Feeler: 86 Expo - 2 day HPDE

[Dave-ROR]

A number of people here know, but I'm involved with the Integra Type-R expo (www.itrexpo.com) which is a two day HPDE that happens once a year at a (usually different) track somewhere in the US. There is also a banquet after the first day with sponsor raffle prizes, etc..

Anyways, I was considering throwing an event together for FR-S/BRZ cars (and others to fill in the numbers we'd need unless there are enough FR-S/BRZs to support it). The event is run as a non-profit event.

I can get into a lot of details later, but for now I want to see if it even makes sense to attempt this year. It would start small this year, say at a club track such as BeaveRun in PA, or CMP in SC, or Gingerman in MI, or Grattan in MI, etc.

Yes, this would be a long drive for many. We've had people bitch at us for ITR Expo for years but as an annual event it's hard to be sure it'll always be in your backyard.. and I ignore the whining as it's never been less than a 9 hour drive for me, and more often than not is a 20 hour drive but it's worth it every year.

Cost depends hugely on venue, but ITR Expo has ranged from 350-450, including tracks like VIR Full, Mid Ohio, Mid America, Autobahn Country Club (south and full), etc to give you an idea on price of the event itself.

Anyways, this is a feeler for now, if we do something it'll become more organized and a lot more info will come out. If you are interested in seeing an event like this and are near Mid Ohio we have the ITR Expo there this month, stop by and check it out if you have the time (sadly it's a monday/tuesday, MO was impossible to get on a reasonable weekend).

[mechaghost]

Hey if you do it somewhere in the PNW, I'm up for it

[coolhandluke]

Originally Posted by mechaghost

Hey if you do it somewhere in the PNW, I'm up for it

Believe it or not, a long drive via caravan adds to the experience of the event. It increases gas costs and travel time but I encourage you consider traveling outside of your area for an event like this. ITR Expo was at CMP (my old location's backyard last year) at only a 2.5hr drive, and it was a different experience. I have been attending ITR Expo since 07', and the caravan is always a fun and good experience.

The greatest part of an event like this is bringing people together. Some travel thousands of miles each year, enough to prove 1 or two people aren't crazy. :P The community is why I attend ITR Expo ever year.

If Dave/others get this event off the ground I will do what I can to support the event as a paid driver.

[dsgerbc]

I'd be down for MI tracks, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Autobahn and possibly VIR

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by mechaghost

Hey if you do it somewhere in the PNW, I'm up for it

The drive across the country is the best part!

From Florida I'd LOVE to do one up there, that would be an amazing trip. Sadly, we've found at least with our customers the West Coast never brings enough people to support the event.. we've tried a few times and it's failed every time (the first one actually was in CA but it required heavy financial assistance).

So, not wanting the first one to fail I'd be willing to bet it won't be on the WC...

[punchdrunkjuice]

I'd love it, always loved heading down to Deal's Gap for just a rotary gathering, let alone to have an HPDE event at the end of a caravan drive. Count this Hoosier in, may even bring along some of my fellow FR-S owners/customers as every FR-S I delivered thus far are interested in track days and the sort.

[punchdrunkjuice]

Mid-Ohio, VIR, Mid-America would all be awesome to drive with others.

[OrbitalEllipses]

VIR would be great.

[BadCompany235]

CMP sounds good. still haven't gotten there.

[mtsound]

I would be up for it, specially VIR

[Cornerman]

Great idea! It seems that the first weekend of October at Putnam Park is not spoken for...

If it is too late to set up our own HPDE for this year, what if we were all to sign up for one that is already scheduled? I noticed that somebody called 3BallsRacing has the weekend of Oct 27-28 at Mid Ohio and they still have about 65 openings.

[JRitt]

A few friends and I went to ITR Expo #3 (I think)...it was at BeaveRun ages ago...2003? We drove out from NJ and had a fantastic time...loads of fun hanging out and meeting other owners.

I would be in for VIR or CMP, but probably wouldn't go much further than that due to my current schedule.

Late September to late October is a really nice time to do an event in the Mid-Atlantic region. I'm heading to SEMA for work at the end of October, so that would be out for me.

Also, I'd be willing to chip in on some sort of raffle prize, etc. from my company (Essex Parts Services). I'm in for doing that regardless of whether or not we actually attend. Dave, let me know...we can do some sort of sponsorship for the event possibly, and I may be able to drum up some interest from other companies in the aftermarket as well.

I would definitely like to go though.

[UncleFester]

I'd attend VIR or possibly CMP.

[Dave-ROR]

VIR may be too risky for the first year event. It's not the most expensive track around, but it's not cheap either. I love CMP and I'm sure we could easily arrange that, although the location makes hotels/banquet facilities kind of a PITA (but luckily we just went through that last year with ITR Expo so that research would be done already).

I haven't priced Putnam in a few years so I can check on them. CMP is affordable though so small club tracks like that would probably be ideal for the first year. Not sure we have enough owners yet to fill the event with 86s (doubtful) but I could probably find fairly strong numbers for CMP.. hmm..