Who's going to Vegas for W. Coast Nats in October?

Discussion in 'Other Buick Events' started by NOTNSS, Feb 23, 2003.

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Odds you will attend the Buick West Coast Nationals in Las Vegas - Oct. 3-4, 2003?

  1. 100% - If I still have a pulse.

    13 vote(s)
    46.4%
  2. 80% - Looking Good.

    5 vote(s)
    17.9%
  3. 50/50 - Hmmm...

    6 vote(s)
    21.4%
  4. 30% - Slim chance but I'm pondering.

    2 vote(s)
    7.1%
  5. 0% - When Fords Fly

    2 vote(s)
    7.1%
  1. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    I know it's very early but since the dates are out on the Buick West Coast Nationals in Las Vegas (Oct. 2-4, 2003) I thought it might work to have a poll on who WILL, MIGHT, or HOPES to make it to Vegas. The poll will run until October so there's plenty of time to plan vacation time, get the Ok from the spouse, make travel plans, install that new aluminum headed monster, test and tune at your local facility, and get pumped about ONE MORE race this year.

    V8 and Turbo racers are encouraged to post to the poll. Please follow up with a short note in this thread on who you are, where you're coming from, and what your car is.

    We're REALLY hoping for a good turnout this year, especially for V8 Buicks. This event started out as a Turbo event but has evolved into a BUICK event and we're going to work hard to make it grow. Only you can make it happen.

    Track times this year are afternoons through late night/early morning. That will allow plenty of time to recreate with the spouse and kids. There is a lot more to do in Vegas than gamble, but that is always an option. For those who might be concerned that they won't find an open tavern for bench racing at 3am after the track shuts down - not to worry - bars in Nevada NEVER close.

    :beer

    I realize, of course, that plans change with time. This is in no way intended to be carved in stone as the number of folks who'll be in Vegas, but a way to get an idea of that number, and if it's substantial, a way to encourage others to join us. I don't know the exact number of Turbo cars that were there in 2002 but I'd guess 30 or so. I'll find that out if possible.

    Let's get a BIG TIME Buick event going on THIS side of the Rockies!:TU:
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2003
  2. opeltwinturbo

    opeltwinturbo Well-Known Member

    The wife and I have already put it on the calendar. The only problem is that the Cecil County (Maryland) race is the following weekend. Just enough time to drop the wife at the house on the flip side while I head for the east coast. Bruce Hunter was talking about setting up a caravan for us east coast guys who will be attending. He assured me last year that he would be trailering his 70 GS for fun and games. Looking forward to Vegas.

    Later. JS
     
  3. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    An afterthought:

    When you post your response to the poll, maybe follow up with a little note here stating who you are, where you're coming from, and what kind of car you will be bringing. I'll edit the post so we can include turbo cars. I want to differentiate between V8 and turbo so we can have an idea of how many V8s will be there.

    Thanks.
     
  4. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    John,

    Looking forward to seeing you and Bruce there. Barely had time to just say Hi last year. Bruce had to chase us down in the staging line. It'll be nice to see a 10sec. GS there and hopefully you guys will get a miles long caravan going.
     
  5. dryskip

    dryskip Mid-life Crisis Victim

    Well, I hope to bring 2 cars from LoCal. First will be my 67 California GS with the warmed up 340, 200-4r, posi, PS, PB & A/C. The second car will be a BBB in a 68 GS350 with sp400, 4.11 posi 12 bolt. Building this car to be 80% strip, 20% street. BTW, we have a '67 California GS in the shop that sports a 600 hp T/A fuel injected BBB. The owner has told me he will do all he can to get the car to LV. He lives in San Francisco.
     
  6. benderbrew

    benderbrew Well-Known Member

    Las Vegas

    You betch-em Red Rider. Ya, plan to be there with the rest of the West Coast, (So. Cal. group). Will bring my Cast Iron Stage II head Skylark and the possibility of the 67 GS 400 (455) car. I have a very good Stage I motor with upgraded cam and ported heads ready to bolt into the 67---just looking for time to do it. The existing 455 is a strong motor but the Stage I motor is quite a bit more "umnpaa".

    Len
     
  7. 455LARK

    455LARK Member

    I hope to make it to vegas this year for the event. I looked at going last year but it looked like mostly a turbo event. I will be coming from arizona , not to far away. if i make it ill be bringing
    my 64 skylark 455.
    I hope to see a lot of 455 intrest in this event, it will be a lot more fun if we can get a good car count for this event.

    TOM
     
  8. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    Tom,

    I'm pretty sure we'll do better than the 8 V8 cars we had last year. Already there is at least one 10-sec. V8 guy from Ohio (Bruce Hunter) planning to be there and I'm thinking he'll be persuading some folks from that neck of the woods to wander out to Vegas with him. Heck, if Bruce and John just snag one car in each state on the way through...

