GRM Experience Parking-Mazdas Only?

Bit frustrating driving one's 'fun' car to the GRM Experience and being told park in the back because its not a Mazda.

I thought most marques had their own car corrals elsewhere.

Some try to get up early and drive hours to get a 'good' spot in the car show area.

This year fewer and fewer 'neat' cars were present-kudos for the guy who brought the GT-like-open-cockpit-stock-car-looking-street-legal-from-Missouri auto!

Other than that challenge-GRM experience is a great deal and the staff does a fantastic job...love seeing the project cars in person.

Thanks!

First, thanks for coming to the event. We're all beat and hoarse today, but we enjoy playing host to a few hundred guests.

Sorry for any confusion or hard feelings, but no cool cars were sent to the back of the parking lot--at least not intentionally. Yes, the first three rows of the parking lot were reserved for Mazdas--we're talking maybe 15 of the 400 or so spots available. Mazda supports our events, so their supporters received a little surprise and delight gift. We pretty much did the same thing last year.

After that, it's cool cars up near the tent, everyone else towards the back. Here's a photo of the opening to our tent. The first three rows feature Mazdas--that's an RX-7 behind the red MX-5. Behind them, it's a BMW. If I remember, the green Alfa was a spot or two next to it.

I thought it was pretty cool to see all those Mazdas tucked in together, especially considering the amount of time that Mazda gave the group. On both the Friday garage tour and the midnight tour, I was astonished at how much engagement there was -- maybe it's not as behind-the-scenes-cool as I thought it was, but being able to sort of hang out and have an open Q&A with some of the Mazda drivers in their actual garage was not something I would have expected. Plus it was fun to walk through the rest of the parking area and find little gems hidden between the rental cars! What was that open car from Missouri, anyway? A Consulier? A LeGrand?

You guys put on a heck of an event and were able to steer this n00b to all the best parts of the track, so thanks for taking good care of me! =)

Dean Case of Mazda was around the GRM tent so often it was crazy, keep the Mazda link at all costs.

Thanks again GRM

I saw that open cockpit car, that thing was amazing. Did they drive it in from Missouri or trailer it?

Based on temperatures alone, if someone drove that down from freaking Missouri, they would have needed a three-axle trailer to provide transport for their enormous brass gonads.

The Mazda guys really do breathe this silly car stuff. Next time you see one, ask what's in their garage. Dean's wife, for example, drives a first-gen RX-7. Dean has a Mazda2.

I thought it was cool having the Mazdas up front like that. I have a RX7 and a Miata but they had to stay up in Michigan while I flew down to Florida. We were in my son's WRX and as always we thought the lot was full of other very cool cars and I have the pictures to prove it. I took pictures of many car's and their out of state plates. First class job GRM and thanks to Mazda for all their support, they should be parking up front. And one more thing.... I also have Continentals on all my cars not just because they truly are good but I like to support companies that support us.

I've never had Continental's on any of my cars … lack of sizes (13's and 15's) but my new car has 16's so when the OEM's wear out, I'll have a set of DW's

so, yeah, I like to support the folk that advertise in the magazine .. glad the back pages aren't filled up with pheromone ads

My posting is not a yea/nay Mazda comment-I fully support those manufacturers that help the 'little' guy out, etc.

Point is the prime show car area was only partially filled (at least when I walked by) with a single marque to include CX-7/9's. A photo op shouldn't be such a requirement by a sponsor. I'd believe a mix of various cars is far more representative of the GRM book.

Besides how many of the above posters actually drove something neat...not the daily driver? Place should have been crawling with Florida sports car...Miatas.

The open top race car with plates should have been spot one...

Ok...got it off my chest...appreciate Mr Wallens' prompt response.

06HHR wrote: I saw that open cockpit car, that thing was amazing. Did they drive it in from Missouri or trailer it?

with the weather … odds are against it .. and I'm betting he doesn't drive at night ..period

the "headlights" were a halogen bulb … no focusing lenses …just clear glass covering a square hole with the bulb in the center … if he had 15' of forward illumination I'd be surprised

Same experience here! We even rented a RED Dodge van this year and upgraded to the "R/T" trim package...sent to the back!

I purposefully parked my rental Kia Cadenza (a one-wheel peel beast, btw) near the far end, as we usually wanted to walk out that direction to the west horseshoe. Or didn't really care, as it didn't deserve the spotlight like the open car from Missouri.

I had a white Cary rental. I could have parked in the tent and no one would have seen it.