According to all reports, once again TOGUS was a fantastic success. And, thanks to Ken Matthews, we have posted some pix of the festivities in our gallery.
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Saturday, August 22, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Finally
For those who have been asking, the Telstar pix are now up (the Show, and the Winner's Circle). Sorry it took so long, but this has been a busy week.
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New Show Dates
We have just received the information on two great NH car shows:
Stratham Hill Boy Scout show on October 4th
Kiwanis Club of Concord show on September 12
Both shows are excellent, and deserving of consideration. For more info, details at the NH Events page.
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Stratham Hill Boy Scout show on October 4th
Kiwanis Club of Concord show on September 12
Both shows are excellent, and deserving of consideration. For more info, details at the NH Events page.
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Come Again?
Someone who signed off as "Moron" (his word, not mine) wrote that if we don't like a show, don't go back next year; that they will change or die.
While that may appear simple enough, that is neither the point, nor the solution.
The point is, change will not come unless someone points out what needs improving, and provides possible alternatives and solutions. You cannot fix something if you don't even know it's broken.
And the point is, we do not want the shows to simply "die". We want them to get better. But how can they get better if the organizers do not even know when something is amiss?
The person who wrote that cryptic little message is basically saying that we should dispense with medical care - that things should either get better on their own, or die. HotKarz does not feel that way. We believe that things should not die simply because we neglect to help them. We feel they should be given whatever medicine may be necessary to make them well.
I understand that some folks do not like the hubbub that sometimes occurs when an event needs help in improving. Change is never without some pain. But if the choice is between experiencing the pain of change, or letting something just wither and die, I'm all for the change, even if it hurts.
Think about it - if you want to remodel your kitchen, you first need to do some tearing down of the old. To landscape your yard, you need to first dig things up. Shows are no different from anything else - to improve them, we must first be willing to undo some of the old ways.
Some of the old ways are good - I'm all for traditions that work well and treat folks fairly. Such "old ways" should be saved and incorporated into the improved shows. But other "old ways" are diseased, and need to be discarded - just like remodeling a kitchen. If you find dry rot, rip it out.
So, I guess my response to "Moron" is simply this - if we do not like a show, we should first try to help them improve - and you do not do that by remaining silent. Only if the organizers refuse to improve would we then choose to not return, and support instead those shows that support all of us fairly.
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While that may appear simple enough, that is neither the point, nor the solution.
The point is, change will not come unless someone points out what needs improving, and provides possible alternatives and solutions. You cannot fix something if you don't even know it's broken.
And the point is, we do not want the shows to simply "die". We want them to get better. But how can they get better if the organizers do not even know when something is amiss?
The person who wrote that cryptic little message is basically saying that we should dispense with medical care - that things should either get better on their own, or die. HotKarz does not feel that way. We believe that things should not die simply because we neglect to help them. We feel they should be given whatever medicine may be necessary to make them well.
I understand that some folks do not like the hubbub that sometimes occurs when an event needs help in improving. Change is never without some pain. But if the choice is between experiencing the pain of change, or letting something just wither and die, I'm all for the change, even if it hurts.
Think about it - if you want to remodel your kitchen, you first need to do some tearing down of the old. To landscape your yard, you need to first dig things up. Shows are no different from anything else - to improve them, we must first be willing to undo some of the old ways.
Some of the old ways are good - I'm all for traditions that work well and treat folks fairly. Such "old ways" should be saved and incorporated into the improved shows. But other "old ways" are diseased, and need to be discarded - just like remodeling a kitchen. If you find dry rot, rip it out.
So, I guess my response to "Moron" is simply this - if we do not like a show, we should first try to help them improve - and you do not do that by remaining silent. Only if the organizers refuse to improve would we then choose to not return, and support instead those shows that support all of us fairly.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Lovin' It
I keep getting great reviews on the East Auburn Baptist Church show last weekend. Gotta love it! The only thing I have heard that was not positive was the obvious problems with enforcing Special Interest. Other than that, it seems these folks have it down pretty well.
And to think it was only their first venture into this. I'll say it again - some shows could learn from these folks.
And I wish they would...
I am looking forward to the EABC show next year, and I sincerely hope they learn to enforce SI as they do any other class. If they need a place for orphans, they might consider adding an OPEN class so SI does not become a dumping ground.
Kudos to the folks who put this show together and made it purr like a sweet 350.
I also have it on excellent authority that once again, TOGUS did not disappoint. I hope to get pix coming in.
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And to think it was only their first venture into this. I'll say it again - some shows could learn from these folks.
And I wish they would...
I am looking forward to the EABC show next year, and I sincerely hope they learn to enforce SI as they do any other class. If they need a place for orphans, they might consider adding an OPEN class so SI does not become a dumping ground.
Kudos to the folks who put this show together and made it purr like a sweet 350.
I also have it on excellent authority that once again, TOGUS did not disappoint. I hope to get pix coming in.
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Some Just Don't Get It
I just received a post - anonymously, of course - asking why I post "ill comments" about shows, but not ill comments about me.
So, for that not-so-bright individual who apparently does not comprehend English very well (because I have said this a dozen times):
PERSONAL ATTACKS DO NOT GET POSTED.
It matters not who you attack - personal attacks will NOT get posted. Readers comments on shows - both good and bad - are welcome, and posted, provided they are civil and do not include personal attacks.
This is not about me. And, believe it or not, it is not about you, either. This is about the SHOWS. It is about the HOBBY we share. And it is about making it a CLEAN, HONEST hobby that we can all be proud of.
Now, I think that is clear enough for anyone with a grade school education to understand, so I should not have to repeat it. If you want to attack me, fine - walk up to me, face-to-face at a show and speak your piece. Otherwise, no one is interested in listening to your personal attacks or your opinion.
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So, for that not-so-bright individual who apparently does not comprehend English very well (because I have said this a dozen times):
PERSONAL ATTACKS DO NOT GET POSTED.
It matters not who you attack - personal attacks will NOT get posted. Readers comments on shows - both good and bad - are welcome, and posted, provided they are civil and do not include personal attacks.
This is not about me. And, believe it or not, it is not about you, either. This is about the SHOWS. It is about the HOBBY we share. And it is about making it a CLEAN, HONEST hobby that we can all be proud of.
Now, I think that is clear enough for anyone with a grade school education to understand, so I should not have to repeat it. If you want to attack me, fine - walk up to me, face-to-face at a show and speak your piece. Otherwise, no one is interested in listening to your personal attacks or your opinion.
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Grayson Responds (again)
Grayson has since written that he has "spent the last couple of days shaking hands" with folks who have a more positive view of his show. I do not doubt that - since he probably has not been traveling throughout the state meeting the folks, it would seem that the "satisfied" participants are the folks he knows, which are local - like the locals, alumini and sponsors that won. I certainly hope he does not count on locals, alone, to pull off a show next year. As it was, they only had about 100 vehicles, and more than half of those were from outside the local Bethel area.
Again, HotKarz would be more than happy to report next year, before the Telstar show, that they have addressed the following concerns:
1) Sponsors and organizers - anyone connected with the show - must either refrain from registering their own vehicles, or there is a separate OPEN class just for them
2) No participants shall receive preferred treatment or acknowledgement, as the alumni did this year. All paying participants should be treated equally
3) Organizers should take the time to learn the actual definitions of the classes in their show, and enforce them. Each registered vehicle must be in its MOST appropriate class.
4) Rest room facilities in each area, upper and lower fields, keeping in mind many show-goers are older folks
5) DJ & organizers should refrain from actively promoting specific individuals or clubs, or showing favoritism
6) Political advertising, petitions etc. should not be a part of a car show (unless the show is put on for that express purpose)
If HotKarz becomes aware that such changes are being put into effect, we would be more than willing to support the show in any way possible. Otherwise, probably not.
And, "NO", to those few malcontents that might try to say I am trying to run the shows. I am doing no such thing. We offer constructive criticism, and provide plausible solutions where possible. So, I am simply saying I will actively promote those that try to be fair and honest, and I will not promote those that do not try for fairness and honesty. Simple enough.
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Again, HotKarz would be more than happy to report next year, before the Telstar show, that they have addressed the following concerns:
1) Sponsors and organizers - anyone connected with the show - must either refrain from registering their own vehicles, or there is a separate OPEN class just for them
2) No participants shall receive preferred treatment or acknowledgement, as the alumni did this year. All paying participants should be treated equally
3) Organizers should take the time to learn the actual definitions of the classes in their show, and enforce them. Each registered vehicle must be in its MOST appropriate class.
4) Rest room facilities in each area, upper and lower fields, keeping in mind many show-goers are older folks
5) DJ & organizers should refrain from actively promoting specific individuals or clubs, or showing favoritism
6) Political advertising, petitions etc. should not be a part of a car show (unless the show is put on for that express purpose)
If HotKarz becomes aware that such changes are being put into effect, we would be more than willing to support the show in any way possible. Otherwise, probably not.
And, "NO", to those few malcontents that might try to say I am trying to run the shows. I am doing no such thing. We offer constructive criticism, and provide plausible solutions where possible. So, I am simply saying I will actively promote those that try to be fair and honest, and I will not promote those that do not try for fairness and honesty. Simple enough.
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Monday, August 17, 2009
Update: Shows
The Brewer Days show, originally scheduled for September 12 has been moved to September 13.
The Littleton show is scheduled for August 30th.
Now for something that has not changed - the Cumberland House of Pizza (C.H.O.P.) is expecting a large turn-out for their cruise tommorow evening (Tuesday) due to beautiful weather and a great bunch of folks.
Sorry to have missed the Sebago Brewing cruise tonight, but plans suddenly had to be set aside. Hope to return next week.
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The Littleton show is scheduled for August 30th.
Now for something that has not changed - the Cumberland House of Pizza (C.H.O.P.) is expecting a large turn-out for their cruise tommorow evening (Tuesday) due to beautiful weather and a great bunch of folks.
Sorry to have missed the Sebago Brewing cruise tonight, but plans suddenly had to be set aside. Hope to return next week.
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A letter from Telstar
I received this comment from Grayson, of Telstar. It tells his side, although not as accurately as it should have been told. In instances where he is embellishing, I am placing an [Ed.] comment. While Grayson sounds like he is interested in making corrections for some of the many poor aspects of the Telstar show, that is not the story he was telling us at the show. I reiterate, when asked point blank if he was going to do anything about the cheating, his exact words were, "Not really. We just don't care about that."
If he now cares, as he says, then I suspect his sudden change comes from all the negative feedback I am sure he received from all those who felt cheated. Note, too, that he still has not acknowledged many of the problems - sponsors in the class they sponsor (and winning), and alumni held up as "special", and the simple fact that organizers simply should not be registered at all, unless in a separate class.
His comment:
"Hi Guys,
"I apologize for the length of this response, but I also feel it is necessary; I was working at the gate for Telstar's car show. Our volunteer crew has a lot to learn about the show's organization - in particular, the assignment of Import, Sports Compact and Special Interest classes. Over the next 11 months, I will become an expert on the topic, with help from this site.
"Bill & Bob both approached me at the show with the class assignment complaints. I told Bill that I was a volunteer who loves cars. He told me to "Go love cars somewhere else". That really takes the wind out of a person's sails. [Ed. That is not what was said. After telling me he did not care about vehicles in the wrong class, and that he had no intention of doing anything about it, he did say "I just love cars", to which I responded, "if you do not fix what is wrong with this show, you can go love cars somewhere else next year." The point being, folks would not return if they knew the show was rigged.]
"I thought the assignment of classes was fairly staightforward. As I worked the gate, I handed each driver an index card that assigned their class, and instructed them to present it at the registration tent. I also told each driver where their class was located on the appropriate field. No one was told to pick their own class, and every driver left the gate with an assigned card. [Ed. When we arrived, Grayson asked which class we wanted to be in. We asked what he had. He said we might want 1990-Present, or Special Interest. We could choose. So, no, classes were not simply assigned, and yes, some people, at least, were able to choose. So his statement is incorrect.] The incorrect class assignment was my fault.
"In regards to the organizer's taking trophies from others, our main volunteer and her husband won a trophy in the Firebird class, and I won the Mustang class with my '70 Mach 1. I can't speak for them, but I've been restoring my car since high school, picking a few projects each year, with a tight budget. Many of our locals that visited Telstar's show know my car's story. I've earned that trophy, and a few from other shows. [Ed. None of that matters - it is a conflict of interest, and organizers and sponsors should not be permitted to compete against others, period. And there was also a sponsor that took a trophy in the class he sponsored - also a conflict of interest. That should never be permitted.]
"Although it's clear that we have a lot to learn, I do hope the show can grow and we will learn from the experience. I hope that my two daughters will be able to help with the show when they are old enough."Our follow-up meeting is this week, in which we will address the issues that arose, most of which could not be corrected after the show began - such as the Port-a-Potty locations and food shortage. Both can and will be easily corrected for next year. [Ed. the IMPORTANT issues could have, and should have been addressed on the spot - issues of unfair competition and blatant cheating. Organizers were made aware of them very early in the morning.]
"Thanks to everyone that came to Telstar's show. I spent most of the day on the lower field by the gate, and heard a bunch of good car stories from the Street Rod and muscle car guys. I'm sorry we have lost Bill & Bob's support, but I appreciate the chance and will look forward to next year's show."
[Ed. They did not "lose" my support - they threw it away on their own. I gave them three opportunities to at least attempt to address the issues, to no avail. And when Grayson said, "I just don't care", then it was no longer my choice whether or not I would support him and his show. It was his choice, and he made it.
In the unlikely event that Telstar gets some GOOD and PROPER organization next year, and they address the important issues raised, and deal with them effectively, then HotKarz is more than willing to promote their show, as we promoted Sanford and Belgrade this year, in spite of their failings last year. Frankly, anyone who tells me that they do not see cheating as a serious issue has, indeed, lost my support, and I find it unlikely they will ever take cheating seriously.
But I guess anything is possible - if Grayson received enough complaints to worry him about the future of his show, then maybe he will address these things, if only out of a sense of survival. But his unwillingness to even acknowledge the more serious issues in this comment tells me he may be trying to dodge them. We'll have to wait and see.]
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If he now cares, as he says, then I suspect his sudden change comes from all the negative feedback I am sure he received from all those who felt cheated. Note, too, that he still has not acknowledged many of the problems - sponsors in the class they sponsor (and winning), and alumni held up as "special", and the simple fact that organizers simply should not be registered at all, unless in a separate class.
His comment:
"Hi Guys,
"I apologize for the length of this response, but I also feel it is necessary; I was working at the gate for Telstar's car show. Our volunteer crew has a lot to learn about the show's organization - in particular, the assignment of Import, Sports Compact and Special Interest classes. Over the next 11 months, I will become an expert on the topic, with help from this site.
"Bill & Bob both approached me at the show with the class assignment complaints. I told Bill that I was a volunteer who loves cars. He told me to "Go love cars somewhere else". That really takes the wind out of a person's sails. [Ed. That is not what was said. After telling me he did not care about vehicles in the wrong class, and that he had no intention of doing anything about it, he did say "I just love cars", to which I responded, "if you do not fix what is wrong with this show, you can go love cars somewhere else next year." The point being, folks would not return if they knew the show was rigged.]
"I thought the assignment of classes was fairly staightforward. As I worked the gate, I handed each driver an index card that assigned their class, and instructed them to present it at the registration tent. I also told each driver where their class was located on the appropriate field. No one was told to pick their own class, and every driver left the gate with an assigned card. [Ed. When we arrived, Grayson asked which class we wanted to be in. We asked what he had. He said we might want 1990-Present, or Special Interest. We could choose. So, no, classes were not simply assigned, and yes, some people, at least, were able to choose. So his statement is incorrect.] The incorrect class assignment was my fault.
"In regards to the organizer's taking trophies from others, our main volunteer and her husband won a trophy in the Firebird class, and I won the Mustang class with my '70 Mach 1. I can't speak for them, but I've been restoring my car since high school, picking a few projects each year, with a tight budget. Many of our locals that visited Telstar's show know my car's story. I've earned that trophy, and a few from other shows. [Ed. None of that matters - it is a conflict of interest, and organizers and sponsors should not be permitted to compete against others, period. And there was also a sponsor that took a trophy in the class he sponsored - also a conflict of interest. That should never be permitted.]
"Although it's clear that we have a lot to learn, I do hope the show can grow and we will learn from the experience. I hope that my two daughters will be able to help with the show when they are old enough."Our follow-up meeting is this week, in which we will address the issues that arose, most of which could not be corrected after the show began - such as the Port-a-Potty locations and food shortage. Both can and will be easily corrected for next year. [Ed. the IMPORTANT issues could have, and should have been addressed on the spot - issues of unfair competition and blatant cheating. Organizers were made aware of them very early in the morning.]
"Thanks to everyone that came to Telstar's show. I spent most of the day on the lower field by the gate, and heard a bunch of good car stories from the Street Rod and muscle car guys. I'm sorry we have lost Bill & Bob's support, but I appreciate the chance and will look forward to next year's show."
[Ed. They did not "lose" my support - they threw it away on their own. I gave them three opportunities to at least attempt to address the issues, to no avail. And when Grayson said, "I just don't care", then it was no longer my choice whether or not I would support him and his show. It was his choice, and he made it.
In the unlikely event that Telstar gets some GOOD and PROPER organization next year, and they address the important issues raised, and deal with them effectively, then HotKarz is more than willing to promote their show, as we promoted Sanford and Belgrade this year, in spite of their failings last year. Frankly, anyone who tells me that they do not see cheating as a serious issue has, indeed, lost my support, and I find it unlikely they will ever take cheating seriously.
But I guess anything is possible - if Grayson received enough complaints to worry him about the future of his show, then maybe he will address these things, if only out of a sense of survival. But his unwillingness to even acknowledge the more serious issues in this comment tells me he may be trying to dodge them. We'll have to wait and see.]
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Update on BEST OF THE BEST
Just so y'all know, and without giving away "who's who" at this time, here are some stats on the Best of the Best voting, to date. This may change substantially by the time the trophies are awarded.
Number of participating vehicles: 42 (many were multiple winners, having won in several shows)
Number of votes cast: 1,389
Number of those votes that appear to be from "locals": 164
Number of votes appear to have been cast by internet surfers from around the globe: 1,225
So, I am pleased to say that the folks who are in the lead are not winning because of anyone voting for themselves, or friends voting for them. While it is true that some of those out-of-state votes may, indeed, be friends of participants, the randomness would indicate the vast majority are not. When someone emails and says something like, "I stumbled onto your HotKarz site. I love showing my cars out here in Riverside CA and I wish they would do something like this out here. I would like to vote for ____________ in the Medomac show, and _____________in the Gorham show..." Such letters tell me the votes are pretty much from random visitors.
Such is the power of the Internet, when once you learn how to harness the power of GOOGLE :o) HotKarz pays Google to list our "Best of..." page under key search terms, like "Best of Show" and "Maine Car Shows". This attracts a LOT of international visitors.
