Event Coverage Why aren't there any other kinds of HAMB events?

If you really want a HAMB friendly event in your area, put one together. Hopefully you will have a better turn out than we did....

 

We used to have the H.A.M.B. Spoon-fest but OILCAN spoiled it because he's a rough spooner.


JOE

 

Jeebus Joe! You are still alive!?!?!?!?

Joe, myself, Paso John, Tuck and many more luminaries (not me) had one of the first HAMB get togethers for Christ mas 02 or 3? Paso invited us all to his house, Joe bropught a bunch of dead wild animals and we had fun BBQing. Moriarity taxied many of us to him place for a cool shop tour way later than we should have been allowed in publuic!

 

Ha! I was just talking about that trip north the other day Trent, we left on the drop of a hat was a great time.... Well food poisoning from Denny's and the resulting effectswere not so great but you know, the rest, that was cool.

 

Hot rod people are a small group, and traditional hot rod people are a small part of that group.
The problem isn't too few events, it is not enough hot rods close enough to the event to make it to the event.
Support (grow) the events we have now, like Torque Fest, Symco, Iron Invasion ect. If they do real good, more events will be tried.

 

Here's a PERFECT example of someone who's got their thinking cap on straight - The Oilers CC Present: "Race of Gentlemen." Later, Gary

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=717724&highlight=beach

 

There are already too many new events, I think I counted 9 new midwest "traditional" events that have been started since Symco #1. It is getting to cost a fortune to go to everything. I really want to support everyone but it is getting difficult. This year I had one weekend off from middle of May til Symco. Out of town doing some show of some sort every weekend. It is almost like having a second job. Most everything is fun but gas at $4 a gallon eats up a lot of hot rod part money.

 

And now we have witnessed the recent Oilers CC's "Race of Gentlemen" - that's what I'm talking about, out of the box! Just a fantastic idea. So, who will be the first to do a hillclimb? Or a British style "trials" event with timed runs thru a maze of sticks n flags out in the country, the high dune areas around a beach, or perhaps a rally school's training area? Gary

 

We had a Reliability Run - IN THE RAIN! - a couple of Saturdays ago from Guthrie to Midwest City, Oklahoma, that the Rejects CC put on. Four open cars ran this, in the rain, along with about 20 or so other cars and trucks. This was planned for over a hundred miles and three stops, but the weather shortened it to roughly 35 miles and no stops. This was for 1978 and earlier, but 90% of the cars were '65-earlier. Had a blast!

Organize something and have some fun with it!

 

I proposed the idea of going out on a rally track here on the HAMB.
There HAD to be a pace car - and when people heard that - they said they would not participate.
Nevermind the fact that the pace car would be able to go WAAAAY faster than any traditional hot rod could ever think to go in the corners - their pace car was some high end BMW. 0-60 in 4 seconds and able to take their corners at 50MPH.....
I actually went out there in one of their rides and they took me through the turns at 40MPH and I would NOT have been able to do that in ANY ride......
the guy I was with knew the track......
anyway - there are a lot of good ideas out there.
But when you try to propose them to the group and you only get a half hearted response it makes the person throwing his balls on the line VERY hesitant to go for it.
Most don't realize just how much money goes into something like this and this is why, once people start running the numbers - they get scared and dont do it.
I sure hope that others keep the traditions alive - but as Cliffy points out - if there are TOO many events - then they just get stale. Kind of like birthday cake everyday of the week....
it is only special cause you only get it once a year.
If there are shows every weekend in 100 miles from your hometown then there is no need to make a road trip to Lonestar, Ink N Iron, Milltown, etc.
Those shows are special because everyone decides THAT is the place to be on that particular weekend.
Look at Symco - it is FULL of great cars - but more importantly is the PEOPLE!!!
Everyone decides they are going to make the trip - with or without their car just so they can have a fun time together.
I hope that more events come along - but I hope they carve out their own nitch and do something unique.
Kinda like the White Knuckle Scramble - THAT sounds like fun!!!!

 

When can we expect your new event??

 

Larry, I'm an old fart. I'd think the younger cats, those who can see it thru and set the pace for others for a few more years to come, would be the ones with their ear's perked up, brainstorming ideas, and smoozing sponsor's or promoters to get something going. Gary

 

Pistons and Paint
nov10th in Denton Texas

 

I tried to get something going last summer, same story. You put all that work into something and have it fall through. Why bother right

I'd really like to throw an event together.

 

If anyone missed the meltdown drags, it is a must attend event for 2014! I can't think of anything more HAMB perfect. Don't forget Symco shakedown coming up in 20 days and iron invasion in oct. support all the independent syndicate shows!


Please come to the Symco Shakedown. It's only $10! Aug 9-10, 2013.

 

It's an old thread but it may be that there aren't enough circle burners with old style race cars in a lot of areas that don't already have a class of cars already running. I attended a vintage race car circle track race a few years ago and two of the cars running (out of BC) were cars that I saw at rod runs a few years earlier when they were street rods. That soured me on that type of racing. I go up and watch the Maryhill hill climb every couple of years when I remember to go up but it's all vintage sports cars and you pretty well have to belong to their club to race along with paying a very stiff entry fee. Most guys don't want to beat their hot rods that hard though.

