Since there are a good number of guys on here who go to meet what do you guys think about a yearly meet for members here?
Why would anybody say NO? But... The question is not should there be a meet but who will arrange it, where should it be, who's going to front the money to get it going, and I'm sure a few dozen other questions. With thousands of board members you would think that a few hundred would show up for the GS Nationals or even the now defunct BPG or many of the other more regional meets that go on around the country but they don't. That may be another question to ask, why don't they show up at events that are/were going on? Whenever anybody puts up a notice about a meet there are rarely more than a few dozen replies, at best. Just pondering.
Best bet would in fact be to organize a "gathering" of V8 members at an existing annual event. There aren't many annual Buick events to choose from.
Seems like a lot of people are going to the Nationals this year that haven't gone in a long time. Life got in the way & I haven't been in 20 years & I'm hoping to go this year. In general, besides the economics, it seems most people are spread too thinly & can't take the time anymore. Look @ NASCAR attendance - Way down. TV ratings for almost all sports are down. It's too much time commitment. Are other car makes experiencing the same issues?
Have local meets where members can meet each other on a weekend. Within a 1/2 day drive, so it might only be folks in less than 300-500 mile drive. Nothing like a "big deal" but, even the little get togethers with other members is fun, and sometimes better than the big meets. I am in the Florida Panhandle, and there is an 1/8 mile track that could be used. If there is enough interest, I will take the lead and see about co-ordinating an event. Just let me know if this is something people might want to participate in and relax it may take some time to get a viable concept to reality.
I'd love to attend, but the Pacific is too deep to drive............ I've attended a few get togethers with others from online forums. Never failed to enjoy one yet.
How about just attend buick meets that are already going on. Piedmont dragway in less than 3 weeks. Cecil county event. B.g. lebanon valley dragway buick day. The Chicagoland chapter events. The Texas events. The Midwest event. Etc. Alot of people on this board talk the talk but organizing a meet is alot of work. Promote the ones that are already going before it's too late.
EXACTLY CORRECT!! There are many great current events going on now. Having been involved with the BPG event from the beginning, I can assure everyone it is very difficult to put one of these on. And hugely expensive too with no guarantee you would even break even. Insurance, track rental, payouts, etc. will add up to big money for the event promoter. Our budget for the BPG events was in the neighborhood of $35,000 for each event. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not in a position to put up 35 grand with a great chance of losing it all. And believe me, it is a very, very thankless job putting one of these on. You better have thick skin. Oh, the BPG is NOT defunct. It is now a division of the Buick Club of America. Efforts are underway by many (not me, I'm done with this stuff...) to put on a Performance Division of the BCA's annual event. It's taking some time to get all the ducks in a row, but I'm sure it will happen. How about the BCA "show within a show" going on the same weekend in Columbus? This is the BCA's Regional Show for the Great Lakes Division and it's going on at the Arthritis Foundation show in Dublin, Ohio (northwest Columbus) at the same time as Goodguys. See: https://arthglr.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/AutoShow2017/tabid/802933/Default.aspx . I'll give you a little hint...there will be Three very special Buick's and One very special Buick Performance engine displayed at this show...
Lebanon valley event is may 20th. Also I am organizing a buick get together at island dragway on July 15th.
I would love to make the haul to the Nationals or any other large Buick event. Just not in the cards . I attend events at New England Dragway like The Nostalgia Drags. Not Buick specific, but within 15 minutes drive. Be nice to see a large Buick or BOP event there, but the last Buick Bash held there was sub-par. I just don't have the finances to haul my car halfway across America. I will represent the Buick fold at streetnite and any events held locally. Ps: I answered yes to the poll....Jim
If I had a track 15 mins away I would be there every weekend. I have no choice but to travel. Closest track is 2 hrs. Most people don't even attend 1 event a year. From new England to the cecil event is not that far and you would not regret it. Only way to meet and be apart of it is to be there.
would like to go to Nats but its during the week and I would use up a good chunk of vacation time travelling and attending. would be great if events were on weekends and even better-a 3 day weekend. I am in South Florida so all these events being talked about are a huge haul for me--half a day just to get to Jacksonville. Had been thinking of posting a thread to my Floridian brethren about doing a meet in Florida. Seems like there is not a lot of Buick guys in S. Florida but tons in Central Florida. hector
I'd be down with that as long as its not in S.Fl / Miami. For the last 3 years I'd hosted a meeting at BG for the V8 guys 1st yr we had 10-12 guys show up. Second year we got rained out. last yr 2 others came.
I've been to Cecil and Lebanon Valley. I'd like to go to BG. The problem is, the people that rave about BG for the most part are kind of close to it. It's a long haul from MA. I don't have a truck and trailer, it's way too far to drive a show car. It's way too much $ now to ship the cars there. It clashes with Cecil, or at least has in the past. So...the GS Nats are in BG, and the greatest amount of GS and Buick cars are in the Northeast. That's why when the Buick Nats are in the Northeast like MA or PA they draw a huge amount of cars. What can you do?
I am in the Panhandle. Going to BG is a 10 hour trip, but that is not too far for me. If Stephen can drive his big old boat all the way from the Big Down Under, (still not sure how he does that...) I can make the short trip. It is not my intention to pull anyone away from existing meets, only interested in "local/smaller" events, where "Buick" people can get together. And sometimes that leads to getting one or two more folks to go to the bigger events. I and my two cousins plan on making BG this year and Cruisin' the Coast, in Ocean Springs MS. The latter only had 4 Buicks out of more than 8000 cars registered. I'm gonna represent.