With the 2002 Convention nearly upon us, talk about the 2003 is already underway. It looks like it's going to be in the Kansas City area.

But what about 2004? What about in the Chicago/SW Michigan area? What about a track day at Gingerman? Who would be interested in putting up some real effort to make this happen in 2004?

I don't want any "yeah, that's close to me, I'd like that" responses, please.

There is Gingerman raceway, and for a picnic day maybe one of the lakeshore parks. Chicago isn't too far away for people flying in (or even Grand Rapids, if we want to do it there).

I've thought about Chicago and Blackhawk Farms or Road America $$, but I wouldn't be able to help much since those are too far from me to do much. The same goes for Nelson Ledges, it's just too far away for me to organize.

I'm in Detroit and willing to do a lot for this, but I'll need lots of help. Conventions aren't easy.

Just throwing out ideas.


-Larry MacLeod

Larry;

Sounds like a great idea. I'd like to suggest maybe a drag strip outing be thrown in there, just as another option.

Also...Columbus, Ohio may not be a bad area to host, either: Mid-Ohio is just next door, and National Trail (dragstrip) is there. It's a good airport with Southwest service, for the desert SW guys.

Just some added thoughts. Any time it's on the 'correct' side of the Mississippi, I'll offer to help in any way I can, as best I can, from WV.

Sounds like a great idea. I'd like to suggest maybe a drag strip outing be thrown in there, just as another option.
Since most people do drag racing and solo on a regular basis, we usually try to stick to road course racing for the convention. It becomes that only opportunity for many of our members to do some track driving.

Of course the strips are always near by. Like U-131 dragway near Grand Rapids if we go near Gingerman Raceway.

Also, planning too much becomes a burden that sometimes hurts the event. It's fun to leave some float time for people to choose what they want to do between the planned events.
Also...Columbus, Ohio may not be a bad area to host, either: Mid-Ohio is just next door, and National Trail (dragstrip) is there. It's a good airport with Southwest service, for the desert SW guys.
Unforunately I wouldn't be able to do much planning for it if it's that far south from me. Someone closer would have to take the reigns.

Also, Mid-Ohio is an EXPENSIVE track for a club to rent. We'd be looking at $300+ for each entrat.
Just some added thoughts. Any time it's on the 'correct' side of the Mississippi, I'll offer to help in any way I can, as best I can, from WV.
Thanks for the offer.

You did know that we were in DC just last May, right? We ran on the Jefferson Circuit at Summit point (WVA). Right in your back yard!

Let's see if we can drum up some interest 'round here.



-LM

I'm in COlumbus OH but I won't have any free time until the summer of 2003 (graduation), so I can't help the planning in the central Ohio area.

I can help if it is around Ohio or Michigan, but not until June 2003.

Jason

I'm in COlumbus OH but I won't have any free time until the summer of 2003 (graduation), so I can't help the planning in the central Ohio area. I can help if it is around Ohio or Michigan, but not until June 2003.

That's why I'm looking at 2004. =)

2003 looks like it's going to be near Kansas City. So we've got 2 years to plan it, if we get the 'bid'.

-LM

Hell yeah Larry, I'd pitch in any help needed for a track day at Gingerman. There are plenty of hotels to choose from near gingerman. Can ya tell I like Gingerman. US 131 dragway is not far from there at all, Maybe 20 minutes. Blackhawk is not good for inexperienced drivers. In some area's if you touch a tire off course you are met with a 6" dropoff. Also, there are some trees close to the track. I am not sure were we could have a geekout.

I like the idea of Gingerman, too. But I think for a convention, the hotel (and home) needs to be near some semi-major city. Maybe Chicago, maybe Detroit.

Would South Bend or Grand Rapids be large enough? I'm trying to make it fairly convenient for people to get flights in and rent cars (cars that like to be beaten on tracks).

How far is South Haven from Chicago? I know it's about 2.5 hours away from Ann Arbor/Detroit. And what, about 40-60 minutes from Grand Rapids?


-LM

You did know that we were in DC just last May, right? We ran on the Jefferson Circuit at Summit point (WVA). Right in your back yard!


Well, Summit isn't that close. DC is about 5-6 hours' drive from here.

Back to topic...I'd love to attend anything on this side of the Mississippi, Larry. And, I'd love to help organize it, too, in whatever capacity I can.

The offer is a standing one. :D

Originally posted by SERCA96
I like the idea of Gingerman, too. But I think for a convention, the hotel (and home) needs to be near some semi-major city. Maybe Chicago, maybe Detroit.

Would South Bend or Grand Rapids be large enough? I'm trying to make it fairly convenient for people to get flights in and rent cars (cars that like to be beaten on tracks).

How far is South Haven from Chicago? I know it's about 2.5 hours away from Ann Arbor/Detroit. And what, about 40-60 minutes from Grand Rapids?


-LM GR is probably 35-40 minutes. Problem with this area is that there are only a handfull of SE-R enthusiast (3-5). But GR is a growing city with lots of Hotels and Bars. :D Chicago is about 2hrs maybe less. South Bend would be 3-4hrs by my guess.

