[Healeys] Watkins Glen Vintage Festival date change

[Charlie Baldwin]

If the Vintage Grand Prix Festival follows the normal schedule, which 
would include the Tour de Marque of which Austin-Healey is the featured 
marque, leaving Friday morning for Watkins Glen will assure that you 
miss most of the events of the Vintage Festival.  The Tour de Marque 
will start early Friday morning, so to participate you must drive to 
Watkins on Thursday.

I would urge the organizers of Enclave to shift the schedule so that 
there is little of consequence happening from noon Thursday on or all of 
those who plan to do both will not be able to attend any of the Thursday 
afternoon and evening events which includes the Awards Banquet.  Of 
course if the Gymkhana trophies are given out at the banquet, then the 
Gymkhana would need to be earlier also.  Actually it could be to the 
clubs' advantage to advertise the Vintage Festival as part of the whole 
experience.  Many of us familiar with both locations and events can help 
those who are not.  This could also help out the Vintage Festival and 
WGI folks to fill up their events.  Last year, with MG as the featured 
marque, the Tour de Marque filled up, actually over filled, and an 
additional event was added by the folks at the track for MGs.  This 
could also help to fill other driving events at the Vintage Festival.

Many Austin-Healey owners may say that they don't care about vintage 
racing or whatever goes on at Watkins Glen, but not changing the 
schedule would force people to chose and therefore cut down 
participation in both events.  Historically the Tour de Marque is set up 
for 120 cars, so it would not be a good thing for 120 cars to leave 
Enclave at noon on Thursday unless the schedule is changed.

Geographically it would be so easy to do both because to get to the 
Watkins Glen area from Gettysburg is a straight shot up US 15, very easy 
for someone not necessarily familiar with either location.

So I implore the Enclave organizers to get in touch with Watkins Glen 
Promotions and try to work something out.  To do that email Casey 
Creamer at casey at senecasaw.com.  He is high up in the group that runs 
the Vintage Grand Prix Festival and can try to do whatever possible on 
his end.  But knowing what the schedule was last year for the Tour de 
Marque when MG was featured, I can't see that they can do much to change 
the schedule at their end at all.  Casey should at least be aware of the 
conflict, but his group is already reacting to the change made by 
Watkins Glen International as required by the paving project.  So I 
suspect that everyone else will need to schedule around what the track 
has already decided.

Let me know how I can help.

Charlie Baldwin
York, PA (born in Gettysburg)
'62 BT7 tricarb

On 11/9/2014 8:22 AM, Randall C Hicks wrote:
> I believe that Enclave ends on Friday 7/24 which is the start dat of Watkins Glen.
>
> It would almost be right on your way home!!!!   :-)  Ibm probably going to do both.
>
> Randy
>
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 9:22 PM, Charlie Baldwin <mgcharlie at comcast.net>
> wrote:
>
>>> Sarah,
>>> The vintage races have been moved, but I talked to Carole Pierce at
>>> Watkins Glen Promotions today to sign up for the Tour de Marque and she at
>>> first said that the Vintage Festival would remain in September, but then
>>> said that they have a meeting soon to figure out what to do.
>>> My opinion is that they have no choice but to move it to July because it
>>> is so tied to the events at the track, but maybe they will come up with
>>> something else, though I can't imagine what.
>>> She said she will get in touch when they figure out the plan.
>>> Charlie