I've thought for years that it would be fun to organize a reliability run type event that was more about driving back roads in your hot rod and having lunch together at a park or some other spot and very little about parking and showing. No entry fee, no door prizes and either no or very limited awards.

 

Insurance and lawyers....We occasionally have some vintage cars at our 3/8 mile track, but they usually run the same night as the sprint car series, to share insurance costs.

I'm 450 miles away, and I'm down for that....of course I need to get my car put back together first....

 

I tell ya what would be cool: a traditional car build built from 100% donated parts from HAMBers, it could be trailered around the country as needed to get most HAMBers' involved, then auctioned/sold off to benefit Anthony Castaneda's family. I wish I had shop space to kick it off/host it.

 

The old farts have the time and experience to set these things up. I got tired of waiting for other to make things happen. That's why I (and my former club) started the Hunnert Car Pileup and Heads Up Drags. There was a need for those kinds of events, so we filled them.

I started the White Knuckle Scramble because no one was allowing vintage minibike RACING (well, other than short, straight line drags) and I wanted a place to race my vintage go kart. Besides, sitting around looking at parked cars gets boring fast. I was told by track after track that it could not happen (insurance, cost, not enough interest, etc)... but eventually, I made it work

If you want something done, MAKE IT HAPPEN! Sitting around complaining that nothing is happening is a waste. A lot of great events have been created because someone had an idea and wanted to see it become a reality.

 

Meltdown Drags,Byron, Illinois ...Run Whatcha Brung, Cordova, Illinois, ...Hunnert Heads Up,Great Lakes Dragway...

 

Gary the best part about your question is that you are getting responses from the Heads of alot of the coolest and biggest traditional events in the Midwest, I see Joe rsponded from the HCPU and White Knuckle....Cliffy from Symco and John from Torq Fest.
In a Nutshell...it boils down to people sometimes.....
Something that all of these guys will tell you candidly is that we all come under HEAVY FIRE....to have a traditional event...alot of people are offended and don't understand what we are all trying to do ( each in a different venue) people argue, act dis-respectful, and even show up and try to bawk rules....each person who wrote on here mentioned above has lived it. While we all have a vision that is similiar, but again a different venue, the work part of it is UNBELIEVEABLE.....worse yet, you need a solid crew you can count on to pull it off. There are alot of talkers but when it comes down to showing up, doing what they committ to, and delivering what they say....you quickly seperate the men from the boys. Each of these guys has a crew of dedicated people that wind up working their asses off to put the event on....many of them never ask for recognition.....these are the real people who allow others to come and enjoy themselves.....there are alot of unrecognized AWESOME guys who do what they do....just to see people having a great time.....without them...these events would not happen!

 

feel free to start one

 

My inquiry was quite awhile back, before the Jersey ROG(s) and the equally fascinating 60th Anniversary Hill Climb in Colorado just over the horizon (which I very much plan on attending, as long as the 27 stays up!) and what I was hoping to see were not necessarily more car shows with vendors, but events that you could participate in with your auto if you wanted.

The beach races and hill climb are great, new ideas (as far as young hot rodders are concerned) and a nice addition to the fun run drag and oval track stuff already taking place. For other ideas, how about a gimmick rally (just for fun / no trophies / and whimsical route instructions taking you to another event, juke joint or place to eat) or auto crosses? Or something like the LA Times races (a modified oval with left and right turns and some elevation changes (akin to TT races with flat track bikes?) on dirt, pavement, or both. Just thinning...

Putting them on is another matter... have at it. I'm trying to enjoy my retirement! Gary

 

Here's the link to the White Lightning Run in Ohio. Good fun if you're brave enough to run through a field and up some trails into the woods.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=778590&highlight=car+shows+should

 

That's another great idea!

Good points Falfas.

So, gnichols, there are lots of events out there, all started by people with drive, ambition, and motivation. Get off your duff and make something happen. You have no right to complain if you do nothing.

 

How about a flash mob type cruise event. A week or two, or more, before the event, post it on the H.A.M.B., with just general info. List the date, starting time, length of cruise, and "general location" (city) of the starting point. The day before the event, the actual starting spot would then be revealed on the H.A.M.B.. The day of the event, at the event starting spot, the destination of the cruise would be given out, along with a map of the cruise route.

Just an idea.....do you think it would work?

 

Thank god for HAMB Drags and Meltdown Drags and Iron Invasion!!!

 

The All Deuce Run is a tradition around these parts though all the cars that show up are not traditional most are. HRP

 

Some folks on Fordbarn did a tour in Maine last year. One of the stops on this tour was the Fantasy Speedway in Unity, Maine. What a blast that was. Like going back to the 50's stock car dirt track racing. Some of the drivers let us take their cars out on the track for a spin. An awesome time for sure. Check out this link.
http://www.fantasyspeedway.me/
There are also some utube videos if I can figure out how to post their links.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUi551zp-pY