Paupers Run – Sonoma: That’s How We Roll
(Sonoma, May 10)

Prologue – Some of you might already know about the Paupers Run. The Paupers Run started with a trip to Las Vegas back in March. Planned as a no-fee alternative to some of the 5-star, first-class runs that focused on a good time outside the car more than good drives, Jeffrey and his buddies started a small phenomenon with a roadtrip that emphasized minimal amenities and lots of insanely challenging roads. This Sonoma trip was a similar run that brought together a smaller group but with similar intentions. The Ferrari Event at Infineon Raceway was the main attraction and the paupers would make do with motels and truck stop food rather than fancy hotels and restaurants. Jeffrey, Aaron, Gary and Richard brought their cars and a few friends (Carlos, Lili, Jordan, and I) to Sonoma and proved that it’s not about how much you spend, it’s really about how you roll.

Day 1- Meet at Jeffrey’s top-secret lab. Jeffrey’s 4-car trailer is not ready, but the one-car rig looks pretty good. Loaded inside is one Scuderia Rosso Challenge Stradale with factory stripe. Round the back of the building, though, I see my ride. Aaron’s rig is huge! Obviously Paupers roll in style. Inside is Aaron’s F40 LM, Richard’s yellow CS and Gary’s yellow Modena. Jeffrey is waiting for Gary and Carlos so they’ll leave a little while after us. Richard and Lili have decided to meet us up there. Before we leave I take a peak inside the shop.

Jeffrey’s shop has some sweet equipment in it. Tons of horsepower, including Aaron’s 348 and 355 Challenge that have been orphaned for our trip. Aaron and I head out at 3:30. The others catch us up around an hour or so North of Sylmar after we stop to pick up Jordan. Jeffrey gets tired of getting blinded behind Aaron’s polished 13’-6” gate and takes the lead. We stop for fuel for the trucks and ourselves. Diesel #2 is being served to the trucks and with our only other option being a combined Kwicky Mart with upstairs Chinese Massage or Taco Hell, we briefly consider Diesel #2 as well. But tacos end up being cheaper and we load up on items carefully selected to bring enough aural output to sufficiently keep us awake for the rest of the trip that should see us arriving at the quaintly named Inn Marin in Novato around midnight.

This being my first experience in what must by all accounts be labeled a big rig, I find the experience quite pleasant. Aaron’s Renegade RV has a 42” Plasma with DVD and DirectTV, a leather sofa, full bathroom with shower and complete kitchen with all the trimmings. What’s not to like? Well, there is that bit about having to actually READ all of those numbers written on bridges as you approach at 65 mph, making split second million dollar decisions every 5 minutes or so. And you thought those numbers were merely more wasted tax dollars. Oh, and let’s not forget how much more fun idiotic fellow drivers can be when your emergency stopping distances have all of a sudden quintupled. Loads of laughs.

Approximately 75 hours later we arrive in Novato. Oddly though, because of the quaint charms of this laid back part of California, the resulting time warp twists all of our watches and clocks back to midnight-thirty. Amazing. After some interesting mechanical gymnastics involving two extremely large pivoting behemoths, dozens of overhanging trees, some foolishly parked automobiles carelessly arrayed in designated parking areas, a misguided local law enforcement official, and some devilishly tight corners, we manage to park and finally reach our destination: Pauper Central, Infineon Edition, The Inn Marin. Check in and straight to bed for tomorrow we unload and head to the track.

Day 2—Inn provides nice continental breakfast with cereal, coffee, fruit and toastable items as well as hard boiled eggs. Decent. Nice place. Nothing spectacular, but reasonably clean and quiet considering we slumber 50 feet from the 101. Parking lot is fairly empty and so we don’t feel too guilty about powerwashing the trucks at 9. Amazing thing about washing a truck is that you can’t ever finish it. Imagine the difficulty you have reaching the roof of your minivan or SUV and now imagine that this thing is 3 times as tall and you start to understand the situation. But we do our best with the help of some Inn Marin staff because we need everybody to see that paupers roll clean. Richard and Lili join us with their rental car they drove up in, just in time to help us unload the cars.

