Top 10 Musclecar & Pro-Touring Cities

[79-TA]

I would have to say that Scottsdale, AZ has to be one of the best places to live. We do shows all over and some of you guys have the worst roads I have ever been on and the farther back east you get the worse they are. We have very clean and nice roads out here with lots of cool scenery so if you just want to get in your car and drive for a few hours lots of cool things to go see, lakes, mountains, cactus, desert, rocks and route 69 is our here so you can spend a complete day just enjoying the scenery.

Positives:
· Great streets all year round
· Great weather all year round
· Freeways and streets to get anywhere in town
· Housing prices have never been so low
· Lots of hang out spots and places to go with your car
· Snow is under 2 hours away so your car is safe
· Mountains we have those
· Not many carjacking cause we all have guns around here
· 2 Good-guys shows a year
· Las Vegas about 4 hours by car
· Ocean is only 5 hours away by car
· Crime is really not that bad the news makes it worse
· Mexico is 3 hours away
· NASCAR comes here
· Lots of sports here
· Sheriff JOE one of the best in the nation
· Baseball Spring Tanning is here lots of teams

Negatives:
· Mexico is not far so we have the huge drug wars
· 100+ degree for a month but good testing for your cars if they run here they will run anywhere
· Not enough freeways
· Houses are in the dump for sales buyers market right now
· Jobs suck
· To many illegal’s running around

Don't forget those terrible roadside police speed camera cars. I love going to Arizona, but that particular aspect drives me crazy.

[67 ls1 vert]

I would have to agree with AZ also, but the heat is pretty hot there in the summers.

I would have to say Southern Calif. Good weather most all the time.
Beach, snow, mountains, desert, all less than 2 hrs away.

[mike69cam]

I would say So. Cal...the Santa Monica Mtn roads (Mulholland Hwy)is a great place to drive...canyon roads..next to Pacific Coast Hwy (PCH)..Malibu, Santa Monica, Southbay Beach cities...Santa Barbara wine country has awesome roads to cruise. Central Cal has the best quality roads. And therea are a lot of car events...it's a year round affair.

[wmhjr]

Little Rock, Arkansas. Say what you want but we've got a good thing going and if you don't check it out you're missing out. This weekend is a decent example. We have Cruisin' In The Rock on Friday night. We take over the River Market with a couple hundred cars and fill the pavilions and River Front Park. Price? Free. That Cruisin' In The Rock is a monthly gig. There are tons of local shows. Saturday we have Smoke On The Water, a nationally recognized BBQ cooking contest and we have a cruise in associated with it. Price? Free.

We've been a stop for Hot Rod Power Tour and will be again. The O'Reilly's Fall Street Machine Nationals has moved here. We have an annual indoor car show that features some of the top show cars on the circuit.

Cruising? From Little Rock you're an hour away from some of the best roads in the Ozarks. Check out highway 7 in particular. Also, anything that takes you near the Buffalo River National park is a bonus. We did one cruise where we pulled over to watch the newly established elk herd cross a farm pasture up there. Pretty cool.

If there is a draw back it's the lack of a great motorsports park. We're working on that. We do have a couple of 1/8 mile tracks within an hour or so.

Nothing against Little Rock, but I sure don't agree with this one. I lived there a couple years. (Really, North Little Rock). Have relatives that live up near LRAFB. But, crime is HIGH in Little Rock, rated at the 3rd worst city in the US for crime. There are other issue, but between the heat/humidity and the crime I'm not a fan. I still have friends there, but was real glad to leave.

[wmhjr]

Well, it's certainly not Pgh, PA. We've got a great city, but...

* Good or reasonable weather - NOT. Really 4 months of usable weather.
* Number of musclecars & pro-touring cars, etc - This one we've got.
* Good roads - Some of the worst roads in the country
* Reasonable regulatory laws - Some of the worst laws in the country
* Manageable traffic gridlock - This one isn't bad.
* Car-related events - We've got some of these - and reasonable distance to other major events like Carlisle, Hershey, Columbus, etc
* Interesting cruise destinations nearby (beaches, mountains, etc)
* etc. - Eh, some beautiful scenery but no beaches.
Other positive factors are:
* Attractive housing prices - We've got that one for sure. GREAT housing prices!
* Low crime - Relatively low crime here as well.
* etc.