    Also, there were a couple guys who couldn't make it last year that really wanted to, so I'm counting on them as well. I'm going to make an early guess that we get minimum 20 V8 cars this year. It really was a lot of fun with just our small crowd; got to know everyone there and did some good bench racing. I expect it will grow each year as the word spreads.

    And not all the V8 folks who will be there will be responding to this poll.
     
  9. Nitro71455

    Nitro71455 Procharged 455 boost baby

    The 2 through the 4th look good to me! I'll be there for sure. I'm sure my buddy Dave with the 70 Stage1 will be there as well. It's practicaly all he can talk about :grin:
     
  10. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    Rich,

    Good deal man. Is that Dave Monson, with the blue Stage 1? Met him last year. Nice guy. We ran nearly identical numbers. :beer
     
  11. Nitro71455

    Nitro71455 Procharged 455 boost baby

    Thats the guy! He is a good guy........... Just like the rest of us, he has Buick of the Brain. I some times wonder if he can spit out a sentence without saying the word's "buick, GS, GN, 455, Stage" :grin:

    Hi's been making a few mods (wanting to be faster this year) so....... watch out Gary :TU:
     
  12. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    No changes here Rich. I just parked it after Vegas last year and will just put up with the non-functional posi and stock stall TH350. Heck, I don't think I'll even check the timing. It was good enough.... :rolleyes:
     
  13. bballsam

    bballsam SoCal Gran Sports

    "THE" Wagon

    Ok, I'm going to start working
    on Mike early, "THE" wagon will be there!!
    Sam
     
  14. Ben Sadleir

    Ben Sadleir Member

    Hey Boys, put me in not as fast as you guys but I'll have just as much fun I'll betcha Ben Elko Nv.
     
  15. MikeM

    MikeM Mississippi Buicks

    Maybe I can send my GS350 convertible out there for a few runs. I'll still be in China. Would be my second year with a designated driver.

    Skip, will be in touch about this.
     
  16. Bruce Hunter

    Bruce Hunter Well-Known Member

    Discovery Channel at LVMS 2002

    Hi guys, remember when The discovery channel did some shooting at the track that weekend? my girlfriend reminded me that they said it will be broadcast March 19th 2003.
    Not sure if they will keep that date or not but be on the lookout for a shot of your car!

    Gary, Plans are in the works to make the Vegas trip this year with car! and I'll snag as many headed west as possible!!:grin:

    Bruce
     
  17. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    Re: Discovery Channel at LVMS 2002

    Right on Bruce. I figure Sam and Scott should be in the DSC film since they sat under the tower for an hour or so waiting on the Discovery crew so they could run their final in the elim. after the lights screwed up.

    Snag that Garrison character on your way through Kansas. Maybe Detective Rick and the NE crowd will join us. Renee & Denny, Redline Ron R., etc., etc. Come one, come all.
     
  18. BuickGS65

    BuickGS65 '65 Skylark/GS Enthusiast

    I'm stupid - edjamakate me!

    I've never drag raced before. How exactly does this event work? Classes? Safety requirements? Price?

    Sounds like fun - but what can I expect to run with a '65 Skylark 300 4v (.030, 9 to 1, headers, cam), 2004r (shift kit, etc) 2.78 gears? Last place can't be that bad....

    Thanks for the info guys.
     
  19. NOTNSS

    NOTNSS Gold Level Contributor

    Re: I'm stupid - edjamakate me!

    Dan,

    Faster is more fun but is NOT required to do well or WIN bracket races. At Vegas we have a V8 Buick bracket and brackets for the Turbo cars. The key to bracket racing is consistency and the ability to "cut a light". You basically get 3 or more "qualifying" runs to see what times your car runs, then "dial in" the time you expect from it in Eliminations. That is, if you run 14.00, 14.22,
    13. 97, etc. qualifying then you'd dial in somewhere in that range as the time you expect when it counts. It's a handicap system.

    Let's say you dial in 14.00 and the guy in the next lane is dialed in at 12.00. Your tree will light 2.00 seconds before his... you'll get the green light 2.00 seconds before him. In other words, he has to sit under the tree for 2 seconds while you're scooting down the track. It's then up to him to cut a good light and run you down and get ahead of you without "breaking out". Breaking out is when you run quicker than your dial in. Dial in at 14.00 and run 13.99 or quicker.. you lose. If you both break out, the guy who's time is closest to his dial wins. In the event there is no breakout the winner is the guy who runs closest to his dial-in. 14.00 dial, run 14.002 against 12.00 runs 12.003.. 14.002 wins.

    Of course, a red light on the tree means you lose. That's taking off before the green is lit.

    It takes some practice on the tree and some math skills as well as a good bit of luck.

    I used to have a webpage that explained it better but can't find it. It is fun for sure and anyone can win it.
     
  20. Nitro71455

    Nitro71455 Procharged 455 boost baby

    I thought you explained it rather well Gary.
     

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