Bit of bad news here as Richard’s CS has suffered a bruised nose during the journey North. Apparently even transports can have wardrobe malfunctions as ours has suffered a strap failure that would have made even Justin and Janet blush. Nothing terminal so we push on. Our day is loosely scheduled to work around the departure of the bikes that are currently running at the Point. Early word is that we should be able to drop the rigs off at noon, but that soon changes to 3. With nothing else planned we decide to drive through wine country and bring a little bit of Old World character to the Napa vintners.

Aaron’s F40 is the only vehicle still tethered in the Renegade so the two of us use the Dodge Charger (definitely not a Hemi) rental to play cleanup as the group heads up the 101, across the 37 and onto the 121 for a quick stop at Infineon to get our bearings. The countryside is so beautiful and with these 3 stallions leading us, I could swear I was back in Poggibonsi. Look it up. We get an update on parking availability and head out for some lunch. The first vineyard along the route also happens to come highly recommended so Viansa it is.

Panini and insalata, focaccia and pesto, calzone and parmigiana served with wine or Italian sodas go down very smoothly in this setting. Outdoor patio overlooking the vines and valley, working their way across to rolling hills in the distance. We are entertained not only by each others’ witty banter but by the multitude of bird species that have chosen to live in this avian paradise. If I was a bird, this is definitely how I’d roll. Back to the cars for another sprint through the valley to visit Mario Andretti’s place.

Couple of notes here: First, the Charger is a perfectly suitable transportation appliance if you have a large family and a small budget. Gas prices being what they are, it might seem fiscally irresponsible to suggest, but seriously consider upping for the Hemi if this is on your short list. Maybe playing chase with lesser cars wouldn’t make it necessary, but here we find ourselves slamming our fists into the dash to coax additional accelerative force on every launch. Sadly this accomplishes little more than bruising our hands and egos. Second, other drivers are less interested in allowing our group to stay together for photographs than we are. Sometimes violently so. Third, Jeffrey has no reservations in driving his Scuderia CS onto a live runway when the possibility of getting some cool shots of his car exists. Sadly the biplane ride people did have reservations. Fourth, a long-handled landscaping tool can nicely unroll a slightly mangled fender lip when necessary. Fifth, the people and wines at the Andretti Winery are very approachable. Their warm reception is matched by the warmth we feel from our taste tour of whites and reds. Pretty good stuff.

We take a bunch of pictures before heading out for a spirited drive around the valley loop to one final winery before heading back to get the rig. More incredible views and opportunities for wide-open throttle applications as we wind our way to the oldest winery in California – Buena Vista. Having had enough wine for the next month or so, a few of us hang in the parking lot while the others sample a few more varietals. As the light starts to fade a bit, the cars start to glow. Stunning. We wend our way through some of the largest Eucalyptus trees I’ve ever seen before reaching the main road back. The bikes haven’t quite cleared out so we opt to delay our grand entrance at Infineon until tomorrow.

Dinner at a funky burger and brew spot near the hotel provides us a chance to relax and plot the coming weekend while being entertained by some dufus and his son doing their best Meadowlark Lemon while we dine. Not so bad when he is just palming the ball, but the dribbling is a bit over the top. Amazing how some people think they own the place. We check with our waitress to make sure he doesn’t happen to own this place before kindly asking if he knows how many more dribbles it will take before we find out if the basketball will fit into his cornhole. Doing his best to save face in front of his obviously very embarrassed son, he lingers a bit before crawling out the door.

I am now faced with the reality that I have shot approximately 900 photos and have only my USB cord to upload them to a borrowed laptop. Don’t get much sleep and I still don’t have them loaded by the time we head out to the track the next morning at 7.

Day 3 – Early start as we want preferred parking at the track. Right at the entrance we see a small sliver reserved for the Ferrari clinic cars. It is empty and so we have no trouble at all bringing the rigs in and getting them situated for the long weekend ahead. The two trucks are very impressive and even the Challenge teams come out to see how the paupers roll. Starting up the F40 LM keeps them riveted and draws people out of the cafe and store as well. Quite racy, that exhaust. Drool.

