mr go fast
Member
Anyone interested into organizing an event like the old days? I would love to get something going like English Town. Any ideas or thoughts on this?
Manny
Manny
TURBO BUICK vs MUSTANG TRACK DAY?
- Thread starter mr go fast
- Start date
We've tried numerious times however we were not successful working out something with the BGNRA located in SoCal. At one time, we had up to 20 committed NorCal buick racers (From 8 seconds to 14's) and people willing to invest money to hold an event however key people would end up running it and not racing in it. Less fun for the racers who came up with the idea. SoCal used to be the place for racers in CA to attend buick events however it's a long haul for us up here. BGNRA showed little interest in an event in Sacramento. This was years ago. Recent years, we've attended the F-body races as they seem to have better NorCal representation than us TR guys/gals and welcome us to attend. Just my opinion of course.
I would be interested in *attending*, but not organizing.
I tried to organize one several years ago. It was shaping up well, with representation from all modern EFI cars (F-Bodies, Mustangs, Corvettes, Vipers, hybrids, etc... I had contacted many of the local clubs), and generous offers of help from many of the clubs to put on the event. I had lined up corporate sponsor $$$$ as well as exhibition (and possibly unveiling) cars coming from GM, Ford, and Chrysler, and I was beginning to work on more vendors. Trophy supplier was set. Apparel was the last thing to do, except contract with the track.
That's where I got burned. The track owners kept screwing around with prices and wouldn't commit a date. As momentum grew and word got around the BBs, seemed the price kept going up, up, up. The first time I called to rent the track for the day of a "Grudge Fest", I was quoted $3500 or $4000 (+EMT), as I recall, for 9:00 gates and 11-4:00 racing. Four of us in the club were going to kick in a grand each to secure the date. That went up $6k, then $8k, and by the last conversation it was $10 or $12k. Can't recall, but a FAR cry from the original quoted amount.
Then they wanted additional insurance $$$$ because we had some fast cars showing up, and barrels of VHT (prepaid, used or not!) and then food vendors $$$ (wouldn't they be making $$$ anyhow??), and then they wanted to know what my "advertising budget and plan" was to prove good faith in promotion. And then they started talking about gate fee percentages! WTF?? Dudes, I'm gathering up some "friends" and want to have the place to ourselves to race, THAT'S ALL!! Several more weeks went by and the annual schedule was published. The Saturday (and subsequent the rain date) I was told was going to be mine were booked for other events.
At that point, I said FU to them (her). If they didn't want my, and everyone else's who was going to be putting up, $$$ for this, there wasn't much I could do.
Perhaps we could do something with the fine folks associated with Norcal-LSX.com. GM vs. Ford. There are some seriously fast local turbo Mustangs and F-Bodies. We'll have to see what chassis ChowDog reappears with. I wonder if he'll go aerodynamic? I'm betting he is done playing o the edge of stock suspensions.
I tried to organize one several years ago. It was shaping up well, with representation from all modern EFI cars (F-Bodies, Mustangs, Corvettes, Vipers, hybrids, etc... I had contacted many of the local clubs), and generous offers of help from many of the clubs to put on the event. I had lined up corporate sponsor $$$$ as well as exhibition (and possibly unveiling) cars coming from GM, Ford, and Chrysler, and I was beginning to work on more vendors. Trophy supplier was set. Apparel was the last thing to do, except contract with the track.
That's where I got burned. The track owners kept screwing around with prices and wouldn't commit a date. As momentum grew and word got around the BBs, seemed the price kept going up, up, up. The first time I called to rent the track for the day of a "Grudge Fest", I was quoted $3500 or $4000 (+EMT), as I recall, for 9:00 gates and 11-4:00 racing. Four of us in the club were going to kick in a grand each to secure the date. That went up $6k, then $8k, and by the last conversation it was $10 or $12k. Can't recall, but a FAR cry from the original quoted amount.
Then they wanted additional insurance $$$$ because we had some fast cars showing up, and barrels of VHT (prepaid, used or not!) and then food vendors $$$ (wouldn't they be making $$$ anyhow??), and then they wanted to know what my "advertising budget and plan" was to prove good faith in promotion. And then they started talking about gate fee percentages! WTF?? Dudes, I'm gathering up some "friends" and want to have the place to ourselves to race, THAT'S ALL!! Several more weeks went by and the annual schedule was published. The Saturday (and subsequent the rain date) I was told was going to be mine were booked for other events.
At that point, I said FU to them (her). If they didn't want my, and everyone else's who was going to be putting up, $$$ for this, there wasn't much I could do.
Perhaps we could do something with the fine folks associated with Norcal-LSX.com. GM vs. Ford. There are some seriously fast local turbo Mustangs and F-Bodies. We'll have to see what chassis ChowDog reappears with. I wonder if he'll go aerodynamic? I'm betting he is done playing o the edge of stock suspensions.
mr go fast
Member
Dean check pm's
Don't let my experience discourage you. MANY have had success putting smaller events together, particularly the local F-Body guys, so obviously it can be done. One of the first "shootouts" NorCalLS1.com (their name at the time) had was down in Bakersfield. Crosswinds would kick up at times which affected faster cars, but there weren't many.
Bakersfield is a fine, simple venue, apparently lacking in the BS department when it comes to renting it for the day. Limiting it to GN vs. Mustang would be good for controlling the # of entrants, though honestly, I believe you would be lacking in TR representation without focused outreach to the So-Cal folks, and also the NorCal folks who do not participate in regular communications with web-based TR enthusiasts on BBS or local club mailing lists. For instance, some of the faster TRs in this area, who are more or less "regulars" at Sac, want nothing to do with the NorCalGN club for some reason. Dunno why. Weird. The political BS does fly at times, and as with anywhere ugly personality traits can appear, but it isn't a regular issue.
