Matching Numbers

Organizer Carsten Prochaska has a day off today. At least, when it comes to driving he’s handing over the reins to his son Marc-Leon. “He can do it better than me by now anyway.” Coming from Carsten, that means something. The energetic President of the Porsche Club für den klassischen 911 Südwest is a passionate driver, held the 964 meeting here in Leipzig last year, raced to the North Cape on spikes and has organized many safety trainings. And what’s more: he has created the format "Fathers, Sons, and Daughters" for himself and his Club. Sporty multi-day tours, family-friendly, if you will.

And it’s noticeable at his event for classic Porsche models: Among the 60 teams with air-cooled 911s, 964s, 993s, Transaxle 944s, 968s, 928s, and a 914, there are many youngsters. Some fathers are behind the wheel; others in the passenger seat. There are many smiling faces, and a relaxed mix of participants. Accordingly, the atmosphere is also lively.

“First and foremost, I wanted to create a relaxed and casual event for everything that bears the crest on the hood. And I mentioned it in the invitations, and I specifically called for it: bring your sons and daughters,” says Carsten. And it payed off. At dinner, in the pit lane, in the small groups around the vehicles: eager Porsche youngsters discussing, filming, and sometimes tinkering. “It worked.” Carsten winks.

He booked the circuit, the dynamic track, and the off-road terrain for the 60 vehicles for a whole day. The evening before, they met at the Experience Center for dinner, and now they are going out on the large course in groups of ten.

In the pit lane in front of the Experience Center stands the 911 Turbo of Thomas and Maximilian Müller, the rear hood open, soon son Maximilian will be back on the track. The two of them often go on trips together and are a well-coordinated team. “Definitely!” echoes from below at the back of the 911. Max is working with a cable tie and is in his element; he is the racer here. “I have complete trust,” says Thomas about his son. The two have been on the road together for eight years. It all started when Max was 15, and now he’s 23. He doesn’t have his own 911 yet, but there are enough treasures at his father’s disposal to take out for a spin.

In 2007, Müller senior founded the “Entenbürzeltreffen” in Nördlingen. With the duck tail meeting, he almost reached the 1,000 mark. “To be precise, 987 Porsches came together on the Kaiserwiese.” But Citroën’s 2CVs – in Germany called “The Duck” – were also allowed. Ultimately, the pandemic put a damper on things here too, but times have also changed. It was a great time, he thinks, and he believes that something exciting will come to his mind again. This meeting here has inspired him a lot. “Max, be careful!” he calls after his son. “But he really can do it. He has learned a lot over the years.”

The youngest participant in the feld isn’t quite there yet: Felix Stegmaier, at 14 years old, is the rookie in the fast round. He had fun, and he finds the whole event “cool.” The words come somewhat shyly, but the sparkle in his eyes is even greater. His father, Armin Stegmaier, is a member of the Classic 911 Club and regularly takes his son on the Father, Son, and Daughter tours. The Schorndorf based Swabian enjoys being on the road with his son: “Every minute with my son is precious time. We have so little time for each other anyway.” Experiencing it together in a Porsche is therefor the height of joy. “I think I did everything right,” says the father. “Exactly!” the son comments briefly. His eyes sparkle. The two of them are driving a 993 with a very striking foil wrap. The junior raves about the current GT3 RS. “You need goals, right?” adds the father.

Between the circuit and the off-road course, Tom Carier and his son Max take a short break with espresso and cold drinks. The sun is mercilessly blazing on the tarmac by now. Their red 968 CS also needs a break to cool down. The tasks and joys are clearly divided between the two Luxembourgers: today, son Max is driving the Cayenne off-track, and his Papa is driving the 968 CS on the track. “That was our deal,” explains Carier senior. The two of them are members of the German 968 Club and make a good team. “Absolutely. I have a 23-year-old son who is excited to do something together with his father. We have been looking forward to this meeting all year!” Max promised his father to continue participating in events together with his father, even later, with family and work. “Until the bitter end!” – “We’ll stick to it!” they both laugh. At home, Max practices diligently with a 924. Next time, he will drive the 968.

Michael Porsche tells us what it’s like to end up in the passenger seat as a father. He is the photographer today, and has brought his big equipment. His favorite subject: son Markus with his 964, in the rare color Amazon Green Metallic. He’s happy to sit in the passenger seat for that. Despite his name, Porsche senior only came to the Porsche vehicle later on. “At first, my own two little Porsches were in line and had to be raised.”

The two from the German town of Limburg like to go on father and son tours in the evenings. Otherwise, they enjoy driving their two classic Porsches at events and Club gatherings. Markus bought his beautiful 964 a year and a half ago, “naturally influenced by my parents.” As a new driver, he was allowed to drive his father’s G-model alongside his Fiat Panda, and was thrilled by the technology and the experience of driving a vehicle older than himself. In the end, he bought a car from the year he was born: 1991. At the meeting they are the son-plus-father team. Michael takes it easy: “That’s the cycle of life: I brought something good into the world.” He enjoys sitting in the passenger seat “happily and with great pleasure.”

“The meeting is great. Carsten should do it more often. If he doesn’t, I will!” Well said, Mr. Kussauer. Gunter Kussauer is the President of the Porsche 928 Club Deutschland and is well-known on the scene. He has passed on his passion for the 928 to his son David: they attended the President’s Meeting in Hockenheim and the Porsche Community Evening together with their orange 928 GT. David has always been allowed to participate in the events as a junior, but now, after studying and choosing a career, the passion planted by his father is fully blossoming in him; he has recently become the owner of a black 928 GT and a 964.

David has virtually grown up with the 928, as his father has never owned anything else. All cars were purchased brand new, to be precise. “I have been driving the 928 for 40 years, and David since birth.” David thinks the meeting is absolutely fantastic. “It’s really fun.” Today, they are driving a 928 4S – with Tiptronic. That cost them a few seconds. Nevertheless, they were part of the fast group. “The 928 can handle it. It’s still the best car ever built,” says Gunter.

Charlotte also loves fast laps. Her father, Andreas Blüm, was at the 964 meeting in Leipzig last year with her brother, and found it “absolutely fantastic.” This year, he brought his daughter along to the classic car meeting. “Charlotte thinks this is great, she really enjoys it.” As a warm-up, the two of them were at the Festival of Dreams at the Hockenheimring the weekend before; Charlotte experienced a race live for the first time and discovered her passion for racing. The meeting here in Leipzig is a good combination now because stepping on the gas appeals to the young lady. “Charlotte always said, ‘Dad, pedal to the metal’, I was just too slow for her.” Happiness can be seen in both of them, in the visibly proud father and his daughter who loves racing.

Charlotte will also not let go off the Porsche passion. Just like the other matching numbers at Carsten Prochaska’s classic meeting. Fathers, sons, daughters, and classic Porsche models simply go hand in hand. Should we worry about the future? It doesn’t seem so. At least not if you start with a concept like the one in Leipzig.