The idea behind this event is to gather Ferrari owners, prospects, enthusiasts and racers for a weekend of all things Ferrari. Besides the Challenge and Historic races chronicled elsewhere on this site, there are ride and drives in F430s and 612s (if you pass the credit check), a lovely selection of display vehicles (although no FXX or 599 GTB which would have seemed logical), as well as the sport/touring clinic we are participating in. Customer cars are divided into two groups depending on intended level of track speed and professional racecar drivers are used as coaches to help the drivers learn the track and vehicle dynamics as they work their way up from instructional laps to open track racing with passing opportunities and everything. Pretty sweet deal with several hours of track time.

The key to the weekend was one of the lanyard hangtags with VIP written on it. Wearing one of these got us a sumptuous breakfast and lunch every day with plenty of beverage choices as well. It also gave us one free go on the go-karts and access to several hospitality areas including a grandstand suite that provided panoramic views of the track. Some haggling, begging, and bribery managed to secure me not only a VIP pass, but a media wristband as well. The best bit though were all of the young Italian beauties there to guarantee your day was going smoothly. Even a bit of eye candy for the ladies from what they told me. Just think of how cool this is when an Alessandro or a Tatiana starts asking if everything is to your liking and they happen to look like they just walked out of a Versace ad. Add in the accent and it would be hard to think of anything that wasn’t right with the world. But this is merely the icing on the cake.

Early on I start to feel like a bit of a celebrity. Being with a group that happens to have the biggest, baddest trailer in the lot draws a lot of admirers. When that trailer happens to house a wicked sounding, lowered to the ground 360, two Challenge Stradales, and an F40 LM, the crowd only gets bigger. I find myself circling the corral eavesdropping on just about everybody to hear what they are saying about our gear. Quite a few of them know the story of the ex-Roland Linder “LM.” This being an F1 race weekend, many have recently seen it in the Mother’s ads that play on Speed TV. But some get it oh so wrong. I hear it described as everything from a Testarossa to an Enzo racecar and only feel obliged to correct them when they happen to say it directly to me. After I stop laughing I usually tell them what it really is and if I’m feeling a bit Boy Scoutish I add that it’s easy to see how they could have gotten it wrong.

The first drivers meeting ends with a 5 minute warning to suit up and take to the track. A flurry of activity ensues wherein the cars are fueled up, the drivers change, and a fresh battery goes into my cam as I sprint (ok, lumber) to the pits to find a spot to shoot from. Not a lot of options available right now so I stay close to the ground and work on my panning shots. After trying to wave Aaron off because he is obviously supposed to be in the Historics races later on, the track staff relents and the LM joins the others in the pits.
The cars are paired up or sometimes grouped in 3s and sent out with the instructors to teach these guys how they should roll on the track. Hopefully it won’t involve any barrel rolling. The sound of the cars at something approaching full throttle around the hill-enclosed course is blissful. The CSes and F430s vie for the title of top sound machine among the street cars, but the F40 is just sick. You can’t even hear the other two cars running with Aaron. The session goes well and everybody returns intact and smiling.

After the session we return to our paddock area and it’s pretty obvious these guys are enjoying this. Jordan and Lili come out to help clean up the cars and this begins a fairly regular routine of empty corral, cars returning to corral, girls cleaning cars, huge crowd in corral. At first I think it’s the cars and then I see Jordan wiping down Jeffrey’s CS and notice there are now approximately 500 guys with cameras, phone cams, even napkins and pencils for sketching, gathering around to record the images. I feel it my duty to preserve this memory for posteriority, err posterity as well.

Lunch in the tent is scrumptious and gives us the chance to see the differences between Italian dolce and American Candy. The chocolate cake is delicious, but Candy is even sweeter, managing to somehow make us feel like she actually appreciates all of our shameless flirting. But we have to cut things short as it’s time for the afternoon session. Back to the paddock to collect the cars and out to the track again. This time a few new friends have clued me in to the better view from the top of the stands. I really needed to work off that Candy anyhow. Even better than the first session as the Historics are lined up waiting for the clinic to end so I get to see everybody on track at once. Pretty cool sight.

