Event Coverage GNRS Drive-In RANT

Drove my '57 Chevy Utility Sedan (Black Widow trib car) in for both days. I didn't pre-register, with the chain of storms we've had in SoCal this month. Late Tuesday, a window of clear weather opened up, decided to go for it. Since I belong to the American Tri-Five Association, I wanted to be a part of the tri-5 exhibit, park near the building - or reasonabily close.

I arrived Saturday shortly after 5am. at Gate 17. Bench-raced with a few guys, until around 6, when the gates opened. Got to the gate to pay a C-note for BOTH days, but they didn't have the Sunday tickets in hand yet. So, I pulled off to the side, waited 15 minutes for someone to arrive with the SUNDAY TICKETS.
***WTF??? One would think tickets for BOTH DAYS would be available at the same time???

Finally got into staging... did more bench-racin', took pics of cars and the snow in the mountains. Had my coffee and donuts, watched more cars come in, lanes open up. I want another cup, but needed to drain the first one. Scanned the horizon in every direction for a portta-potty, none to be had. Asked the guys dirrecting traffic - "We just go up against that wall!"
***WTF??? Nearly 300 cars lined up by 7:30, and NO SHITTERS??? Guys aren't too picky, but I did see a few gals amonst us - they were really SOL, literlly!

Around 8, they starte to let us in. Two groups of cars staged - pre-registered, then 'day of' entrants. Pre-reg guys get to move in first - I'm good with that...

FOUR HOURS LATER, I finally got parked behind Bld. 5., but the doors were locked to make a dash to the bathroom. An ajcent building was open, made it in the nick of time!

Maybe it's me, being a nubie driving in to the GNRS, but this is the BIGGEST clusterfuck I've ever encounted to enter a show. For as long as this show has been held at the Fairplex, one would think the promotors would have ORGANIZATION down to a fine science... NOT!!!

Yes, It's still a BITCHIN show, well worth the weekend to spend there! But, NO WAY could I encourage another nubie to drive their ride in on SATURDAY!!! Sunday was a breeze, arrived at 9am and parked by 9:30. Hardly any cars drove in, crowds very light until noon. Don't think I'll EVER drive in again... a waste of $100 for 2 days to show - unless I learn from others they got their shit together for drive-ins. Nope, BEST to walk in!!!

 

GN RS drive in is always a clusterfuck. I learned a long time ago, don't bother to show up until around 8:30. Pre register and have your ticket already on the windshield. Drove up, and rolled in and parked in about 10 minutes Saturday. I would not consider going Saturday without pre registering.

 

[QUOTE="6-bangertim,

Maybe it's me, being a nubie driving in to the GNRS, but this is the BIGGEST clusterfuck I've ever encounted to enter a show. For as long as this show has been held at the Fairplex, one would think the promotors would have ORGANIZATION down to a fine science... NOT!!!

[/QUOTE]............................I feel your pain. Seems that sometimes even the bigger, longer running events fail to take a few minutes after the show to do one of those "What did we do right and what did we do wrong" things!

 

you lost me when you said you don't drive in the rain.

 

Sounds like the MSRA's BTT50's

 

That's the trouble with show cars and shows.

 

For a car show.......sounds like everything went smoothly!

 

A $100! They wanted you to pay a Hundred Dollars to show your car? They might get away with that kind of arrogance in California but I guarantee the RedNecks around here wouldn't allow it. We'd take em down a peg or two.

 

Not really - It's $100 to get your car into the show grounds and be able to park and show it off a bit around the largest, oldest, most prestigious Indoor Hot Rod show in the world. For $100 you get two people in for two days and parking for your hot rod right outside the show buildings. The normal entry is $25 per person per day and the parking lot charges $10 per day and you have to walk a fair ways to get into the show due to the size of the fairgrounds. I think that's a pretty good deal! Nothing to do with "Arrogance". SMH

 

I'd say you just made my point.

 

so, anyone take their complaints to the show organizers & fairgrounds operators?

 

It's not arrogance, it's greed. That's why I live in Idaho. Back in the 70's You could go to the Hawaiian restaurant in Sea World for about what it cost to go to a normal nice restaurant. Not any more. Here in Idaho We don't charge you to park your car and we usually don't charge you to SHOW your car unless it's for Charity or for a club to make their expenses back. The Shows that charge you to display your car to line some promoter's pockets don't get much of a turnout here.

 

Now that John Buck has taken over the LARS, I can't wait for the rants on June 20th!!

