Scott
12-21-2006, 10:58 PM
This is only being posted in a few forums. I don't want too many rowdy people I don't know doing this event, as it involves me putting up a lot of money out of my pocket, that I would like to at least be partially reimbursed for. So please, no re-posts without my permission.
Scott AutoWorks (clever name, huh?) is going to be trying something new in 2007. Several of you have taken part in my track days, group drives, car meets and other events I've hosted, set up, and otherwise had a hand in over the last 4 or 5 years.
"Something new?" you ask.
Yes. Something new, and a little different.
See, we all have our ideas of fun when it comes to cars. Some of us like shows, some like autocross, some just enjoy a good spirited drive. So, my idea was to appease a wider variety of car enthusiasts by combining these different aspects of automobilia into a week of fast cars, fun driving, and general debauchery. The week-long event will involve several car meets, a car show, a track day, and some spirited driving on some of the Southeast's most fun roads.
No details have been ironed out yet, but we have been able to sketch out a VERY loose itinerary.
DAY 1
10:00AM: Gather in Orlando. 1st car meet. Get to know each other, go over the rules, and hand out maps and instructions. Q&A with the event directors.
12:30PM: Lunch in Orlando.
2:30PM: Depart Orlando via back roads. Enjoy a scenic drive through the back roads of Central Florida, including a fun jaunt along the edge of the Ocala National Forest.
5:30PM: Arrive in Gainesville. 2nd car meet. Discuss the following day. Go over driving techniques.
8:00PM: Dinner in Gainesville.
10:00PM: Call it a night. Retreat to hotels, homes, bars, or wherever it is you plan on shacking up for the evening.
DAY 2
7:30AM: Wake the hell up! Meet for coffee and doughnuts at a local eatery
8:30AM: Arrive at Gainesville Raceway. Go over safety procedures, more driving techniques, and rules of the course.
9:00AM: Begin track day activities. Limit to 20 cars for road course racing. 2 cars on course at a time for 10 minute sessions. Drivers can expect at least 40 minutes of actual track time.
5:00PM: Wrap up the road racing. Clean up the track, and head out.
6:00PM: Return to Gainesville Raceway for some 1/4 mile test and tune runs.
10:00PM: 2nd night sleeping in Gainesville. Better get some rest, tomorrow is a long day.
DAY 3
9:00AM: Wake up, get breakfast, and lay out the maps for a long day of driving.
10:00AM: Get on the road. Part highway, part scenic drive. We're heading north most of the way.
4:30PM: Arrive in Atlanta. Re-group and check into hotels. Get cleaned up and head back out for dinner.
6:00PM: Dinner in Atlanta, followed by our 3rd car meet. Hopefully we can find some local club meeting that night we can hang out with.
9:00PM: Night out in Atlanta. Grab some food, a few drinks, go to a club, whatever floats your proverbial boat. Just don't stay out too late...
DAY 4
9:00AM: Wake up, have some coffee to get rid of that hangover, and get ready for another day on the road.
10:00AM: Back on the road. Highway most of the morning. As we get into North Carolina, we'll return to the back roads for awhile.
2:30PM: Arrive in Deal's Gap. Have a late lunch, find our cabins, and relax for an hour. Take a nap if needed.
5:00PM: Take an EASY drive through the Tail of the Dragon. For those of you not "in the know", this is a section of US Hwy 129 that features 318 turns in 11 gorgeous, scenic miles. I accentuate "easy" because this can be a very dangerous road if you don't know what you're doing. There are STEEP slopes directly off the roadway, lots of trees and rocks, and even more blind corners.
8:00PM: Dinner at a local resturaunt. Go over the "rules of the road" (aka, how not to kill yourself on the dragon).
10:00PM: Hit the hay. Sleep well, you'll need it.
DAY 5
9:00AM: Get on the road, and rip up Deal's Gap. Have fun, but be safe. Enjoy one of the BEST driving roads in all of North America. We'll spend most of the day with this bad boy.