The rest of the afternoon becomes a blur of meeting new people and walking around the paddock shooting pics of anything and everything. Some trouble seems to be brewing in the non-clinic corral just outside the VIP tent as the Scuderia Rampage folks have arrived and are not being treated very kindly. Apparently there is a rooster in the henhouse, or rather a bull in the stable, and Fabio and the other Ferrari officials are not too happy about it. The offending vehicles are removed from the Ferrari-only lot and all is right with the world once again.

And just like that, it’s time to head back “home” for the night. I become the designated rental car driver and try in vain to capture some decent tracking shots along the way, as the F40 is hitting the streets tonight.

Back at the hotel we convince Aaron and Richard that the stickers on their cars look a little awkward and for the next hour or two the whole crew begins picking and scraping. It starts with just a few but by the time we finish, the LM is as naked as the day it was born. Except for all of the residue. Thankfully a worker has wandered into the lot from a nearby hobby shop to check out how we roll and happens to know his shop has Goo Gone by the boxful. Perfect. Raw fingers and sore backs and knees for all, but we’ll survive.

We decide to drive out to find a place for dinner. About 200 yards from the Inn we come across a hopping Mexican place and decide it looks perfect for the paupers. Parking is a bit of a problem for Gary’s Modena, Aaron’s F40 and Geoffrey’s Freightliner Jr., but we manage to work it out and get inside for a pretty good meal with lots of laughter and blended Midori daquiris for all.
After supper I convince Jeffrey, Carlos and Gary that we need some photography supplies to avoid the previous night’s uploading fiasco, and so a roadtrip to Target is agreed upon. More hilarity ensues as the byproduct of bean-based entrees and whipped cream covered desserts propels us into the night on a newly found energy reserve that overcomes our drowsiness from another great day of pauperhood.

Day 4 - Another early start and our first taste of the VIP breakfast in the Ferrari tent. Nice spread. The waitstaff has already figured out how we roll and greets us with the kind of sarcasm and poor jokes that are a pauper trademark. I think they are wise in saving their good manners for the rich folks coming in later. Or maybe it’s just that they agree that 8 am is way too early to be perky. Wouldn’t have wanted them any other way.

After breakfast comes a big surprise that is definitely one of the highlights of the trip: A chance opportunity to get in a car for some track instruction. The Challenge guys have their own professional racer coaches that give them pointers about where they might be able to pick up a few tenths here and there. The car they were using this morning happened to be a Dodge Stratus with an empty back seat so we managed to sneak in and tag along. Having seen this track on GT4 many many times, I can tell you the PS2 version is very accurate and not at all realistic at the same time.

The look and layout (with the Carousel) are very authentic, but the elevation changes, beautiful scenery, and the sheer terror one feels skimming just inches from the walls as you push just a little further on each successive lap can not be replicated in game form. Biggest tip I learn is to remember to aim for the middle of the curbing in most turns and not just the leading edge of it as instinct dictates. Also, smooth inputs are crucial the higher your speed as multiple adjustments can really upset the balance of the car. And one last big point is to keep looking ahead. While I thought I was doing well to be staring straight at the apex by the third lap, the 2 guys up front were looking up track at the next turn entrance. Alas, like many good things, it’s over far too soon.

When I get back to the paddock I see that the F40 is attracting even more attention now that it is sans decals. Ever the jokester, Aaron can be overheard telling people that the “other” one was a bit too tired so he decided to bring the spare out instead. Even the clinic guys buy this story for a few minutes at least.

Another day of exploring the track and paddock turn up some more photo spots and enlightens me to the Ferrari suite at the top of the stands. I even get to use the elevator! Talk about first class hospitality. I am the only one up there with a TV and a fully stocked fridge but I still manage to get outside to take some pics. Another full day of track stuff, of meeting and greeting, of answering questions about the cars and rigs, of watching Challenge and Vintage racecars screaming around the Horseshoe, and of unrelenting sun has made me ache with smile lines and sunburn. And it is with a certain amount of relief that we leave for the night.

