Liz and I just wrapped up our very first Maverick PCA Gimmick Rally, and what an experience it was! We figured it would be a fun little drive with a few puzzles sprinkled in — something easy to enjoy with the top down and coffee in hand.
Not quite.
This rally turned out to be a blend of fun, stress, strategy, and teamwork — a real test of observation, navigation, and communication that kept us both on our toes (and laughing through the chaos).
Ready for launch! Liz with the route book and me behind the wheel of our Racing Yellow 718 Boxster GTS 4.0, top down and smiles on — before the stress of spotting signs set in.
The event, called Trail of Towers to TUPPS, began at South Lakes Park in Denton and wound its way through scenic North Texas roads before finishing at TUPPS Brewery in McKinney. The gimmicks were deceptively simple: record every speed limit and advisory sign (positive and negative values), and identify a series of towers — mostly water towers but a few surprises too — in the order they appeared along the route.
Rally Co-Chair Bob DiRienzo leading the driver’s meeting at South Lakes Park in Denton before the first cars rolled out — final instructions, a few laughs, and plenty of nervous energy in the air.
Enjoying the calm before the chaos — catching up with friends and soaking in the sunshine before the rally kicked off.
Liz took on the navigator role while I handled the driving. We actually did pretty well — only took one wrong turn and paused a few times to double-check our location and instructions. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones — several other teams admitted later that they’d made a few extra scenic detours of their own.
Final checklist before takeoff — rally instructions in hand, nerves steady, and that unmistakable Maverick PCA excitement in the air.
Thankfully, speed wasn’t the goal here. In fact, going slow was smarter, giving us more time to spot all the signs, towers, and those sneaky gimmicks. It was a beautiful fall day, sunny with temps in the mid-60s, perfect for top-down driving in my Racing Yellow Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0.
By the time we rolled into TUPPS Brewery, we were both mentally fried but smiling ear to ear. The beer was cold, the food hit the spot, and the brewery’s relaxed vibe made it the perfect place to unwind and swap stories with fellow rally-goers.
Post-rally recovery mode: good food, cold beer, and even better company at TUPPS Brewery after the finish line.
To top it all off, we even scored some swag from Pirelli — a pair of sleek aluminum water bottles that’ll definitely find their way into the Boxster’s door pockets on future drives.
We may have finished 15th out of 24 teams, but we came away with laughter, lessons, and a newfound appreciation for how much communication really matters when your partner is reading clues and you’re trying not to miss the next turn.
Huge thanks to Bob DiRienzo and Daniel Dallacasa, our Rally Co-Chairs, for organizing such a clever, well-run event. Every detail — from the route design to the post-rally celebration — made it one for the books.
Would we do it again? Absolutely.
Would we argue less next time? Probably not.
But we’d still finish smiling, top down, beer in hand, and now… with matching Pirelli water bottles.
Trophies, prizes, and swag — including our shiny new Pirelli water bottles — waiting for the finishers at TUPPS Brewery.
Liz and I ready to roll at South Lakes Park — clipboards, pencils, and plenty of optimism. The Racing Yellow 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 basking in the Texas sunshine. Cold beer, good food, and fresh swag at TUPPS Brewery — the perfect rally finish.
📸 Photo credit: All images courtesy of Daniel Dallacasa.