FCA 2014 Annual Meet - Official Thread

The Mid-Atlantic Region invites you to the 2014 FCA International Meet in Leesburg, VA. This year we will be "Celebrating the Redheads". From the Testa Rossa's of the '50's and 60's to the more modern Testarossa's of the '80's and '90's we hope to see you June 11-15 right outside our Nation's Capital!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!! Act now because rooms are going fast!! Check back here for regular updates and announcements. You can also Visit our event's website for more information (Ferrari Club of America 2014 Annual Meet).

- Bill P.
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Our Theme: “Celebrating the Redheads”

It’s always a challenge to find an annual meet theme that will appeal to lots of FCA members. We looked at all the themes that had been used since 1984, which was the first time a theme was used – “The 20th FCA Annual Meet.” Since 1984 we noted that a very popular model, the “Testa Rossa or Testarossa” had never been directly honored. In 2002 "Honoring Racing Ferraris of the 1950's" would have included the very successful series of racing 250TRs, but how about if, at the 2014 annual meet, we also celebrate the more contemporary models, the modern Testarossa variants thru the 512M, the ones that actually carry a passenger in comfort and with great speed. When the modern TR first appeared at the 1984 Paris auto show, it shook-up the automotive world with its design and performance. We were certain this theme would be appealing to old-timers and 21st Century enthusiasts, many of whom may not know the evolution of the “Redheads” or why they are called by that nickname. Please come and enjoy “Celebrating the Redheads.”

 

Thanks for the info BillP00. We did the 1997 FCA annual meet in Leesburg, same host hotel, the Lansdowne Resort. Great place in a beautiful setting with 2 1/2 golf courses, 3 swimming pools and very convenient to the concours site at Creighton Farms Golf Resort and about 50 minutes to the track at Summit Point. The rally, which is Friday, June the 13th, will be through gorgeous VA and WV Hunt Country and ends at the track for lunch and spectating Ferraris on the track. Some of the vintage and historic Challenge cars may actually go racing. Check out the 2 neat videos at Ferrari Club of America 2014 Annual Meet

Bill E

 

Bill - because I can't help myself representing the 4-cylinder Ferraris, the first Red Heads were the 500TRs (starting w/ 0600MDTR - engine tipo 131) and then 500TRCs of 1956. The more iconic 250TRs didn't appear until 1957 (starting w/ 0666), but not all were pontoon-fendered.


Carry on, and have a great event!
pic of 500TR s/n 0650MDTR
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I am happy to announce that Ferrari of Washington is now Platinum Tier sponsor for the FCA 2014 International Meet. They are also the named presenter of the Awards Banquet.

Thank You Ferrari of Washington!!

Bill P.

 

Bill, I know this is gonna make me look bad, but is there any less expensive spectating alternative?
I'm not cheap, I'm just not rich either. If I bring my son with me and drive down for a couple of days, say Thursday and Friday it ends up costing us $125.00 each per day to just spectate one day at the Concours and one day at the track. My 308 is driven extensively (approaching 100,000 miles) and is in no shape to enter a National Concours, so I will just be there to spectate, and I can't afford the track fee, or maintenance for a 3 day track event.
I hate to say this, but believe I am and have been every bit a great Ferrari enthusiast, but have no way to enjoy the local National.
May sound lame, but I would hasten to say I may not be the only Ferrari owner that this seems a bit steep too.

 

Bob,

What would you like the FCA to do for you?? Both events you are talking about are free to the public to watch and as you say, you will not be participating in either. So, really all you need is to come down, get a hotel room and buy some food for a couple of days. That will probably average out to $100-125 a day, not bad to come down and enjoy what should be a great event.

I hope you can make it. My first Ferrari event was the last annual meet held here and I went to both track and concourse events not knowing anyone and had a great time and met some really nice people, who are friends still today.

 

It was not at all clear to me from the event web site that any of the events were open to spectators or free. Like Bob, I don't plan on entering a vehicle in the concours or putting it on the track, but I bit the bullet and signed on for the lowest package to gain access. It was certainly not clear to me that I could have done virtually the same for free...

