I just sent an E-mail to client services of Indianapolis Motor Speedway into the possibilty of hosting SOC in Indy at the track. After seeing the success of the track day at SOC 07 and the desire to keep it I discussed with Ian about possibly trying to bring SOC to Indy at IMS.
I'm hoping to get a reply soon with contact info for who I would need to begin talking with. I will also be contacting the Tri-State Saab club (IN,KY,OH) after I've talked with IMS if they say they would be willing to host.
Reasons I believe IMS is a good location.
1. Gran Prix and Oval track. If it could be arranged a track event that spends time on both courses.
2. Gasoline Alley, if it could be arranged, for repair work whether its a simple repair to get a out of state saaber back up and running or a major repair such as the rear axle swap at SOC this year
3. Infield ares for showing the cars
4. IMS museum tours
5. Brickyard Crossing Inn right on the grounds of IMS
6. Golf Course inside the Oval track if we wanted to organise a Saab golf event
7. Should the Saab dealership be needed they are just east of IMS on 16th street.
8. Not sure of how they operate this facility but, in the case of a wreck during the track event that somebody is injured, there is an onsite emergency medical center.
9. Its Indy and there is plenty to do downtown. Could even plan a night where we drive down to the circle and park and do a local night showing. Plenty of the motorcylce guys do this but I don't know what it would take for an event like this to happen.
If anybody has any comments or ideas or is in the Tri-state club area you can e-mail me or post up here. Like I said I just emailed them tonight and am waiting for a reply sometime soon.
I did make the goof in the e-mail that I said 2009.....for some reason I thought 2010 was Denver. My goof but easily correctable.
I was at Indy a few years ago for the world police and fire games. They had the big party at the gasoline alley area of the track. (for about 3 thousand people) I doubt we'll get that many.
Excellent idea. Indy is a great town.
My guess is the cost will be too high, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
Is the registration page up yet? 'Cause I'm in.
This information was posted in the SCNA meeting minutes for Aug 4, 2002.
"The 6 must haves for an owners convention are: ample parking, meeting facilities, affordable/good food, family attractions, track event, & hotel accommodations."
There are more but, for every five people who drove to Michigan, there was probably one person who flew. While having SOC in a more central location in the country makes geographic sense, it still creates long drives for nearly everyone....
Well after having talked with Ian about it he said to at least look into it as far as cost. Yes I know the cost is the biggest factor but there isn't anything wrong with looking into it. I've already got a reply back from IMS and talked with the person I was told to contact. They told me most likely will have a full reply of what it would take by the end of the day. Never hurts to ask and find out.
Another probably cheaper, but would get the job done option, would be Inianapolis Raceway Park. Roard course pleanty of room and not far from the big track or hotels.
Well the answer I got back from IMS says they feel that they would not be able to provide what the SCNA would look for as a host for an SOC.
They cited that there use of the track is a group run at 35 mph max so that would have to sourced elsewhere. They say there willing to host the show portion as they do lots of events like that but there'd be no point in just that. I'll send out an email to IRP and see what they say.
500-600 people in the NE? I'm not sure if this has been done but as for track/road course has anyone considered Lime Rock in Litchfield, CT? Its a fairly nice track, only thing is I dont think there is much in the way of hotels in the area (to my knowledge anyways, I usually just drive up in the AM and leave in the afternoon, about 2 hours from the Bronx)
500-600 is the total number of bodies, including day passes and random onlookers, that I remember from '05 and '06. I doubt the number of registered Saabs got over 300.
I'm sure others have much more specific recollections on this stuff.
Lime Rock would RULE. Its a gorgeous road course in the rolling Litchfield Hills. Hartford (yay) is a half hour away as is Springfield, Mass. Have SOC there and you'd get some seious numbers.
or an SOC in Australia... Get Saab USA to ship ya cars here... we have great weather, excellent food, drive on the "correct" side of the road and sit on the "correct" side of the car, lovely scantily clad sheilas, exceptional beer, sand, surf, and very passionate Saab owners!
Don't you also have something like 10 out of 11 of the world's most poisonous animals there too? As well as box jellies and irikanji, and lest we forget, Great White sharks prowling just off-shore waiting for the occasional surfer or swimmer? J/K :-D
(PS, I would love to have it in Indy. I have work and friends there, and it would be a great trip for me. My job would probably pay for part of it. Go for it!)
I figured Indy wouldn't work. There would have WAY to much liability allowing cars to drive around their track, their facility is just to large & TOny George is a complete ASS.
IRP is OK, never actually driven there LOTS of concrete walls....
My preferance in Indy for track time is Putnam Park. It is a MUCH safer track then IRP & costs $8,000 a weekday to rent (I emailed them 3 weeks ago looking into doing something like this in Indy). This price is over twice the cost of what we payed at Waterford Hills however it is a nicer track which can accept more cars out on the track at a time plus we get the track for a few hours longer.
The problem with many of the more common or I guess popular track like Lime Rock, Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta, etc is they become VERY expensive to rent. Sometimes $20,000 a DAY to rent.
I do think track events are something that is really needed for SOC's & I do not have a problem helping out for future SOC's schools just like last years. However unfortunantly many people do not want to spend the money on these schools let alone pay the registration fees for SOC. We did have enough cars at Waterford where we didn't loose money however that included 3 non-saab's who registered for the event. I would bet that most of the people who did the waterford school would come back to another track event & with some luch others will follow.
Thanks for the idea GM. I like into Putnam park as well. At the momment I'm a little busy but by the beggining of next week I'll will have sent an e-mail to IRP and Putnam park.
I'll second the motion for Putnam Park. Great place and only 1 or 2 sports you could get into real trouble. (I mowed the grass a few times)
Where do I sign up?
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Saab Link Forums
953K posts
27K members
Since 2003
A forum community dedicated to Saab owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!