On Saturday, October 16th, 37 Porsche’s and 80 people of all ages (along with several 4 legged companions) gathered at the Minuteman Airfield parking lot in Stow, MA for camaraderie and competition in the 4th Annual Charlie & Martha Dow Rally (previously Tour). The location served as the rally’s start and finish on what turned out to be a stunningly beautiful fall day. Charlie & Martha Dow were active members of NER for decades. Their son Eric, daughter Heather, granddaughter Hannah, and Eric’s wife Daryn (with Eric and Daryn in Charlie’s yellow 911 and Heather in her own Boxster) were in attendance at the rally’s start to personally thank NER and the rally participants for keeping the memory of their father alive.
The rally route took participants on a 58-mile tour of historic colonial areas of central Massachusetts on scenic 2-lane roads. Along the way, driving teams were challenged with questions about the areas they passed on route. The winners were the team with the most correct answers. Upon our return to the airfield, bag lunches were provided while the event organizers tallied answer sheets. No team got all 21 answers correct, but there was a surprising 7-way tie for the lead with 18 correct answers. By virtue of having the lowest recorded mileage (i.e. fewest navigation errors), the tie was broken by Team First (Driver: Bill VanderClock & Navigator: Donna VandeClock), who placed first and won a set of NER scarves Team 2L’s (Driver: Lance Nelson & Navigator: Lorraine Nelson) placed second and won a set of NER baseball caps for their efforts.
Ultimately, by being able to drive our Porsche’s with friends on a beautiful fall day in New England, we were all winners. Many thanks to the team that made this year’s Dow rally happen: Anker Berg-Sonne, Lisa Burke, Luis Rivera, Joe Cracco, and, the envy of cat herder’s everywhere, Bill Seymour.
Submission by: NER’s Very Own, Winter Convertible Driving, Joe Cracco