A BRIEF HISTORY OF MORPCA

The Porsche Club of America is a sports car club – a Marque club – and is, in fact, the largest single Marque club in the world! Since our modest beginning in 1955 (only a few years after the Porsche was introduced), we have grown to many thousands of active members located throughout the United States. Each local unit of the club is called a region and there are 167 such regions as this is written.

The Mid-Ohio Region was formed on February 18, 1966, as a successor to the then defunct Columbus Region. More and more Porsches and would-be Porsche Pushers were appearing in this area and apparently much was to be gained from an active region. Informal gatherings were held at Pete and Emmy Dunkle’s house and the University Club hosted the formal meeting on the above date. When a petition was sent to National, it contained the names of 17 prospective members and the hopes of the rest of us. Our charter was approved and some of the original group are still active.

Original officers were: Jack Chance, President; Jim Graham, Activities Director; Emmy Dunkle, Secretary; and Parker Garwick, Treasurer. Back then, the club was supposed to concentrate on social and technical activities, and monthly meetings when possible. A newsletter, Die Offene Strasse (The Open Road), would be published frequently. Today, our region still represents a diverse assemblage of Porsche Pushers who share a common interest in the mystique of Porsche automobiles.

July 2003 started the P2O® “Casual Porsche Party“ in Pinckney, MI, as Porsches 2 Pinckney (AKA Porsche to Ohio). In 2003, the Porsches 2 Pinckney had 83 cars. After a seven month search for a new event home across dozens of cities in the tri-state, Miami University was chosen in winter 2005.  What has become MOR’s P2O® was the brainchild of Marylynn Roe.  In 2012, the event moved to Granville, OH with an overwhelming positive response and growing to well over 300 cars!  The next P2O® chapter saw the vent move to Burr Oak State Park and rediscover the origins of a “Casual Porsche Party“.

On April 29, 2006 our Club celebrated its’ 40th anniversary with a social gathering at the Bryn Du Mansion in Granville. In attendance from the original membership were Jack Chance, Jim Perrin and Jim Graham. The event drew over 150 members who were delighted to meet our founders and listen to them talk about “the good old days” of Porsche ownership in the 1960’s and of the events surrounding the Clubs’ formation. Our Historian Ted Zombek discussed the evolution of the Mid-Ohio Region over the past 40 years, and our PCA Zone 4 representative Roy Wilkinson presented the Club with an official 40-Year Banner. A memorable time was had by all.

August, 2015 saw the first ever PCA HPDE event run at the world renowned Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  This unique event takes over the Brickyard venue, putting on one of the largest PCA HPDE events in the country, typically putting upwards of 300 cars on track over the weekend..

In September, 2016 our Club celebrated its’ 50th anniversary with a social gathering at Don Scott Field (OSU) for a member car show and social gathering with door prizes, games for the kids, and an silent auction. Special guest Manny Alben (past National PCA President) and Zone 4 Rep. Michael Soriano were featured speakers for the gathering and present the Region with PCA customize memorabilia and a proclamation recognizing reaching this milestone for the Mid-Ohio Region. Ron Carr a long term Region member and National volunteer shared some history and facts about the Region for members in attendance. Over 100 members and their family were in attendance.

At the 2018 National Parade (in the Ozarks), Mid-Ohio Region (MOR) was awarded PCA National’s Region of the Year for 2017, in recognition of the numerous successes the region has accomplished in the prior years leading up to and including 2017.

May 2020, ushers in the 25th PCA Club Race hosted at the MidOhio Sports Car Course.  A continuous PCA Club Race staple, originally chaired by PCA National’s Vicky Earnshaw, former PCA National Club Race Chair (2014-2018)