Aspen Event - Ferrari is featured marque

I am the RM region FCA's board member to the Colorado Exotic Car Association (CECA). For the last few years I sidestepped the obligation of a member club to run a d.e. event, smugly saying that "when we go back to Aspen, Ferrari (the Rocky Mountain Region) will run that event. Because the Aspen road course track had become a private club, we had lost our access to it, permanently we thought. So this excuse served me well.

However, for various reasons, and after great efforts too boring to report here, CECA is back in Aspen for what was always it's event of the season. Below is the preliminary announcement sent to the CECA mailing list and to the RM region's FCA members. I'm hoping FerrariChat members will show up in formidable numbers and help make this the premier event it was for nearly two decades.

Kent Miller
CECA board member, FCA/RMR member, Track Steward for 8/29 event.

This is a preliminary announcement, details will follow in the next few weeks.

Aug 27-29, 2004 Aspen, Colorado

CECA will return to Aspen to renew a weekend event that had some 18 years of tradition there. (Last held in 1999, it ended when Woody Creek Raceway became the private Aspen Sports Car Club). Each year there was always a featured marque, and for this 2004 revival of the event, it is Ferrari.

Schedule:
-cocktail reception Friday evening
-concours on and adjacent to the mall on Saturday (Ferrari is "featured marque")
-Saturday night banquet, with automotive/racer speaker TBA
-Sunday drivers ed track day at ASCC (f/k/a Woody Creek Raceway)

CECA arranges group rate accommodations in Snowmass, very reasonable, and the lodge there has a big garage for cars and nearby parking for trailers and haulers. Sunday Track Day is charged separately, probably about $75. Banquet is a separate charge. You can do just the track, or just the concours; don't miss the banquet. Registration forms and final details available in early June.

This is always a great weekend, to a great degree because it's not La Junta, not Pueblo.... etc. It's Aspen at about La Junta prices. Would you rather drive Independence Pass or I-25? Track fun is with Panteras, Vipers, Ferraris, Lotus, Shelbys, Porsche, etc. Kids are fine at banquet, this has always been a family-friendly event.

There will be instructors availabe for CECA's very informal instructor laps -- lead and follow, etc. Many drivers will be new to this track and some new to track events altogether. The track is shorter and less complicated than Second Creek, definitely an interesting road course and worth a visit. As usual, helmet and secure fire extinguisher required, tech inspection, licensed drivers only --- all details with registration package.

To be added to the email broadcast list for CECA, for this and other CECA events, send email expressing your interest to CECA registrar:
[email protected].

(CECA's email list is not sold or available for anything but CECA announcements and sending downloadable registration forms)

For questions about CECA, this event, or any of the 4-5 CECA-sponsored track events in Colorado each year, call Bill Miller, ph 303-421-3009 (no email for him, leave v/msg).

 

We understood the PPIR conflict for this weekend, but we had groundwork done on this Aspen event before the announcement of an added PPIR event by the Indy Racing Series people. Aspen involved city permits for the car show as well as securing the ASCC track. And we also knew of the Pebble weekend with Ferrari featured there. We had to match lodging availability with the track availability. This weekend has no other festival or other influx creating demand for rooms

Big thanks to Ron for the photos of a previous event and his memories of the fun at that track. I have a source for some more photos and will get these posted next week.

No track day Saturday, just Sunday.

I'll check back to respond to any other questions.
Kent Miller, Denver

 

You can do this. It's not like you'd be stuck in Wichita. It's Aspen. Just do it.

 

Colorado Exotic Car Ass'n has just confirmed
that the Saturday banquet speaker will be Neil Ressler --
see biography below. Neil will be introduced
by a 360 owner who wants to know whether
the Ford team succeeded in besting the Prancing
Horse -- their announced target for which Ford
bought and "deconstructed" a 360 Modena.

Neil Ressler, Ford Motor Company Senior Technical Adviser:
Two weeks after the Ford GT concept was unveiled at the 2002 North American International Auto Show, Bill Ford asked Neil Ressler to consult on the feasibility study to turn the concept into reality. Ressler - then in semi-retirement - was ideal for the task, as he was involved with two previous mid-engine programs: In the mid-1980s, Ressler worked on a Ferrari 308 competitor, code-named GN34; in the '90s, Ressler spearheaded the Petunia project, another two-seat, mid-engine sports car that evolved into the Ford GT concept car.

Once the program was approved, Ressler assumed the role of consultant to the Ford GT team, identifying and recruiting the best engineers within Ford Motor Company and bringing years of real-world experience to the team. In addition, he serves as a liaison between the team and upper management.

Ressler joined Ford in 1967 as a senior research scientist and became principal design engineer for suspension and steering in 1971. Between 1981 and 1994, Ressler served as chief components engineer for the Climate Control Division, chief engineer of Small Car Design and Development, chief engineer of Chassis and Electrical Engineering and executive director of vehicle engineering, Car Product Development.

Ressler was elected a Ford vice president in 1994 as head of Core Product Development, Ford Automotive Operations and became head of Advanced Vehicle Technology later that year. In 1998 he added the chairmanship of Jaguar Racing and Cosworth Racing to his duties and became a board member of Stewart Grand Prix. From 1999 until his retirement in 2001, Ressler held the position of Ford Motor Company vice president and chief technical officer. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the General Motors Institute, a master's degree and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Michigan State University


It's not too late to sign up for this great weekend.
Come see the Ferraris, hear Neil speak, drive the
track at Aspen Sports Car Club.
For Registration packet, email
[email protected]

 

Just FYI, CECA didn't plan for this conflict with PPIR. When CECA began negotiations to get back to the Aspen Sports Car Club track, the August 28-29 weekend was an open date for local track evemts. PPIR was a late addition for the Indy Racers.

The Aspen track is indeed shorter than PPIR but with more turns. It's in great shape, is rarely open to non-members, and of course, it's in Aspen.

And the real car guys can do both events, with a super scenic drive in between. PPIR is a Saturday-only event. That evening drive from Fountain, CO over Independence Pass to Aspen, do ASCC on Sunday. Roland, need a map?

Marques registered for Aspen event so far: Viper, Lotus, Pantera, Cobra, Shelby, Porsche, and of course, Ferrari

 

Roland: I got my information directly from Leslie's web site (www.quickchickracing.com) On the August events calendar there, it's shown as on Saturday, but not Sunday.

Hope you make it in time for Neil's appearance at the banquet.

I've attached registration packet -- schedule, track map, pricing, etc. -- for you and any other Ferrari enthusiast who wants to join the fun.
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Dino is right: the roads to and from Aspen are great part of this weekend.

Over 30 cars registered -- in addition to Ferraris, see Lotus, Viper, Pantera, Shelby, BMW, Porsche and more, on display Saturday on the downtown mall, and at speed on Sunday.

Still time to join the fun, if you call right away, to Bill Miller 303-421-3009
JKM