5:00PM: Finish up the day's festivities, check out from the cabins, and get some dinner.
6:30PM: On the road again. Highway the whole way back to Atlanta.
9:00PM: Arrive in Atlanta. Relax, and go over the fun we've had thus far.
DAY 6
9:00AM: Wake up, have a breakfast, and know that the end is near.
10:00AM: Highway it back to Florida.
4:00PM: Arrive in Saint Augustine. 4th car meet, plus dinner and celebratory drinks.
6:00PM: Car show. Give out awards for best-looking cars, best driving skill, most improved driver, gnarliest wreck, and so forth.
10:00PM: Thanks and have a good night. Drive to your respective homes, get some well-deserved sleep. You just spent a week of your life eating, drinking, breathing, and generally living the ultimate car life.
So, there you have it. A week of automotive adventures. Obviously, I can't expect everyone to take a whole week off from all of their commitments to do this with me. You're welcome to just partake in any 1, 2, or however many days you want. Hell, if you just want to show up for dinner when we're passing through your neck of the woods, then that's fine too.
But how much is this going to cost? Well, that all is determined by your level of commitment. If you want to do the entire event (like me), costs are likely to run somewhere in the neighborhood $500-$600, before hotel costs. This figure is an estimate including track fees, food bills (if you eat cheap), and gas if you average around 20mpg. Hotels, we will likely cram 4 or 5 people in a room, or if you're a baller, maybe 2 to a room. Figure on spending 5 nights in hotels of less than 4-star opulence. If I had to guess, I'd say most people could do this trip for less than $1000, barring any major car malfunctions.
From there, you can pretty much derive what this is going to cost you. I'm sure all your brilliant mathematicians can do your own economics and decide if this is something you can feasibly do.
Again, this event is NOT for everyone. It requires someone to be punctual, VERY enthusiastic about cars, and able to spend a week more or less driving your car. Over 18 is REQUIRED. Over 21 is recommended. A few over 25's will be needed to guarentee we can get hotel rooms and (if need be) a rental car to get someone home if some cars break and it's non-repairable.
So, first and foremost. Any interest in doing this, or am I on my own?
Scott AutoWorks (clever name, huh?) is going to be trying something new in 2007. Several of you have taken part in my track days, group drives, car meets and other events I've hosted, set up, and otherwise had a hand in over the last 4 or 5 years.
"Something new?" you ask.
Yes. Something new, and a little different.
See, we all have our ideas of fun when it comes to cars. Some of us like shows, some like autocross, some just enjoy a good spirited drive. So, my idea was to appease a wider variety of car enthusiasts by combining these different aspects of automobilia into a week of fast cars, fun driving, and general debauchery. The week-long event will involve several car meets, a car show, a track day, and some spirited driving on some of the Southeast's most fun roads.
No details have been ironed out yet, but we have been able to sketch out a VERY loose itinerary.
DAY 1
10:00AM: Gather in Orlando. 1st car meet. Get to know each other, go over the rules, and hand out maps and instructions. Q&A with the event directors.
12:30PM: Lunch in Orlando.
2:30PM: Depart Orlando via back roads. Enjoy a scenic drive through the back roads of Central Florida, including a fun jaunt along the edge of the Ocala National Forest.
5:30PM: Arrive in Gainesville. 2nd car meet. Discuss the following day. Go over driving techniques.
8:00PM: Dinner in Gainesville.
10:00PM: Call it a night. Retreat to hotels, homes, bars, or wherever it is you plan on shacking up for the evening.
DAY 2
7:30AM: Wake the hell up! Meet for coffee and doughnuts at a local eatery
8:30AM: Arrive at Gainesville Raceway. Go over safety procedures, more driving techniques, and rules of the course.
9:00AM: Begin track day activities. Limit to 20 cars for road course racing. 2 cars on course at a time for 10 minute sessions. Drivers can expect at least 40 minutes of actual track time.
5:00PM: Wrap up the road racing. Clean up the track, and head out.
