Porsches 2 Oxford 2010 Entertains Record Attendance For Sixth Annual Event

Rural College Town Along the Ohio-Indiana Border Celebrates German Sports Cars and the Fight Against Cancer. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) August 06, 2010 - The skies were wet in every direction, but uptown Oxford remained dry as the rural college town along the Ohio-Indiana border entertained an event-record 445 cars (480 registered) for its sixth annual 'Casual Porsche Party.' Owners brought their cars from 17 states, two Canadian provinces, and 34 Porsche Club of America regions, the latter also a new benchmark. The 445 attendees surpass last year's record attendance of 409 Porsches.

Hosted by the Mid-Ohio Region PCA, Porsches 2 Oxford has set a new attendance record in all six years of the event, a remarkable achievement considering the economic climate and unfavorable weather forecasts of the past several years.

"Attendees once again outdid themselves," said P2O Media and Publicity Director Chris Rieman. "Every year organizers fear the plateau, but this event has become larger than life. Time and again attendees remarked about never seeing so many Porsches in one place at one time. We had guests from as far away as Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York, and Kansas choosing to make the drive to Oxford. There's no better compliment given for the hard work organizers and volunteers dedicate to make this weekend happen."

Central to P2O's mission statement is doing for others and the American Cancer Society once again took center stage. Sales from preferred parking, general registrations, and afternoon raffles totaled $10,000 for the charity. MaryLynn Roe, event founder and inspiration, lost her courageous battle to cancer in 2006, making the ACS a perfect choice. Organizers have raised $20,000 in the last two years.

"Preferred parking in 'MaryLynns Row', as well as general registrations and a passing of the collection plate indicates just how generous and compassionate the attendees are," Rieman said. "P2O started out as a grassroots event at the local club level but has grown into a nationally-recognized automotive event - not just inside the PCA, but to the national sports car community."

"We enjoy supporting this event every year and look forward to the drive to Oxford," said Art Zasadny from Wyandotte, Michigan. "We've attended every P2O and it's for a great cause. One year we were unable to bring our Porsche, but drove down in the family car to enjoy the afternoon. We would not miss this event for any other."

Weekend activities included a Friday afternoon tour of the Taj Ma Garaj in nearby Dayton, a Friday evening outdoor beer and wine garden for arriving guests, Saturday's signature car show with Top-50 brick trophies representing Oxford's uptown brick streets, and a Sunday road rally through the Ohio-Indiana countryside. National and local sponsors help underwrite costs, while the Oxford Visitors and Convention Bureau takes a prominent lead in working with Oxford businesses, police, city council, and other interests to get P2O off the ground.

"Porsches 2 Oxford is great for our city," OVCB Executive Director Diana Durr said. "The national attention and economic gain is a shot in the arm to our community, but the attendees themselves are the crown jewel. They are respectful, appreciative, and a privilege to call guests to the city of Oxford." As for planning for 2011, those talks are already underway.

"It's a never-ending process," Rieman said. "As the event grows, so too the work and responsibility. It's a magic carpet ride that flies in the face of other events that don't have the 'it' factor. It's hard to say what our secret is, but listening to attendees and being open to constructive criticism is something we take seriously. We have built up incredible good will and trust with our guests, and organizers work hard to reciprocate that respect in a personal and profound way."

Porsches 2 Oxford began as Porsches 2 Pinckney (MI) in 2003 as 85 cars took part in the first-year event. The event moved to Oxford in 2005 and entertained a modest 140 cars. The attendees increased to 225 cars in 2006 and 255 cars in 2007. A then-record 396 Porsches made their way to Oxford on July 26, 2008 for the fourth annual event. Last year, the record was broken again with 409 Porsches from 21 states and three Canadian provinces.

For more information, please visit www.porsches2oxford.com.

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