[Nine Ball]

Here in Texas, Houston has by far the biggest car scene of any of the other cities in this state. Austin has the prettiest landscape in Texas, but their car scene severely pales in comparison.

[critter]

Nothing against Little Rock, but I sure don't agree with this one. I lived there a couple years. (Really, North Little Rock). Have relatives that live up near LRAFB. But, crime is HIGH in Little Rock, rated at the 3rd worst city in the US for crime. There are other issue, but between the heat/humidity and the crime I'm not a fan. I still have friends there, but was real glad to leave.

Give me a break. You're looking at 10 year old statistics. It's still not great due to the gangs in the hood but I think it's like 24 or 25 now. Try Memphis if you want to quote those kind of statistics.

Long story short, most of us don't live in the hood and have enough sense to stay out of harms way. I'm not painting Little Rock as a garden spot but if you live in the 'burbs and like cars, it's a decent place to live. The weather is pretty decent and the people treat you like family. The Ozark roads are fun to drive and there's a strong car community here. Like I said, the real draw back is no motorsports park.

Speaking of the hood, I'm happy to say that they're finally moving the State Fair Grounds out of that area. Word is a new venue will be up and running within a few years. That's good news on the car front because we need a place big enough to hold a HRPT type event and not drive through those neighborhoods.

[130fe]

Critter. sounds like things are getting better in LR. I lived in Jacksonville from 94-03 and the car scene was not the best. I grew up in Orlando so that what I based things like that on. What 1/8 tracks do you have now? I remember Centerville (1000 ft) and Memphis were the closests ones (@ 2hour drive). I went back for the PT in 07 and at least some of the roads were better. As for Crime, it is everywhere, no matter where you live. Logistically, the organizers of the PT could have done better, but its better than not having it at all. After having done the PT in 06 and 07, Little Rock wasn't the only city that could have done it "better".

I just retired out the AF in the Panhandle near Ft Walton Beach and the car scene was starting to do pretty well. You had the beaches and good weather throughout most of the year.

I am currently living in Eastern NM (CLovis) and I tell you that this is NOT the place for car stuff. At least Amarillo and Lubbock are within a 100 miles so we can at least have some of the "big city" niceties. We have a Wal-Mart........... Anyways, hope to make it back to FL or some other car place someday.

[critter]

Like I said, it's not a garden spot but it's really improved. You left about the time we started ramping up on car events. The Little Rock Convention and Visitor's Bureau and the local clubs started working together at that point and it sure helps. There's still some "politics" withing the various clubs but most are on board and work together to put on some good events.

Centerville is one. Prescott is the other. Both dropped from 1000 foot to 1/8 mile at the request of the racers. It was too hard on them to set the car up for 1000 foot to race points locally and then turn it all on it's ear if they wanted to go out of state.

There has been a rumor of a road course being built by a private entity but I'll believe it when I see it.

BTW, did you know Dover Motorsports closed down Memphis? I loved that track but they're off the NHRA schedule for now.

[fordsbyjay]

This is an awesome thread. I live in south LA (Louisiana) and coming from a big city with a big scene it sucks here. Ever been to a car shoe with 1 or 2 cars? I have. The weather is nice in the winter but it rains all the freaking time and that is getting old. I have 3 years till my youngest graduates so I am looking for a change to make at that time.

Arkansas has to be one of the prettiest states I have ever seen. The lakes are so crystal clear it is amazing.I have never lived there but it would be close enough for me to continue working in north Louisiana.

Houston is so freakin massive it has to have a big car scene. It would just be a matter of statistics, where there are 7 million people there has to be a few hundred thousand cars there. However, after a weekend there I can't wait to get the hell out. Way too many illegals there.

Austin, I have never been there but have friends from there and always hear praise about how great it is.

Arizona sounds pretty interesting but I don't know what a guy would do for a job. I have relatives that go there in the winter and it would be much closer to Canada. I do know one thing, that dry 110° heat is a heck of better than 100/100 humidty.

The biggest thing I miss from Canada is decent lakes, boating and camping, and huge car shows. One thing about the northern cities is their car season is short so they go hard while they can.

[Bill Howell]

Pigeon Forge, Tn.

IMO, car mecca of the south with events here regularly. Weather can be hot in summer, but that is the south and that is why we have trees to look at.

Daytona, Florida.

My second choice, hotter, but good weather in the winter than PF.

I loved my recent visit to LA and look forward to returning there the end of the month. No one can say anything about the perfect weather. However, the government regulation kills it for me. Big Brother is too involved in the hot rodders business IMO.


In the OP post, weather was mentioned. Actually, if it is a true protouring car, the wipers should work and the car should not be afraid of a little rain, so I don't think rain is a negative.

[fordsbyjay]

Pigeon Forge is very nice in the summer as well. Never been there in the winter.

In the OP post, weather was mentioned. Actually, if it is a true protouring car, the wipers should work and the car should not be afraid of a little rain, so I don't think rain is a negative.

Heck I'll drive my T-bucket in a little rain. Two weeks of down pour is a different subject however. lol

[ill steez]

I'd say northern california. I currently live in southern california, but day-to-day I'd see WAY more classic cars, and pro-touring style builds up north.

I think a lot of people in so-cal prefer the latest and greatest stuff vs. rebuilding an older car.

[ZZ427]

CALIFORNIA . . . North or South

[wmhjr]

Give me a break. You're looking at 10 year old statistics. It's still not great due to the gangs in the hood but I think it's like 24 or 25 now. Try Memphis if you want to quote those kind of statistics.

Long story short, most of us don't live in the hood and have enough sense to stay out of harms way. I'm not painting Little Rock as a garden spot but if you live in the 'burbs and like cars, it's a decent place to live. The weather is pretty decent and the people treat you like family. The Ozark roads are fun to drive and there's a strong car community here. Like I said, the real draw back is no motorsports park.

Speaking of the hood, I'm happy to say that they're finally moving the State Fair Grounds out of that area. Word is a new venue will be up and running within a few years. That's good news on the car front because we need a place big enough to hold a HRPT type event and not drive through those neighborhoods.

Nope. I'm looking at current stats. It all depends on what "survey" you're looking for. I'll be honest - I don't care if a city is the 3rd worst or the 15th worst. It's still bad. And like I said, friends live there now. It's nothing new and I personally lived there as well. Frankly, my in-laws live 2 hrs outside of Little Rock and always have.

The problem with Little Rock is economics. If things don't significantly change, Little Rock is still in for some real hard times. LIke some other similarly sized cities with similar poor decision making some time ago that really hurt them as time has passed. Depressed economics has really fed a very strong criminal component in LR. Even more so than in many other similarly sized cities that are ALSO having economic woes.

Please don't take this personal. It's not a reflection of many of the fine people that live there. But it's just reality. The Ozarks are a heck of a long drive from LR. (BTW, I also agree Memphis has got some problems as well).

[wmhjr]

Here in Texas, Houston has by far the biggest car scene of any of the other cities in this state. Austin has the prettiest landscape in Texas, but their car scene severely pales in comparison.

Probably because no matter how pretty Austin is, you have a higher concentration of greenie, eco-centric folks. Austin is a strange place. I love visiting there once in a while and there are some cool events there. But sometimes it just seems like a small enclave of California transplanted in the middle of Texas.

[Chevy24]

So far the responses are:
* Florida
* Southern California
* Northern CA
* Scottsdale or Phoenix, AZ
* Vegas
* Austin TX
* Charlotte, NC
* Little Rock, Arkansas
* Atlanta
* Chicago
* Tennessee
Sounds good!

[ArtosDracon]

I will say Maricopa, AZ. My reasons are pretty simple. We're a half hour from firebird, and hour from the Pavillions show on the weekend, 35-40 minutes from the Mesa cruise on saturday AND we have no emissions regulations to have to hassle with, we have a GREAT straight and flat stretch of road to the north and to the south and housing prices are CHEAP right now. Scottsdale is too congested, Phoenix is very hit or miss on the neighborhood, downtown and south Phoenix are not safe places to leave nice cars, Mesa has too many illegals and too much drug traffic, Chandler is getting too crowded and cops are the worst, plus the entire main section of the Valley is pollution controlled with CARB level emissions requirements.

Oh, and speed cameras on the freeways have been disabled and will be getting removed completely over the next couple of years, but only from the freeways and highways. Cities can still use red light cameras, that can also detect speed, so just do your speeding on the freeways and highways, and when there's no one else around. I don't care if you kill yourself doing 150mpyh, just leave the rest of us out of it.

[DarkBuddha]

Florida, or at least the southern half below Orlando, is probably close to the top. And fortunately, you can't narrow it down to one city necessarily.

* Good or reasonable weather - Check The weather is workable year-round.

* Number of musclecars & pro-touring cars, etc. - Check It's a southern state and a state with lots of folks with disposable/investment income, which means there are tons of musclecars and exotic running around.

* Good roads - Check The roads are pretty boring, but depending on where you live specifically, they're pretty well maintained.

* Reasonable regulatory laws - Check Florida has no smog/emissions checks, and adapted SEMA's model law in 2007.

* Manageable traffic gridlock - Check Traffic can suck depending on where you live, but there are still places (and I don't mean po-dunk towns) where "rush hour" means 5 cars sitting at a light.

* Car-related events - Check There are tons of car related events statewide, and tons of tracks and racing organizations in the state.

* Interesting cruise destinations nearby (beaches, mountains, etc) - Check... sorta Florida is a tourist state and therefore has tons of "destination" type places to go, including the obvious: beaches. But the actual roads traversing the state are pretty boring to drive. But basically, if you live in the southern half of Florida, you can get to almost any of the places that matter in a 3-4 hours drive max (which is totally reasonable to me).

* etc. - Check I can't think of one automotive related type event or activity that doesn't happen in Florida... racing, mud bogging, auto-x/rally-x, cruises, shows, swap meets, auctions, clubs, museums. There's a ton of industry built around it here, tons of shops, tons of suppliers, tons of racing organizations, etc... it's all here.

Other positive factors are:
* Attractive housing prices - Check Home prices are reasonable compared to some of the other more popular places to live, and downright cheap depending on where you wanna live. The rest of the cost of living is pretty reasonable as well, generally. Gas prices are fairly reasonable comparatively as well.

* Low crime - Check... sorta I don't think crime is any more pronounced here than any other place with major cities and population, but anywhere there's cheap living and a large, low paying job market, crime is there.

* etc. - Check... sorta Florida is a casual living kinda place... especially in communities that are beach towns. There's lots of good food to be had, whether you like fine dining, seafood, Cuban food, southern cooking, Caribbean, Cuban, Mexican, whatever. There are tons of non-automotive activities too... boating & watercraft, some of the best fresh and salt water fishing anywhere, entertainment, sports, etc. Lots of good universities and educational institutions in Florida. There's a very good sized grassroots movement in almost every facet of culture and living... organic farming, alternative lifestyles, community media, etc.

But, with the good comes bad... cheap as housing can be, things like insurance and electricity can get pricey. In fact, getting home owners insurance can be very difficult and very very expensive depending. Do not underestimate it. And when you've gotta run your central a/c 10+ months of the year, electric bills can be high... I know folks paying in excess of $400 per month. And in spite of reasonably priced gas, Florida is a big, spread out state, so you end up driving quite a bit of distance on daily basis, which means using lots more gas, which means gas ends up costing you more. "Culture" in Florida is more than a bit lacking in a lot of places and is nowhere near world-class most anywhere. Public school education in Florida is not the best by any means, and the politics around it are ridiculous and regressive. In fact, politics in this state border on insane and inane. And in some places, the old folks rule... blue hair culture, blue hair politics, blue hair attitudes... and a lot of them can't drive but do it anyways. Florida is a state drowning in pop culture and the kids are it's biggest and quickest victims; it's vile and disgusting.

All that said, I'd give it up and go back to Seattle if I had my druthers: lots of automotive related stuff, including rally racing, real high culture, progressive culture and politics, better education and resources for kids, lots of fantastic seafood and Asian-pacific influence and culture, great food, great community, great coffee, and I actually like the rain and winter weather.

[Mr. Anderson]

Austin, TX would need to be in this list of Top 10!
Great Hill Country Roads for cruising, carving some corners and views for miles upon miles.
Great top down weather during the spring and fall; Summers require A/C most of the time.
Housing ranges all over the income range.
3 Hours to Houston or Dallas, 4 hours to a decent Coastal Beach. An hour to a great water park or Into San Antonio for the River Walk or more car clubs to do even more with.
If you can't find a Car Club doing something on a weekend between Mid Jan to end of Nov then you are not looking or don't enjoy driving your car enough!
Austin also is the Live Music Capital of the World (South by Southwest Music festival going on right now!).
Huge Collage and Pro Football State!
Ray

I agree! Car stuff going on all the time too. And we haven't even mentioned the new F1 track thats on the way! If I were ever going to relocate from here, it would be to Austin.