Thunder at Stillwater II

[A26B]

THUNDER AT STILLWATER II

OK, been working on this event and it's coming together. The date has changed because its football season in Oklahoma and Stillwater loves its Cowboys. There are 3 OSU home games in Stillwater during September. There are no hotel deals when OSU plays at home.
Here we go on the details at present....

Registration: ZR1NetRegistry Regional Event. I will be setting up registration & pymts through the registry website with Ron & Mom's blessing.

Sign-in: Thursday, 1500~1800, 10Sep09. Stillwater, Stillwater Plaza Hotel

Hallett Road Course: Friday, 0900~1700, 11Sep09. http://www.hallettracing.net/ Hallett, OK abt 35 miles from Stillwater. Bring your helmet! Glen Breitung has graciously offered his services for ride-along instruction. Track is all ours for the day. Registration cost will be dependent on the number of cars, so the more registrants, the cheaper it will be. Example, 40 registrants = abt $100ea. A real bargain for a full day of track time.

Tulsa Drag Strip: Saturday, 1000~1700, 12Sep09. http://www.tulsaracewaypark.com/ Abt 80 miles from Stillwater. We will be merging in with a Chevy Fest event, so only Chevrolet cars will be there. The track is still working on planning as to whether Sat will be formal racing or more of a test & tune day. Either way, we can stage & run on our own or compete if desired. The good thing is... no track rental, pay at the track, no reservations required. Cost & rules will be forthcoming. I understand the rules will be "lenient" regarding roll bars/cages.

VIP Assembly: Saturday, 1900~whenever, 12Sep09. Will be held at Mercury Marine plant in Stillwater. VIP contact & confirmation is in progress and will be published later. This will be in Mercury's auditorium. Objective is to hold a reunion, recognize & honor persons who played a role in the ZR-1 & LT5 development & accomplishments. Afterwards, it will be open question & answer with story telling for as long as they are willing. Bring your HOTB books!

Autocross Solo: Sunday, 1000~1500, 13Sep09. Event will be SCCA sponsored and held at the Mercury Marine Plant in Stillwater. Cost (if any) & rules will be forthcoming.

Photographs & Video: Plans are to have a photographer at the various events to take pictures of the event, your cars on the track, pits or scenic background (like maybe Mercury Marine) A CD of the collection can then be purchased by everyone or maybe just your personal shots. I would like to have a quality video DVD of the VIP discussion included because I have no doubt there will be a lot of valuable knowledge shared. Cost & products will be forthcoming.

Lodging: http://www.stillwaterplaza.com/index.php A block of 40 rooms is reserved at the Stillwater Plaza Hotel. King & dbl queen rooms are available, Cost is $81.18/day with all fees included.

Banquets & Dinners: The general impression I've gotten is that most folks think the cost is too high & the quality & fare generally leaves something to be desired. As such, there won't be any offered as part of the event agenda. Stillwater has some great & famous eating places. Hideaway Pizza, Eskimo Joes, and many others. Good steak, barbeque, mexican & good old American fare available.

Souvenirs & Memorabilia: Hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts, banners & such are in the works.

This will be a great homecoming event with performance driving events for everyone available. I've been thinking about a KOTH award on the order of a tri-fecta. Whoever posts the lowest total comprised from the lowest time in all 3 events wins! Only rule is....no changes to the car for events. Run drag slicks & skinnies, you gotta run them on the road course & auto cross too! You get the idea. What do you think about this? Fun?

BTW, I do have a special surprise that will remain a secret until the event. You won't be disappointed! Just be sure to attend.

Post replies here with your thoughts and especially if you plan to attend and the events you want to participate in. If you know owners of the new ZR1, please invite them to attend. That group is very new & small and probably doesn't have a gathering yet. It's a heck of a car and would be fun to watch on the track events. There is already one member who has a ZR1 and will be attending.

[AtsZR1]

Jerry my friend, I AM IN. I have made a reservation at the Stillwater Plaza. Looking forward to it...let me know when to register. Thanks,

Henry

[JThomas]

Sounds like a great event Jerry. Thanks for organizing. I will be finishing up the 15th Anniversary Caravan with the National Corvette Museum the previous week, in the Z06.

Now I'm going to have to return to Michigan, grab the beast and head south, again! :thumbsup:

[cvette]

:dancingWe're there dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jeffvette]

Jerry, how well is the hotel set up for a truck & trailer?

