT2 featured in front of the futuristic Porsche Hartford Showroom, each shimmering in its futuristic out-of-this-world silver and red design. The art celebrated 30 years since that landmark Porsche was introduced, and 13 years of Porsche Hartford’s support of CVR’s AutoX program. This is literally the best support found anywhere in the country, and I believe the world! As National PCA AutoX Chair, I say that with confidence. For drivers attending five CVR AutoX events this year, they also received a nice shimmering silver AutoX Loyalty gift, a one-gallon stainless steel thermos to help keep them hydrated at future AutoXs.
The mystery Porsche Hartford Hoffman Cup Run-Off car then arrived: a stunning all black 2025 Taycan GTS! We readied ourselves for the unique opportunity to give it a proper “test-drive” and experience the blindingly fast acceleration, excellent cornering, and the arresting power of those massive brakes. Also, to see whose day it would be. Would it be one of our two youngest but proven driving stars, Tony Bogue or Jeff Fournier? Or would it be the more “experienced” drivers? Youthful exuberance or mature enthusiasm? The anticipation level was very high. So exciting!
2025 Hoffman Cup Run-Off rules took a new twist. Using the prior years as a base, and the latest PCNA Cup rules from the OKC Porsche Parade, and more than a dash of inspiration from F1 Qualifying, the changes further leveled the playing field while amping up the excitement. Top-20 CVR AutoX points leaders would run in reverse points order, giving fresher tires to those early starters. However, to reduce the total runs on the tires, only the top 10 would advance to the second round. As the first-round times ended, “Mr. October” Brian Fournier was the fastest (even though it was still technically September). Sadly, Tony Bogue’s learning curve for his first time in the radically different driving Taycan put him just outside of the cut-off. Jeff Fournier would have to carry the young-gun banner forward.
As those Top-10 took their second run, Brian again turned the fastest time, and it seemed hopeless for the rest of us. My attempt to carry a smooth but higher average speed through the dreaded “Citco Corner” backfired, causing me to plow deep, wrecking my line and time, 4-tenths slower.
Barely making the Top-5 meant that I started off the final round. Focused on redemption and fixing my prior mistake, I managed the fastest time so far. Unfortunately, I knew that math was not my friend since the new Hoffman Cup rules now combined times from all three runs to determine the winner and I had dug a deep hole with my poor second run. I gave up any hope this year, but was very happy to see a new winner emerge.
The pressure to drive fast, consistently, and “clean” was a daunting proposition in such a drastically unfamiliar car. Literally, being an inch too wide risked clipping a cone and dashing your dreams. That’s exactly what happened to some really fast drivers in each of the three rounds, but none so cruel as what happened to the next driver, Jeff Fournier. He showed his remarkable speed, posting the fastest time so far, but it was erased by the cone he barely kissed out of its box! Next, David Carlson made a clean run, posting almost the exact time he did on his second run. It was so consistent that I didn’t bother doing the math and assumed he beat my combined time. Mason Holt tried a Hail-Mary run to try and catch my time and Brian’s presumed time, and paid the price for the squirrelly run. Then the final run commenced, as we were all happy to see Brian Fournier bring it home and claim the title. Not wanting to leave anything on the table though, the unthinkable happened. Brian hit a pylon! Then, Another!!
AutoX is such a humbling sport, and it can be so cruel. We all gasped, “Nooooo!”, with combined sadness as Brian was no longer in contention. While I was proud that I ended up with the single fastest time, I was truly shocked when they announced my combined time edged out David for the 2025 Hoffman Cup Run-Off title. Drama to the end did indeed make it an epic day. One that reflects the deep pool of driving skills found at CVR AutoX events and why everyone comes back for more. A huge THANK YOU to Porsche Hartford for another incredible end to our AutoX 2025 season.