Gary is the only member of our crew not participating in track activities as his shoulder is a bit wonky. But he more than makes up for it by showing everybody else what he’s capable of on our drive back to the hotel. Luckily I’m riding shotgun for this bit. At one point we reach a light with a couple of kids in a WRX in the other lane. Aaron slides up behind them with the LM and I tell the kids to just move to the right when the light changes and let him through. They smirk and decide to show us how they roll instead. Within 10 seconds they are but a distant memory and a speck in our mirrors. G didn’t even take off hard and allowed Aaron to slip ahead but as we got into the throttle it felt like that Scubie had dropped anchor. Nicest 360 I’ve ever been in both because of the sound being reshaped via Capristo and because the ride height has been lowered by a substantial amount, even more so with me in the passenger seat.

Having enjoyed our previous night’s dinner so much and having learned our parking lesson the night before, we decide to walk over to the restaurant tonight. Our server from the night before is not on duty (or more likely hiding in the back when he saw us walking up again), but his lovely sister is. Muy bonita senorita. And having some inexplicable fondness for our group she decides to treat us to a supersized dessert even as we have decided that dessert might just be a little too much tonight. Oh well. We can’t let it go to waste. See you tomorrow, bright and early as our journey is almost at an end.

Day 5 – Up early, we check out and head to the track for the last day of the Paupers Run: Sonoma. Having somehow convinced Aaron that the wisest configuration of passengers in the three cars puts me in the F40, I begin to stuff myself into the cockpit. First thing I notice is that this space is tight. The narrow racing shells, the roll cage, and the fire suppression system take away several crucial inches I could really use right now. But I vow to make it work or die trying. Once seated, I notice it’s actually a lot roomier inside than I had imagined. Then Aaron gets in and I realize that this space was actually intended for 2 people. The track is only about 20 minutes away. I’m no David Blain but I think I can hold my breath that long.

He he he. Woo-hoo. Ouch. Yee haaaaa. Yippee. Ouch. Holy sh!t. Ha ha ha. Ouch. Have you ever seen one of those nighttime photos taken with a long exposure to show tail and headlights as a long streak of red and white? This is how those photos are made during daylight hours. The F40 LM feels like what it is – a racecar. It feels light and stiff and powerful, oh so powerful. It sounds and smells like something that just rolled off the Mulsanne Straight. Small dips in the pavement are amplified by speed but this thing simply launches at the slightest ripple and therefore applications of go-pedal are rationed judiciously. But when relative flatness is identified, you can leap from fast to silly fast in a blink, accompanied by a wonderful crescendo of the twin turbos spooling, whooshing and snapping just slightly out of phase. This can be addictive if it weren’t for the headslap every time the car shudders from road irregularities or gear changes. Just like Florida, a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. Getting out once we reach the track proves to be far easier than I figured it would be. Swing your legs out, grip the roof with both hands, and do a chin-up as you straighten your body and slip your head out from under the lid. Like doing the Limbo while gripping the bar.

Slightly somber day at the track as we hear news about a Challenge crash during practice that we somehow missed. During an instruction run, the car went off at the high-speed Turn 1 heading up the hill towards the bridge. Both occupants were medivaced out. I guess a coma was induced on one of them but he was awoken from it the next day.

Perhaps partly because of this but more likely from the knowledge that it takes quite some time to load the cars and that we’ll still have roughly 8 hours of driving ahead of us, Aaron decides to skip the final day’s track sessions. Jeffrey and Richard think they can squeeze in at least the morning session to take advantage of the fact that the no passing rule has been dropped. This gives the boys a chance to really show the others how the paupers roll. I finally get around the rest of the track to shoot from the tower and from the chicane but the sun is particularly brutal and I’m reduced to a puddle of sweat by the time they finish their run.

Back to the paddock and one last pass through the garages to see if there is anything I haven’t photographed yet. Nothing pops up. One last lunch and a fond farewell to our hosts and friends before packing up for the long ride home. We load up and hit the road. Good chance to see what we missed in the Bay area when we drove through on Wednesday night. The 580 takes us through Emeryville with splendid views of San Francisco’s bridges and skyline. And before we know it we’re winding down through California’s huge salad bowl of agricultural fields that stretch about 300 miles through the central valley. A couple of quick stops for fuel and refreshments and one long stop for legal clarification on what the speed limit is for trucks of our configuration but basically a straight shot into the LA area before the reality of returning on Mothers Day hits us. It ends up being a really long day to end a really long week of fun and incredible automotive memories. Can’t wait for Paupers Run 3.

There has been a lot of buzz about overzealous security at CC the past few weeks, but I spent some time with Mike and he wanted to stress one point above all, they have absolutely zero interest in trying to stop this meet. Basically, he wanted me to know that they are just reacting to blatant disregard and incoming complaints. If you are following the rules, there will be no problems. If you are doing something wrong, expect a confrontation.

The unfortunate fact is that the meet has grown to the point that residents are being disturbed by the idling engines of cars lined up to enter the show. I witnessed two separate visits by locals who were complaining about the noise. It is a Saturday morning, after all, and some people prefer to be able to sleep in.

As new people find out about this great event, they frequently show up with a little too much enthusiasm and revving engines and sqealing tires are becoming more common. These are the guys that will end up ruining the show. So I'd like to pass on some more suggestions and observations to help keep this great meet, great.

The front row of the parking lot is now filled with show cars that didn't make it into the main lot, instead of leaving it open for Starbuck's and Pacific Whey customers as posted. Even if you are going to one of those establishments, if you have a nice car that will attract gawkers and clog up the only access route, you should park to the side.

Dealer cars wouldn't be a problem if they didn't show up en masse and place brochures and business cards on their windshields. That is illegal. CC is not a swapmeet. Leave your For Sale signs and other materials on your front seat with the window down instead.

Although it frequently seems arbitrary and foolish, the cones should only be moved by the security team and nobody should try to enter the main lot if told not to. It's based not only on the number of available spots, but on the number of pedestrians in the lot and is primarily a safety issue. I had the great displeasure of personally witnessing the kind of rude reaction security has to endure when pointing these things out to offenders.

It became immediately apparent who is a regular, wanting to keep things running smoothly, and who was new or doesn't care that they are ruining things for everybody else by being abusive and arrogant. The regulars say, ok Mike, I'll take care of that. The others get in Mike's face and try to convince him that he has no right to tell them what to do. They are doing something wrong and trying to save face by arguing with a guy for 10 minutes rather than just doing what they are supposed to do in the first place. Amazing.

So my best advice is to just play by the rules. No signs. No dealer cars. No revving of engines. Shut your engine and stereo off when you line up in the morning. Don't act like a teenager when you leave the lot at the end of the meet. Don't move the cones. Don't park in the first row. Pretty simple stuff. And most importantly, don't argue when security tells you what to do.

Please pass this information on to anybody you might know who is going to attend CC. And if you are at CC and see another attendee doing something that you know isn't allowed, let them know. People are a lot less defensive when that info comes from a fellow enthusiast.

This is an open letter to anybody who has encountered some of the recent hostility involving the security team at Crystal Cove. It is my understanding of the history of the event and the current problems, based on firsthand observations and through talking to fellow attendees and security team members. It is by no means official or factually bulletproof, but rather a general summary of how we got to where we are today and what we can do about it if we want to keep this meet going strongly.

Crystal Cove, the car meet, has existed for about 3 years. For the first year, it was a bunch of guys who got tired of the long donut lines in HB and decided to meet here instead of at Magnolia and Adams every Saturday. It didn't hurt that they could sleep-in an hour or two later, either. For those who think CC starts too early, the Donut Derelicts start arriving at 5. It's a beautiful location with some key ingredients working towards its success: easy access from PCH, a good-sized lot in a nice setting, proximity to some of the greatest cars and car people in the world, and most importantly, a Starbuck's and a Pacific Whey that open earlier than any of the other businesses in the strip, allowing a couple of hours of socializing before the crowds arrive. The CC meet grew through word of mouth and soon Ferrari and Porsche owners had joined the musclecar and hot rod set.

Two years ago, the meet had grown to the point that nearby residents were starting to complain about the loud engines rumbling outside their multimillion dollar homes. So security was hired and flyers were passed out with some common sense guidleines to keep the complaints to a minimum. The meet continued to grow and had reached the point where regulars wouldn't be surprised to see Gibbs Aquadas and Radicals and Formula Atlantic race cars rolling into the lot every Saturday.

Then construction changed the way cars were allowed to enter and leave CC and the morning lineup was formed on the innermost lane of PCH. As more cars continued to come, the lineup started to take up the second lane of PCH as well. Then it reached the point where cars were often three-wide and only one-and-a-half open lanes remained for passing motorists. Guys who brought their cars were often inches away from 60 mph traffic. NBPD officers were often on hand to shoo pedestrians out of harm's way.

Barriers had been constructed along the construction area, so pedestrians at least had available a somewhat secure position to get some photos of the passing exotic car parade. But some still wandered around, not realizing the inherent danger, standing on an open highway early in the morning. Law enforcement recognized the danger and arranged for the Irvine Company to allow the cars to enter the sidelots if they arrived before the "official" 7 'o'clock main lot entry time.

Security recognized that this was a safer option although it threatened their first objective, minimizing the noise for the neighbors. Word passed from enthusiast to enthusiast that there were some unwritten rules if you were bringing your car to CC. Come in, park in the side lot, shut off your engine and stereo, get yourself some coffee, and wait until the cones were moved at 7. Not content to line up in two single-file lines and wait their turn, some attendees tried to cut the line or move cones at the far end of the lot to get a spot. Security was not amused, as they had set up a procedure to be safe and fair and did not appreciate being ignored and ridiculed for trying to enforce these rules.

The show continued to grow and as word got out about this incredible gathering of cars and car people, the smartest salesmen in the area recognized it as an opportunity to show off some new metal and meet some potential clients. All in a laid-back, informal setting with no pressure.

This is where the most recent crises begins. As much as the enthusiasts enjoy seeing the cars that the dealers bring, some of the original attendees were starting to get squeezed out to make room for the vendors, manufacturers, and dealerships that brought a half dozen or more vehicles and opened a portable showroom with banners, brochures and even showgirls on occasion, not that I'm complaining. But some of the regulars started to complain to security because the lot was now filling up within minutes of the cone moving, frequently leaving a dozen or more cars out in the cold.

Security checked their rules and regs and realized nobody is allowed to advertise or solicit business on private property. So they had some leverage.
Their position was that they want to keep the show for enthusiasts only. Most enthusiasts have a vested interest in maintaining this event. They want it to continue and should work with the management to make sure a few bad apples don't spoil the whole bunch. The problem is that every week new people show up who are not as familiar with the rules.

For the past few weeks a couple of individuals have parked in the main lot well before 7 and have gone so far as to berate the security team for telling them that they are not supposed to be there. Dealers continue to bring cars, and security still has to deal with the complaints. As the security team members get more abuse, they have decided to put the "force" in their enforcement. They have begun taking pictures of offending vehicles and have been reporting them to the authorities, who may or may not follow up at their place of business. Security sees this as a non-confrontational way of dealing with those who continue to thumb their noses at the rules.

It is important to understand one thing at this point: Security doesn't want the show to end any more than we enthusiasts do. If CC ends, so do their jobs. What they want is to limit the number of complaints they have to deal with. People bringing their cars to CC have to recognize that this is private property. The security team was hired to enforce the rules of management and guarantee a safe and smooth meet every week. As long as everybody follows the rules, there shouldn't be many problems.

Here's where it gets tricky. Nobody seems to know what the rules really are. There are some basics about noise and pedestrians and vendors, but the implementation is open to the security team and they have been inconsistent at best with their interpretation and enforcement. It is an ongoing and fluid process. As one rule is implemented to correct a certain problem, a new concern arises. I'm no fan of this kind of rulemaking-on-the-fly, but they are human and trying to ensure that the meet continues.

A bigger concern to me is how defensive people get when being told that they are in violation of one of the rules. Grown men will actually turn to one of these securty guards and get beligerent because this "Rent-A-Cop" dares tell them they need to comply.
"So what if I'm parked in a handicap spot, I have a placard somewhere."
"So what if I have a for sale sign on my car."
"So what if I'm standing on the open shoulder of a highway encouraging people to do burnouts for my amusement. I'm not concerned for my safety, why should you be?"
"So what if I moved the cones and came in the main lot a little late."
"I'm going to Starbuck's and I can park anywhere I want!"
These guys even go so far as to tell the security team that they can't do anything about it because they are on private property.

