In 1976 the Nord Stern Region endeavored to take on the most ambitious project in the Region’s history – hosting the 1976 Porsche Parade. The Region had less than 100 members at the time.  The site would be Madden’s Resort on Gull Lake near Brainerd with the autocross at Brainerd International Raceway.  Late August in Minnesota lake country and typical great Nord Stern organization left participants considering it to be the best Parade yet a favorite for many years. 

For decades this was the only group Dutch Madden ever let park on his golf course. The concours featured two 904s, a 906, a 910, a 917 in Gulf livery, and a handful of the just introduced 924s. 

Honored guests included Manfred Jantke who then was the Director of Sport and Public Relations at Porsche AG. He brought along his special guests, Jackie Ickx, who had won the 24 Hours of Le Mans only a few weeks before as well as the 936/76 he used to win the race.  Just days before coming to Brainerd, Ickx and the 936 had won the World Sportscar Championship race at Mosport and were well on their way to the 1976 WSC championship.  

The event was covered in the October 1976 issue of Panorama with Jantke and the 936 on the cover.

Cars lined up to do their Autocross timed runs in the BIR paddock. The third car in this photo is the Zimmer rebodied 910. Watch for an upcoming Chronicles on this unique car and its special Nord Stern story.

Love the early 917s with the spare tire on the back and you can also see in this photo that the driver is offset to the right to make room for a tiny passenger seat. Ironic that race cars in 1970 had a spare tire and 50 years later street cars don’t.

Duncan Powers had the best time of the event in his 908. Powers was a regular a the top of Parade autocross timesheets over many years. Seen here beginning his run on the dragstrip staging road which is still just outside turn 10. For decades Nord Stern did timed runs in his manner. Probably s good subject for a future post.

Chick and Sandy Misura of I believe, Rocky Mountain Region, receive the Ferry Porsche Region of the Year award from Jackie Ickx and Ed Peter. Peter was the longtime Sales Manager at Porsche AG and a friend of PCA. The award returned to Minnesota in 2008 when Nord Stern was Region of the Year for 2007. In the ’70s I had a pair of those pants!

Photos from Leonard Turner, Larry Skoglund, and myself.