UPDATE: Autocross Winter Meeting in Southern New England

[KBFinFan]

I was thinking about organizing my own Volvo meeting in Connecticut or possibly Mass. Let me know if anyone from this area is interested or wants to be involved. Post here or drop me an email.

UPDATE: Ok everyone, I think this meet maybe a little more fun and interesting if we participated in an Autocross going on in Northern CT. Thanks to applejuice I have learned that there is one going on one of the last 3 weekends this month (it has yet to be determined which one it is). Again, let me know what you think. Personally this sounds very enjoyable and a good chance to prove our Volvo strength.

http://www.cartct.com

[KBFinFan]

Bumping this to the top to see if there are any feelers yet.

[swede242]

Bumping it to the top???!!! HEY! Thats not fair! Oh crap, I did it again. Oh well, I don't want anyone reading mine anyways. :oops:

[Overboosted745]

I'll be in Maine from tomorrow until Jan. 12th. Maybe if you set something up in Mass or something I might be able to attend...?

[voca164e]

I used to live in CT. and would have been happy to attend. But driving from GA to CT is a bit much...LOL!

[KBFinFan]

I'd organize a meeting in Mass, but I am not as familar with the area. If anyone else wants to help w/ the planning let me know.

[700mopareater]

I'd like to go! (not much of a showpiece but it'd be fun!) :werd:

[Greg Wong]

hey, I just saw your post today, I'd be up for something, but it would have to be after Christmas. Where in CT are you?

Greg

[KBFinFan]

I am located in Orange, near the New Haven area. So I would be more comfortable finding a meeting place around this area. I don't know where exactly as of yet, but I guess just a parking lot somewhere. Since there will be no grassy fields open this time of year. Let me know...

[snafu]

I live in Mass, but I would be willing to drive to CT.

[KBFinFan]

Ok, sounds great. I posted over at the brickboard too and have gotten a couple of responses. Pretty soon I'll send out an email to people and we can throw around a couple of dates. If I could get around 20 or so cars/attendees I would be really pleased.

[own6volvos]

hmm... I need an excuse to drive some place. I have a grandmoter in a 250 year old house out on cape cod. Where would this meet be?

[KBFinFan]

It would most likely be in or around New Haven, CT about the middle of CT near the shoreline right along I-95. However, if someone wants to move it somewhere else in CT or to MA it could be arranged.

[Greg Wong]

Hey, I know Orange, I lived in West Haven for a while and worked in Milford! There's plenty of places we could meet there. 2 hour ride for me. I just hope we could luck out and get a day with decent weather.

Greg

[KBFinFan]

Really? Ya, there are a lot of places to meet as long as its sunny and not too cold. I contacted the local dealership, the one own by Paul Newman, and asked if they were interested. Otherwise, I guess I'll just gain permission of some company or something and have it in a large parking area?

Who else is in?

[KBFinFan]

I sent a mass email about the meeting and its possibilities. If you could forward it to anyone interested it would be appreciated. Let me know if more are interested as well.

[Blackbrick]

I'll be there! Rain, shine, snow, or ice, I got tire chains :wink:

[Greg Wong]

So what's up? Any more information?

Greg

[KBFinFan]

I've been a little lazy planning wise due to the holidays, but we can still get together as long as its worthwhile for everyone..

[760T man]

I'm still up for it. I need an excuse to get a good ways out of NH for a day too.

[700mopareater]

Hey i'm up for it still too, count me in, just need details

[applejuice]

there is a winter autocross in bristol CT. check out http://cartct.com/

[KBFinFan]

Is this something everyone would like to do? I've never done it, and don't have a helmet, but maybe I can buy one or borrow one..

Let me know..

[Greg Wong]

I would definitely try to make it, whether it's an autocross, or just a meet n greet

Greg

[KBFinFan]

Okay, we can either meet and greet somewhere this Sunday ( I guess a parking lot or something?) or postpone it and try to get a bunch of people in on the Autocross..

Let me know

[Greg Wong]

Why don't we do the autocross? Then it will give us at least another week of planning. We'll just keep an eye on the site, or maybe send them an email to see if they have finalized a date.

Greg

[KBFinFan]

Ya I agree, it will make it worthwhile for everyone to make the drive out here.

