Coronado Speed Festival; negative changes...

[JWright]

I attended the Coronado Speed Festival last Saturday and a couple of changes that I think are going to eventually hurt the event.

The first change I noticed was the exclusion of the pre-war cars in favor of a Historic NASCAR group. Now, I know there are lots of NASCAR fans out there and the Navy is trying to appeal to a younger crowd but I'd rather see the old open wheel cars like the Bugattis and Fraser-Nashs. And it's us old guys that keep this event going.

The second thing they did, and I'm sure this is an economic move, was eliminate the driver's lounge. There is no prize money at this event so there are very few incentives for drivers to bring their cars to Coronado. In the driver's lounge they used to get a catered lunch, but now that's gone. At least one driver I spoke to wasn't terribly thrilled about it. The organizers may have shot themselves in the foot with this one if it continues...

I'd be interested to hear what other long-time attendees have to say...

[chopperdave]

Well I thought it was a new group taking over the event this year? Maybe that actually happened last year... And I know there is a buncha changes going on with HMSA with this being the last year they have the Monterey event.

I was sadly at Willow and didn't get down to the event. I know a couple people that had cars in it though.

[JWright]

I'm acquainted with an individual who is a long-time vintage motorsports writer and he said HMSA was one of the better sanctioning bodies. Somewhere along the line they dropped the ball. I had a media and photo pass for the event which allowed me to go track-side inside the fence. Halfway through the morning on Saturday, I was denied entry to the track because I didn't "have a wristband." It turned out I had to sign a waiver form before I would be allowed back on the track.

Now I don't have any problem with signing a waiver, but being hit with it at 11 AM on the first day is unsatisfactory. I found out from one of the Speed Festival staff they were hit with it by HMSA at 10 AM that same morning. If we needed to sign a waiver, (which was never required in the past) then it should have been made a part of the application procedure for the media pass.

As media, we were given a book of scrip to allow us to purchase lunch from one of the food vendor, in lieu of eating in the non-existent driver's lounge. Problem was, the tickets were only good at one of the vendors, the one with the longest lines... My writer friend said it was unlikely he was going to cover it next year. I didn't go back on Sunday and I think it's coming off my schedule as well.