I hope it's obvious why this approach only makes things worse. Because it's private property, management has a team of security guards on hand to enforce the rules. They get paid to do their jobs and they expect to be treated respectfully. They've had a hard time dealing with such a large crowd and all of the complaints, so they have devised some procedures to help keep things safe and organized. If everybody plays by the rules, things go more smoothly. The security team tries to be fair and evenhanded, but every week they are verbally abused and belittled while trying to do their jobs. They deserve better. They aren't professional athletes, for crying out loud.

They have understandably gotten a little more aggressive lately as that appears the only way to get through to the knuckleheads who keep challenging them. They understand that most of the people at the meet are there for the cars and the comraderie, so they want to weed out the undesirables. If you find yourself yelling at one of these guys on a Saturday, that means it's probably you.

One of the suggestions I've made is that they post a list of the rules somewhere during the meet so everybody understands what is expected of them. Some people are legitimately confused when the guards start writing them up or photographing their cars. This is more complicated than it might seem because of liability issues, but we can probably make a good start by just doing what the security team asks. If you see them taking a picture of your car, ask them what's wrong. They will be more than happy to tell you. If they are incorrect, show them why. If they are correct, own up to it and correct the situation.

Obviously, lining up and taking turns shouldn't need any further explanation. And obeying the signs that are in place makes sense too. 20 minutes means 20 minutes. Get your coffee and move. That is what that first row is for, and if somebody can't get through the throngs of people gawking at your car to get their scone, Starbuck's isn't going to be on your side either.

Let's use some common sense and good judgment and let these guys do their jobs. Nobody likes rules and regulations, but they serve a purpose. In this case it's the continued weekly gatherings of the most incredible cars and car people in the world. I'll try to get more concrete rules and regs from the security team and post them or spread them through word-of-mouth at the show, and hopefully that will help too. But until then, everybody just chill out and do waht the security team mebers tell you to do. It will make life easier for everybody. And that includes you, believe it or not.

I was testing out a new lens and don't think I really mastered it, but here are a few dozen pics from the show on Saturday night. Glad I got some shots before they lowered the lights to create the club atmosphere when they let the crowds in.

Overall impression was that this was a pretty good show. Interesting mix of people and product. Attendance was no doubt hurt by the USC-UCLA game, but was still pretty strong. Great seeing/meeting so many car nuts who had their priorities straight. Layout might need tweaking. Parts of the hall felt deserted and others were jammin. I'd probably try to "soften" the walls and add some more music throughout, too.

Cars were fairly well-spaced although a few booths seemed to overbook and cram their slot full. I'm sure they'll fine tune the setup and this will grow exponentially over the next few years. Definitely a good time and well worth the price of admission. Heck, even the opportunity to get close to the abundant (cough! cough! ) and mostly fine models will bring many of these guys back every year.

The cars themselves were a mixed bag. Quite a few exotics in small bunches surrounded by some outrageous equipment. It still amazes me what some people do to their cars and trucks. Granted a lot of these were showpieces to market products and services, but less is frequently more in my book. At least in terms of the electronic doodads. A lot of the vehicles on display looked like a Best Buy on wheels.

Horsepower and performance mods are a different story and there were some nice long rows of modded German and Japanese cars to represent that side of the aftermarket wars.

Nice to be greeted by an Enzo, CGT, S7 TT, and Mosler as soon as you walked in. The FDC area was nicely understated and all the favorites were well-represented. Some cool race cars all over the place, as well as a gathering of Ford's Premier brands. Lots of Lambos including a shade-shifter pink Diablo SV.

A couple of highlights for me were Rick's new LM-look F40, the bigger Spyker C12 La Turbie, and last, but certainly not least, the Ford GTX1 pop-top--a handformed coachwork job that will add just under forty grand to the price of your now-available-at-sticker-or-below FGT. Check it out: http://www.gtx1.com/

Thumbs up on the show, especially for the first go. Can't wait for next year. If anybody else went to the show, I know some people who are looking for feedback. Feel free to add it here or e-mail me. frank4cars@aol.com