What about Waterford hills? I've heard its a bit dangerous for the beginner but its much closer to Motown. Milan Dragway isn't far from Detroit Either.

Hey Guys! I'm at Chicago and would love to see that happen. If anything please e-mail me at nismo91@netscape.net

I think South Haven is about 2.5 to 3 hours away, still doable. I know that partner that owns Best Western at O'Hare maybe I can talk to him about price breaks for the out of towners or maybe he can get us a better deal at any Best Western here in the Midwest.

Sean wrote:
GR is probably 35-40 minutes. Problem with this area is that there are only a handfull of SE-R enthusiast (3-5)

I'm not too worried about there being a limited supply of SE-R people in the area. Even the couple of us already in Michigan could probably pull off the planning stages. Since the majority of the attendees would be from out of town, I would still expect a sucessful convention (60-100 attendees).

South Bend would be 3-4hrs by my guess.

SB shouldn't be more than 1.5 hours, and closer than Chicago (SB is due south of South Haven, right on US-31).

What about Waterford hills? I've heard its a bit dangerous for the beginner but its much closer to Motown. Milan Dragway isn't

I'd love to do it near Detroit (since that's where I am). But I'd never put our guys on Waterford Hills race track. Every club event that's out there, someone rolls their car. It's always either at hilltop or at the exit of swamp. Both would cause lots of damage and possibly injuries.

That's why I'm hoping Gingerman is a lot safer for newbies. (I've never run there)

Nismo91 wrote:
I know that partner that owns Best Western at O'Hare maybe I can talk to him about price breaks for the out of towners or maybe he can get us a better deal at any Best Western here in the Midwest.

For the past 3 years, Brad Woodworth (SERCA Plains States RE) has gotten us fantastic deals at Embassy Suites for our Conventions. They have been great hotels at good rates. And they've really catered to our every need. Stuff like opening the indoor pool at 10:30pm on a Sunday night just so we could throw a couple of guys in. =)

Unless something happens do break that deal, I wouldn't expect us to go elsewhere for lodging. But thanks for the suggestion.

-Larry

Gingerman is super-safe. It was designed with safety in mind. Plenty of friendly runoff, and nothing as high-speed squirrely as swamp turn, or cliffhanging dropoffs like hilltop. The only *possible* dangerous turn is the 90* that connects the two straights, as the pit wall is right there on your left. The turn, however, is a fairly tight radius so the speed isn't too high to get you into trouble.

Driving the two courses is a night and day difference.

Waterford: "How much balls do you have before you wreck?"

Gingerman: "I didn't know a roadcourse was this fun and challenging!"

Gingerman is super-safe.

That's good to hear. I have a feeling it's one of the safest tracks in the Michigan area.

If we're going to pull this off (and we're still not guaranteed to get the convention here in 2004), we're going to need about 10 volunteers to step up and chip in.

Right now I'm counting:

Myself
Matt Luckow
Sean Carr
Greg Perry
jason in Columbus (after 6/2003)

I could probably sign up a few more, too in the coming months.

The basic tasks (going by precedence set by previous conventions):

Registration
Track (reservation and grouping)
Track school with entrants
Picnic (park and catering)
Seek Sponsors
Raffle
T-shirts
Trophies for car show at picnic
welcome Night
Giveaways
hotel deal (Brad Woodworth)
Website

and probably more I can't think of right now. As well as any new things we can add.


The SouthEast region is also putting together a proposal for 2004. I would guess that whichever one of us gets the 2004, the other would get 2005. Unless SERCA decides to move the 2005 back to the west coast and come back this way in 2006.

What do we think? Is this something we can pull off in 2 years? (says the guy who's put on autocrosses for 200 people, and will be doing a solo school for 100 people this spring) ?


-Larry MacLeod

With you leading the way anything is possible. :D

I am only 40 minutes from Gingerman and am attending a Clubsi event there this summer. I'll check out how they work it and see what type of setup they offer.

I am only 40 minutes from Gingerman and am attending a Clubsi event there this summer. I'll check out how they work it and see what type of setup they offer.

That'd be good.

Also, in case anyone isn't aware yet, SERCA is aligning itself with NASA (no, not the space program) for all it's performance driving events. What that means is that if there's an opportunity for us to run our track event with NASA, then we have to do that. Only after we've exhausted all NASA possibilites can we move forward to use other organizations to run our events (Speedtrial USA, TrackTime, etc...).

The good thing about NASA is cheaper insurance, scheduling priority, and some other things they're doing for us in racing. Like creating a "Spec SE-R" class for road racing.

Since NASA isn't very active in this area, I wouldn't expect us to run with them. So we should look at all possibilities.

-Larry MacLeod
not sure what he's getting himself into...

Well, if there is anything Neeraj or I can do, let us know. Sounds like a lot of fun. Nothing like a big ol' group of SE-R guys.