SAAC-35- 8/27-29- Preview

[computerworks]

With SAAC's National Convention (SAAC-35) coming up next week, I thought I would start a thread and post some info about the Convention and the various activities.

It will be based at Infineon Raceway (Sears Point), which is a great track.

It might be too late to plan a cross-country trip, but, if you are in the Nor Cal area (or anywhere in the Western states), it will be an event worth making a day or two trip for. The Convention is open to all Ford-powered enthusiasts.

Let me start by reposting a recent News Blurb from SAAC about the event.

Note that pre-registration is closed and that the Saturday Evening Dinner is sold out; the last page of the blurb has a reg form... if you plan on coming, print it out and bring it with you to Registration.

More event info to follow... here's a good summary of the Convention:

[badrich]

Come on out and cheer me on at the drags Friday. I'm takin' on all machines with street tires! Rich

[Excaliber]

Uh oh, that leaves me out, I'll be running road race slicks at the drag strip. They are not actually very good for drag racing because they don't wrinkle wall and there fairly slippery when cold. But,,, ya gotta run what you brung. They are great with a little heat in them, but no burn outs for me.

[computerworks]

If you get in the San Rafael area Thursday (the host hotel is the Embassy Suites; it is currently fully booked), we are having a casual Early Arrivers Cruise late Thursday afternoon.

There's some beautiful scenic routes in the area of SAAC-35, once you get off the freeways.
For our early arrivers, we have planned a casual 3-hour cruise off the beaten path and up the Pacific Coast Highway.

Meet up for this event at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Rafael on Thursday, August 26 at 5 pm.
The grid will be set and we are looking at a 5:30 departure.

There is no fee for this cruise and it's up to you to be sure that your vehicle is set for a 60 mile round-trip.
We will have a chase car to help handle any unforeseen emergencies.

From the Embassy Suites, we will head South on 101, against the traffic and jump off on the Shoreline Highway 1.

First stop...Muir Beach

Stinson Beach and Point Reyes Station are stops along the way.

The return trip will cross Lucas Valley and bring us back to the hotel.

The total distance is a little more than 60 miles; with photo stops along the way, the duration should be nearly 3 hours, getting us back to the hotel around 8:30 pm.

Contact Earl Castillo to get on the grid for the Thursday Night Early Arrivers Cruise.
Mail to: earl_castillo (at) yahoo.com

[computerworks]

Drag Racing returns to the Convention at SAAC 35...."Friday...Friday...Friday!"

Infineon Raceway is a world-class NHRA sanctioned track, hosting national events... a great place to bring back the Drags. We will close the Road Course and convert the track for Drag Racing on Friday afternoon, August 27... running the Drags until closing time.

More than 50 cars, new and old, have pre-registered for the event, and we expect some more convention attendees may decide to join the fun when they get there.

We have some very special exhibition cars to add to the excitement... want to see a T-Bolt let it hang out in the 1/4? ..Be there.

Your Event daily admission gets you a seat in the grandstand; you must register in advance (see below) if you want to run.

You can run for time slips or set up a grudge run with your buddy.

A valid drivers license is required for all participants. Seat belts are required. Batteries MUST be secured by factory hold down. Helmets will be required for all drivers. A radiator overflow catch can is HIGHLY recommended. Open exhaust is allowed and encouraged..noise limits are waived for the Drags.

Experts will be on hand to answer ANY question you have and help you familiarize yourself with the track. All cars will be tech-inspected by the Drag Racing team prior to running.

For more information and sign-up info, contact Randy Gillis

Mail to: gillis_racing (at) earthlink.net

[Paul F]

For any Star Wars aficionados, Skywalker Ranch is on Lucas Valley road. This is George Lucas' facility for movie post-production and his offices. Further east is Big Rock Ranch (you'll see the big rock) where his animation company is producing a cartoon for the cartoon network.

[computerworks]

See you at the Friday Evening Social.

We have planned our Social get-together at SAAC-35 for Friday night, August 27, at the Embassy Suites Hotel. With a full weekend of track activities ahead at Infineon, we want to host a opportunity for you to meet and greet your friends as they arrive and get into the swing of convention weekend.

Very popular at the last convention, the Social takes up the full banquet area of the hotel and provides many things to keep you busy and make you smile.

The entire perimeter of the banquet room will be filled with tables, and we will have plenty of sit-down tables in the center. You can grab a soft-drink or more at the Cash Bar and sit with your buddies to shoot the breeze. The patio will also be open and available.

Walk around the room and visit these stops:

Meet the Registrars - get questions answered and also talk with others who have cars like yours.

Meet the VIPs - spend some time with our featured guests...and maybe get an autograph.

Tech Questions & Answers - some of the more knowledgeable people from the restoration, race preparation and specialty services areas will be there to answer your questions.

Table-Top Swap Meet: there will be a limited number of tables for vendors selling smaller items as well as literature and memorabilia.

Exhibitor Tables - representatives from the more prominent Shelby/Cobra businesses will be on hand to answer questions

SAAC Information - have a question about your membership? Club procedures or policies? The new registry? Want to join the club? We’ll have the Membership team from SAAC HQ there to handle all of this.

We mentioned the Cash Bar, but we hear there may be more culinary goodies inside the room for you to "nosh" on.

Admission to the Friday Night Social is included with your Friday Daily Admission pass. If you have not planned to register for Friday and would like to attend the Social, a $10 admission fee will be collected at the door.
You can handle your Registration for Saturday and Sunday as well.

[RodKnock]

Just looking at those bicyclists in the photo above, I will offer anyone willing to listen that the bicyclists in the SF Bay Area can be an tough ornery group to share the road with around here. They sometimes feel they own the road and they often times run in packs of dozens and dozens of them.