[Greg Wong]

I contacted the guy, Larry, and he told me that we should keep checking the website. He said that the date will probably be finalized only 2-3 days before the event, because it is dependent upon the weather and the condition of the lot. He said that they wait for snow.

Hey, what am I doing? I'll just cut and paste his reply here:

[quote:9e9fb15877]
The dates for the possible running of the Wintercross are posted on the
website. As far as when the event chairman will decide if it's a go date,
I anticipate they will contact me 2-3 days before. They have to check the
lot condition and weather. We have only done this once ,2 years ago. Last
year there was never enough snow on the lot. The one event we did run had
about 25 people. We want to keep it to no more than 30-40. I do not have
a means to send out a broadcast email so check the website or drop me a
email to check.

Larry[/quote:9e9fb15877]

Greg

[KBFinFan]

So.. wait.. the autocross is in the snow? Like fun spin out death-o-rama driving? Also bent rim driving... I don't know if this is a great idea especially since our cars are RWD.

[towerymt]

Wintercross...that sounds like fun! Autocross lots should not have curbs/islands, but they may have light posts. I expect they will give plenty of run off space after the turns, but I wouldn't want to work that course! I ran one event last season when it rained early in the morning, and the course ended up being a very fast and open course due to the high chance of rain. However, the lot was nearly dry when I drove the B session in the afternoon, and by the (final) C session, it was dry.

[Greg Wong]

I think that would be awesome to have it in the snow! You've got snow tires, right? :)

Greg

[KBFinFan]

I've got snow tires, but winter driving is eh at best. However, I am still in... as long as some other people are.

[applejuice]

i'll be there with the V8 car.

[roversweed]

sounds like fun :!: Just how southern new england are you talking about :?:

[applejuice]

bristol is about 20 minutes from hartford.

[700mopareater]

I think this is one time that us NA guys will have an advantage :o I'm all set for this winter stuff, just give me the challenge part mwuahhahaha

[Greg Wong]

Hey guys, the date for the wintercross has been fixed, this Sunday, Jan 12. There is info and pre-registration on the website:
http://www.cartct.com/

I think the weather forecast calls for some snow on Saturday, not a whole ton. I will be there, hope you will be, too!

Greg

[applejuice]

thanks for the update greg. i'll be working on the car saturday (weld in rad. support, finish wiring fan, weld in O2 bungs) should be done for sunday. if not i'll be there in our winter crasher (85 245). look forward to seeing you!

[applejuice]

greg and i made it, where were you?

[KBFinFan]

I was down in New Jersey for the weekend, and didn't really have access to a computer. Sorry.. did everything go well? Greg, did you take any pictures?

[applejuice]

well, i worked on the car till about midnight and got enough done to run sunday. greg came down from Mass. in his 242t and we both ranin the rwd class. there were about 40 cars there including a cool saab 900 rally car. i'm going to blame my offcourse excursion and losing to greg on my lack of snow tires! :D i think greg got some good shots. there's another one in two weeks. see you there!

[Greg Wong]

Yeah, it was a lot of fun! I haven't had time to shrink down and upload my pics yet, but there are some pictures on the cartct website, as well as the results for the day, and info on the next wintercross which will be on Sunday, January 26.

It was cold as hell, but it was worth it. I intend to be at the next one.

I'll let you all know when I get the pics up. It has more pics of Jason's car, and some pics of Jason and I on the course. There's also an mpeg so you can see how they laid out the course.

Greg

[applejuice]

look forward to seeing the pics greg. i saw the one on the cart site :D i dug up a set of more aggressive tires which should help quite a bit. you guys should really give it a shot!

[Greg Wong]

Hehe, yeah I saw the one on the cart site as well. Okey Dokey, I have some pics up, no narration or anything, just an index of pics. They are pretty self-explanatory. Just go to my homepage and follow the link for the wintercross.

http://home.earthlink.net/~greg.wong/

I don't think I'll be able to make it to the next one, Chinese New Year is coming up and there are all kinds of dinners and stuff I have to go to. And I am also supposed to work that day. But I will definitely be back when the pavement dries off!

Greg

[towerymt]

I'd almost consider the next one if it wasn't on Super Bowl Sunday. Oh well, have fun. I still have over 2 months before the first auto-X down here. That doesn't seem fair!