[A26B]

It's good Jeff. There is Truck & RV parking and there are 24 hr restaurants around the parking lot, so it's well lit.

[Jeffvette]

Thanks for the update Jerry, I'll see what I can do.

[gbrtng]

Regarding Hallett:

Those of you who have done high speed driving school instructing, or even participated in an HPDE event, please PM me. I'd like to do an informal class lecture on track procedures for those who have never been on a road course, and we'll need some experienced in-car instructors too. The most important part is to keep your car in one piece ... in addition to having a good time, that is.

[4DSZR1]

The more I think about this event the more its becoming a need and not a want :)

[A26B]

I have a question to put to everyone who even remotely plans to attend Thunder at Stillwater II.

What is your opinion regarding extending an invitation to the ZR1 (no dash) owners?

that group is very small at present, with no gatherings or events. We are both offspring of the same parent with similar names. They don't have any "family gatherings" to attend yet. Plus, I can tell you from personal track experience (riding) it's a HELLUVA machine.

This is "our" event, so I'll respect the opinion of the members here. Thanks for your replies.

[95ZR1]

Jerry, I can't imagine why the ZR1 owners would even want to attend, unless they had (or still have) a ZR-1.

[A26B]

Well, for starters, there are 3 different track events and a lot of really cool Corvettes and people around. The only part of the event they probably wouldn't have any interest in would be the VIP jam Sat evening.

[GrayZ]

Jerry, I can't imagine why the ZR1 owners would even want to attend, unless they had (or still have) a ZR-1.

Atta boy, throw a turd in the punchbowl, WHY? would a corvette person
want to attend a gathering of other Corvette people, enjoying their cars
and kinship with people of the same interests. Meeting new people, seeing
a different part of the country, watching drag racing and autocrossing,
and road racing. I mean, c'mon...

sorry, i see for sure We are cut from different pieces of cloth.

Jerry, thanks, for the time and effort you have put into making this
upcoming event, a "happening" to remember.
I will be there, 4 sure. God willing and the creeks don't rise. :cheers:

[gbrtng]

ZR-1s and ZR1s - what could be more better? Besides I'd like to score a ride (and maybe a drive) in one. Heck, I'd even like to drive a first gen C3 ZR1.

Glenn

[95ZR1]

Atta boy, throw a turd in the punchbowl, WHY? would a corvette person
want to attend a gathering of other Corvette people, enjoying their cars
and kinship with people of the same interests. Meeting new people, seeing
a different part of the country, watching drag racing and autocrossing,
and road racing. I mean, c'mon...

sorry, i see for sure We are cut from different pieces of cloth.

Jerry, thanks, for the time and effort you have put into making this
upcoming event, a "happening" to remember.
I will be there, 4 sure. God willing and the creeks don't rise. :cheers:

Just an opinion - we'll see how it goes. It's not like Stillwater OK is the place everyone wants to be. ZR-1 owners - YES, others? Not so sure. Also, with Carlisle being 2 weeks earlier, there are some tough decisions to be made by people who have a long way to drive and not all the time in the world to do it. Believe it or not, not everyone lives as close as you do. Being a realist is not the same as throwing a turd in the punch bowl - it's just an opinion.

[ZR1North]

I have a question to put to everyone who even remotely plans to attend Thunder at Stillwater II.

What is your opinion regarding extending an invitation to the ZR1 (no dash) owners?

that group is very small at present, with no gatherings or events. We are both offspring of the same parent with similar names. They don't have any "family gatherings" to attend yet. Plus, I can tell you from personal track experience (riding) it's a HELLUVA machine.

This is "our" event, so I'll respect the opinion of the members here. Thanks for your replies.

I am glad you introduced this question, Jerry. I can't think of a good reason why one would not invite the "ZR1" club - small as it might be. Personally, I never understood the negative comments from a few ZR-1 owners about the introduction of the new car.

The mags have written all that needs to be said with regard to what the ZR1 (no dash) represents and how it stacks up against the "super cars" of today. As a ZR-1 owner, I saw (and still see) nothing but positives about the introduction of this super Vet and to have it named as it was (even though the "dash" is missing) is a tribute to our cars. There is much that could be said on this topic - perhaps to have Corvette gracing the covers of all the well-read mags (for good reason) for the past few months while we were/are going through this terrible time in the industry, is enough to say for now.

