Ferrari Club of America Annual Experience/Drive Oregon, August 27- Sept 2nd, 2023

It was awesome to hear everyone cheer when this video was shown at the FCA 2023 gala. I'm looking forward to it!

 

We live just west of Milwaukee and will drive home from Road America on Thursday and leave for Indy first thing Friday morning. Going to be a fun week. BTW, the WI FCA president gave us the heads up about the experience over a year ago.

 

A very interesting comment that does deserve qualifing by the FCA as to Why? and what can be done to improve attendance.
Personally. I find it really odd of the weak amount of entrants of many late 70-80's mid-engined 12 cyl cars over the past few years. Definatly a massive drop from earlier FCA national meets. Only one BB and one TR at this meet? How can this be?

 

Events are not run by the FCA national. They are run and promoted by the local club with national assistance and guidance.

I have been to every national meet for 17 years in a row and disagree with your generalization. It does not represent all the last 17 events. The fact of the matter is some parts of the country and venues are going to be far better attended than others. Some are just not a draw. Also compare the promotion of this years event compared to the upcoming one in Elkheart lake in Fchat alone. One good example. Elkheart has already a ton more promotion in Fchat alone and its still a year away. The guys up there have been getting commitments from collectors for months already. You get out what you put in. I know a ton more but am not free to elaborate. The events are a direct reflection on what was put into it by the local club. Annuals in Monterey are going to be huge every time. It gets put end to end with car week and it a guaranteed success. Cannot have the FCAPR shoulder the burden every year. It will go to less popular places and will have a lower turn out. Just the way it is.

The upcoming national meet is in your part of the country. Are you a volunteer? If not why not? How many others have you made direct contact with to go? I personally know Mike, Jim and a a couple of the top people involved and they have a crap load of their own time into making it happen. Thats what it takes. What have you done?

 

Further, just addressing your comment on mid engine 12s. At the Daytona meet in 2017 I think we had an entire class of just TRs. Dick Fritz and I judged it. Another for BBs. And I believe another yet for 512s. It was a better venue with better promotion and the local region worked hard to put it on and promote it.

Again, work put in vs results. Volunteers for the club making it happen and not standing back complaining.

 

I remember a time pre-Cavallino when the FCA Annual Meet (now renamed as Annual Experience) was the event that got great Ferraris. But, the reality is that times have changed both Cavallino and Pebble Beach have altered that landscape. I do definitely want that to change and see the Annual Experience regain that standing again. But, it takes a lot of effort and using quality connections to people that are not always easy to reach. I was also told by one of the great Ferrari restoration shop owners that there are a lot of scheduling issues for the car owners to contend with as lots of events all in touch wanting them to send cars.

Rest assured that 2024 in Elkhart Lake is putting in the effort and working lots of different connection channels to get the turnout that we all want to see.

 

There are indeed more events attracting the same cars. This year Monterey was just before Bend and quite some distance. We had a number of people tell us because of shortages of time and in many cases shortages of transportation prevented them from attending both or even attending either. Steve at Boardwalk Ferrari I believe told me he had 2 truckloads of cars to go to Bend and there were no trucks available. Next years event runs up against the Colorado Grand. It is not possible to schedule an event with no conflicts. With as many as there are it isn't possible.

 

I remember when the FCA would be in Monterey during "4" years, e.g., 2004. That was cool. But I'm guessing Monterey has gotten so big that adding a FCA meet would be a bridge too far. Too bad.

 

Nothing stays the same. But we had fun in 2004, didn't we?

One memory. I was staying at the Embassy Suites in Seaside. As I was getting ready to leave, a 250 SWB roars up, the driver stopped, jumped out, went into the hotel, came back out and roared off back to Laguna. Only in Monterey.

 

The last time at Monterey for the Annual Experience was 2015. Monterey is a major undertaking. Starts Sunday night after Pebble. Lots of big expenses for venues and tracks. Lots of expensive commitments by attendees to stay over for another 3 or 4 days. The good news, a lot of the cars and people are already going to be in Monterey.

 

Yes, there are always conflicts. Of course. However, I seem to remember that in the past FCA Nationals used to take place in April/May/June or possibly July.
September is insanely full of events all over the planet. Also in Europe.

Marcel Massini

 

Not at all. The schedule has changed but it is still in the rotation. Its a massive amount of work. No one wants to do it very often.

 

April and May were usually the southern events like Daytona, Atlanta, Southern California desert. Scottsdale AZ. etc.

I have not asked Mike but I bet this was the only date both Road America and the entire Osthoff or other local, suitable hotel were available. That is typically the deciding factor.

 

They are scheduled a few years out.

 

Here's a quick overview of the FCA Nationals 1980 to 2024.
From my own files.

Marcel Massini

 

Well over that 44 years and considering all the different individuals making the decisions over that time it is either an international conspiracy, in response to the memberships requests, in response to conflicts or a combination of the last 2. In the 44 years there has been roughly 15 or so groups (100 people?) calling the shots and I doubt it is being done because September is the favorite month out of all of the various people who have made the decision. I am sure much the same applies to the other events. As can be seen they have been held in most of the twelve months with a few more in August/September in the last 20 or so years.

 

Yes, September was the only time that was available for both Road America and the Osthoff...both of which have heavy demand.

 

That is almost always the case. Date is dictated by venue.

 

Not sure what I said that led into a defensive response as my intension was only an observation that could be used as an opportunity to gain members thoughts and increase attendance for future events. If thats not important, than so be it.
Have I work these shows? You bet I have...
- If you attended RA 2009, I was your friendly assistant to the Concours Chair. We were responsible for getting nearly 100 cars in position for judging in minimal time.
-If you attended RA 2013, I was the friendly Concours Chair for an event had 100+ cars for the concours. I designed the dash cards, and was responsible to get all cars parked on the track then align them for the awards drive up in scorching July heat.
- Do I know Mike E? You bet I do. I talked to him not long ago. He did say the 2024 event would be held in September and thats a blessing for anyone working the event.

 

1979 was right before July 4 at Road America with the hotel in Fond du Lac.

 

Well then you should know how venue dependent turn out is as well as how turn out is also a factor of the promotional effort expended.
So instead of asking why one BB the answer for that should have been very clear.

The questions that should be asked are why choose venues we know from experience will be duds and leave it up to people to run who have never even attended an AE before. The event was an engineered dud.

 

Having been involved as part of the organizing group for a number of these events, and again for 2024, there is a lot to understand that a regular attendee does not see.

The organizing for the event starts not less than 2 years before. Locking in the track and hotel and trying to avoid as many schedule conflicts as possible is not easy. The financial implications for the event are huge and there can be a major disparity between prudent planning and what is hoped for. The task of building a group of committee chairs and volunteers that will do what has to be done and stay involved for the duration is more of an issue than one might believe. Those that have not previously organized an Annual Experience or been actively involved in someone else's AE are going to struggle as they discover just how big the mountain to be climbed is.

Everyone wants a fabulous event, but it takes lots and lots of effort by an entire team of people that are club volunteers. Fortunately, the attendees usually never see the "sausage making" that happens before and during the event. Go find one of the organizers during the event and they might look like a Zombie.

The national club has done a lot to increase their help to the local organizers over the last 10+ years.

Everyone has the ability to help make an event great. Encourage your friends to attend. If you have connections to folks with the special Ferraris, hit them up. Pitch in and offer to be a volunteer. If you have a company that could be a sponsor, Mercato exhibitor, or an advertiser in the program step forward. Do not rely upon everyone else to do the heavy lifting.