[DeTomaso] Convention ideas

[Asa Jay Laughton]

... and I think it worth pointing out, some of our Canadian friends  
pulled off one heck of a multi-day tour/event just a couple weeks ago.  
  Yes, I didn't go (long story) but if you read the itinerary, saw the  
photos and read the feedback, in my opinion the Fun Rally pales in  
comparison.  They had driving, multiple hotels, various tours/visits,  
restaurants, catered dinners, a few mini-tech sessions and did I  
mention the driving?  Sure they had no track event or vendors or open  
bar but the smiles per mile were tremendous.  I hope they manage to  
put this together again next year, or maybe make it an every-other  
year event.

It just takes new folks to step up and and do something.  I think it's  
been said before, it doesn't have to be 'The Fun Rally."  Originally  
the Fun Rally was just a simple Pantera club event that Kent and Sandi  
put together.  Who knew it would become such an icon of Pantera lore?   
Perhaps the premise by which the Fun Rally was started, needs to be  
resurrected in a new way...

Each POCA Chapter, in turn, is responsible for putting together a  
"big" Pantera even for the year.  Each Chapter lobbies to be the host  
of the event, making a presentation to the POCA Board or event  
committee as the case may be.  The Chapter who wins the "big yearly  
car event" slot then hosts and puts on the show in a venue close to  
their home.  (yes, I'm thinking the International Mustang Meet model  
here)  This way the event moves around the country.  You could even  
make it so it had to be an East coast chapter one year and a West  
coast chapter the next and maybe plug in middle-American chapters in  
the rotation.  That way if you felt it was too much trouble to drive  
or fly to Pocono, you could wait until the next year to go to Las  
Vegas, or San Diego, or....

And the beauty of this is that it doesn't prevent any single Chapter  
from doing a smaller local event on their own if they so choose.

The question is....  are there any people in each Chapter to take on  
this challenge?  Or are too many people set in overstuffed comfortable  
chairs just "waiting" for "someone else" to do it?

I'd love to see an event in Nashville.  I may not attend, but I think  
it would be great to have one.  I think it would really show we still  
have other people (like the Canadians this year) who can step up,  
organize, manage, promote and get people to an alternate event.  You  
don't have to have the draw of the Fun Rally.  Even if you got half  
the people there, you would have success.

San Diego?  Same story, put it together and see who comes.  I think it  
would be great.  Perhaps we all need to start with the simple idea  
that no matter what we do, we won't get "everybody" there.  so stop  
worrying about "numbers" and start thinking about venues and events,  
and marketing.

But that's just me.
Asa Jay



Quoting JDeRyke at aol.com:

> Relocate the Fun Rally again? A very long time ago, I noted that most
> DeTomaso owners won't drive their Grand Touring(!) sports cars more   
> than about 4
> hours one-way, for any reason. So I took a map of California where the
> majority of DeTomasos hide, drew a circle on it centered on Los Angeles, that
> could be reached in 4 hours- even in a Nash Metropolitan- and noted   
> the cities
> that fell within that circle. Las Vegas fits. San Diego obviously fits.
>
> But that boundary is artificial. Reno is outside the 4 hr circle and still
> pulled enough attendees- twice- to allow POCA to at least break even on
> expenses. Phoenix is at roughly the same Interstate driving time as   
> Reno, as is
> San Jose/San Francisco/Sacramento. Pocono on the East Coast draws enough
> attendees from the whole Atlantic seaboard to make expenses; if the   
> "Official"
> Fun Rally were held there, likely their attendence would double and trailer
> sales would mushroom!
>
> So the ONLY thing seemingly preventing another change is: SOMEONE (or some
> group) TO RELIABLY DO ALL THE WORK.
>
> Critics, arm-waving and lots of discussion pro/con is expected, but
> actually organizing such an event is a massive undertaking, as those who have
> actually done such a thing can attest.   Whether there's a racetrack  
>  nearby or
> not is nice but immaterial to most attendees, as is the local   
> weather. Driving
> 250- 500 or so miles to get there is as much "driving event" as we
> personally need, especially if we're in a convoy of a dozen   
> DeTomasos (or up to 100
> as happened a few times). Judy and I attend such events for the company of
> other owners, seeing their cars, and info, making for an enjoyable
> mini-vacation.
>
> Bring it on, wherever- J & J DeRyke
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-- 
Asa Jay Laughton - sent from somewhere other than home
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