I am sorry but had to respond as I did not see this written about but I may have missed it. I have to set my vacation in Nov for the next year. I was trying to get the Suncoupe ready for the NATS to make its debut. I have been to every meet since 91 except 3 years where my daughter was in NROTC and her pass and review was that same week. So imagine if you will my consternation when I find out that the week I took off for the NATS was changed and I would now not be able to make it this year. The loss of seeing friends I have made over the last 21 years was worse than the fact I could not show my car. As a matter of fact it made me stop the rush to finish it. Did not the GSCA receive a discount for moving the dates? Well I have had my problems with the show organizer before. Tent closing early so I had to pay again to get into the grounds. Richard was selling 3 sets of Hooker hedders that he found I stepped up and received a set of Poston hedders. He made an excuse that the Hookers I paid for were cracked and he assumed I would not want them. BS! I was even charged a restock fee and had to pay shipping both ways. So to make it clear My car will go to the BPG for its debut and if I go to the NATS it will be to see my friends and while I may take the car downs I'll be there for display it. Sorry if this offends anyone I have raced and shown at GSCA NATS and have had a great time but after all this I cannot even see paying to belong to Richard and Bennet's "business" As to payouts I do feel for the guys that got nothing. I for one have raced off and on for more than 30 years and aside form a few small track wins netting me a jacket, some trophy's, a little cash and if memory serves a set of tires once. I never made anything that would come close to what it costs. I hope the Buick world stays together and we rally around these guys. I personally want to thank you guys that make the journey into the 9's,8's,7's and 6's you really have to work for these times. I wish I was rich and could sponsor a car like Rod's. IMHO that would be the best thing a club could do is support our guys that spend the money and time to show what the BBB can do. Sure would be nice if we could pull together some big sponsors and businesses in BG for better payouts but that would require someone to work for it, maybe someone that makes a lot of money off the members. What do you guys think?
Yes George the car still looks the same. Finally have it running pretty consistent. My brother and I stopped and chatted a bit with you and Mark while we drooled over his car. Think it was Wednesday.
Yup, I remember you guys. Should'a said you were out in the pits, racing, etc ou:. I may have had a drink or twoby then...LOL. Next year :TU:
Guys and Gals I have attended the GS Nats maybe 12 times or so, and I do agree it has changed , and seems to have diwindled down abit over the years. I entered my GN the first time I attended, and did so as a GSCA member. I met a ton of cool like minded Buick gearheads and even some of the noted vendors who amired my GN and gave their input on to make it run better and shine better. I go see my friends and to get ideas on what I can do to mine.....and man as a spectator was honestly thrilled to see those Buicks run the quarter and "hang their hoops" . I got old VHS tapes of when I filmed those car running the track and you can hear me argue with my wife to stay longer and get more footage. I even aquired a Buick Regal and put a 455 in it to run in the REGAL MODIFIED class , but when done.. the class kinda fizzeled out, and since hasnt been a big class, but still went to see those did build a RM car race it. With that said, I did attend this year and noticed it has changed dramaticly. If i was a first time attendee, I'd be heisatant to come to another. Now mind you, I'm not a memember of the GSCA anymore and I'm a small voice and havent really experinced winning at a prestigous event and looking for a payout, so experince isnt directing my comments , its as a spectator. I will still attend the event, and drive my Regal down to it, I do because I enjoy the time to visit ole friends see the new projects or even experince a new number thats was ran in the quarter, see the new products and see what could be had for inexspensive from the vendors and swap meet traders. I do attend other events ........ folks I hafta say..... they are still going strong, and vendors galore and traffic control for the parking of spectators, and yes the drag cars and show cars are in abudance. Why? promoting.... they care... they what new blood... they cater to the new crowd... they share .... and the pay-outs well ARE NOT that big.. but modest. Yet people flock from abroad to these events. I dont have the answers.... but seeing what I see they do have an answer. With this known might a good suggestion to have us go out and investigate. There is one event I do attend that is the same event held in various locations all over the U.S.A. and you pay some bucks to participate in, to win a part of the event, or be overall winner.... no cash pay-outs at all, just the honor of being the best of best , and an invatation to attend a national televised event, and try to winn against others that were chosen ( that never even put tire to track , but the car was built for that purpouse) and against winners from the other events. Orginally ran by 1 guy with no money to invest, and a dream of a few others and has caught on big time, yes big sponsors, again no pay-out, just the sponsors funds for the facility and insurance . The price for admission for spectators ....$0000. Your cost to participate goes to expenses of maintaing Public Relations, a forum board and Ads, even fliers, and internet POD cast, and pay for live streaming video. So an event can be ran.... and still get the people in and word of mouth for promoting it. with out the Big Monies... I am the Vice Director of the Indiana Buick Chapter, and have talk to my club memembers on what to do to put some life back in the club, I'm currently talking to my work about sponsoring a new drag class at the GS Nats, a Teen class, where the cars are to be no faster than NHRA mandated need for a rollbar, so just a helmet. Straight up, heads up racing. no bracket........ for scholarship monies toward a automotive career trade, or automotive trade school. from legal driver age of state issused . To 19 years old So there this is the young ones getting into racing and keeping our sport alive, and even our event, let alone the love for Buicks. More new Blood................... Some may be upest by this suggestion, but do to small amounts in the race car field, as of now..... dont let the racers pit in the track. And open it to a new kind of racing..... Auto-X.... the LS Nats are held in Bowling Green also, they use the track for Auto-x and people line up to run there cars on the track, and those cars are more than capable of running down the track as well. A 3 day event for those cars.... a big road tour cruise to prove their road worthyness, one day, the next would be and auto-x event, and one day be held on the dragstrip called the start stop challenge, drag race off at full steam to an 1/8 mile and stop in a 40' box with out going out, the fastest speed wins, not the time. Also put it in a same event where they start at the lights run down straight, turn around to the opposite and solom race back and then stop in a 40' box. This would bring new vendors, new people, fresh Ideas and bigger crowds, even some better coverage by automotive media.... Plus some of those who say your to old to race or enjoy your car, like it could be , here's your chance, longer seat time... sharpen up your reflexes, see what your car can do, and know that just more fuel, more jets, bigger cams, or nitrous wont, work.... it's knowing the limits of your car, knowing your lines on the track, where to turn how hard to brake, those are human logistics to overcome to shave ETs down. Like I stated earlier I spoken to my club.. and for the most part we would set this event and run it... Ladies and Gents...... Its just my opinion... my thoughts... But do believe it could work...... Never knew your Buick could handle like a Go_kart? Thanks for letting me rant..
Chris, Sounds like a good idea. I'm an avid drag racer with my roots in the show car field, so I've done both. Adding the latest trend (Auto-X) has many positives sides. There are more and more road race Buick's out there... I know I've built quite a few oil pans for them. In fact I've been kicking around the idea that my next "ride" will be a car that can go fast in a straight line, corner well and stop well. Those are the kinds of cars that you can actually drive on the street and enjoy! Payouts for racing is another story. I don't agree with having NO payouts because our Buick group is too small to bring out the expensive toys for just "bragging rights". We all pretty much know who's cars are the fastest and in what order we fall into, so some small cash reward is a good thing. It doesn't have to be huge, just maybe a few hundred or so for some compensation of winning. Those amounts should be very easy to obtain. Extra cash for the large/fast classes is always available from companies to boost attendance, in hopes of winning some larger cash payouts. Bragging rights for the Buick guys just doesn't go very far! If bragging rights is all we were racing for attendance would be EXTREMELY LOW! Keep us informed of any progress with the Auto-X idea. I for one think it would be a GOOD addition!! Steve
I had a great time at the Nationals. A little cool, but it did not RAIN. I saw the New PA amps in the tower on Friday. They were a brand I did not recognize. It looks like Beach Bend just spent alot of money on new Amps.
Steve Reynolds... Its great to see your enthusiam in the Auto-x... Didn't know you made those style of pans for the Buick crowd... Do you do make then for V6's and V8's as well? So it will be a show & shine, Drag Race , Auto-x , design and engineering event!!! and will get those lawnchair riders out from behind those cars, and gets them out and drive them. As for the Pay-outs ... I do understand. Not niching them, but just showing that some guys do run for fun, not just the cash... but I do know some sponsors and vendors regconise their accomplishments, and sometimes... donate , or give a highly discounted purchase from them, to help get their rides to the next level. Thus free advertisement, and true real world R&D test of their products. But If we pull in more vendors an people with the Auto-x , it may provide more expenable cash.. for some BIG Payouts..... and knowing that , they could be published ahead of time and get a bigger car count.Thus bigger crowds to see the Bad A$$ Buicks run. Yes gots to do more talking with my club, but I do believe they are behind me. Now who or what does one hafta talk too to get to see what has to be done or where to start in the GSCA to get this rolling so to speak. What's your input on the teen drag class, or even a teen Auto-x class?
Chris, You hit the nail on the head here and so have a few others. I personally can tell you that I for one am not too happy about this $55 registration fee as a vendor on top of paying $120 to be able to vend at BG where ALL other Buick events are FREE for vendors... Then on top of that I was going to race TAI and they told me it was $93.00!! :shock: They wanted another $55 registration fee and $38 to race..... I said the hell with that! The man running BG has been asking/wondering what to do to bring in more people lately well they might want to look at what "They" are doing because I believe they are pushing people away. At a time like this DROPPING prices will promote more people to come first of all....Take us for instance, we vend and bring our products 4 hours to BG set up and offer a discounted "Show price" for the people there but the people running BG don't change a thing. I don't think "Payouts" will bring more in at all, that has been proven time and time again at other events so I don't think that will do it.... I will tell you this, there are actually talks right now of offering a new event that will be very big if this man can put it together. It will be at BG, it will have an Auto-x, it will have many more vendors and all kinds of various things to do while there. I can't say too much right now but if this is put together it will be HUGE!
It cost me $722.00 back to Calif. If diesel fuel doesn't come down this might be my last trip. (26 years) Sam
Chris, I currently only do the big block Buick stuff. I've done the V6 stuff as well as the 350 oil pans, but SRE is only part time and I just can't spread myself that thin. I will take special requests on a limited basis from time to time. As far as the payouts go I tend to agree that a big payout doesn't mean a big turnout, but something in the $200 range is minimal. Racing for nothing but bragging rights will not bring in extra cars. To bring a lot of cars it takes BIG money and that we will never have with a Buick only event... nor do we need BIG money to win, just enough to make it something to shoot for. Steve
I couldn't auto-x the Estate wagon (manual steering!!!), but this would be fun. At some point in the future I'd bring a car that I could enter. Just a thought, have you considered CNG? (or is it propane?) The fuel costs are quite a bit less than either gas or diesel.
Alan try it anyways..... Bring it on!!! Ive seen guys run an auto-x with pizza cutters on the front and big tires on the rear, they didnt care they were there for the fun. Needless to say they did ok. Its not about the results, even with or with out power steering, it's the journey on how you got there, somewhere you gonna have that cat ate the bird grin!! Steve Reynold Got anymore info or pics on your 455 pans? trap doors and 1 way doors to curb the oil slosh and starvation? gonna have to get one for my ride eventually. To all who's reading and is courious, try it your stone stock Buick, then if there are us that have are cars built for it, we'd be happy to give ride alongs, pop your cherry so to speak, it is addicting and fun, and for those who got strick quarter miler pounders, bring them too, most of the suspension you got already is almost the same. The same build technique used to build a 1/4 car are used to build Pro-touring cars, so now you don't have choice to say you can't have one or build one, a few changes here and there and your ready to go. So now you can ride and drive and compete in both venues with the same car. So Get Out and Drive your Buick!!
It wasn't my carb it was my converter.... Put my BLP carb on my buddies car he picked up 3 tenths. My converter tightened up so the car wouldnt launch or idle.
Hey Chris, You know I like the idea about the autocross and speed stop challenge. Each time I've been to Bowling Green I've thought that the circle track area would be a great place for an autocross. I'm in.
DrBuick I was hoping you would find this thread..... The more the merrier on the Auto-x course.... Now To all like minded Buick gearheads.... Who or What has to be contacted to bring the idea to life? Steve Reynolds Pure Buick Porn!!! Awesome oil Pans!!!:TU::Brow:
