[ShelbyPilot]

Saturday July 26th

About 5:30 Saturday morning I pulled into the parking lot of the Ford Premier Auto Group in Irvine. I met with the Cars & Coffee organizer and found the reserved parking area for the expected thirty participants of the Team Shelby SoCal weekend. Just about 6:00 AM PottyDr, MY500SS, pnicholson all arrived to help me park cars.


A few participants rolled into before 6:30 AM. Then shortly after 6:30, Jason Cenora led more then twenty participants into the Cars & Coffee parking lot. We quickly filled up our reserved area and spilled into other rows. We had a quick participant meeting. Gift bags were handed out and a brief run down of the whole day was given. About 30 minutes later another 10 cars came in as a group from the Los Angeles area. Everybody went off to enjoy the show at their own leisure.

This post has been edited by ShelbyPilot: 01 August 2008 - 12:29 AM

[ShelbyPilot]

Toward the end of the show I handed out directions for the scenic cruise. A few people left right away. Some stayed and enjoyed the show for a little while longer. One large group left together. A few minutes later another large group left together.


The cruise left from Cars & Coffee and headed to Pacific Coast Highway. A left turn at the beach led the drivers down Pacific Coast Highway through Laguna Beach and into Dana Point. One group stopped at the Ritz Carlton resort for a break. Another group stopped near Salt Creek for pictures. All headed inland from the coast at San Juan Capistrano past the famous mission and onto the start of Ortega Highway.

From the beaches and San Juan Capistrano; the drivers headed for the canyons of Orange County. The cruise wound through the tree canopied road of Live Oak Canyon to the more open Santiago Canyon. After exiting the canyons the drivers rolled over a hill and into an Anaheim Hills community park.



The Shelby Automobile sponsored lunch was waiting for the drivers when they arrived. The participants enjoyed the Philly Cheese Steak, Chicken Cheese Steak or Hoagie lunches. There was a little time to relax and mingle. After which the participants were given the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets. We collected $372 for the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation and gave away free oil, supercharger installation, a billet pen holder, discounted tires and wheels and full set of free BF Goodrich tires.

[ShelbyPilot]

After the raffle we took a group photo.


Some people then headed home but many went to the John Force Race Station cruise night. More time was spent looking at some amazing hot rods, vintage and modern muscle. Many strolled through the John Force Racing Museum and gift shop. One of the coolest parts of the evening was when the Orange County Mustang Club and the Make a Wish Foundation gave an ill boy a restored 1966 Mustang. After that I am sure everybody did much what I did; went home for some much needed rest.




Photo Album
You Tube slide show

[ShelbyPilot]

Sunday July 27th

Sunday at Auto Club Speedway was another early morning. 7:00 AM the garage opened. Jason was already there setting up his garage space. Six total Shelby’s lineup in the garage. A Super Snake, two GT500s, a Shelby GT/SC, a Shelby GT, and a CS8. Oh yeah, somebody who will remain nameless brought a friend with a Vette.




We spent the first hour preparing our cars. A quick driver’s meeting where the organizer went over the track rules, flags and etiquette. Jason and I were the first of our group to take our shot at the track as part of the blue run group. By the time we rolled back into the garage the others, Dan, Berny, Ken and Ron were taking their shot at the track. We each took three to five sessions of about twenty to twenty-five minutes on the track. Everybody had an absolute blast. Dan moved up to a faster group after two sessions in the beginner group. He could never get a clean lap in because he was catching cars at the end of each straight. That’s what a 700 horsepower Super Snake will do for you.





We posed for one more picture before the end of the day.


I can honestly say everybody had a great time and maybe even learned a little about their cars. It is well worth the track fee. Although it almost cost me a little more when I was a little too aggressive coming onto the front straight. Fortunately there are no pictures or video of that.

I want to give one last thank to Amy Boylan at Shelby Automobiles, Jason Cenora at 281 motorsports, BF Goodrich, Meguiars, and all the Team Shelby members who made this weekend possible and participated. It was my pleasure to catch up with friends again. I can’t wait until Mr. Shelby’s birthday.

Photo Album

This post has been edited by ShelbyPilot: 01 August 2008 - 12:52 AM

[clark17357]

Hi Chris,

Great event and the biggest thanks goes to YOU for all your work in putting it together and bird dogging it to a successful conclusion. Wish I could have stayed for the whole thing. Again, great job.

Jim

[ShelbyPilot]

It was my pleasure.

Here are the timing results from the open track event at Auto Club Speedway:
Chris 1:23.497 Shelby GT/SC
Joe 1:24.697 Shelby GT500
Ron 1:26.383 C6 Vette w/ Paxton
Jason 1:26.712 Shelby CS8
Dan 1:27.734 Supersnake
Ken 1:30.615 Shelby GT500
Berny no time Shelby GT

Let see if I can handicap the group a little bit. It was my second time on the course and the first time for the others. Joe's GT500 is well prepared with a JLT intake and tune, Ford Racing suspension, AP Racing brakes, Volk (?) wheels and that was only the obvious stuff. Ron had some sort of issue all day, other than being in a Vette. Jason had BFG R1 DO-R tires on the back but is also carrying alot of extra weight (Audio & nitrous tanks) in the rear. I don't think Dan ever got a truely clean lap. Ken was in a pretty much stock GT500. I don't think Berny had a transponder. An average posting would be better but that doesn't seem available.

Fast time of the day was a track prepared RX-7, 1:10.850

http://www.speedvent...ts/Default.aspx

It was absolutely great fun. The next weekend is September 20 & 21 on the full competition "Roval" course. Speedventures.com has early registration open nowe for $180 and they are testing a new format that will allow you to get all of your runs in either the morning or afternoon. Unfortunately, I will be in Florida at my brother's wedding. I hope some give it a try or go back and have fun without me.

[StokedShelbyOwner]

Nice recap Chris It was a great time. Sooo, see you again at cars and coffee in about 6 hours from now ...


Alan

[ShelbyPilot]

some pictures from socalcarculture.com

Cars & Coffee, Enis' SuperSnake caught the guys eye.

John Force Cruise Night

[shelbymotorsports]

Chris

Sorry I wasn't able to attend but an unexpected emergency popped up. I've spoken to a few folks who did attend and they all had very positive things to say about everything.

Job well done and don't be surprised if we call on you in the future.

Steve

[Shelby CS8]

So who wants to do this again??? I spoke to Chris Van Horn and he is unable to plan the event this year and has handed it off to us to plan. We have been speaking to Speedventures and we can get everyone up on the big Nascar Oval. But I need to know who is interested. If we get enough interest, we'll host another two day cruise and track day.

Please post your interest here or email us at events@281m.com

[clark17357]

Hi Jason,

I am interested if you put it on again. Thanks.

Jim

[Shelby CS8]

clark17357, on May 18 2009, 02:17 PM, said:

Hi Jason,

I am interested if you put it on again. Thanks.

Jim

Jim,

That's awesome to hear! We're looking for about 40 participants for the Cruise day and about 20 participants for the track day.

Survey, would you guy's rather run the Big Oval at California Speedway or their road course?

[Shelby CS8]

Please respond to "TS SoCal Weekend '09"