Interest in a SE event?

[SYO237]

Looking at getting some feedback for putting together a Southeast meet for 2008.

FL, GA, AL, NC, SC areas.

Long story short, Hood, myself, and Ian got to talking last weekend about putting together a fun and informal gathering at the end of the year, maybe somwhere in Sept - Nov time and somewhere in GA area so its central to the group?

A Southeast Shindig if you will.

Wanted to do something where we can all goto the track, race and tune, BBQ, hangout and do some parking lot wrenching and have some parking lot games.

No trophies
No costly registration fees (maybe only a small cost to cover food and some cool shirts?)
No strict schedules.

Just a good time with good friends.

Think of it as an alternative to Nats if you cant make it there due to scheduling, budget, distance, etc.



Post up your interest and thoughts.....

 

[ronniejoe80]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Sounds interesting.

 

[MRKING]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Looking at getting some feedback for putting together a Southeast meet for 2008 at the end of the year, maybe somwhere in Sept - Nov time and somewhere in GA area so its central to the group?

You really like to plan ahead adam , nov 2008 is deffianately open in my book . Hell , even sept-nov 2007 is open . What state will we be in ??

 

[SYO237]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

You really like to plan ahead adam , nov 2008 is deffianately open in my book . Hell , even sept-nov 2007 is open . What state will we be in ??

Theres to much crap going on for me to want to attempt anything in 07. If Im going to take my personal time to help put this together as an "event" so to say, then I want it done right so its worthwhile for everyone to drive out.

But hey, if a group wanted to get together just to cruise and hang out coming up here now, lets do it......need something to fill the void between now and Miami meet.

Thinking GA would be the state to do it. Fair enough for the SoFAST, western AL and NC guys. Hood would be the better on exact location. He knows the tracks and best areas.

 

[REVEREND HARMON]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

im in, cant wait to see other mod ideas and others input!

 

[JKsSyclone]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Sounds interesting.....as long as its not 12 hours away.

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Savannah has the historic, waterfront appeal, but the nearest track is about 30-45 minutes away. However, Roebling Road Raceway (site link) is only 15 minutes away and we could possibly do something there (depending on cost, time of year, etc....).

Reynolds has a 1/4 mile track (site link), would be more central than Savannah, has cheaper lodging, but is quite the small town. Some of the FL guys know Reynolds, so feel free to chime in on your impression.

I'm game whereever (GA or otherwise) and will help out all I can as part of the planning committee.

Hood

 

[CKEITH]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

i have been waiting a long time to have a gathering so i can meet other members. any time is good for me as long as it's not the last week of any month. the car business is push like crazy that last week so getting off is not in the equation. it was like pulling lions teeth to get the time off to attend nats-x....

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Looking at Roebling's schedule/rates, it's kinda out of the question (financially) for us to try and rent the track solely for us. Besides, it'd be boring with no one really doing much on the track and if someone got hurt, well, I don't even want to consider the possibility. So.....

The way I see it is if we have it in GA, there's only 2 locations to really consider. The aforementioned, Savannah and Reynolds. I'll try to list some pros/cons of each.

Reynolds/Ft. Valley
------------------------------
Pros
- Central location if we have some TN & AL members attend.
- 1/4 mile track and a fine one at that.
- The 1/4 mile track is open all day Saturday and Sunday.
- Lodging is cheap ($49-ish a night).
- Not far from I-75, so it's pretty easy to find.
- Very rural feel, so traffic is light and there's plenty of places to go full blast.

Cons
- Not central for NC, SC, SeGA, and NeFL members.
- Not a whole lot to choose from to eat.
- Not a "street race" scene to tangle with.
- It's just a small town in the country, so not much to look at.

Savannah
----------------
Pros
- Central location for FL, SC, NC, and SeGA members.
- 1/8 mile track within 30 min. drive (pretty good track).
- The 1/8 mile track is open Friday nights and all day Saturday.
- Roebling is 15 minutes away, so we could watch some new ZO6s pound the track.
- Not far from I-16 & I-95, so it's easy to access.
- Tons of places to eat/lodge.
- Present (but not easy to find) "street racing" scene.
- Historic Savannah is great to look at and there's a beach nearby.
- Fresher seafood for a low country boil.

Cons
- Lodging will be a little more ($59-ish and up).
- Much more traffic and cops to tend with.
- Not central for TN & AL members (additional 3 hr drive for those guys).
- Logistically, harder to pull off.

I love Savannah and I love Reynolds, so I really don't care where it's at. If anyone wants to contribute some potential artwork for a "Southeast SyTy Shindig" logo or even a Southeast SyTy logo, we'd love to see 'em. If you don't have a photo account, you can forward them to me and I'll upload 'em. Hand sketches can be faxed to me (PM for #).

Hood

 

[SYO237]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Who do we have in TN and AL that are hardcores?

Jimmy and Shaun would come wouldnt they? Where the hell are you 2 at?


Hood gave some damn good pros and cons. Ive been to both areas with GAST and fully agree with Hoods outlook on the 2 locations. I tend to lean more towards savannah, not so much cause its closer (for me at least), but it does have more to offer as far as local activity and scenery.