 

Maybe I am missing something, but I see no place to purchase tickets for an event as a spectator. From the Concourse page:

The Concours will be open to the public for spectators. To enter your car in the Concours, either for "display only" or to be judged, please purchase either an F1 or F2 package.

Ferrari Club of America 2014 Annual Meet

Here is the page for the track day:

Ferrari Club of America 2014 Annual Meet

Only if you plan on tracking your car do you need to buy a package. To me it appears free to the public to view. I have participated in and viewed many a track day with FOW and FCA and they never charged the public to come and watch.

If I am missing something, I apologize and I am only trying to make sure clear information is shared, so all will come and enjoy this event.

 

What is the purpose of the F3 package? I wound up purchasing that, thinking that I needed it to attend the concours, view the track day, and participate in the road rally. Is there a better way? Based on what has been said, I'm essentially paying $500 for 2 people to participate in the road rally, which I wouldn't have done had I known better...

 

Bob,

I understand how you feel. I'm in the same boat trying to get my son to attend. But with all the snow "make up days" he's going to have to do, he may be in school until July! If it was up to me, I would say cancel Spring Break and let the kids out on their original end of school day. But that's a different topic for another thread.

The Concours is a free event to the public. You just show up to the event and that's it. If you own a Ferrari and did NOT purchase an F1, F2 or F3 ticket, you will have to park your Ferrari in the General parking lot NOT on the field.

As for the track events. I'm still waiting to get word on whether spectating will be open to the public or not. Summit Point "may" impose some gate fee, but like I said I'm still trying to determine that. Once I do, I will post that information on here.

We hope you and your son are able to attend the International Meet. I'm looking forward to seeing your photos posted on here and I always look forward to seeing video that your son has created from past MAR events!!

Bill P.

 

GT,

The F3 package includes: Welcome Reception (Wed), Spectator admission to Concours with Lunch (Thu), Rally with Lunch at Track (Fri), Spectator admission to Track (Fri, Sat, Sun), and Goody Bag with Program and Poster. Note that lunch at the Track (Sat & Sun) will need to be purchased from food vendors separately.

Lunches under the tents at the concours and track are not open to the general public.

Bill P.

 

Bob - I wouldn't underestimate your car; there is a National Classic Preservation Award that was won by a 328GTB at last year's National Meet Concours - a driven car.

 

GT & rcraig, the Welcome Reception also gives you access to the Mercato, which is adjacent to the reception. The reception includes very good hors d'ouevres for all F1, F2 and F3 guests. Btw, the program and poster mentioned by BillP00 usually become collector items by those who closely follow the Ferrari enthusiasts scene. And, rcraig, by all means bring you son. No matter what his age, he'll enjoy the experience with Dad.

Bill E.

 

I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood also as I was under the assumption that access to the events needed an F3 package. I will definitely attend the Concours and track if it is cheap enough. I've been to at least a dozen Nationals including Monterey etc so I understand the draw.
I shot the National here in 1986? or whenever it was for the Club and Prancing Horse as well as others for Cavallino magazine throughout the years. .
If you knew me you'd know I'm not a sit down fancy dinner kind of guy. I usually end up dancing on the tables and there go the clothes...... LOL

I'm sure I'll be there though as I already took vacation time. I'll try and hook up with some of you guys as I love to do drives so I'm looking at the area in West Virginia to take a few excursions.
We have some legendary drives up here often. A few of us really like to raise he**.

Thanks for all the encouraging words though.
And I will most certainly bring my son. He navigated back from Houston Tx when I bought the car and drove it back in 3 days and almost 75,000 miles later he's been there for all but a few.

Bob

 

Have you ever wished you could be like Jack Ryan, Dirk Pitt, or even the Rogue Warrior?