So, keep winning those shows, folks, and stay in the running. You just never know.
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Number of participating vehicles: 42 (many were multiple winners, having won in several shows)
Number of votes cast: 1,389
Number of those votes that appear to be from "locals": 164
Number of votes appear to have been cast by internet surfers from around the globe: 1,225
So, I am pleased to say that the folks who are in the lead are not winning because of anyone voting for themselves, or friends voting for them. While it is true that some of those out-of-state votes may, indeed, be friends of participants, the randomness would indicate the vast majority are not. When someone emails and says something like, "I stumbled onto your HotKarz site. I love showing my cars out here in Riverside CA and I wish they would do something like this out here. I would like to vote for ____________ in the Medomac show, and _____________in the Gorham show..." Such letters tell me the votes are pretty much from random visitors.
Such is the power of the Internet, when once you learn how to harness the power of GOOGLE :o) HotKarz pays Google to list our "Best of..." page under key search terms, like "Best of Show" and "Maine Car Shows". This attracts a LOT of international visitors.
So, keep winning those shows, folks, and stay in the running. You just never know.
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Sunday, August 16, 2009
It Doesn't Matter - Does it????
I cannot count the number of times someone would say the trophies do not matter, or the competition does not matter. Or that the honesty and fairness of shows do not matter.
And no matter how many people may say such things, or how hard they try to justify bad behavior, they are always 100% wrong, because all of those things do matter. Maybe not to some. But they do matter to other folks.
Some folks do go to shows expressly to try and win trophies - it matters not if you think that is right or wrong. It just is. Others go strictly for the thrill of competition. And some people, even in this day and age, believe in honesty and fair play.
So, no one can say those things do not matter. They can only say they do not matter to themselves.
When the organizer at Telstar said the class jumping did not matter, he was wrong. It may not matter to HIM, but it obviously mattered to the particpants, since so many griped about it. So, it DID matter. And when someone says block voting does not matter, or stuffing the ballot box does not matter, they are wrong, because it DOES matter to some. Just because a person is OK with cheating does not make cheating OK. After all, Charles Manson was OK with murder. But does that make murder OK?
So don't try feeding me the BS that cheating at shows is OK because "it doesn't matter". It isn't OK, and it does matter, even if it does not matter to you, personally - the shows are not about you. They are not about me. They are about US - all of us. And as long as something is important to any of us, then it is important. And if it is important, then we have an obligation to make it fair and honest, even if we, personally, do not care. Because SOMEONE cares.
Your Uncle does not really matter to me, but he may matter a lot to you. So, I can say he does not matter to me. But I have no right to say he does not matter at all.
And the next time someone who registers to win a trophy tells me that the trophy means nothing to them, I think I will gag. It may not be the main reason he goes to shows, but it is not without some importance if he is bothering to register, wet his tires, polish the hood etc. So don't BS anyone with the old "trophies mean nothing to me." If they mean nothing, don't register and take votes away from people who DO want to win. If you register, clean your ride etc., you want to win. And it is nothing to be ashamed of - competition is what made America great. Competition makes us stronger, better.
Personally, the trophy does not bear too much importance to me - I toss them in boxes in the shed. What I find important is the FAIR COMPETITION - to compete fairly with others, and if I do win, it validates the work I have done, and that is satisfying. If I lose fairly, it tells me I have to make improvements to my ride. So, in that regard, the trophy, which is a symbol of the validation, is worth something. But only if won fairly. I would rather lose fairly than to win unfairly.
The point is this: you may think certain aspects of a show are unimportant, but that does not make them unimportant. One man's tea is another man's poison.
Trophies and competition may not be important to you, personally, but they are important to some. And that is why shows need to be fair and honest. Because it is important to some. And if a person is being honest about it not being important to them, then they should have no complaint in making shows fair and honest for those who need and want that.
But that is not what is going on here. Some people, claiming "it doesn't matter", are actually FIGHTING AGAINST making shows fair and honest, and fighting hard. Why would a person fight against honesty if, in fact, they do not care? The rest of us know the motives of those who fight against making shows better, and it has nothing to do with "it doesn't matter." In fact, it matters a great deal to them to keep the shows dishonest, because that is the only way they can win.
Or, as Shakespeare so aptly put it, "Methinks the lady protesteth too much." Those who are the most vocal about leaving shows as they are, are the same people who have the most to lose if shows become fair. Most of us want to earn a trophy. But others will do anything to grab one, even if they have to break a few Commandments. They do not care if it is earned or not. HotKarz has no interest in making those people more honest. We only have an interest in making the SHOWS more honest. The cheats can go cheat someone else.
The short of it: if fair play is one of your moral values, then help make shows fair - don't just leave it for others to do. Talk to organizers. Get others to speak up. And if it really "does not matter" to you, as some put it, then there is no reason to try and block improvements - let them happen. Don't fight them. Maybe even help them to happen, for the benefit of your friends who DO think it is important.
Any trophy not earned fairly is not worth bringing home. When I meet my Maker, I may have some 'splainin' to do, but one thing I will not have to explain is my desire and efforts for fair play. And I won't have to explain anything I won.
Because when all is said and done, a person can BS me, or BS you, or BS everyone. But he cannot BS the Big Guy.
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And no matter how many people may say such things, or how hard they try to justify bad behavior, they are always 100% wrong, because all of those things do matter. Maybe not to some. But they do matter to other folks.
Some folks do go to shows expressly to try and win trophies - it matters not if you think that is right or wrong. It just is. Others go strictly for the thrill of competition. And some people, even in this day and age, believe in honesty and fair play.
So, no one can say those things do not matter. They can only say they do not matter to themselves.
When the organizer at Telstar said the class jumping did not matter, he was wrong. It may not matter to HIM, but it obviously mattered to the particpants, since so many griped about it. So, it DID matter. And when someone says block voting does not matter, or stuffing the ballot box does not matter, they are wrong, because it DOES matter to some. Just because a person is OK with cheating does not make cheating OK. After all, Charles Manson was OK with murder. But does that make murder OK?
So don't try feeding me the BS that cheating at shows is OK because "it doesn't matter". It isn't OK, and it does matter, even if it does not matter to you, personally - the shows are not about you. They are not about me. They are about US - all of us. And as long as something is important to any of us, then it is important. And if it is important, then we have an obligation to make it fair and honest, even if we, personally, do not care. Because SOMEONE cares.
Your Uncle does not really matter to me, but he may matter a lot to you. So, I can say he does not matter to me. But I have no right to say he does not matter at all.
And the next time someone who registers to win a trophy tells me that the trophy means nothing to them, I think I will gag. It may not be the main reason he goes to shows, but it is not without some importance if he is bothering to register, wet his tires, polish the hood etc. So don't BS anyone with the old "trophies mean nothing to me." If they mean nothing, don't register and take votes away from people who DO want to win. If you register, clean your ride etc., you want to win. And it is nothing to be ashamed of - competition is what made America great. Competition makes us stronger, better.
Personally, the trophy does not bear too much importance to me - I toss them in boxes in the shed. What I find important is the FAIR COMPETITION - to compete fairly with others, and if I do win, it validates the work I have done, and that is satisfying. If I lose fairly, it tells me I have to make improvements to my ride. So, in that regard, the trophy, which is a symbol of the validation, is worth something. But only if won fairly. I would rather lose fairly than to win unfairly.
The point is this: you may think certain aspects of a show are unimportant, but that does not make them unimportant. One man's tea is another man's poison.
Trophies and competition may not be important to you, personally, but they are important to some. And that is why shows need to be fair and honest. Because it is important to some. And if a person is being honest about it not being important to them, then they should have no complaint in making shows fair and honest for those who need and want that.
But that is not what is going on here. Some people, claiming "it doesn't matter", are actually FIGHTING AGAINST making shows fair and honest, and fighting hard. Why would a person fight against honesty if, in fact, they do not care? The rest of us know the motives of those who fight against making shows better, and it has nothing to do with "it doesn't matter." In fact, it matters a great deal to them to keep the shows dishonest, because that is the only way they can win.
Or, as Shakespeare so aptly put it, "Methinks the lady protesteth too much." Those who are the most vocal about leaving shows as they are, are the same people who have the most to lose if shows become fair. Most of us want to earn a trophy. But others will do anything to grab one, even if they have to break a few Commandments. They do not care if it is earned or not. HotKarz has no interest in making those people more honest. We only have an interest in making the SHOWS more honest. The cheats can go cheat someone else.
The short of it: if fair play is one of your moral values, then help make shows fair - don't just leave it for others to do. Talk to organizers. Get others to speak up. And if it really "does not matter" to you, as some put it, then there is no reason to try and block improvements - let them happen. Don't fight them. Maybe even help them to happen, for the benefit of your friends who DO think it is important.
Any trophy not earned fairly is not worth bringing home. When I meet my Maker, I may have some 'splainin' to do, but one thing I will not have to explain is my desire and efforts for fair play. And I won't have to explain anything I won.
Because when all is said and done, a person can BS me, or BS you, or BS everyone. But he cannot BS the Big Guy.
/
Still Not Gettin' It
Received the following letter from a friend, but it appears he, like some others, does not quite fathom that SPECIAL INTEREST is actually a real class, with an actual definition. Some think I am "beating a dead horse" (see comment, below) because the folks that don't get it never will. That may be true, but nothing is gained by giving up on them. After all, Washington has been beating the Universal Health Care Horse for 15 years! And, contrary to what some may think, HotKarz IS taking this issue on from more than one front. We talk with organizers, we talk with sponsors, we talk with participants. We attempt to get them thinking in more inclusive terms. We try to educate, where necessary. But, as with anything worthwhile, it is a slow process. But progress is being made. Just ask anyone who went to the Sanford Elks show this year, or Belgrade. Not perfect - but improving. So, just because you do not see us working in the background does not mean we are not doing so.
"I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT IF THERE IS A CLASS FOR YOUR CAR ,YOU SHOULD BE IN THAT CLASS.
BUT IF I GO TO A SHOW WITH NO CAMARO CLASS I LOOK FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT .SO MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES WHO HAVE TO COMPETE IN THE 60"S CLASS WITH NO OTHER CHOICES CAN COMPETE ,I LOOK FOR STREET MACHINES AND CUSTOMS .ETC.
AS FOR HAVING A THEME OR SOMETHING SPECIAL, EVERY CAR OWNER THINKS HIS OR HER CAR IS SPECIAL . I FEEL MY CAR HAS A THEME ,VERY STREETABLE ,SUSPENSION MODS MAKE MINE VERY COMFORTABLE TO RIDE IN AND GOOD MILEAGE . MY THEME IS ENJOYABLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND DRIVEABLE BECAUSE IT MAKES ME THINK IT IS UNIQUE AND ONE OF A KIND .ACCORDING TO THE OTHER CAMARO OWNERS ,THEY RIDE LIKE A BUCKBOARD.
LETS REMEMBER EVERYONES CAR IS SPECIALTO THEM. LETS SEE IF WE CAN CONTINUE ENJOYING OUR CARS AND GOING TO THE CAR SHOWS AND HAVING A GOOD TIME . NO ONE SHOULD GO HOME CAUSE THERE IS NOT A CLASS FOR THEM ."
Here was my response - I really hope it will finally turn on the light for some:
"Hi,
Looking for other classes you fit into when there is no Camaro class is perfectly legitimate, as long as you can legitimately fit into the class, such as 60's etc. That's fine. But would you put your Camaro into 4x4 Trucks? I doubt it.
But like many others, you seem to be under the misconception that SPECIAL INTEREST somehow means anything that a person feels is special. That is not the case. Like the class STREET RODS, which is not about STREET, and its not about RODS, Special Interest is not about SPECIAL, nor about INTEREST. The term, like Street Rods, must be taken in its entirety. And, like Street Rods, it has a very definite and legal definition that too many people ignore.
Special Interest has nothing to do with "special". All vehicles are special. In order to be Special Interest, however, the vehicle MUST be one of two things - either UNIQUELY distinguishable from others of its type or built to serve a specific purpose (like a military recon jeep, or the homemade electric car), or it must have a THEME. Many people do not seem to understand the concept of "theme". A theme is the basis of a SPECIFIC STORY with a topic. A theme is the story line of a book, movie, song, poem or story. If a person can look at the vehicle and say, "Oh, that car is all about Disney", or "all about CasaBlanca", or "all about the surfing woody craze of the 60's", or "all about UFO's" then it has a theme. At Telstar, one fellow had a panel truck that was all decked out with "Up In Smoke" details (the Cheech & Chong movie). That is a theme. Being a roadster, a dragster, a Mustang, a led sled or even a comfy Camaro is not a theme. It is a TYPE. Two completely different things.