Reynolds we definatley had to make our own entertainment (mini bikes, hotel owners, and if considering we could get away with bluebird bus parts), regardless we have fun. We did manage to walk out with some pizza hut deep dish pans and spatulas, and a few of us ate for free when we didnt recieve a bill

Personally, a 30-35 min drive to a track is nothing, plus its always fun to get a group of trucks out on the road together. Makes for good pics and some fun driving.


I think I might have a logo to contribute.... i'll rework it and get it posted up soon....


Heres some pics I took at one of the meets in Reynolds and Silver Dollar Raceway.
http://www.sytyarchives.com/gallery/v/events/reynolds/?g2_page=1

 

[blk00z28]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Yeah.. If we can get away with the free pizza shit again, by all means. :lol:

I'm down for it in Ga. As the homecoming so soon (which I didnt realize it was) and Nat's.. well yeah it was talked about. I wont be going to either. So its open for anything now I guess. :roll:

Are we planning on renting the track to our self? Or just do a test and tune night? Or go half and half with another group? I say this should turn into the southeast meet.

 

[SYO237]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Hacked up a previous logo concept we were thinking for a regional event. Anyhow... quick render, still needs something more, but you get the general idea...

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Depending on track costs (and I can find this out pretty soon), we could rent the track for ourselves. However, unless we have 30+ trucks, I think it could get dead pretty quick. Either that or we'd have people rushing or hot lapping just to have activity on the track. I don't want either. If we leave it open for others to run then we have constant track activity, lower costs, and other vehicles to beat up on. Depending on the time of year, we could coincide it with the GA F-Body meet like we do every year (they have their Fall shootout on the last wk-end of Sept. most years). I'll look into this a bit more.

Agreed, I think Savannah is the default location, so we'll need some pretty good reasons to move it unless it's overwhelming to go elsewhere. So, I can start putting some logistics together and a potential schedule of events based on Savannah as the location. I won't put a ton of work into it in case it changes, but Savannah seems to be good.

Next question:

- Do we want to keep it simple and cheap or do we go all out and implement a registration fee? Not trying to duplicate NATS here, but we could easily offer a goody bag for attendees (shirt, decals, etc...) and the registration fee could help pay for good food, reserved locations, free downtown parking, etc...

Hood

 

[SYO237]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

If we could rent the track for a very low cost, then Id be up to contribute.... if its to much and we all have to pay individual to get in, then so be it.

Definately want to keep this thing a low cost get together, NOT an event....hence the informal part and no fancy . The only aspect I see that would cost money is we definatley wanted shirts or if we wanted to cater in some food for sit down grub fest.

Hang out, do some wrenching, go racing (street or track), eat food, and get into some sort of trouble.

 

[SYO237]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

- Do we want to keep it simple and cheap or do we go all out and implement a registration fee? Not trying to duplicate NATS here, but we could easily offer a goody bag for attendees (shirt, decals, etc...) and the registration fee could help pay for good food, reserved locations, free downtown parking, etc...

Hood

guess i was typing as you were posting....

i hate to use the word registration, but i guess thats what it would be....im very much wanting simple.

How much is downtown parking?
Do we want to cater food?
Do we definately want shirts?



Good point on the track rental. Kinda a waste to get it if only 10-15 trucks are going to run. Almost better to just go and pay to get in. Plus, there would be competition to race instead of each other.

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

guess i was typing as you were posting....

i hate to use the word registration, but i guess thats what it would be....im very much wanting simple.

How much is downtown parking?
Do we want to cater food?
Do we definately want shirts?



Good point on the track rental. Kinda a waste to get it if only 10-15 trucks are going to run. Almost better to just go and pay to get in. Plus, there would be competition to race instead of each other.

Haven't check on downtown parking lately, but I can't imagine more than $3-5 a day. Shirts? Definitely for me. If not an event shirt, then something combining all the groups into a Southeast SyTy shirt or something.

I too am all for low cost. I'd like to pull it off for no reg fee. GAST has a little bit in the account that could go towards the event (taint much, but it'll help). I was kinda thinking that we could do a low country boil one night (Fri or Sat) and just have everybody throw in $5-10 for the cost (good shrimp is about $7 a lb. and the potatoes, corn, sausage, etc.... all start to add up.). I could see spending around $150 to feed 20-25 people.

Still brainstorming this, but we could get this off for cheap.

Hood

 

[SYO237]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Cool, so possibly looking at maybe like $30-35 estimate guess to cover shirt / food /possible parking. Track entrance and anything else is on your own personal dollar if you decide to join in. Still far out yet to make a final decision, but I think thats affordable for everyone.

Probably could do paypal when we figure more stuff out.


While im thinking of it... need somewhere that has easy and close distance to a parts store.

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

Yeah, I see no need for it to cost any more than $30 per person (obviously this depends on the t-shirt/swag costs).

I guess for exact location, do we try to stay in Savannah, or on the outskirts and commute everywhere like we did last time? In Savannah is more convenient, but costs more. Vice versa for outskirts. FYI, Pooler is about 12-15 minutes from Savannah, has a ton of restaurants, and good access to parts stores. That may work. It's two exits North of the the place we stayed last time.

Hood

 

[tnsyty]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

If it isn't too far away, I would be interested.

 

[alwayswantedone]

Re: Interest in a SE event?

I will most likely be living in Charlotte N.C. by then so I would be up for the event.