Well, here's your chance! A very interesting and exclusive addition to this years’ FCA Annual Meet is the Escape and Evasion Course at Summit Point Motorsports Park. The course, which is taught to diplomatic security agents, as well as foreign service officers heading to high-threat posts across the globe, will be held on Saturday, 14 June on the Jefferson Circuit. Two time slots are being offered. Learn to ram barriers, reverse direction quickly, J and K turns, and much more. Only in Washington can you find this type of course. See you at Summit Point in June!!

 

Are the track days only for the historic cars and challenge? I can't tell if you can participate with modern ones?

 

If you purchase an F1 ticket you can track your Ferrari road car in one of the (3) race groups Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So, you can track your 599 or Enzo if you wish!

There will be a separate race event for Challenge track cars (355's, 360's, 430's) not road cars. Unfortunately 458's are not included in this Challenge race. In addition to the Challenge cars we are including Historic racing cars such as the 512 BBLM, Daytona Competiziones, GTO's, Vintage TR's and any early Alfa's that raced under the Ferrari Scuderia shield.

Does that answer your question?

Bill P.

 

Yes! Thanks!! I'm going to try and make this work

 

Are you sure about non-challenge cars being allowed to run in the race event? Bob DeMart was pretty categorical that it was just Challenge cars being allowed in for the timed event.

Omar - As per my last conversation with Bob, any F-car is allowed to run in the non-timed track sessions, though they could end up being parade laps if no passing is allowed.

 

Bill, any chance of getting cars with heat seeking missils in the grill for that woman in front of me in the left lane putting on her makeup and talking on cell at the same time???

Lol
This sounds really cool.

 

Just a few more words on the FCA track portion of the event. The purpose of all FCA track events is Driver Development. Essentially, you use our instructors to learn how to drive your Ferrari on a track at whatever speed is comfortable for you. All entrants are normally placed in three groups depending on car and driver capability. Those classes are -- Touring, Intermediate and Sports Run (usually called White, Blue and Red, respectively). Occasionally, a fourth "Green Group" is added for "Novices" if there are a lot of first-timers in attendance. Experienced instructors are available for free during the entire track event. That's a HUGE benefit to all our members. In all cases, there is no racing allowed in these groups so we don't call any of these "race groups." We're very fortunate at the 2014 International Meet to have racing for "retired" challenge cars (348, 355, 360, 430) and, hopefully, historic car racing as well. These drivers and cars are all pre-qualified to race because of their past experience and credentials. Of course, they do not race while other groups are on the track. For more details about tracking your Ferrari, go to Driver Development
See you there!
Bill E.

 

Arjun,

The "Challenge" race will be for retired Ferrari Challenge cars (348s thru F430s), and vintage racers (i.e. Daytona Comp., F360GT, 512BB/LM, 250 GTO or LM, etc., no Formula cars) only. 458 Challenge cars not allowed because this would conflict with the current Ferrari Challenge series - not something either FCA-MAR or FNA are keen on doing.

The "track" portion (majority) of the event will be the non-timed lapping sessions. Passing will be allowed, but only in certain areas and almost always with a "point by". Please see the Track Event Manual posted on fca2014.org for complete rules.

As the schedule looks now (subject to change as we get closer to the event), the Challenge racing group should expect to see about 9 sessions (practice, qualifying, 2 races) over the course of three days. The track groups should expect to see over thirty sessions over the course of the three days. These will be broken up into the normal white, blue, and red run groups.

Hope this helps to clarify, and look forward to seeing all of you there!

George P.

 

George,

Thanks for answering Arjun's question. I planned on answering it after I got out of my meeting this afternoon but you beat me to it.

Arjun, I hope to see you and your 308 IMSA race car at Summit Point? It's been a long time. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Bill P.

 

Sorry to say...I can't help you there. But I was trying to get confirmation if they will have explosions and gun fire while people participate in the Escape and Evade course. Now that would be awesome!

When I heard about this course, I immediately thought of this scene from the 1994 movie Clear and Present Danger staring Harrison Ford.

Clear and Present Danger (3/9) Movie CLIP - Motorcade Ambush (1994) HD - YouTube

If I'm not mistaken, I believe certain government agencies actually used this footage to show the proper way to survive an ambush.

Bill P.