Where will SAAC 32 be???

Utah.

 

Miller Motorsports Park about 30 miles west/southwest of Salt Lake City

 

I didn't think that was definate yet.

 

If it is in Utah, it's always nice that the Westcoaster's get 2 conventions in one year. Too far for this Eastcoaster to go.

 

If you think it was hot in VA in July..... I was all excited when I first heard NJ. Utah no way

 

These July conventions are ridiculous. They don't need to always be on July 4th, Nashville wasn't too bad in May a couple of years ago. Plus, getting to the track on holiday weekends sucks, higher gas prices, more idiots on the highways, etc. I was working in the SPF corral, so I wasn't there to drive, but the amount of cars on the track in C and D, which used to be C, D, and E for the normal guy was way to much. Saturday, I think I counted about 65 cars in D class, and for only using the short course, that's not right. Heard a lot of negative comments about the traffic. I will only attend as a spectator now, the overcharging for track time, with way too many cars on the track, is not worth it to me. We do Sebring full course 2 times per year now, Spring and Fall, and it's way cheaper, with less cars, and it's fun to run with replca Cobras, GT40s, Daytonas, and Mustangs with only 15-20 on the track at one time, vice 65. There is no way I'd attend a West Coast convention. Michigan is getting old, the best convention I've attended was Road America in '97, despite it being 100 degrees every day, running that full layout was a hoot. I would like Lime Rock, but 60 cars on a 1.54 mile track, like SAAC 25 was unsatisfactory. Track time for guys like me is not there, to make room for the comp classes, and I guess I'm not that interested in watching them all weekend.

 

I'd settle for the Mid-West so some of us Okies and Texans, etc. could make it there in one day. :-(

 

Miller Motorsports park is only "possible" at this point. They haven't really discussed it with the track people yet, it was only something that came to mind. I personally would like to see them try to keep it at tracks that had some history with the Shelby cars. VIR had significant history relating to Shelby (Carroll won the first feature race run at the track in 1957). I know many of the old track have disappeared, but there are still many we have not approached.

Just my personal tastes. Willow Springs is a nice thought, but there is no place there to hold the "convention" just the track.

 

I live 20 minutes from MIS. It is a great location for me at least.

 

Hold the convention at the track, just like Road America in '97. There are little to no hotels in that area, but they can somehow host CART, ALMS, etc and the international crowd that comes in for those races. Road Atlanta hosts the Petit LeMans, upwards of 100k in attendance, and everyone can seem to find a place to stay. I'd like to see the open track events stay off ovals, and stick with pure road courses, it's way safer.

 

Will be making the trip to SAAC 32 from Australia. Good excuse to use some annual leave.

Would have been great to go this year, sounds like it was a ball.

 

I agree - Road America is awesome. Need more Midwest locations so I can go as well!

 

I went to the SAAC website and it does not say. I spoke to Ken Eber, a big wheel in the club and he said NJ was out. He also told me the Club conventions in the midwest did not do very well for attendance. Personally, I would love to see Chicago or a midwest venue. I understand Rusty has a track in Iowa. Anyhoo, Utah is on the short list. I also think moving off that date could only help.

 

That's funny. Just the other day it said it was in Utah. It now seems to be up in the air. There must be some controversy brewing. Utah would work for me, but I am not the majority (Washington State). I was surprised at the lack of cars in the peoples choice area at the Fontana convention in 2005. Since So Cal was the birthplace of the Shelby Mustang, I thought it would have been crawling with cars.

 

The Club itself (SAAC) is under going changes as announced by Ken Eber at the Banquet dinner. I suspect that after 35 years, The Crew at the Helm are still enthusiastic, but tired. and rightfully so. they are also not as sharp as they once were and priorities in life such as Family, Health and retirement are probably pressing harder than the day to day operations of our beloved Car club. it will be interesting to see how the "Changing of the Guard" takes place and to what degree it's effects will have on the club. personally I believe that there should be a National event held once a year in a rotatating schedule that sweeps across the country from one coast to the other every year. and in the mean time, there should be regional events that are more than just a Day long car show. The July 4th weekend thing is kind of stupid in retrospect. earlier in Spring would be interesting but a risk of rain. maybe early September?? but not Labor Day!!

 

Who knows for sure? Probably not even SAAC's Board of Directors as of
right now. The owners of VIR who are planning to build the new track in
New Jersey, informed SAAC a week before SAAC-31 that it would not be
completed in time for next years convention. So, the SAAC leadership is
scrambling to secure a place and the track in Utah has become a maybe.

The main reason SAAC favors holding their national convention around the
July 4th week is quite simple: a number of tracks generally have open dates
that have not been taken by organized racing bodies and SAAC can get lower user fees. However, that has been changing the last several years as track dates are harder to sign and the cost of renting the tracks is escalating.

I agree it would be nice to go to coventions all over the country, incuding
the Midwest. However, one of the things SAAC does to help determine if its
feasable to hold an event in a given area is to: take a map of that proposed
site and draw a circle with a 500 mile radius. Then SAAC checks their
membership list to see how many SAAC members live within that circle. If the
number of members is low, it is rejected as it is assumed there are not
enough members to support a natonal convention there.

As for the changes internal to SAAC; they have made some important
adminstrative changes. Most notable is the Exit Plan, whereby a third
director has been implemented to carry on the day to day affairs in the event of the demise of one of the three directors. Yes, all of them are
probably getting a bit weary of conducting these conventions but I don't
see a bunch of volunteers clamoring to jump in. They have been carrying the
ball for a long time.

Just some items from my perspective on SAAC's operation. Thought you
might like to know.
shlby66

 

it sounds like you were at the banquet as well! the Exit plan is always an impoortant strategy in any venture. I have faith in the Leadership that since it is their baby, they should be the ones to determine the club's destiny. the only downside I see is the potential for a Corporate takeover by organized "Sponsors" who will then take away the sense of "Our Club" and make it more theirs. as for Volunteers, when asked I am there. I just have not been asked. Yet anyway!!