GS Nationals Dying

Re: GS Nationals dieing

I have only ever been to the Nat's one time #26 a few years ago and had a great time and would love to go back with my car one of these days. It was the first time I was able to afford to go.
I had been a GSCA member in the past and I liked the newsletters but if you don't make the Nat's there is not much else.

At #26 I reupped my dues and got reissued a new member # 3003, it had been a few years and my old number was gone but I never received anything from the GSCA! I tried calling a few times and then just gave up. I still have my local Buick chapter that I'm active in and I just stick with that.

Coming from Texas was just to far to go most years, just couldn't afford it.
Now with the ecomony in the ****s and the wife not working I can't see making it back for awhile.

Even though I am not a nat's vet, I just wanted to offer my .02.

I don't care about the fall or Spring but I would like to see it moved around the country. I'm sure there are others like me that would love to come out but it's just to expensive because of the travel.

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

Hey buddy. Do not blame Jim, he ran the BSA class again after the timing tower mistake. I was a loser and ended up a runner up. For me it was a good weekend. Some problems but, it happens. Let's be nice friends!!:beers2:

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

Doug, it really isn't too bad, and with all the beer and shade and conversation you hardly notice it. Why not caravan out with us next year?

Ummmmm.... ever heard of the Buick Performace Group? We host a great event in August at National Trail Raceway in Ohio.

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

Sure I have check the sig. But that is even further the BG.

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

But SO worth the drive! Hope to see you in 2012!

 

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I agree with an earlier suggestion. Make it a traveling event in a new location every year.

Right now I'm 1,100 miles away and at roughly 10mpg and $3.50 for gas it'll cost me $385 one way just to go to the event. So I'm looking at $770 not counting food, lodging, entrance fees just to get there and back. I'd need to save up for 6 months to attend and that's money I'd much rather put into fixing or upgrading the car than into driving it to a spot to sit and look at other cars. Especially when there's a free show 10 miles away that routinely draws a couple hundred cars.

If the event visits different regions every year than it'll give us poor folks a chance to participate. You might find an area that also has better equipment or at least doesn't have cars being stolen. Imagine going to Zmax in Concord and seeing a Turbo 6, 350, 455 and Stage 1 all racing door to door at the same time :eek2:

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

Believe me I would love to go but unless the economy gets better it's probably not going to happen.

I had a friend of mine take his 71X to BPG a year or so ago for the reunion and the past one I had two friends take their TTA's.

It really sucks missing these but not much I can do about it right now.

I did make the Ford vs Buick in Noble. I make this event every year.

Would still like to the Nats move around. ray: I guess I need to move up north. o No:

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

THe GTOAA and the BCA does this. Would be a great idea, would it ever happen, when donkeys fly.

Is Richard even a member on here? Sorry don't know who this Bennet guy is but from what I have read is an 1st class &&*)#.

MMM I would so attend this event if it ever happened. Let me see, the middle of the USA ( Alaska & Hawaii included) would be Belle Fourche, SD. Great area for an event, cruise through the Black Hills, Deadwood, Racing would be at Sturgis dragway. plenty of accomidations. Would be perfect.

Tim

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

:Smarty: With all that's troubled with the GS Nationals these days, this is not, and has never been a problem. Having missed only one Nats since 1991, I can tell you that Skylarks, Electras, Rivieras, Skyhawks, LeSabres, SportWagons, etc. are more than welcome. Back in the day, as they say, there were tons of non-GS cars roaming Bowling Green during the Nats.

Hard to dispute that. I'm a warm weather person myself and the one detractor with October is the cool/cold evenings that stifles nightime outdoor activity. Something else worth mentioning is the amusement park. That's a great asset for families attending with younger kids. Padlocked in October.

Entrance is $20 for anyone not registered.

You're spot on as to why I don't show anymore. It's way too expensive to participate with a driver quality car that will never come close to placing in the show.

This is a great discussion. It's obvious that there are many folks who would love to see the Nats "live long & prosper". It's also obvious that there's a lot to be fixed. Here's hoping for the best. :beers2:

 

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Is he even a member on the GSCA site ? I dont think I've ever seen him post or answer a direct question

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

I have been going to the GS Nationals since 1985(only attended 2 without a car) and while I DO agree that a lot can/needs to be changed. Let me shed some light on some "suggestions" that have been posted here, as almost all of them have come up over the years.

Moving the location every year, not only is it a logistical nitemare, but believe it or not even in this economy most quality dragstrips have weekends booked for events 2-3 years in advance, so staying with 1 track makes sence. It is easier for national meets to move if they are held in motel parking lots.

For the guys out west, sorry but "center of the country" is NOT center of the population/membership, I am sure moving out west would surely introduce some new faces, it also means the majority of the membership would have farther to drive. How do you think that woud effect attendance? Don't you think years ago it would have been easier for "the powers that be" to have held the Nationals in Georgia/Florida?

Several of my trips to the nationals were made in non-GS, Non turbo regals and NEVER experienced ANY negativity towords myself or the car.

I always enjoyed the May dates myself, but do enjoy the racing in October better, however the cool evenings and the fact that it gets darker earlier kinda makes it a toss up for me. I enjoyed looking forward to it all winter, but being in the fall also gives me insentive to work on something over the winter.

