ZR-1/ZR1 Gathering

[XfireZ51]

I know I have kicked this can a few times, but its become pretty clear that the enjoyment we get at The Gathering comes from who's there and not where it is. I'd like to think we can avoid the "smokestackers" next year by scheduling a different date. Rather than confounding our event w other C4s, why not have a Gathering of everything ZR1? Let's make this multi-generational by celebrating the mark "ZR 1" as the ultimate Corvette of it respective generations.
Thoughts? :cheers:

[Kevin]

i'm not sure how many non zr-1s show up any more but I can't see the ncm making room for another event for just zr-1/zr1's since they're already covered by the c4 and c6 gatherings. unless you're talking about moving the event from the ncm, I think there was another thread about this. I'm not sure how I feel about moving it but I do think there should be some discussion on the idea. long as there's an airport near by I don't really care.

[Daniel_Mc]

The NCM didn't really support us this year so I wouldn't bank on them doing so in the future. I was thinking of heading in the other direction entirely with The Gathering this event has been going on the longest of all the NCM events and I do not want to see it die. It is a ZR-1 event just as much as it is a C4 event. I feel if we do not embrace it as a C4 event numbers will continue to drop and it will die just as Shark Fest did (anyone remember that one?). We will inevitably break into our smaller factions (GS, ZR-1, Callaway, etc.) while at the event. However if we want this event to continue to survive we need to embrace the C4 as a whole not just the ZR-1. We (ZR-1 net registry) needs to reach out to the other C4 specific groups and work with them on this event. We have got to keep the numbers up in the C4 community. The C4 community is a great FAMILY of people with a wealth of knowledge and we need to stick together. The key is to keep it interesting and fun. We need the road tours, places of interest, racing (drag and autocross), seminars, displays, judged show, and anything else we can think of that people will enjoy. We have to give them something to do each and every day. Someone that is new will not know people and the activities and cars are what will most likely be the drawing point; however Thursday this year I wanted to attend several seminars and didn’t because I was occupied talking to everyone. I wouldn’t change this for anything but I am just attempting to make a point that a newcomer will not know people and be able to do this (unless he is super active on the forum or other activity but I’m sure you get the gist of what I am attempting to convey). With that said we need to plan a ZR-1 event as well, not at the NCM, our own unique event. The Grand Sport Registry and Pace Car Registry do this with great success. Maybe a track day, maybe a meeting (cruising the coast, Woodward Dream Cruise, Petit Le Mans, etc.) maybe all just meet in the Keys or Vegas for a few days I don’t know but something. We could move it to a different venue each year to keep it fresh and make it more accessible at times to different ZR-1 owners. Carlisle is a great event as well and I am not attempting to take away any momentum from that event but this again is a ALL corvette event not C4, not ZR-1. So why not do the C4 event at the NCM, Carlisle (because it is awesome), and have our own ZR-1 event? This would give the ZR-1 owners/enthusiasts several opportunities and venues throughout the year to come out and enjoy the Brotherhood. The more events and opportunities we have to do things together the closer the community will become. Doug Johnson said it best “It’s not about the car, it’s about the people…” and I firmly believe that.

Daniel

[scottfab]

I'd rather see the Gathering go to a once every 4yrs than to not have it at the NCM. Even with no support from the NCM... it's still home to the car ;)
But then I'm a bit different.
I think it's the car first....
that then leads to great friends.

[Paul in SC]

I agree with both Dan and Scott. We need to keep the Gathering going and if it means camping with the C4 and GS guys, so be it. We are all C4s.

I think we have enough regional events going on that should suffice as additional ZR-1 "gatherings" including Bloomington, Carlisle, tag along on Aaron's SGC event, Texas gathering, MidAmerican could be another venue, etc., etc. I for one am excited to be back in the ZR-1 family and really appreciated all the work that was pulled together for NCM this year. We may have had fewer people attend than I remember from the late 90s and early 2000s events, but the excitement and interest by those that attended was just as great.

[QB93Z]

Thanks for the discussion and comments. I think that some good points are being made.

I would like to clear up one major misconception. The NCM did support the ZR-1 Gathering. We used the NCM website do do all of the event registration. The NCM produced all of the badges and credentials. The NCM provided us FREE use of the theater for three full days. The NCM provided free event parking for all our cars and in beautiful surroundings. The NCM provided the Reception Center for the banquet and served the meal for a very reasonable price. The NCM allows us to set up a display area with any and all of the cars we want on the Boulevard of Dreams. The NCM allows us to set up our hospitality tables in the Museum lobby and to sell our shirts and merchandise directly in front of the NCM store.

We will continue to have an annual ZR-1 Gathering at the NCM. To get the get equivalent event facilities at a commercial location would be very expensive.

I agree that we need to have more cruises and tours at the Gathering.

I agree with Daniel. There were times that I missed a lecture because I was enjoying talking to other people.

Racing at the Gathering is problematic. We are not a big enough group to be able to rent a track for a weekend or a full day of exclusive use. We will continue to try to find a way to schedule race events at the Gathering.

I reject the idea that we shouldn't have a Gathering at the NCM because we should have an event on the west coast. The events are not mutually exclusive. We should be able to have The Gathering AND have events in every region of the country.

Jim

[FU]

Jim is correct. The NCM catered to us more this year than in the past. I was impressed with the out pour from the NCM. It was greatly appreciated.
A suggestion , What about setting up a nice meet in the west.....like Vegas ?

[XfireZ51]

Jim et al,

In re-reading my original post, perhaps I wasn't as clear as I wanted to be. What I was suggesting was not necessarily moving the The ZR-1 Gathering from BG and the NCM, but instead create a new event that celebrates the ZR1 brand. I disagree about "embracing" the C4 group.
Our ZR-1s aren't just C4s with a DOHC motor. The ZR-1 brand has been used by Chevrolet to designate the pinnacle of Corvette engineering for the particular generation Corvette. Its special! Seriously, when was the last time we "mingled" w other C4s and the GS crowd or vice-versa. Some time ago, I tried to make the case that this forum should open up to the new generation ZR1s out there. We get some people posting C6ZRs for sale on this site.
When I read that Chevrolet was going to use the ZR1 moniker again for the C6 version, I was excited because it would bring some additional focus on previous generations like ours. IMO, however, we haven't done very much to leverage that and so our cars continue to be considered as another C4 with an "interesting" motor although we all agree its MUCH more than that. My suggestion deals with elevating the ZR1 brand. That's why I am suggesting reaching out to the generations of ZR1s to create an event celebrating it and not just another version of a C4.

:fahne:

[Kevin]

we had some zr1's with us at carlise this year. was nice

[hiperf406]

I would like to see a western ZR1 event as I believe a lot of people including me don't go because of the location. Flying in & not having a car at the event is just foolish, pretty soon it will be a bunch of guys sitting around talking about their ZR1's & not a ZR1 around. Majority of people who don't want to move live within a relatively close distance & of course they will fight it. Carlisle is just as bad for anyone but the easterners, so I guess I'll just read about it every year until I loose interest in The Gathering & I'll bet I'm not in the minority, I could be wrong.

[DaveK]

I drove around 1500 miles to get to the Gathering this year. It was a blast. Don't think it would that much more from the west coast. That said I can understand it would put some people off. Similarly, if you have an event in the West, that would be hard for a lot of the Eastern cars to make.

The Museum seems to me to be the 'logical' choice for a get together, but it doesn't have to be the only one and shouldn't be. I don't see why they couldn't be an 'eastern gathering' and a 'western gathering' (and the lucky guys in the middle get the best of both!). All it takes is a few people to step up and organize it - I'm sure that the registry would be happy to support that to the fullest.

North America is so big it's always going to be difficult to please everyone and no matter where you hold an event someone is going to have to travel. I love doing that, hell if I could persuade my boss to give me the time off I'd even drive to a "Western Gathering" :cheers:

Dave

[ZZZZZR1]

Great discussion!

The NCM does help with registration and use of a fantastic facility. Though they do not help with the setup of the "Gathering", like it was in the past. This is much more work and it would be great to get more input from members.

As far as a West Coast Gathering, we absolutely should have one and it can't happen without lots of members stepping up to help.

We are already planning the Gathering for 2013 with a few surprises!

:cheers:

David

[QB93Z]

I would like to see a western ZR1 event as I believe a lot of people including me don't go because of the location. Flying in & not having a car at the event is just foolish, pretty soon it will be a bunch of guys sitting around talking about their ZR1's & not a ZR1 around. Majority of people who don't want to move live within a relatively close distance & of course they will fight it. Carlisle is just as bad for anyone but the easterners, so I guess I'll just read about it every year until I loose interest in The Gathering & I'll bet I'm not in the minority, I could be wrong.

I agree with you 100% that I would like to see ZR-1 Events in the western part of the country. I hope that soon there will be an event that gets ZR-1 owners together in Las Vegas. There was a ZR-1 event in the Pacific Northwest just a few weeks ago. I hope that some ZR-1 owners will get together and make a piggyback ZR-1 event during the Corvettes on the Rockies show.

There has to be dozens of ZR-1 owners in southern California. My recommendation is for Registry members in the area go to car shows and Cars and Coffee events and make contact with ZR-1 owners who are not in the Registry now or don't visit the Forums. Get their name and email adddress and start a campaign to get together in small groups. This is the way that I started what is now WAZOO. We started with just a couple of owners and 3 years later there are 42 ZR-1 owners identified in Baltimore-Washington area. Some come to our local events and some don't, but we all have a way to meet other owners face to face, exchange ideas and have fun.

If any member in a region needs help with an Email list, I will host your list on my Constant Contact account. If you need help from the Forum, we can make a special section for any regional group.

Corvettes at Carlisle is not a ZR-1 Net Registry Event. It is a Corvette event at which the ZR-1 Net Registry has established a strong presence. What we did was create a location and a tent where ZR-1 owners can hang out and meet other owners. Now that we have been successful, we cook some hamburgers and hold a raffle to offset expenses. All of the adminitrative burden of setting up and operating the event are done by someone else. We just show up and have fun.

Jim

[zr1mom]

I think a lot of people forget there is a great gathering of ZR-1's every year in TX. I'm sure that could be expanded upon.

You did have another event that was growing in Vegas that could be given life again pretty quickly.

Remember events start with ideas and then people willing to put in the countless hours to make it happen.

Mom

[XfireZ51]

Guys,

I am glad to see some discussion on this thread. I would like to reiterate that changing the evnue for the Gathering was not as much an objective of my discussion as is the idea of changing who we identify with.

"Do own a ZR-1 or do you own a C4?". I'll start a poll.

[tomtom72]

Hey Dave, I would willingly help with any heavy lifting at the Gathering. I just never knew you were looking for recruits! Count me in for next year's Gathering when there is work to be done! Heck I'm usually there by Tuesday evening!:mrgreen:



I'd also like to thank the NCM for having us.:thumbsup:

I could travel farther to attend an event if I could get two weeks vacation back to back. That's the rub for me. I think we should promote our C4 Gathering at local show & shines...I talk it up to any C4 owner I meet. Heck I even tell my C5 & C6 bros that they should go to the C5-C6 bash. The more, the merrier right? I would hate to see the Gathering loose it's connection to the NCM. I mean what other sports car can you own and get to have a conversation with the people that designed it? JMHO:o

:cheers:
Tom

[JThomas]

Great discussion! A trip out west could be fantastic, it just takes someone to plan it, just like anything else. I know I would support an event like that.

It seems that some owners just aren't willing to drive their cars "too far". Maybe we should determine how far people are willing to drive for an event, and that might help determine a location.

For me, as long as I can get gas, I'm rollin'! :cheers:

[DaveK]

For me, as long as I can get gas, I'm rollin'! :cheers:

I'm with you Joe! :cheers:

[JFFerner]

Perhaps consideration should be given to participating (in part) with Hot Rod Magazine's and General Motors' "Power Tour". I did this in 2010 by joining the group in Bowling Green, KY, instead of Iowa, where it began. I didn't have the time to go all the way to Mobile, AL, thus after 3 days, I broke rank and headed home. It could be a great time as a group, allowing either the entire or part tour.

For 2013 the tour is scheduled as follows:

BeginingJune 1 - QuickTrip BallPark 1600 Lone Star Pk Grand Prairie, TX 75050
June 2 - Four States Fair, 3700 E. 50th St, Texarkana, AR (200 mi) 71854
June 3 - Arkansas State Fair, 2600 Howard St, Little Rock, AR (142 mi) 72206
June 4 - Memphis Raceway, 550 Victory Ln, Millington, TN (137 mi) 38053
June 5 - Regions Stadium, 100 Municipal Dr, Hoover, AL (249 mi) 35216
June 6 - Chattanooga ST, 4501 Amnicola, Chattanooga, TN (156) 37406
June 7 - Charlotte Speedway 5555 Concord Pk S, Concord NC (316) 28027
Saturday June 8, 2013 - Long Haul Photo and awards (1200 miles)Big Map

More info is available at: www.mytrain.com/powertour Jim

[hiperf406]

All in the East again since when does not living in the East exclude those of us who live in the West. Anything in Kentucky,Tennessee, Ark, & their neighbors are too far for a lot of us. :mad:

[PhillipsLT5]

Not enough cars, $, people out west
I am waiting also for a western power tour

[tf95ZR1]

West Gatherings (Las Vegas) were a blast!
Spring Mountain, LV Raceway drags, Nellis Mile.
Marc, Hib & others gave talks. Gary hosted
BBQ's and took us on private Shelby tours.
Towards the end, local participation as well
as planning bottomed out (Ron couldn't do it
all) and it seemed to just peeter out.
No doubt, though, a GREAT venue.

Northwest Gatherings were also a blast and well
attended. Again, organized by Jeff and Robert.