6:00PM: Return to Gainesville Raceway for some 1/4 mile test and tune runs.
10:00PM: 2nd night sleeping in Gainesville. Better get some rest, tomorrow is a long day.
DAY 3
9:00AM: Wake up, get breakfast, and lay out the maps for a long day of driving.
10:00AM: Get on the road. Part highway, part scenic drive. We're heading north most of the way.
4:30PM: Arrive in Atlanta. Re-group and check into hotels. Get cleaned up and head back out for dinner.
6:00PM: Dinner in Atlanta, followed by our 3rd car meet. Hopefully we can find some local club meeting that night we can hang out with.
9:00PM: Night out in Atlanta. Grab some food, a few drinks, go to a club, whatever floats your proverbial boat. Just don't stay out too late...
DAY 4
9:00AM: Wake up, have some coffee to get rid of that hangover, and get ready for another day on the road.
10:00AM: Back on the road. Highway most of the morning. As we get into North Carolina, we'll return to the back roads for awhile.
2:30PM: Arrive in Deal's Gap. Have a late lunch, find our cabins, and relax for an hour. Take a nap if needed.
5:00PM: Take an EASY drive through the Tail of the Dragon. For those of you not "in the know", this is a section of US Hwy 129 that features 318 turns in 11 gorgeous, scenic miles. I accentuate "easy" because this can be a very dangerous road if you don't know what you're doing. There are STEEP slopes directly off the roadway, lots of trees and rocks, and even more blind corners.
8:00PM: Dinner at a local resturaunt. Go over the "rules of the road" (aka, how not to kill yourself on the dragon).
10:00PM: Hit the hay. Sleep well, you'll need it.
DAY 5
9:00AM: Get on the road, and rip up Deal's Gap. Have fun, but be safe. Enjoy one of the BEST driving roads in all of North America. We'll spend most of the day with this bad boy.
5:00PM: Finish up the day's festivities, check out from the cabins, and get some dinner.
6:30PM: On the road again. Highway the whole way back to Atlanta.
9:00PM: Arrive in Atlanta. Relax, and go over the fun we've had thus far.
DAY 6
9:00AM: Wake up, have a breakfast, and know that the end is near.
10:00AM: Highway it back to Florida.
4:00PM: Arrive in Saint Augustine. 4th car meet, plus dinner and celebratory drinks.
6:00PM: Car show. Give out awards for best-looking cars, best driving skill, most improved driver, gnarliest wreck, and so forth.
10:00PM: Thanks and have a good night. Drive to your respective homes, get some well-deserved sleep. You just spent a week of your life eating, drinking, breathing, and generally living the ultimate car life.
So, there you have it. A week of automotive adventures. Obviously, I can't expect everyone to take a whole week off from all of their commitments to do this with me. You're welcome to just partake in any 1, 2, or however many days you want. Hell, if you just want to show up for dinner when we're passing through your neck of the woods, then that's fine too.
But how much is this going to cost? Well, that all is determined by your level of commitment. If you want to do the entire event (like me), costs are likely to run somewhere in the neighborhood $500-$600, before hotel costs. This figure is an estimate including track fees, food bills (if you eat cheap), and gas if you average around 20mpg. Hotels, we will likely cram 4 or 5 people in a room, or if you're a baller, maybe 2 to a room. Figure on spending 5 nights in hotels of less than 4-star opulence. If I had to guess, I'd say most people could do this trip for less than $1000, barring any major car malfunctions.
From there, you can pretty much derive what this is going to cost you. I'm sure all your brilliant mathematicians can do your own economics and decide if this is something you can feasibly do.
Again, this event is NOT for everyone. It requires someone to be punctual, VERY enthusiastic about cars, and able to spend a week more or less driving your car. Over 18 is REQUIRED. Over 21 is recommended. A few over 25's will be needed to guarentee we can get hotel rooms and (if need be) a rental car to get someone home if some cars break and it's non-repairable.
So, first and foremost. Any interest in doing this, or am I on my own?