Why not make a DIY $20xx challenge?

Ok, please do not crucify me, as I am sure this as been discussed previously (I searched, but could not find it), but...why don't people that live way too far from Florida (like me) make their own $20xx challenge? I would love to go to the challenge, but I can't justify 3 days of towing each way for a two day event. So, here is the idea:

The local club around here is always looking for more people to attend their events. Most of the events could really use 20 to 30 more participants to allow everyone to have three runs (of two laps, so six runs total) per day. So you show up with 20 to 30 challengers to participate in the Auto-x. While you're there, you ask the other participants of the day to judge the cars. And the next day, you organize a little drag event at a place near. For example, the first auto-x at my club takes place at Sanair which is great place that happens to have a nice drag strip as well. It wouldn't have the media coverage and all the glamour of the real challenge, but just to have fun between a couple of like-minded enthusiasts?

Is it that simple? Am I missing something here? I mean....how hard can it be?

one could also ask if maybe GRM would put on more than one challenge per year....maybe one out west and one in the northeast...

Yeah, they should totally do one on the west coast. I bet that'd work out awesome.........

mndsm wrote: Yeah, they should totally do one on the west coast. I bet that'd work out awesome.........

What you did there.... i see it.

You guys miss my point. Why wait for "them" to organize a challenge? Just get a bunch of guys together and say "We will all be present at this auto-x, so anyone interested in participating, just show up". And then, do the same for the drag portion.

Publicity is your friend...

fanfoy wrote: You guys miss my point. Why wait for "them" to organize a challenge? Just get a bunch of guys together and say "We will all be present at this auto-x, so anyone interested in participating, just show up". And then, do the same for the drag portion.

Because it sounds so much easier to organize something like this than it is. People keep saying they'll organize their own version of the BABE rally too, I've heard that song for 8 years and noone has stepped up to do it.

Properly organizing an event is difficult. If you just want people to show up at a local autox with a $20XX car you can just post that to the local boards and hope that's enough motivation for people to show. But there's a lot more going on with the challenge than a bunch of guys showing up and having an auto-x and drag race. Things which aren't easily quantifiable to the outside viewer but I'm sure take a lot of time and effort to pull off seamlessly.

Seems hard enough to attract 70ish? participants once a year for some possible magazine exposure. What is the average count of participants that show up from the Florida area? 20-30 participants?

What mndsm was joking about was that a couple years ago some people were doing a west coast challenge. It fizzled.

As someone who lives in the middle of the country, i'd love to see a west coast event. I just.... Dunno.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: What mndsm was joking about was that a couple years ago some people were doing a west coast challenge. It fizzled. As someone who lives in the middle of the country, i'd love to see a west coast event. I just.... Dunno.

Nashco did really damn well in the standing as I recall.... he DOMINATES out there.

mndsm wrote: Yeah, they should totally do one on the west coast. I bet that'd work out awesome.........

Yeah, but at some really out-of-of-the way place that may as well be Gainesville, like San Diego!

I almost think a west coast challenge would be unfair. The great cars you can get for under 2K rusted into nothing 15 years ago around here. And don't give me that "salt air" stuff, nothing beats a midwest moist-salty-mud-crust for berkleying up a nice car

Psh, the challenge will always favor the coastal types. Hell, if they wanted it to be a CHALLENGE, they'd ban anything in Atlanta from being used.

Hey whats wrong with San Diego :)

DrBoost wrote: I almost think a west coast challenge would be unfair. The great cars you can get for under 2K rusted into nothing 15 years ago around here. And don't give me that "salt air" stuff, nothing beats a midwest moist-salty-mud-crust for berkleying up a nice car

Amen!

fanfoy wrote: Ok, please do not crucify me, as I am sure this as been discussed previously (I searched, but could not find it), but...why don't people that live way too far from Florida (like me) make their own $20xx challenge? I would love to go to the challenge, but I can't justify 3 days of towing each way for a two day event. So, here is the idea: The local club around here is always looking for more people to attend their events. Most of the events could really use 20 to 30 more participants to allow everyone to have three runs (of two laps, so six runs total) per day. So you show up with 20 to 30 challengers to participate in the Auto-x. While you're there, you ask the other participants of the day to judge the cars. And the next day, you organize a little drag event at a place near. For example, the first auto-x at my club takes place at Sanair which is great place that happens to have a nice drag strip as well. It wouldn't have the media coverage and all the glamour of the real challenge, but just to have fun between a couple of like-minded enthusiasts? Is it that simple? Am I missing something here? I mean....how hard can it be?

Actually, it has been done, but who wants to be acused of being a copycat unless you are Chinese?

Check out the Lemons series, the Chumpcar series and the Baberally series. They are all pretty much based on the concept of how much fun can you have for as little as possible while avoiding an alchohol based criminal record.

The real challenge (pun intended) is that you need to market the event. Helps if you run a magazine devoted to whack-job car addicts of the empty wallet persuasion.

Don't for a second think that it is not a ton of work to put one of these events on. Do you want to put hundreds of hours into the effort for free? Do you want out be out of pocket for the venue and the insurance and the hotel block.Do you have 50 friends who are going to volunteer to show up for the event and deal with the atendees and marshalling?

So to answer your question, nope, not a thing stopping anyone. Please host it in Toronto.