Caravan to FCA Annual Meet 2018 in Corning New York?

Starting a thread to see who from the Mid-Atlantic may be planning to attend the FCA Annual Meet in Corning, NY this September. https://www.fca2018.org/

I just registered and would be interested in caravaning up (and maybe back) with a group. I plan to drive up in my 360 Spider on Saturday morning and back on Tuesday. Anyone else interested?

Depending on interest, I would be happy to map out a route. From the DC area we could either go up through Frederick, MD to Harrisburg and north, or take a route through Baltimore and York to Harrisburg and north.

If you are interested, please post here, along with any details of your originating location and planned dates.

The last annual meet that was held in Lansdowne, VA a few years back was great fun, and I am looking forward to this one!

 

I'm heading up. I'll be starting from N. Va.

 

We're heading up there from No. VA too. Have hotel reservations Sat thru Weds AM.
Caravan is good idea. Bigger target for Smokies. JK Hopefully not many Arrest-Me Red cars in the group. Ouch.

 

I'm leaving from Fairfax on Saturday morning, staying until Wednesday or Thursday.

 

I will be leaving from Annapolis with reservations at the HQ hotel Sat. through Wed. FCA-MAR could be planning a caravan as well. Hope I have better luck this time than for the FCA Natl. in Leesburg in 2014. Alternator died as I was on the Beltway driving to the event with lights, wipers, and A/C all on. I doubted I would make it to Leesburg just on the battery, and saw little chance of replacing the alternator even if I did, so turned around for home and sulked.

 

Seems like there are a good number of us heading up on Saturday. I’d love to caravan if people are game and I would be happy to plan a route as well with one or more starting points. So far we have three in NoVA, one in Annapolis, and one (me) in Rockville.

 

I'm in. Looks like Rockville or maybe Frederick would be a good place to meet up. An early start would probably be best.

 

Hello, any F cars driving up?

 

So far I believe there are around a half dozen. We will be organizing a caravan going up on Saturday morning and possibly back on Tuesday and/or Wednesday. This will also be added to the FCA-MAR web site and newsletter today. Feel free to post here if you are interested in joining, along with your starting location for planning purposes (you can PM me this as well). I am going to use this to determine the best starting point and routes. Will post more on this later in the summer.

 

I would definitely be interested. My plan was to meet up with the Florida FCA gang in Leola Penn early Saturday morning. They will be driving there as a group and were scheduled to head to NY Saturday. I had not seen or heard if anyone was going from MAR as a group.

 

Bump for anyone else interested in joining the caravan. Just shoot me a PM and I will add you to the list of interested parties so you will be notified as things progress.

 

I'd love to join the caravan. Count me in.

 

You should consider heading to Williamsport, PA and driving north up 11/15? It’s like driving up a western mountain pass. Beautiful drive. Will bring you to Painted Post, NY, just west of Corning.

 

I will be driving up in my 308QV from Baltimore. I'd love to join the caravan.

Aaron

 

Yup, I think that’s going to be the plan. Will confirm once the final participants are know in a few weeks.

 

Sounds good. I will add you to the list and will circle back as we get closer.

 

We are confirmed for the logistics for the FCA-MAR caravan to the 2018 FCA meet. We are up to around 15 Ferraris and other cars joining the caravan so far on Saturday, September 15. If you know of others who might want to join, please pass this message along to them and ask them to contact me via PM!

The proposed route, meeting points, and timing seem to work for everyone, so we are a go to start in Rockville, MD and then continue on to a meeting spot in Frederick, MD to allow us to pick up other drivers from the North and West. So far, the numbers at each location look to be around 50/50.

We have also confirmed lunch with a causal Italian restaurant in Williamsport, PA, who are excited to have us and fully prepared for a bit of a spectacle in their parking lot!.

The logistics will be:

• 09:00 - Meet in Rockville, MD <=== Meeting spot for those coming from NoVA, DC, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and Anne Arundel County
  
• 09:30 - Depart for second meeting spot in Frederick via I-270
  
• 10:00 - Arrive Frederick, MD <=== Meeting spot for those coming from Baltimore County, Loudoun County, (and Anne Arundel County if preferred)
  
• 10:15 - Depart for Williamsport via US-15
  
• 13:00 - Lunch at Santino’s Italian Cuisine (24 E Southern Ave, Williamsport, PA 17702)
  
• 14:30 - Depart for Corning, NY via US-15
  
• 15:45 - Arrive at Radisson Hotel Corning (125 Denison Pkwy E, Corning, NY 14830)

Please contact me via PM for more details.

 

My wife and I would be interested in joining the tour from Williamsport. We would staying at Hilton Garden Inn.

 

Great! We have around 15 Ferraris joining at various points, and over 30 coming fr M the Mid-Atlantic (some need to arrive early or late and can’t join the caravan). Looking forward to it!

 

Just FYI, if you plan on doing the track days at the Annual Meet, make sure you're aware of the special equipment and car requirements this year.
See the Track info at: https://www.fca2018.org/index.cfm/ID/107/Track

One of the unusual things is the Blue Group is going to require full Nomex racing gear. Normally, this is a Red Group only requirement at other events.

I went to OG Racing in Sterling, VA and bought Nomex socks, Nomex balaclava head cover, Nomex racing gloves, Nomex underwear and undershirt, and Nomex racing shoes. I already owned the helmet and Nomex racing suit.
I also bought a full set of Nomex gear for my wife since I want to take her out as a passenger once I get signed off by an instructor.

The White Group does not have the full Nomex requirement but it isn't clear if you can ask to be in the White Group if they assign you to the Blue Group. My understanding is everyone gets put in an initial Green Group with an instructor and then they assign you to the White or Blue Group.

Read the website info carefully. Also, convertibles will need rollover protection in the Blue and Red Groups.

Also, the Tech Inspection firm for the car is different this year. Make sure you use the latest version of the form. FOW is where I had my tech inspection done and they are using the new form.

Looking forward to seeing everyone up there.

.

 

Re: it isn't clear if you can ask to be in the White Group if they assign you to the Blue Group. My understanding is everyone gets put in an initial Green Group with an instructor and then they assign you to the White or Blue Group.

According to the 2nd page of the inspection forms "Experienced track drivers accustomed to driving in Red or Blue will not be permitted to drop down to White."

I sure they will not be permitted to drop down. Here's a real incident I experienced.

Several years ago at Summit Point Main track I was in the Beginner's Group with an instructor. Heading up under the bridge approaching the final turn and the main straight a race-prepared car came up behind me VERY fast. I knew I had to give him a point-by, but I was focusing on the turn, not wanting to screw it up and wind up in the dirt/grass to the outside of the exit. I recognized the car and knew the driver, a fellow FCA-MAR member and friend of mine who I'd watched running in the Red group, so I trusted him and I guess I gave him the correct point-by, but I didn't appreciate the surprise and the anxiety. Neither did the instructor.

 

Yep, agree, it isn't the best thing to put the fastest cars in with the White Group.

Here some of the parts of the Grid Inspection form for Watkins Glen
that we are referring to.

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An FYI on Saturday this event is taking place on the way to the Glen https://www.supercarsonstatestreet.com/

 

I’ve attended this event in the last (before its recent merger with a similar event) and it was great. However, given the distance of our drive, all of the events planned in Corning, and the crowdedness of downtown Harrisburg we haven’t planned a stop there.

 

DO all still plan on being on schedule to meet at Santinos in Williamsport for lunch at 1 pm?, stuart