Goal is to be back next year, wherever the event runs!
Goal is to be back next year, wherever the event runs!
If last year was the last time I went to the gateway grand with my car family, i would be sad. However, gainesville raceway as a venue kinda sucks. The hump in the middle of the lot is awful, there is no good food without a long drive, cell reception blows, etc. if it makes a less than 2 day trip for me I would likely stop taking years off.
The Hagerty Cars and Caffeine are starting to line up. Challenge car load in will happen in a few mins. 
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Movin on up! I rescind my grievance
Concourse prep in progress. 
And the pavilion is starting to fill up with cars. 
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:Just my thoughts on a new venue. Yes, it allows many who have thought about coming to actually join in......But, the event has had a core of regulars from Florida and the southeast who have kept it going all these years. Will they continue to do so? I hope so. Much of my interest in the Challenge is the fact that it's like a family reunion, and I've already missed the last five. I think of a bunch of competitors as friends and I wouldn't want to lose seeing them.
All due respect while logically there are a lot of SE natives that are fixtures at the challenge there are also a great many teams/good people who have been making 8+ hour drives for a decade or two. Charlotte sounds wonderful to me!
I've never exactly got the warm fuzzy "we're happy to have you here" feeling from the current venue more like begrudging acceptance if I'm being kind. Happy to hear the event is continuing to be developed and the magazine staff is looking for ways to make it better
In reply to Byrneon27 :
I don't disagree. The venue itself, doesn't matter to me much. Finding a hotel that's as accommodating might be a problem though. If I take a car from Michigan it's a two day drive, so anything closer is a plus. And a lot of the folks I now know as friends are also from points well away from Florida, just look at how many Michigan/Ohio/Indiana/Illinois entries there have been over the years. Maybe I'm just getting crankier as I age .....I was born and raised in Quebec, maybe I should change my screen name to Frenchy , or something
.
Concours judges are making the rounds. 
Chris Tropea said:Concourse prep in progress.
Does the turbo EG civic have a build thread?
Byrneon27 said: Happy to hear the event is continuing to be developed and the magazine staff is looking for ways to make it better
Same.
In reply to CrustyRedXpress :
I can find out if they have a thread and report back.
Challenger choice votes are being cast.
Also want to hear about the civic!
In reply to Chris Tropea :
I see a Corvair in the background
I want to see more for......reasons
In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :
It's only 17 hrs from my house to Gainesville... Add a couple hrs because towing. So, 19.5-20? I can do that in a day. 
Chris Tropea said:Challenger choice votes are being cast.
I expect the People's Choice voters are marking the Maserati BiTurbo as their choice. It wold be mine for People's Choice. No, it is not the best engineered or technically advanced but it's what the people have wanted to see for a long time!
And, it hasn't (not yet) spontaneously burst into flames.
Chris Tropea said:And the pavilion is starting to fill up with cars.
That retro-GRM livery on stafford1500's car looks amazing!
Chris Tropea said:Challenger choice votes are being cast.
That's famous Youtuber Nivlac!
John Welsh said:Chris Tropea said:Challenger choice votes are being cast.
I expect the People's Choice voters are marking the Maserati BiTurbo as their choice. It wold be mine for People's Choice. No, it is not the best engineered or technically advanced but it's what the people have wanted to see for a long time!
And, it hasn't (not yet) spontaneously burst into flames.
I would have removed/drained the fuel, oil, and battery to avoid that insurance claim... lol
In reply to Ranger50 :
It's a BiTurbo. It will most likely remove the fuel and oil by itself! In its natural state, the battery is likely already dead! 
In reply to Byrneon27 :
They will be starting a build thread with info on the car. But here are a few pictures. 
In reply to John Welsh :
Funny story.... The 2x4 hood prop whacked the repaired coolant nipple on the radiator and it's dripping a bit of coolant. Who'd of thunk we'd have a mechanical failure at the concourse?
Tim Suddard said:Sorry I couldn't be there this year, but I have a new job description that involves special projects for the company. I am at the Charlotte airport on my way home from scouting a potential, more central, and truly amazing location for the $2000 Challenge in the future.
That's great news. For those of us on the West Coast, a three to four day tow there and another tow back is a daunting proposition limiting the possibility of us attending. I've been planning a build and have gone so far as to buy the base vehicle but I have a hard time justifying the time and expense of the tow. I believe the cost of travel would exceed the cost of the build for most of us out here.
Indy sounds pretty good by comparison. Or how 'bout Omaha?
My $50 offer for the Parking Lot Build still stands
Our panel discussion is going on now while we tally the points to see who will be taking home some trophies. 
You'll need to log in to post.