The definition of Special Interest is not my definition. It is the actual definition, just as Street Rods has an actual definition. You cannot call a daisy a rose and be correct. You cannot call a truck a sub-compact sports car and be correct. And you cannot call anything Special Interest unless it, too, meets the DEFINITION.
And, yes, if there is not a class for a vehicle, it should not be allowed to enter the show, and here is why - FAIR PLAY and HONESTY. Do NOT make the common mistake that just because a show is being fair to YOU that it does not matter if they are being unfair to someone else. And there are MANY shows that limit participation by using classes. Newer cars like ours are not even allowed in the gates at shows that only allow classics or antiques. We cannot enter the Cumberland Fair car show. And you cannot show in the MUSTANGS ONLY show at Weirs Beach. A show "invites" vehicles by the classes they choose, just like any other contest. You would not be happy if the Camaro class were to suddenly allow my PT Cruiser, or Ron's LedSled, because you know it would not be fair to those who BELONG in the class - if those cars took even one vote, it could cause someone to lose who should not have lost, and no matter how much you do not CARE about that, you are not the only one affected and the fact remains it is UNFAIR.
Well, those of us who ARE Special Interest and CANNOT register in Camaros or Mustangs or Trucks feel the same way - we, too, deserve to be treated with the same fairness and respect. You want the definition of the Camaro class to be respected. Chris wants the definition of the Mustang class to be respected. Bob wants the definition of Trucks to be respected. Well, we want the definition of the SI class to be respected, also. If we do NOT respect the class definitions, ALL the class definitions, and ANYONE can go in Special Interest, then anyone can also go in Camaros, Mustangs or trucks. And you will end up with rotten, sorry shows like Telstar - don't take my word for it - read what everyone else is saying about Telstar. Is that what you want shows to devolve into?
I have said this 100 times at least, and it is also in the book "The Complete Car Show" - if show organizers want a class for all the vehicles that do not have a class, they should include either an ORPHAN class or an OPEN class where anyone can go. If they do not, then ASK them to include it next year. Those classes are specifically designed for that purpose. THAT is where they belong - not in Special Interest. What is so difficult about having an OPEN class for all the "misfits"? After all, if they don't belong anywhere else, we could just dump them all into the Camaro class, because it really doesn't matter where they go, right? Wrong.
As a final note, if a vehicle owner thinks his car is SPECIAL, and therefore can go in SPECIAL INTEREST, then by the same logic, any person who thinks his vehicle can be driven on the STREET can go into STREET RODS. But neither is true. Being street-worthy does not make a "street rod", and being special does not make "special interest".
Bill"
Oh, and Frank - and "The Complete Car Show" book is printed from the computer for good reasons - the book is free to organizers in two states, so the cost must be kept down - I pay for these out of my own pocket. And also because 99% of all orders are for the "instant" PDF version via email, so printing through a print house that requires a minimum printing of 5000 just does not make sense. However, if you wish to volunteer to pay the $22,000 print cost for the 5000, I would be happy to get them bound :o) What counts is the CONTENT, which, for the most part was contributed by professionals and participants from around the country. All I did was organize it and put it into a single volume. Until then, there was nothing available for organizers to use as a guide.
/
"I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT IF THERE IS A CLASS FOR YOUR CAR ,YOU SHOULD BE IN THAT CLASS.
BUT IF I GO TO A SHOW WITH NO CAMARO CLASS I LOOK FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT .SO MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES WHO HAVE TO COMPETE IN THE 60"S CLASS WITH NO OTHER CHOICES CAN COMPETE ,I LOOK FOR STREET MACHINES AND CUSTOMS .ETC.
AS FOR HAVING A THEME OR SOMETHING SPECIAL, EVERY CAR OWNER THINKS HIS OR HER CAR IS SPECIAL . I FEEL MY CAR HAS A THEME ,VERY STREETABLE ,SUSPENSION MODS MAKE MINE VERY COMFORTABLE TO RIDE IN AND GOOD MILEAGE . MY THEME IS ENJOYABLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND DRIVEABLE BECAUSE IT MAKES ME THINK IT IS UNIQUE AND ONE OF A KIND .ACCORDING TO THE OTHER CAMARO OWNERS ,THEY RIDE LIKE A BUCKBOARD.
LETS REMEMBER EVERYONES CAR IS SPECIALTO THEM. LETS SEE IF WE CAN CONTINUE ENJOYING OUR CARS AND GOING TO THE CAR SHOWS AND HAVING A GOOD TIME . NO ONE SHOULD GO HOME CAUSE THERE IS NOT A CLASS FOR THEM ."
Here was my response - I really hope it will finally turn on the light for some:
"Hi,
Looking for other classes you fit into when there is no Camaro class is perfectly legitimate, as long as you can legitimately fit into the class, such as 60's etc. That's fine. But would you put your Camaro into 4x4 Trucks? I doubt it.
But like many others, you seem to be under the misconception that SPECIAL INTEREST somehow means anything that a person feels is special. That is not the case. Like the class STREET RODS, which is not about STREET, and its not about RODS, Special Interest is not about SPECIAL, nor about INTEREST. The term, like Street Rods, must be taken in its entirety. And, like Street Rods, it has a very definite and legal definition that too many people ignore.
Special Interest has nothing to do with "special". All vehicles are special. In order to be Special Interest, however, the vehicle MUST be one of two things - either UNIQUELY distinguishable from others of its type or built to serve a specific purpose (like a military recon jeep, or the homemade electric car), or it must have a THEME. Many people do not seem to understand the concept of "theme". A theme is the basis of a SPECIFIC STORY with a topic. A theme is the story line of a book, movie, song, poem or story. If a person can look at the vehicle and say, "Oh, that car is all about Disney", or "all about CasaBlanca", or "all about the surfing woody craze of the 60's", or "all about UFO's" then it has a theme. At Telstar, one fellow had a panel truck that was all decked out with "Up In Smoke" details (the Cheech & Chong movie). That is a theme. Being a roadster, a dragster, a Mustang, a led sled or even a comfy Camaro is not a theme. It is a TYPE. Two completely different things.
The definition of Special Interest is not my definition. It is the actual definition, just as Street Rods has an actual definition. You cannot call a daisy a rose and be correct. You cannot call a truck a sub-compact sports car and be correct. And you cannot call anything Special Interest unless it, too, meets the DEFINITION.
