OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car to air on SPEED

[thedodgeboys]

I absolutely loved it! And will be saving it for many more replays.

However I wish they would have showed a little more of the racing.
Like Mary making a complete lap instead of just the highlights I loved the highlights just would have loved to have seen a complete lap by someone.
Would have also been cool to see a clock in the lower corner clicking off the times, Maybe a leader board posting the fast times leading up to the final total.

Nice to see all the faces and some classic quotes wish I could attend, maybe I will get lucky.

[gearbanger]

That is a pretty good idea, to have classes like A-body, F-body, and 2-seater. That would be plenty. And I personally like the idea of having the new vettes, vipers, amgs and bentlys there. I think that is the whole idea of pro-touring is to directly compare the cars to new performance cars. Maybe those cars need to have there own class or something, but that definitely adds to the cool factor to be able to see that a 69 Camaro just ran with or better than a new Vette.

I hope I can come to one of these deals someday, but my car will never be able to perform with these, and I'll probably never make it out to Vegas. But maybe you guys can have one at Pigeon Forge someday and I can come and watch.

[Steve1968LS2]

Let's not make this overcomplicated..

Just insure that there are no cars with crazy advantages.. make sure they are real street cars and make sure there are no ringer drivers.

Simple.

[Charley Lillard]

My 2 cents...2 classes..One for owners...One for Pro shops, sponsors etc.. The shops can have whoever they want drive. They want to show how well their stuff works so they should be allowed to get someone capable of showing just good their car can work with their product. The owners drive their own cars. The event is invitational so the organizers can choose what gets invited anyway. The shops have their own shootout and the owners have their own shootout.

[BonzoHansen]

So if Frank builds me a super car but I pay for it and I drive it, is that owner class or shop class?



Of course that is an extreme hypothetical example.

[mpozzi]

That's "Owner" class ... and not that extreme as the majority of the cars in this class would be those.

Couldn't agree more, Charley. And I like your reasoning behind it.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

[wicked68]

how about we do a much larger feeder event and optima can invite the top X number of cars from this event.

Maybe hold one in texas so its nice and central for everyone.

take all the ideas from this thread and make it a 2 or 3 day deal.

[PT Sportwagon]

(I'm also all for a "4-door station wagon" class, but I'm silly like that)

Scott, I would vote for a wagon class. Wagons rule

What I am wondering does the vehicle have to be exhibited at SEMA? or even in the parking lot. I don't think my wagon would be a SEMA car but it I am there for the PT dinner would I have a chance?

Tim

[Scott Parkhurst]

It's an invitational- you have to be invited.

[wicked68]

It's an invitational- you have to be invited.

exactly why a larger open event would be a lot of fun and really cool with nightly organized social activities

I bet we could get some good sponsors for it - heck I would be a sponsor.

[Steve1968LS2]

My 2 cents...2 classes..One for owners...One for Pro shops, sponsors etc.. The shops can have whoever they want drive. They want to show how well their stuff works so they should be allowed to get someone capable of showing just good their car can work with their product. The owners drive their own cars. The event is invitational so the organizers can choose what gets invited anyway. The shops have their own shootout and the owners have their own shootout.

I like that..

After all, what car is the "Ultimate Street Car"? The better car with the lesser driver or the lesser car with the better driver?

If Boris Said showed up and won would it be because he had the best car or because he's just a far better driver?

The two classes is a good idea, it would also give the "average joes" a shot.

Look at the tallent pool (except me) of the top 5 cars and you see a pattern.

[BLT2DRIVE]

how about we do a much larger feeder event and optima can invite the top X number of cars from this event.

Maybe hold one in texas so its nice and central for everyone.

take all the ideas from this thread and make it a 2 or 3 day deal.

Didn't they mention at the Premier about a run-off at Road America this spring to qualify some cars/people?

[79-TA]

Proper safety equipment is also a must. I saw very fast full out road race lap times being turned in by people with no firesuits or gloves on. We represent the sport and there are a lot of people who will look to us as the standard and as such we have a duty to make sure we are also portraying the latest safety as well. I dont think cars should be able to go out and turn in 1:50 lap times with a 3 point seat belt and no roll bar and only a helmet.

That is a regular street car and has no place on the track placing the driver at risk like that.

They pretty much enforced the level of safety you'd find at an ordinary track day. Cars were not going wheel to wheel nor was there any passing allowed. Still, I'm sure the safety companies wouldn't mind having their products put up on display.

[Finch]

My 2 cents...2 classes..One for owners...One for Pro shops, sponsors etc.. The shops can have whoever they want drive. They want to show how well their stuff works so they should be allowed to get someone capable of showing just good their car can work with their product. The owners drive their own cars. The event is invitational so the organizers can choose what gets invited anyway. The shops have their own shootout and the owners have their own shootout.

You are spot on Charlie, Now go bend Jimi and Cam's ear.

[David Pozzi]

Charley,
Can you sell me Jackass for $1.00 just for 1 day??? PLEASE???
I promise Mary won't cuss in it.

[rossmacd]

Charley,
Can you sell me Jackass for $1.00 just for 1 day??? PLEASE???
I promise Mary won't cuss in it.

Pffft, that's like a cake with no frosting.

[454bug]

My 2 cents...2 classes..One for owners...One for Pro shops, sponsors etc.. The shops can have whoever they want drive. They want to show how well their stuff works so they should be allowed to get someone capable of showing just good their car can work with their product. The owners drive their own cars. The event is invitational so the organizers can choose what gets invited anyway. The shops have their own shootout and the owners have their own shootout.

EXACTLY what I was alluding to at the very beginning of this thread...

GREAT SUGGESTED LAYOUT CHARLIE!!

[454bug]

how about we do a much larger feeder event and optima can invite the top X number of cars from this event.

Maybe hold one in texas so its nice and central for everyone.

take all the ideas from this thread and make it a 2 or 3 day deal.

Other than the invitations made by the organizers didn't I read somewhere that anyone that won a Goodguy's Autocross was automatically invited??

I thought that's how Mary Pozzi and Brian Finch got in... maybe I'm wrong...

Isn't that already a "feeder" program??

After all, there are only 40-50 spots to fill... including the exhibition and Pro Shop cars...

[MCMLXIX]

I finally got to watch it Sunday night... I volunteered that day and while I didn't get any camera time you hear me telling Troy Ladd about the G-tech meter for the 0-60-0... Does that count as my 15 seconds of fame?
The show was really good. I agree they could have more footage of the cars including engine and interior shots... maybe they'll step up with more cameras to catch more track footage next year...With multiple events happening simultaneously its hard to get film on each car running each event....

Did anyone notice that all the commercials used footage from the event..

[wiedemab]

I finally got to watch it Sunday night... I volunteered that day and while I didn't get any camera time you hear me telling Troy Ladd about the G-tech meter for the 0-60-0... Does that count as my 15 seconds of fame?

I paused it on the DVR and for a split second you can see a thin side profile of your face - mostly just sunglasses. I think you still have some of your 15 seconds left though.