PCA Club Racing Veteran Benjamin Still Feels Porsche Thrill after 25 Years

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Alan Benjamin is a veteran of Porsche Club of America (PCA) Club Racing, but his strong passion for Porsches started in elementary school.

 
“My mother filled out a Road & Track subscription when I was 7 years old,” Benjamin said. “My doodles in second and third grade were nothing but Porsche 911s.”
 
Less than 20 years later, Benjamin bought a 1984 911 Carrera Targa at the ripe age of 26.
 
“I ate a lot of macaroni and cheese and ramen noodles to save up to buy that car,” he said. “It was a true dream come true. That car was red with a whale tail – as every 20-something’s first Porsche should be.”
 
Following that big purchase, Benjamin went to Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Illinois for PCA’s High Performance Driver’s Education (DE).
 
“It was my first introduction to the concept that driving was like golf or tennis, in that there’s a lot more to driving than just braking and hitting the gas,” Benjamin said. “It’s a sport.
 
“‘Wow’ would be an understatement – I just had no idea that the car could do the things it was doing. The hook was set at age 7, but the hook was really set when I was sitting in the passenger seat during my first lap in DE.”
 
After moving from Chicago to the Denver area in 1990, Benjamin purchased a 1973 911T and started completing more and more DE courses. Not many PCA Club Racing drivers can say they were around since the beginning, but Benjamin can.
 
In June 1992, the first PCA club race was held at Second Creek Raceway in Denver. Benjamin’s mechanic and a few others convinced him he was ready for that race, although he was skeptical.  
Benjamin (right) with the late Justin Wilson (left) at a PCA race. 

 

“I inserted a roll cage in my Porsche, drove my car to the track with a second set of tires, and that was that,” Benjamin said. “I didn’t even have a trailer my first few years of racing.

 
“I still remember that first green flag in my first race ever, and the excitement, edge, has not worn off. It’s all still there.
 
“Now, fast forward 26 years, and I’ve been fortunate enough to buy several other Porsches and share some cars with folks from all around the world. I’ve been able to compete in great races at famous tracks all over the United States, and I’m so grateful for those experiences.”
 
Benjamin today races two Porsches – a 1968 Porsche 911 T/R, which is one of 28 such cars ever made in the world, and a 1990 964 911 Cup car in a color called “Rubystone.” German driver Roland Asch won three races in Benjamin’s Cup car for Team Strahle.

  

“1990 was the first year they made a 911 Cup Car, and they only made 50 that year,” Benjamin said. “Two of those 50 were in a unique color called ‘Rubystone’ – it’s not red, but it’s not pink, either.”
 
His rare 911 T/R, which race history includes class wins at the 1975 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1979 12 Hours of Sebring, clearly has no problem on tough tracks.
 
“We all strive for that ‘racing nirvana’ – the weather is good, the car is doing what you want it to, everyone is getting along, everything is working well, and I definitely felt that at Daytona a few months ago,” Benjamin said. “It’s also amazing because my 1968 car competes with many modern cars with a lot more technology.”
 
A successful business owner, Benjamin founded Benjamin West – a Denver-based company that manages the bidding, purchasing, cost accounting and more for hotels.
 
“Racing is my one escape from all of my work stress,” he said. “It usually takes me by the second session Saturday to get my full ‘race face’ on and transition out of work mode.
 
“There’s a lot of parallels between racing and what I do for the living. Preparation is key. Communication is key. You want to be ready to go at all times.”
 
In 1996, Benjamin met his wife, Nicole.
 
“We got married in 1998, and luckily when I met her, I had a Porsche race car and Porsche street car so it was basically like ‘I came this way,'” Benjamin said. “I always joke with her about that. Overall, she’s very supportive. So are my two kids – 14-year-old Ava and 11-year-old Danny.
 
“PCA is all about the people, camaraderie and life-long friendships. I’ve been in it since the very first race, and I’m still racing with a ton of the same people who were there since the beginning.
 
“When I describe to people what PCA Club Racing is like, I try to portray that I would give any of my competitors any parts or other things to help them before the race. When the green flag flies, they’re 100 percent my competitor again, but when the race ends, we are all together having a beer. Basically, we are all in cars that are our pride and joy.
 
“PCA has members from all different walks of life, with all different occupations and interests, but they all have one common bond – racing Porsches.”

 

Adam Sinclair
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