And, yes, if there is not a class for a vehicle, it should not be allowed to enter the show, and here is why - FAIR PLAY and HONESTY. Do NOT make the common mistake that just because a show is being fair to YOU that it does not matter if they are being unfair to someone else. And there are MANY shows that limit participation by using classes. Newer cars like ours are not even allowed in the gates at shows that only allow classics or antiques. We cannot enter the Cumberland Fair car show. And you cannot show in the MUSTANGS ONLY show at Weirs Beach. A show "invites" vehicles by the classes they choose, just like any other contest. You would not be happy if the Camaro class were to suddenly allow my PT Cruiser, or Ron's LedSled, because you know it would not be fair to those who BELONG in the class - if those cars took even one vote, it could cause someone to lose who should not have lost, and no matter how much you do not CARE about that, you are not the only one affected and the fact remains it is UNFAIR.
Well, those of us who ARE Special Interest and CANNOT register in Camaros or Mustangs or Trucks feel the same way - we, too, deserve to be treated with the same fairness and respect. You want the definition of the Camaro class to be respected. Chris wants the definition of the Mustang class to be respected. Bob wants the definition of Trucks to be respected. Well, we want the definition of the SI class to be respected, also. If we do NOT respect the class definitions, ALL the class definitions, and ANYONE can go in Special Interest, then anyone can also go in Camaros, Mustangs or trucks. And you will end up with rotten, sorry shows like Telstar - don't take my word for it - read what everyone else is saying about Telstar. Is that what you want shows to devolve into?
I have said this 100 times at least, and it is also in the book "The Complete Car Show" - if show organizers want a class for all the vehicles that do not have a class, they should include either an ORPHAN class or an OPEN class where anyone can go. If they do not, then ASK them to include it next year. Those classes are specifically designed for that purpose. THAT is where they belong - not in Special Interest. What is so difficult about having an OPEN class for all the "misfits"? After all, if they don't belong anywhere else, we could just dump them all into the Camaro class, because it really doesn't matter where they go, right? Wrong.
As a final note, if a vehicle owner thinks his car is SPECIAL, and therefore can go in SPECIAL INTEREST, then by the same logic, any person who thinks his vehicle can be driven on the STREET can go into STREET RODS. But neither is true. Being street-worthy does not make a "street rod", and being special does not make "special interest".
Bill"
Oh, and Frank - and "The Complete Car Show" book is printed from the computer for good reasons - the book is free to organizers in two states, so the cost must be kept down - I pay for these out of my own pocket. And also because 99% of all orders are for the "instant" PDF version via email, so printing through a print house that requires a minimum printing of 5000 just does not make sense. However, if you wish to volunteer to pay the $22,000 print cost for the 5000, I would be happy to get them bound :o) What counts is the CONTENT, which, for the most part was contributed by professionals and participants from around the country. All I did was organize it and put it into a single volume. Until then, there was nothing available for organizers to use as a guide.
/
Unanimous
So far, the accolades for the East Auburn Baptist Church Show are unanimous. It sounds like the kind of show that other shows would do well to emulate. I have only heard one minor complaint, about a '57 Chevy that belonged in the 50's but registered in Special Interest. And won! I can understand why folks would have issues with that. Otherwise, it sounds like nearly the perfect show. I hope they keep up the good work in years to come.
Here is just one sample of the letters I have been receiving on this show (it also provides a list of winners):
"Hi Bill,
Well the first East Auburn Baptist Church Car Show was really decent for their first show with only a couple of very minor glitches that they said will be addressed for the next show. there were about 80 cars and trucks that showed up, if not for the date being in conflict with Bethel and Hebron they would have easily had 150 or more cars and trucks. The music was fantastic once the volume was toned down with tunes I have not heard for many years. The food was excellent with burgers and cheese burgers for $1.00, Hot dogs for .50 cents, cold water and soda for .50 cents.
The organizers were asked to contact you for a car show book to help them align classes for next year. I will support this show again................
This years winners were:
Antiques; Steve Thompson
Street Rods; Lee Patenaude
40's; Ken Matthews
50's; Norm Cuzzon
60's; Richard Levesque
70's; Vaughn Estabrook
80's; Tom Carro
90's; No cars
Special Interest; ? 57 Chevy should have been in the 50's class. name, sorry I have CRS
Motorcycles; 2002 Harley ? name, sorry CRS again
4X4 trucks; Bob Read
2X4 trucks; Ralph Greene
Best of Show; Bob Read
That's it, I hope your day went well. Dick Levesque and I went to Hebron's show this afternoon, WOW nice layout, I'll go again
Ken MatthewsPropane Consultants
www.propaneconsultant.com
207-272-4491 Fax. 207-655-3571"
/
Here is just one sample of the letters I have been receiving on this show (it also provides a list of winners):
"Hi Bill,
Well the first East Auburn Baptist Church Car Show was really decent for their first show with only a couple of very minor glitches that they said will be addressed for the next show. there were about 80 cars and trucks that showed up, if not for the date being in conflict with Bethel and Hebron they would have easily had 150 or more cars and trucks. The music was fantastic once the volume was toned down with tunes I have not heard for many years. The food was excellent with burgers and cheese burgers for $1.00, Hot dogs for .50 cents, cold water and soda for .50 cents.
The organizers were asked to contact you for a car show book to help them align classes for next year. I will support this show again................
This years winners were:
Antiques; Steve Thompson
Street Rods; Lee Patenaude
40's; Ken Matthews
50's; Norm Cuzzon
60's; Richard Levesque
70's; Vaughn Estabrook
80's; Tom Carro
90's; No cars
Special Interest; ? 57 Chevy should have been in the 50's class. name, sorry I have CRS
Motorcycles; 2002 Harley ? name, sorry CRS again
4X4 trucks; Bob Read
2X4 trucks; Ralph Greene
Best of Show; Bob Read
That's it, I hope your day went well. Dick Levesque and I went to Hebron's show this afternoon, WOW nice layout, I'll go again
Ken MatthewsPropane Consultants
www.propaneconsultant.com
207-272-4491 Fax. 207-655-3571"
/
A Letter From Bob
Hi Bill: I haven’t figured out yet how to enter a blog so I will send this as an e-mail. This is the letter I am sending to the organizers of the Telstar show yesterday. It is long but it needed to be. Enter parts of it or all of it if you choose to.