By the way, thanks for having the courage to attempt to arrange "Thunder Two". I spent a couple of hours talking to Jim Van Dorn last August. He still has a twinkle in his eye when he talks of the '93 event. If the '09 version could capture even a fraction of Thunder One, it would be a success.

Good luck!

[A26B]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm a little surprised that this question hasn't received more response.

I have no way of knowing how many might attend until an invitation is extended to the ZR1 group. Even if it's just "1", at least we invited them and the "1" joins us.

Actually, I don't even have a good idea how many ZR-1's will attend, but I have gotten enthusiastic feedback and "I'll be there" from Graham Behan, Doug Rippie, Gary Cline, Chris Allen (per Gary Cline & Graham Behan) and plans to invite more VIP's. I know of several ZR-1ers who have called to tell me they have already reserved rooms.

Apart from Thunder One, which had a different purpose, there really hasn't been a gathering in this region. I think Thunder Two has a lot going for it. it is essentially at the crossroads of America and can attract participants from all directions, bringing ZR-1 enthusiasts together, probably meeting many for the first time. Until the NW Region cranked it up a couple of yrs ago with the Las Vegas Gathering, Bowling Green & Carlisle was about it and both are in the Eastern US. The other twist is 3 different track events which I'm hoping will create some excitement & attendance. Do it all, just a part or just spectate, whatever flips your switch.

And then there's the Willy's Cup! That could be the most memorable event of all!!

[rhipsher]

I'd love to go Jerry. Sept is plenty of time to make plans for it. Is this event going to take the place of the new braunfels get together since they are so close to eachother?

[gbrtng]

I'd love to go Jerry. Sept is plenty of time to make plans for it. Is this event going to take the place of the new braunfels get together since they are so close to eachother?
Mary and I haven't discussed this with Corey yet. It might make more sense to delay until Spring 2010 - perhaps in March. Thanks for asking and stay tuned.

Glenn

[rhipsher]

I have a question to put to everyone who even remotely plans to attend Thunder at Stillwater II.

What is your opinion regarding extending an invitation to the ZR1 (no dash) owners?

that group is very small at present, with no gatherings or events. We are both offspring of the same parent with similar names. They don't have any "family gatherings" to attend yet. Plus, I can tell you from personal track experience (riding) it's a HELLUVA machine.

This is "our" event, so I'll respect the opinion of the members here. Thanks for your replies.
I think it would be a great idea to extend it to them. It just makes sense. There's a new member that just joined the Corvette owners club of Houston that has a brand new ZR1. I haven't met him yet. But out of the 350 members, He and I are the only two Z's in the club. I always thought it would be cool to get both of them side by side and get some pictures of the 2nd and 3rd generation Z's together. I guess I could invite him.

[AtsZR1]

Jerry, i have also had the opportunity to see the ZR1 up close...it is awesome. Having the "clan" together is a great idea. Don't forget about the C2 ZR1's we could have all three generations of ZR1's at the same event...each with it's own cool features...go for it...invite them. I know I will enjoy the reunion. Henry

[A26B]

I just placed a new thread on the C6 ZR1 forum, inviting them to attend. I hope they do and put the new ZR1 on the track at Hallett. I'll never forget my ride with a pro in the new ZR1 at Spring Mountain. THANKS to RICK & "J.J."!!

[WydGlydJim]

I plan on attending, and there is a ZR1 owner here in Wichita, and I will let him know. In fact, I would like to get a few club members to caravan. Sounds like fun!
:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Gunny]

:thumbsup: Tentatively planning on being there

George

[rhipsher]

Wow Jerry! I just checked to see if there was any response to your invitation on CF zr1 section and only one person has even bothered to view it. And its been up there at least four days? Maybe it just wasn't mean't to be. That's ok. As long as we all have a good time that's all that matters. I can't wait to get a tour of the Mercruser plant.

[WydGlydJim]

I'm gettin ready!
:mrgreen:

http://members.cox.net/wydglydjim/Lurking.jpg

http://members.cox.net/wydglydjim/Lurking2.jpg

[JThomas]

I think it's a good idea to invite them. There will only be a few of them, but they are still Corvette people at heart, and purchased what is, at the time, the ultimate Corvette just like the beast was in the nineties. :thumbsup: