Thread: The inevitable question: Where's next year?

Luis makes a good point about piggy backing on a track day. That's the route I would consider if hosted in chicago because Autobahn is expensive. It would be $200-$250 per person if we went this route. I'm sure we wouldn't mind sharing the track with a few GTR's. Being realistic though Chicago is a bit west for everyone location wise imo.

Hank VIR would be awsome!, would love to see that happen. We all know its gonna cost a few bucks.

After each convention, it would be great if there was a pool of money leftover to help assist with a down payment for the following year's track. This was the case going into 2013 and how it was done in the past for the most part. Lets not forgot that when the convention becomes expensive it will do more harm then good like what happend in 2011 before Mark saved it. This is why I'm agaist picnic tickets and $50 dvd's.

Thanks for clearing that up. And thanks for busting your ass to get us there.

Yes, it would and yes it would.

Just looking over this year's schedule there's these guys: Forged Performance

and Chin: ChinMotorsports.com - More Tracks, More Track Time that are potential "partners".

Forgedperformance is in GA and are Nissan guys, be it more of the higher end stuff. I'd say try them first.

Some more perspective on how things really are for those who don't know what has gone on behind the scenes.

When SERCA hosted the conventions, there was a pool of money passed off each year to the next convention. The '07 Chicago convention cut into the pool and the '08 Las Vegas convention depleted it. IIRC, the folks who hosted Vegas ended up losing money due to the lack of attendance. People said that I was crazy to even try hosting in 2009. I had to be creative to come up with the money. First thing I did was secure sponsors for the events, mainly Calum, GSpec, and NICO and agreed to promote them as hosting that event. Then we had registration for all who planned to attend, I think $10 which no one complained about. We also presold raffle tickets and picnic tickets, again no complaints. To my knowledge, everyone who came had a great time. Most importantly I as the organizer did not have to stress about money. In fact we were able to provide some for 2010 to get them started. Looking back I saw lots of places I could save money, the biggest being a burgers and dogs picnic vs a catered event. We are just not a catered event group, that was the area I way overspent in Savannah. ANd still had monies left over to pay forward to the next convention.

My point here is that folks who are attending will gladly pay a little each so that no one or two individuals have to pay a lot. I also am in favor of corporate sponsors. Each convention organizer needs to make this call as they see fit. I tried this year to fit into the pay as you go model, and it nearly killed me with stress. Never again will I do this. I know my convention business model works and assure you I will follow it next time.

The person I talked with works with a gentleman who runs a driving school, and has run at VIR many times. His cost on the South Course is right at $10k, splitting that gets us in our range at about half of what AMP cost us this year ($9300). We can have two beginner groups (his and ours) and mix the intermediate and advanced groups together. And he is even willing to have our beginners sit in the classroom with his. A win-win for all.

BTW here is what the South Course looks like for those like me who have never been:
http://virnow.com/files/2011/11/SouthCourseMapCorners.jpg

I have been somewhat off the grid as of late. I agree with a lot of points made in this thread. I am curious how this will all play out.

I like tracks with names like "Spiral" and "Climbing Esses" in them.

ANy discussion regarding 2015 yet?

There is some movement in the bushes.... We should know soon.

Bump if anyone still uses this.. . ....