David Hubbard
Albuquerque
2003 911 Cabriolet white
Feb. 1 2022
Roadrunner Interview, Lilia Chacon
David Hubbard was born to the motoring world, raised around the cars that his mechanic father worked on. “It was a given that I would work on cars,” said Hubbard. And so it has come to pass. He’s spent years under the hood and behind the wheel. You might have seen him most recently in his 2003 911 Cabriolet out on a Friday drive-out.
RR: Before we talk about your car life…what other lives do you lead?
DH: I’ve had two careers. First as a car mechanic and shop manger specializing in Japanese cars. Second, I spent 20 years in law enforcement with the Rio Rancho Police Department and recently retired as a police detective.
RR: Was there anyone who was a car influence in your life?
DH: My dad. He was a career car mechanic and shop owner and a fine driver. He raced SCCA in the 1960s and 1970s. So I was already heavily imprinted on cars, but the person who pushed me towards Porsche was John Paul (JP) Gonzales. That’s another story.
RR: We have time for stories, spin us a good yarn.
DH: One of my friends got seriously ill and the group of us started discussing a bucket list, and one of the items was a Gumball Rally. We found a 3-day event called the Dustball Rally, 1100 miles from El Paso to Las Vegas, and we signed up. We paid $1500 for a 1990 Mercedes SEL and we ran the whole distance in that thing, slow but consistent, the others would zoom by. We got to Vegas and when we visited the Carroll Shelby Museum there was this black 996 Turbo with New Mexico plates in the lot. It was JP Gonzales. He could not have been nicer, he let me sit in it, and I’m a 6’5” guy. It was a goldilocks moment. The 996 fit just right, the whole cockpit felt like everything was intuitively in the right spot. It was fun to drive and that engine note! So I was sold. That’s how I ended up in my 2003 911 Cabriolet.
RR: Have you done any special trips in it?
DH: Oh let me spin you another yarn. I picked up my 81-year-old mother from her retirement home and we participated in a 3-day rally event in Southwestern Colorado. That car did everything right, from Ouray to Silverton, even down 4 ½ miles of forest road. On road, off road, top up or top down, it was comfortable and just a really spirited driving experience, even in the rain. Even driven hard the car averaged 26 mpg. I’m really delighted with my purchase and impressed with the Porsche brand.
I’ve put 5,000 miles on mine driving it the way it’s supposed to be driven.
RR: Other than Porsche any other cars you owned that were special? A first car?
DH: I currently have a 2002 Mercedes S55 AMG which is really special. It’s my baby. My first car was 1968 Mercury Cougar.
RR: Those old Cougar commercials were memorable: the concealed headlights, the growling cougar. You must have been a very cool cat. Are there any new Porsches that would look good growling in your garage?
DH: That Targa 4S, the 992.
RR: Any favorite drives or road trips?
DH: Driving all the parks in the bottom part of Utah. These areas so picturesque. And driving in the Jemez and up around Los Alamos is never boring.
RR: How long have you been in the Roadrunner Region?
DH: A little over a year. It’s been such a warm and welcoming group of people. I don’t know where I got my impression about people who owned Porsches, that they were snooty or arrogant, but it was wrong. These are very cool people! Even with Covid we’ve made the most of this group, doing autocross and drive-outs. My wife and I had a great time meeting people at the Corrales Roundup last Labor Day weekend.
RR: Any advice for new members of the club?
DH: Get out and drive. Try everything the club has to offer. Autocross, drive outs, social events, tech sessions, parties, don’t miss the Chile Cookoff, Santa Fe Fiesta and the Corrales Roundup. You’ll get the most out of your Porsche and the people who own them.