y2kws6
06-13-2010, 11:06 PM
Overall it was blast and for $65 we make out great. Of course room and gas is an extra, but well worth it.
Here are some other insights on the venue:
http://www.hotrod.com/2010/powertour/index.html
http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Guide-to-BangShift.com-s-Coverage-of-the-2010-Hot-Rod-Power-Tour.html
Drive down to Day 1 Newton, IA - Almost hit a dead animal in the dark. Swerved to the rumble strips and back to the street in the clear. This all happened in mere seconds.
Day 1 - Goodies day, all the hand outs, seen Mr. Foose (line too long for autograph), ran the pinewood derby (got second place - a guy came with 12 cars), Hotel was interesting ($39/night and Jacki and I were in separate beds because they were too small to sleep together in.)
Day 2 (Springfield, IL) - Was surprised to have it downtown, but it was great to have a different venue. Won some more shirts and hats. Good ride and road traveled.
Day 3 (DuQuion, IL) - Was a great run, joined more of our friends that we have created on the trip. Decent day and enjoined the show cars.
Day 4 (Bowling Green, KY) - Got to go on stage for GM Performance spouse game. We did ok (Jacki and I did not state the same answers on some), but we won anyway (nice backpack and full cleaning kit).
Day 5 (Chattanooga, TN) - Played in the Adult big wheel race for Comp Cams and won a $50 gift card for them. Won a Hot Rod "I saved Detroit" shirt and a Mothers head and tail light/plastic cleaner.
Day 6 (Birmingham, AL) - We skipped the route and went straight to the hotel to unload the car for the autocross event (1st place = $1000, 2nd place = $500, 3rd place = $250). It was the hottest day so far (somewhere in the 100s). We arrived and went straight the track portion at 11:30am. Tech'd in and started running the track at noon with about 20 minutes between each run. First try was 25.81, Second was a 24.35 and I knew that the top number was 21.99, so I my goal was a 23.xx within the next two runs. My next run was a 22.49 and I moved all the way to 3rd place. Now I had to try harder. The track was getting hotter and so were my tires. Next runs were 23.1 and 23.6. THEN they only had the top ten cars run for 45 minutes, these were literally hot laps. I had two great runs, but took out 1 cone in one and about 4 at once in another. Out of the 6 runs in the 45 minutes my best was 23.0 and a convertible vette got a 22.39 in his second to last run, bumping me out of third. However the 1st place car (Porsche GT3) got caught running 60 rated tires (minimum was 200), so I got Third place and $250, but happy with my results.
Day 7 (Mobile, AL) - The trip to mobile was something I will never forget. We started before the pack this day and when I got to Hwy 69 I saw something strange about 1000 feet in front of us and realized it was an accident. It was actually a head on collision with one of the participants. I will let you read the story here (http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20100611/NEWS/100619954/1007?Title=Florida-man-killed-in-head-on-collision). Jacki and I including many others assisted with the injured and paramedics. We made it in time to the venue for check in and talked to Jerry Pitt and the CEO of Hotrod (Happened to just be near them when they were having discussion of the accident). Very eventful and got more hats for the kids and vendor product. Very glad we could do what we could.
Day 8 (On the USS Alabama destroyer) - Photo will be interesting. I think they will get 1/3rd of the people in the shot. The long hauler award is a nice bag with logos. Drive home was nice, stopped in Bowling Green Corvette museum for their "BIG CRUISE", LOL there was about 30 cars there. We continued home, spent the night in Indiana and then proceeded home today.
Now to prepare for next year.............................................. .....
Dan and Jacki
Here are some other insights on the venue:
http://www.hotrod.com/2010/powertour/index.html
http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Guide-to-BangShift.com-s-Coverage-of-the-2010-Hot-Rod-Power-Tour.html
Drive down to Day 1 Newton, IA - Almost hit a dead animal in the dark. Swerved to the rumble strips and back to the street in the clear. This all happened in mere seconds.
Day 1 - Goodies day, all the hand outs, seen Mr. Foose (line too long for autograph), ran the pinewood derby (got second place - a guy came with 12 cars), Hotel was interesting ($39/night and Jacki and I were in separate beds because they were too small to sleep together in.)
Day 2 (Springfield, IL) - Was surprised to have it downtown, but it was great to have a different venue. Won some more shirts and hats. Good ride and road traveled.
Day 3 (DuQuion, IL) - Was a great run, joined more of our friends that we have created on the trip. Decent day and enjoined the show cars.
Day 4 (Bowling Green, KY) - Got to go on stage for GM Performance spouse game. We did ok (Jacki and I did not state the same answers on some), but we won anyway (nice backpack and full cleaning kit).
Day 5 (Chattanooga, TN) - Played in the Adult big wheel race for Comp Cams and won a $50 gift card for them. Won a Hot Rod "I saved Detroit" shirt and a Mothers head and tail light/plastic cleaner.
Day 6 (Birmingham, AL) - We skipped the route and went straight to the hotel to unload the car for the autocross event (1st place = $1000, 2nd place = $500, 3rd place = $250). It was the hottest day so far (somewhere in the 100s). We arrived and went straight the track portion at 11:30am. Tech'd in and started running the track at noon with about 20 minutes between each run. First try was 25.81, Second was a 24.35 and I knew that the top number was 21.99, so I my goal was a 23.xx within the next two runs. My next run was a 22.49 and I moved all the way to 3rd place. Now I had to try harder. The track was getting hotter and so were my tires. Next runs were 23.1 and 23.6. THEN they only had the top ten cars run for 45 minutes, these were literally hot laps. I had two great runs, but took out 1 cone in one and about 4 at once in another. Out of the 6 runs in the 45 minutes my best was 23.0 and a convertible vette got a 22.39 in his second to last run, bumping me out of third. However the 1st place car (Porsche GT3) got caught running 60 rated tires (minimum was 200), so I got Third place and $250, but happy with my results.
Day 7 (Mobile, AL) - The trip to mobile was something I will never forget. We started before the pack this day and when I got to Hwy 69 I saw something strange about 1000 feet in front of us and realized it was an accident. It was actually a head on collision with one of the participants. I will let you read the story here (http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20100611/NEWS/100619954/1007?Title=Florida-man-killed-in-head-on-collision). Jacki and I including many others assisted with the injured and paramedics. We made it in time to the venue for check in and talked to Jerry Pitt and the CEO of Hotrod (Happened to just be near them when they were having discussion of the accident). Very eventful and got more hats for the kids and vendor product. Very glad we could do what we could.
Day 8 (On the USS Alabama destroyer) - Photo will be interesting. I think they will get 1/3rd of the people in the shot. The long hauler award is a nice bag with logos. Drive home was nice, stopped in Bowling Green Corvette museum for their "BIG CRUISE", LOL there was about 30 cars there. We continued home, spent the night in Indiana and then proceeded home today.
Now to prepare for next year.............................................. .....
Dan and Jacki