To Telstar Organizers:
I got up at 5 am and drove 95 miles from Kennebunkport to attend the Telstar show which I must say was the poorest of the poorest shows that I have attended in Maine, NH, and Florida. The crew who greeted us at the gate were pleasant but had no idea what was going on. They told me I could park in any class I desired but they suggested I go into Imports. We ended up with seven sports compacts surrounding us, four of which were owned by one individual from Bethel. Two of the four contained dogs, one a pit bull on a short leash which almost attacked my wife as she crossed in front of his car while approaching the side of our car. After complaining to the apparent parking chairman about cars being entered in incorrect classes, and about the dogs, which he had already received complaints from several others, (the gate should never have let in his car with dogs as your flyer clearly stated “No Dogs”). The owner unhappily left with his four cars and dogs after making his feelings known to us.
The parking chairman explained to us that they were all volunteers and none of this really made any difference.
I can only comment about the import class I was in. And it’s not sour grapes as I won a first place. Only one car, a newer VW, which was not a sports compact by definition, was entered in sports compact. Three additional sports compacts, one which won a third place, were entered in Imports where they did not belong. The short of it is, if the three sports compacts had been entered where they belonged, since there were only three of them, they would have all won trophies, and had the VW been in Imports, he could have still won fairly but maybe not first, which really didn‘t mean much since he was alone in that class.
Complaining to the lady in charge, who apparently knew nothing about classes of cars, or why it is important that cars be in their correct class, only produced more confusion with nothing being done to correct things.
When voting, I found many situations where cars were in wrong classes and ended up stealing trophies from those who should have won them.
Then came 12:00 noon, the usual lunch hour. On our way up the hill to purchase hamburgers, it was announced there were no hamburgers left. Great planning when you run out at the beginning of the lunch hour.
Then there was 50-50. Granted the class of 2010 was trying to raise money. But we were hounded all day by the DJ and told we had to buy more and more 50-50 tickets - and after that we were told to buy more.
Then there were the supporters who were collecting signatures for a “NO” vote on raising taxes. One or two announcements about them being on the grounds would have been sufficient but not being told over and over that we had to sign the partitions. Several of us were registered to vote in another state and were really not interested in it. Others might not have appreciated the pressure to sign the partitions. Politics such as this has no business in a car show.
Listening to the music was more like watching a movie on TV with the commercials over and over.
Then there were the bathrooms. Many cars were owned by older people and those which were parked in the lower level had to either walk up a steep hill and way across a field, in the extreme heat, to get to the porta-pottys or down an even steeper hill to the Industrial Arts shop then back up again. Those parked on the upper level at least did not have the hill to climb but wherever you were parked, it did take planning ahead. There should have at least been a porta-potty on the lower level.
Then came the trophies. It’s strange that, ever though their vehicles should have either been in a separate class of their own or not eligible for trophies, sponsors, show organizers, and alumni all won trophies, some first place, stealing them from others who deserved them.
I should have stayed in bed until later, saved a lot of gas and tolls and gone to the car show in Auburn. This is what I will do next year along with many others who have stated they will never return to Telstar.
Sincerely,
Bob Norwood
[Editor: Thank you, Bob. And you have raised some points I overlooked, such as the restroom facilities. And though I understand you sent this letter to Telstar, I doubt it will do any good, judging from what the organizers said and how they reacted to problems on Sunday. But all anyone can do is try.]
/
To Telstar Organizers:
I got up at 5 am and drove 95 miles from Kennebunkport to attend the Telstar show which I must say was the poorest of the poorest shows that I have attended in Maine, NH, and Florida. The crew who greeted us at the gate were pleasant but had no idea what was going on. They told me I could park in any class I desired but they suggested I go into Imports. We ended up with seven sports compacts surrounding us, four of which were owned by one individual from Bethel. Two of the four contained dogs, one a pit bull on a short leash which almost attacked my wife as she crossed in front of his car while approaching the side of our car. After complaining to the apparent parking chairman about cars being entered in incorrect classes, and about the dogs, which he had already received complaints from several others, (the gate should never have let in his car with dogs as your flyer clearly stated “No Dogs”). The owner unhappily left with his four cars and dogs after making his feelings known to us.
The parking chairman explained to us that they were all volunteers and none of this really made any difference.
I can only comment about the import class I was in. And it’s not sour grapes as I won a first place. Only one car, a newer VW, which was not a sports compact by definition, was entered in sports compact. Three additional sports compacts, one which won a third place, were entered in Imports where they did not belong. The short of it is, if the three sports compacts had been entered where they belonged, since there were only three of them, they would have all won trophies, and had the VW been in Imports, he could have still won fairly but maybe not first, which really didn‘t mean much since he was alone in that class.
Complaining to the lady in charge, who apparently knew nothing about classes of cars, or why it is important that cars be in their correct class, only produced more confusion with nothing being done to correct things.
When voting, I found many situations where cars were in wrong classes and ended up stealing trophies from those who should have won them.
Then came 12:00 noon, the usual lunch hour. On our way up the hill to purchase hamburgers, it was announced there were no hamburgers left. Great planning when you run out at the beginning of the lunch hour.
Then there was 50-50. Granted the class of 2010 was trying to raise money. But we were hounded all day by the DJ and told we had to buy more and more 50-50 tickets - and after that we were told to buy more.
Then there were the supporters who were collecting signatures for a “NO” vote on raising taxes. One or two announcements about them being on the grounds would have been sufficient but not being told over and over that we had to sign the partitions. Several of us were registered to vote in another state and were really not interested in it. Others might not have appreciated the pressure to sign the partitions. Politics such as this has no business in a car show.
Listening to the music was more like watching a movie on TV with the commercials over and over.
Then there were the bathrooms. Many cars were owned by older people and those which were parked in the lower level had to either walk up a steep hill and way across a field, in the extreme heat, to get to the porta-pottys or down an even steeper hill to the Industrial Arts shop then back up again. Those parked on the upper level at least did not have the hill to climb but wherever you were parked, it did take planning ahead. There should have at least been a porta-potty on the lower level.
Then came the trophies. It’s strange that, ever though their vehicles should have either been in a separate class of their own or not eligible for trophies, sponsors, show organizers, and alumni all won trophies, some first place, stealing them from others who deserved them.
I should have stayed in bed until later, saved a lot of gas and tolls and gone to the car show in Auburn. This is what I will do next year along with many others who have stated they will never return to Telstar.
Sincerely,
Bob Norwood
[Editor: Thank you, Bob. And you have raised some points I overlooked, such as the restroom facilities. And though I understand you sent this letter to Telstar, I doubt it will do any good, judging from what the organizers said and how they reacted to problems on Sunday. But all anyone can do is try.]
/
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