[Paul F]

I'll second that. Levi Leipheimer lives north of SF. This is road racer's country. Especially so in the hills that you will be riding. Please consider that around any corner a bicycle or two will be in the road (both ways), with no shoulder, and either a cliff or a rock wall as your exit plan, and you, an oncoming car, and bicyclists may come up together. While it may be tempting to get on it a bit on these quiet, winding roads, you may be surprised around any corner.

[computerworks]

Saturday TransAm Race

There is a reason why the heyday of the SCCA Trans-Am series (1967-1970) is talked about and celebrated some forty years later. It was incredibly exciting. It pitted this country's best and most aggressive drivers against each other. Manufacturers were involved. And the cars that raced were very close to their street versions that spectators drove to the track to watch the races.

Today, most of these cars have been found, restored to their original, as-raced configuration, and raced in special vintage races. They even have their own racing association...the Historic Trans-Am Group. When they race at a vintage event, they come as a group.

They only allow cars which have verifiable Trans-Am history, and the cars must be restored to exact period specifications... cosmetic and mechanical. All the drivers know each other and they put on an excellent exhibition of what Trans-Am competition was like during those years.

These are the "Big Boys" of vintage racing and they will be joining us at SAAC-35 at Infineon Raceway: Boss Mustangs, Shelby-built Mustang notchbacks, Bud Moore Cougars as well as Camaros, Barracudas, Challengers and Javelins are part of this group.

We're expecting a dozen or more at the convention. They practice on Friday, August 27, qualify on Saturday morning, August 28
...and the green flag drops on Saturday at 1:50 p.m. for the Trans-Am race.

This vintage race is like stepping back in time because the cars are perfectly restored. They are exactly the way they were when they were raced back in the day. No state-of-the-art updates and no trick, go-fast parts. The emphasis is on history... the way it was, not the way someone wishes it was.

It's a special treat.

Don't miss it!

[computerworks]

On Sunday, August 29, at 1:50 p.m., you’ll want to grab a piece of fence to get a good view of the Vintage Race. The SAAC Vintage Race is a little different because it’s ALL SHELBYS... ALL THE TIME.

If you’ve seen vintage races before you know what it’s like to watch the parade of cars, and how your pulse increases every time the Shelbys and Cobras scream by. Once the green flag drops your pulse accelerates—especially during those early laps when the cars are hunting and weaving and jockeying for position.

Ten laps go by in what seems like the blink of an eye. The hair on the back of your neck will stand on end for 10 laps!

What’s on tap? For starters, Cobra Automotive is mounting a multi-car attack, filling two or three transporters with the fastest cars on the East Coast. The first car off their trailer will be Curt Vogt’s #530. These guys have been getting in shape by eating raw meat without forks and knives and letting the blood run down their chins. Who are they going to butt heads with?

Mike Eisenberg’s Maeco Motorsports is plotting a vicious counter-attack with its gang. Out in front is the Black Knight, Dan Luckow #99, who sharpened his fangs by practicing at the recent Tulsa event. They started him dead last and before the first lap was over he was in first place. Rumor has it that he spends a few hours each day looking at a picture of Vogt’s car, growling and beating his chest. Las Vegas odds-makers are giving 50- 50 odds.

But don’t discount the dark horses from Nor Cal.
Infineon is their home track and they have it dialed in. Keep your eye on the old lions: Tom Fry, Ken Epsman and Tom Georgalos. They are all contenders, as is Jimmy Hague.

This race will make the final laps of the Daytona 500 look like the Soapbox Derby.

This race is always a high point of convention weekend. Check the schedule and watch the entrants practice on Friday and Saturday.
...but be sure to be there for qualifications and the actual race on Sunday.

...another "Don't miss it!"

[4pipes]

Ron, will the paddock and garages be open to all attendees?

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by 4pipes

Ron, will the paddock and garages be open to all attendees?

The garages are rented individually for the full weekend and have been sold out for many months.

The Paddock will have a special parking area for certain groups, including ClubCobra members.

When you check in at registration to pick up your badge (or to register as a "walk-up"), tell them you are from Club Cobra and they will give you a special Paddock Parking Pass. We are trying to keep this only for Cobra and specialty cars, Mustang, etc., not valid for other "daily drivers."

[4pipes]

Sorry, my question wasn't clear. Can attendees walk around anywhere on the grounds, including the garages and paddock (obviously, not in the hot pit).

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by computerworks

The garages are rented individually for the full weekend and have been sold out for many months.

The Paddock will have a special parking area for certain groups, including ClubCobra members.

When you check in at registration to pick up your badge (or to register as a "walk-up"), tell them you are from Club Cobra and they will give you a special Paddock Parking Pass. We are trying to keep this only for Cobra and specialty cars, Mustang, etc., not valid for other "daily drivers."

Ron,

The Club Cobra paddock parking pass does not include later model Mustangs, only vintage Mustangs correct ?

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by 4pipes

Sorry, my question wasn't clear. Can attendees walk around anywhere on the grounds, including the garages and paddock (obviously, not in the hot pit).

Absolutely.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by tkb289

Ron,

The Club Cobra paddock parking pass does not include later model Mustangs, only vintage Mustangs correct ?

Certainly includes Newgen Shelby and GT500, etc.

hmmm..for the others, judgment call on a given day, based on space available.

[JJCobra]

Thanks Ron- Is walk up registration the only way to register now?

Jason

[John McMahon]

hmmmm... always lots of 'unsavory characters' trolling around these events. Might wanna steer clear....right Ron?

[Excaliber]

Rumors of Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear gang bringing a "bloody ripper" of a car are greatly exaggerated, I'm pretty sure...