Anyhoot, make some phone calls and run some numbers to see what you think. Potential cost items are track rental, EMT/Fire, VHT, food vending, lighting (if at night), insurance rider if fast cars come, cleanup, port-a-potties, cash purses, trophies. Possibly business license if any profits are taken, which could also include dealing with taxes owed on gross receipts, then filing for a tax refund. I had intended to turn all the $$$$ over at the end of the day to the Class winners.
Running a pair of cars every 30 seconds, which is fairly easily attainable, equates to ~240 cars per hour. Many folks won't be happy with that wait, so limiting the cars to ~100 would make for reasonable waits for those who hot lap, particularly since ~1/2 won't. That makes for a ~10 minute wait between laps. If you have 4 hours of open running, thats a huge # of runs. Then the last couple hours can be running ladders for various classes.
Class identification can get tricky, and you need to get trustworthy rep's from both sides to properly classify each car. Most don't want to bracket race, preferring heads up, but a back-halved TT car vs. an average street car with bolt ons would be silly. Index was the way I was leaning, in mostly 1/2 second classes to begin with:
10.00-10.49
10.50-10.99
11.00-11.49
11.50-11.99
12.00-12.49
12.50-12.99
13.00-13.99
14.00-14.99
15.00+
A couple were a bit sparse at the point the event died, which would have led to combining classes. At the time a majority of the cars were in the 11.50-11.99 and 12.00-12.49.
Anyhoot, keep looking into it. I'm getting old and grumpy, so pay little mind to my complaining.
Dean
Bakersfield is a fine, simple venue, apparently lacking in the BS department when it comes to renting it for the day.
Limiting it to GN vs. Mustang would be good for controlling the # of entrants, though honestly, I believe you would be lacking in TR representation without focused outreach to the So-Cal folks, and also the NorCal folks who do not participate in regular communications with web-based TR enthusiasts on BBS or local club mailing lists. For instance, some of the faster TRs in this area, who are more or less "regulars" at Sac, want nothing to do with the NorCalGN club for some reason. Dunno why. Weird. The political BS does fly at times, and as with anywhere ugly personality traits can appear, but it isn't a regular issue.Anyhoot, make some phone calls and run some numbers to see what you think. Potential cost items are track rental, EMT/Fire, VHT, food vending, lighting (if at night), insurance rider if fast cars come, cleanup, port-a-potties, cash purses, trophies. Possibly business license if any profits are taken, which could also include dealing with taxes owed on gross receipts, then filing for a tax refund. I had intended to turn all the $$$$ over at the end of the day to the Class winners.
Running a pair of cars every 30 seconds, which is fairly easily attainable, equates to ~240 cars per hour. Many folks won't be happy with that wait, so limiting the cars to ~100 would make for reasonable waits for those who hot lap, particularly since ~1/2 won't. That makes for a ~10 minute wait between laps. If you have 4 hours of open running, thats a huge # of runs. Then the last couple hours can be running ladders for various classes.
Class identification can get tricky, and you need to get trustworthy rep's from both sides to properly classify each car. Most don't want to bracket race, preferring heads up, but a back-halved TT car vs. an average street car with bolt ons would be silly. Index was the way I was leaning, in mostly 1/2 second classes to begin with:
10.00-10.49
10.50-10.99
11.00-11.49
11.50-11.99
12.00-12.49
12.50-12.99
13.00-13.99
14.00-14.99
15.00+
A couple were a bit sparse at the point the event died, which would have led to combining classes. At the time a majority of the cars were in the 11.50-11.99 and 12.00-12.49.
Anyhoot, keep looking into it. I'm getting old and grumpy, so pay little mind to my complaining.
Dean
87WE4BOOSTED
I NEED MORE BOOST!!
I'm with that. Sheet, we can all meet at the Starbucks in Union City and really put something together. I don't speak to no other TR owners, and I know we have a few in the Bay!! I'm getting anxious.
ttypenssrider
Member
anyone goin to sac raceway grudgefest may 9th?
hoping to see some TR's there, or some other g-bodys.
hoping to see some TR's there, or some other g-bodys.
87WE4BOOSTED
I NEED MORE BOOST!!
GNBRETT
Pelennor Fields
lol
mr go fast
Member
How about all local Turbo Buicks meeting up for racing on the 1st of August at Sac Raceway? Maybe even meeting at a location and driving up in a big group. Could be fun. Any ideas?
Manny
Manny
next saturday in sac? its suposed to be gm vs ford!! thats alwayse good times, like giants dodgers. i like the grudge nights, i dont know who else has gone, last year i went out to 4 or 5 of them.. did any of you go for the big dawg shootout?? i was out there with the pumpkin, it was cold..
any way i like to BBQ so... let me know whats up, if everyone is down to kick in.. ill do ribs or whatevers clever.
any norcal 1320 cats on here???
any way i like to BBQ so... let me know whats up, if everyone is down to kick in.. ill do ribs or whatevers clever.
any norcal 1320 cats on here???
mr go fast
Member
:biggrin: Who?
mr go fast
Member
K...so Ed is in.
Members going:
Manny
Ed
Rell
Come on people. Whens was the last time you have been to a meet in norcal that involved Turbo Buicks. Lets get them together.
Members going:
Manny
Ed
Rell
Come on people. Whens was the last time you have been to a meet in norcal that involved Turbo Buicks. Lets get them together.
mr go fast
Member
Great build up on your ride. Id love to see it live and in action. Thanks for joining this little dealio. :biggrin:
mr go fast
Member
One more added as a possible