 

You must not be from Socal ...people (not everyone) here can't drive let alone in the rain. When it does rain here the weather tries to make up for no rain in a weekend...driving your car through 2' of water probably isn't good



Sent from my SCH-I535 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

We were inside Building 8 and arrived on Wednesday and unloaded Thursday, inside by noon although I will say I heard a lot of complaints about how things were handled.

Overall, a great show and we were honored with not one but TWO awards so we were over the moon!

 

my favorite part about this goofy rant is you paid $100.00 for the privilage

 

Called Rodshows yesterday, message said they were still 'on-site' - but left my name and number. Might try my luck again today, maybe tomorrow... I'll wager they don't give two shits about the drive-in cars.

I've driven in the rain, but rather not - I'm surrounded by idiots every time I take to the freeway, good weather or bad. The OC and LA County gives me a NEW appreciation for the knuckleheads around San Diego!

I needed ONE decent day to clean the car up for a ATFA photo shoot on Thursday morning, wich went well in front of the NHRA Museum. My car is very much a DRIVER, but a Utility Sedan painted like a Black Widow and powered by a 283 Fulie does make it unique!

I dunno how much Rodshows could be blamed vs. the Fairplex, but the BULLSHIT ain't worth the braggin rights to drive a car in. Only advantage is stashing a cooler in the trunk, and a place to lock up jackets, and stuff bought at the show... A shitter or two in the staging area would have been NICE for the ladies and us coffee drinkers!

I just wanted to tell about my $100 LESSON.

 

As a small time show promoter, try putting on any car event and then you can complain. It's hard work even for the small parking lot deal. Promoters in general are doing their best to help you enjoy yourselves and keep the whole thing in the black. It's not for the faint of heart.

 

So next time pre register and take an empty coke bottle with you. Should have the time of your life!

 

So for two people to go two days you actually save $20, sounds like a deal to me.

 

The LARS at 6:00 AM is the same situation. You wait, overheat, use foul language and hand over your money when you finally arrive at the entrance. I have been doing this for 35 years and somehow have never learned my lesson. I guess I'm a car show kind of person. The end result is — I have a wonderful time, see lots of roadsters and meet some old and new friends. AMEN!

 

I'd say he just showed how you have no point!

 

I did the drive in on Saturday, it went fine for me. We left the house around 6:20, stopped at McD's for breakfast at the bottom of the hill and got to the gate at about 7, rolled right up and paid our money and then drove over and got in line, and had a grand time shootin the shit with the other guys and taking pics of their cars. While we were waiting the wife had to use a bathroom, she walked over to one of the traffic dudes and asked him about a restroom and he flagged down a guy in a golf cart for her, said "that's what they're here for", and he took her to the restrooms, waited for her and brought her back.

They moved us in after the pre-register guys, and as I rolled in following a line of cars one of the volunteers directing traffic suggested I take a turn and go park next to the Suede Palace. That turned out to be great advice. We got a spot right there, plenty of open space to park. Then we went and enjoyed the hell out of the show.

Sorry you had a bum time, but IME it went great, nothing to complain about at all. And as I learned, there really was little to no advantage getting there so early, guys that rolled up at 8 - 8:30 got just as good of parking as we did.

 

In Southern California, at the Donut Derelicts weekly Saturday morning car show in Huntington Beach, you pay exactly ZERO DOLLARS to park your ride, you deal with exactly ZERO OFFICIALS telling you where to park, and the stores allow the use of their rest rooms without any issues. This adds up to the best FREE car show on the West coast. That's why 250 cars and trucks show up every Saturday and people fly-in from everywhere in the world to attend it.

 

OJ doesn't understand the magnitude GNSR. I went for the first time last year and was stunned at how large and great the show was. Worth every dollar.

 

Well, I don't know about you, but $20 is nothing to sneeze at, AND as the original ranter even mentioned, you have your car close by, you can bring in a cooler and chairs, and have a place to stash your jackets and swag. Seems like a good deal to me!

 

I have to get my ass there! 250 cars and trucks? Sounds good to me.

 

A lot of car shows in California charge a fee to show your car. The fees pay for the Police, medical stand by, fair grounds rental if used, porta johns, awards, usage taxes, clean up, union workers, over paid liberal celebrity's, etc. To call it "arrogance" shows your ignorance of the California culture.

It's not just beer and "here, hold my beer and watch this".....

 

Lots of us were at Turlock...$10...