I really LOVED the GS Nats when it was held in May. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! (NOTE: I did not go this year; medical testing kinda gets in the way...)
I feel young when i am at the GS Nationals....when you think about getting older it makes you older. Peace WildBill
Oh, boy. Be careful here. Just because someone buys a hot late model Mopar does not mean he or she is suddenly no longer a Buick person, hasn't already built a Buick (or Buicks), or hasn't continued to further the V8 Buick community. This place is littered with people who are nothing but a credit to this community and the car culture in general.
Where the popcorn?.... I seem to resemble that remark! I've been a die hard Buick guy since I was 16. I live eat and breathe these cars ....still. I've owned a GS in one form or another for 36 years. And I will continue to do so. Sure, j might be selling off a couple, but that just because I'm 52 now. Can't keep up with 5 old cars anymore. It's starting to wear on me Ronnie. Like I said, I've been doing this non stop for 36 years. I think I've earned the right to slow down a little. While it's true I haven't been on the board quite as much lately as in years past, I can assure you it's not because of the challenger. I'm still a buick GS guy and I will continue to be till the day of my demise.
And I've been going to the nationals off and on since 1986. Some years I've driven down, other years I've flown. Didn't see you there last year
Pay no attention to ronnie. Been here 3 years and has everything figured out. Infested is an interesting choice of words. I'll hold my tongue about what is really infesting this site along with the internet in general but it has to do with trolls and people racking up thousands of posts on internet forums without ever adding anything of value to our passion for Buicks. I'm sure I will be put on ignore but I'm good with that. It's just like someone else mentioned in another thread. Pretty soon Ronnie you'll be the only one here if everyone else is on ignore. But hey, it can't be your fault. Must be everyone elses.
I attended and as always had a fun time. Seeing people you get to see once a year, seeing ALL Buicks and the sounds and smell of the drag racing just can't be beat. Met alot of new people, ate some track food and stood in the rain for a bit. BUT- you can't control the weather. Already looking forward to next year and sending out a HUGE THANK YOU to ALL the people who do what they do to put on such an event. You are appreciated!!!
I've been to a handful of GS Nats (and the last 5 BPG events that were held) and I've seen good turnouts, bad turnouts, and some in between. Thing is, I've never regretted going. Not once. Every time I've had a blast, seen something new and exciting, saw friends from years past and made new ones. I didnt get to go this year, life sometimes happens. I do plan on going next year. Now if you want to talk about having a tough time at an event that'd ruin it for you, look at my 2018 experience. Thrashed up until the day before getting the car ready to run in GSR, a huge goal of mine. Loaded up and drove 5 hours. Got to the track a bit late, and ran around like a chicken with my head cut off to get tech'd and get a few shakedown passes. Searched for over an hour to get that squared away, and about the time I finally did they said the lanes were closed and if you werent in the lanes now you wouldnt run today. The next day I was supposed to get some shakedown passes and my 2 qualifying runs. It was a rainout. So the following day I get my first and only run, which is my qualifier for GSR. A failure coming out of the burnout box aborted the run. I thrashed to fix it and get back to the line before the next class ran, missed it by about a minute. In the end I busted my butt to get ready and get there, paid my entry/tech, did everything possible to make the race, and never got a single pass. Not. One. Single. Run. I begged them to let me make one pass. Denied. All of it was for absolutely nothing. Im angry even thinking about it now. But guess what? I still had a lot of fun times at the event and at various dinner get-togethers outside the event, hanging with folks in the hotel lobbies, etc, and I'll be back for sure. So now, tell me again why your event experience was so awful??? Point is, it's all in what you make it.
I can relate to the OP stance. A few years ago there was a national Buick car show held in portland oregon. Great finnaly a lcoal event!! I was very excited. Well I arrived and went to enter my car in the car show, Not expecting anything but just to enter it. I was asked what class, And while I dont remember the class details I told them it's not stock, it has a buick 455, turbo 455 12 bolt, disk brakes and so on. Ohh and nope it's not a GS. They looked at me like I was trying to enter a 72 ford truck into the event. Because I had modified my car into what I wanted it to be I had destroyed it. I was snubbed by everyone I spoke to. I was told "I should listen to others input so I can fix my car for next years show...." WHAT??? It's my car, Im keeping it as Buick as I can, but Im bringing it up to modern technology with the older styling. My take is The Buick community isnt getting any bigger. And I would think they would welcome any classic Buick. (I was the only 65 there and usually always am wherever I go ) Well My car isnt good enough for that Buick crowd ok. I still enjoy the keck out of it. But I wont be giving any of my money to the organization.
I'd love to meet some of them just to be like "f*ck do you want? If you wanna make my Riviera stock again, throw me money"
Or leave in a cloud of tire smoke, engine roaring, flinging beer bottles out the window. You know, do it old school... Patrick
Like taking my Jag to a British car show....they told me not to bother taking it off the trailer.....didn't even get a chance to do a burnout....
Went to the BCA meet in Springfield few years back. Was the first year they had a modified class. I jumped in with both feet. went to the judging class, worked on a team judging Riviera's. When the classes were parked the modified cars were put way over on the other side of the venue away from the "correct" cars. The majority of the participants didnt even know we were there. During the awards dinner there was a smattering of applauds when the modified cars were announced. Felt snubbed from most of the owners. However it wont stop me from attending another.
It's funny how many stories along these lines I've heard Briz. I had hoped the BPG (rip) folding into the BCA would've helped welcome the modified cars, no sign of that yet. You won't catch me going out of my way to do much of anything involving the BCA. (Sorry for the thread sidetrack)
LOL! best answer yet. First BCA show for me- ROA nad BCA were both in Chicago at the same time...I went expecting to see some 65 Wildcat 4-speed cars. Guess what? NONE. I left disappointed but not discouraged. Its all about expectations. I'd like to see more 66's too, but Jimmy bought 'em all.
I say this with respect, but you(and me, I'm 51) are just getting older. We were the same guy as Mr Ronnie or at least I was. Just didn't have the interwebz to spout off my opinions. I run across a lot of younger car guys that I see as me thirty yrs ago and generally give them a lot of slack as the older fellows gave slack to me . And fortunately many are still my friends today . The best thing about the car hobby is the people, and unfortunately this is also the worst thing in some cases. I'm a car guy, just happen to like trishield the best. Doesn't mean I don't drive my Chevy trucks to work.
So I shouldn't expect to much muscle at the Buick Club of America 2020 National Meet in Strongsville, OH July 15 – 18, 2020?