Nothing is stopping anybody from organizing a state or regional "chapter" or club of their own. The BCA travels with their nationals from town to town, but the local chapters in that area "host" the event and do alot of the leg work, not just sit back and say "if the event was in MY backyard, then I could/would go to it". Just be aware that if you stick your neck out have it ready to be chopped off like what is/has been said about the BSA/BSR classes this year. Jim Rodgers goes to ALOT of work to organize this for "us". It should be obvious from the way the rest of the racing that if he didn't do it then everybody would be running the bracket classes for a plaque!

I find it amazing that any vendor does step up and sponsor this event, especially now knowing that their is NO thanks given afterward. And VERY little acknowledgment given during the event. But to keep pounding on the negitives of the Nationals on a open forum is NOT going to help this at all.

The BPG does a great job of promoting "their" event, and thanking the sponsors as well as making the attending membership feel welcome. There are LOTS of areas the GS Nationals could be improved but I for one am glad it is still a weekend that I get to see friends from around the country.

I'll climb off my soap box now because I know I don't have all the answers but couldn't sit by any longer without posting some things for the complainers to MAYBE think about......ou:

Let the flaming begin...........................:TU:

 

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Ken, What you said here is absolutly 100% true. However along time ago I realized I wasn't a "member" of a club, but a subscriber to a business.....

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

THE club and the GS Nats are like a business in a small town(Limited people to draw from)with a great product to offer,BUT year by year 1 to 5 people a year get bad treatment and never return. Buick members are a finite Number and the GSCA can not afford to lose thier members. I got screwed in 1993 and did not return till 2004,after i relized i was hurting myself. I LOVE THE NATIONALS but i would like to see them get strong again. P.S. I believe that the powers at be STILL 18 years later still hold a grudge,I hope thats not true but it seems that way. GS Nats 1983-1993 2004-2011

 

Re: GS Nationals Not dying

here's an idea, instead of a few bitter individuals doing all they can to sabotage the event, how about doing something proactive like inviting 4-5 friends that have never been before Like I did this year...


DL

 

Re: GS Nationals Not dying

Exactly:beer

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

I am actually suprised it has stayed in BG, and hasn't moved to Valdosta

Well the only one I attended I was there with my 70 GS Stage 1 car but not stage powered, not even V8 but with a '77 231 V6 in it. also so no negativity.

Tim

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

I do not know the GSCA's stand on a roving annual event, but the BPG looked long and hard at this.

The majority of the CLUB MEMBERSHIP is located within (I believe) 8 hours of Columbus. It is apparant that if the event were to move to Nashville, or Atlanta, or LA or Dallas then the event would certainly lose a majority of its attendees.

We can't move the event to Kansas and hope that non-members would be moved to attend.

You have to look at the club financials on the BPG site. It costs about $18,000 to rent the track for a 3-day weekend. If a majority of the members don't show because it is too far to attend, then there is literally no way we can expect a sparcer populated area (and very few local Buick faithful) to attend in large enough amounts so we can break even. Bottom line is, when the membership of the BPG has a majority of its population someplace else we'll look at relocating the event. Remember, it is a member-driven club. I don't know how the GSCA looks at this.

And that's not to mention the logistical nightmare of having to coordinate track rental, hotel rental and all the other behind the scene things that have to be done to hold an event with a new track every year.

If anyone thinks it is so easy, then please be our guest and head up the next BPG Nationals. You'll curl into the fetal position and cry before it is all done.

At least the BPG tries like hell to do what is in the best interest of the club as a whole: high payouts, high tolerance of jackass behavior, race and show classes to try to make everyone happy. While moving the event around might seem like a good idea, it would bankrupt the club the first time around. The GSCA needs to look at what the BPG does and ask itself if it is doing things that are in the best interst of the club.

 

Re: GS Nationals Not dying

Tufbuick....I could not agree with you more .I started going to BG in 86 and had a blast for a whole bunch of years .the last one I was at was 02 .and things where sub par then. Don't get me wrong met a lot of good people along the way.but the $ that the club took in along the way and can't justify to payback farther than what they did .what a FARSE!!! Remember back in the day when the club put on a barbecue for everybody? It's the little things that count.make somebody feel like there welcome not just another entry fee .it's a wonder that this thing has carried on as long as it has .enough of the bitchin that's just my .02 now back to your regular scheduled program.

 

Re: GS Nationals Not dying

Come on people I see ya lurking around the topic.sound off like ya got a pair!!!! What's wrong with saying how ya really feel? EH ?

 

Re: GS Nationals dieing

Has anyone actually called Richard and spoke to him personally on the phone and spoke about the GS Nats this year? Is anyone planning to call him?

I doubt he will read or hear any of the comments posted on V8Buick or on the GSCA board, so a phone call will likely be the only way to be sure he hears your feedback and suggestions. I'm not defending Richard at all, I'm just saying that if you feel strongly, and would like to see change, call him up. If he gets a bunch of calls he will understand that many people would like to have some changes, if he gets no calls it's likely that nothing will change because he won't know specifically what people want to see in order to come back to the event in the future.