Official 100th Anniversary Pace Car Reunion

[brianfox]

Thanks for the reply Bob. My son and I will be on a mission to track down as many drivers from the 2008 Indy 500 for their autographs. I even purchased 2 new engine fuel rail covers for their signatures! They are easy to snap on and off and will be a great addition for car shows.

[brianfox]

Bob and Bruce, are we going to plan another get together besides Thursday night at the Radission Airport Hotel? It would be fun to do a Corvette Pace Car cruise either Thursday or Friday as we won't be doing one on the track. Maybe we could all meet with our cars somewhere for dinner on Friday? I think instead of "pre-positioning" my car there on Friday, I will just drive it to the show on Saturday and leave it overnight till Sunday.

[Bob Kirsch]

We do already have a PCR dinner planned for Friday evening. Also, in talking with Greta at the Speedway, even she has some confusion on when we are supposed to take the cars in and said they are once again going to send out a clarification letter to all reunion registrants. We will need to discuss if there will be time to try to fit in any type of cruise....

[ndpace6793]

Our cruise will be cruising to Grindstone Charlies an Friday Evening. There will be no ther time to do it unless you do it on Sunday after the show.

You will have access to Dixon with your credentials, especially if you done the 500 Festival Breakfast that came with Hospitality Garage Passes!

[brianfox]

Just loaded the 2008 Corvette Indy car on the UHaul trailer. Starting my drive now from Orlando, Florida for the reunion! Hopefully, will stop at the National Corvette Museum by tomorrow afternoon. Wish us luck!

Got some strobe light work scheduled to be done on the car on Wednesday and Thursday by Waymire Group in Indianapolis. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

[brianfox]

Hi everyone. My son and I checked into the Radisson hotel last night. My dad arrives tomorrow. It was great weather trailering my 08 here from Orlando, except it started to rain once we hit Indiana. So, my 300 mile car has seen it's first rain and probably not the last given the forecast this week. Who cares, this will be great fun! Had the opportunity to tour the Corvette plant in Bowling Green as well as the National Corvette Museum. It was awesome! I highly recommend everyone do the plant tour.

Couple of tips. Be aware your GPS directions may not be accurate to the hotel as there are quite a few road closures due to construction. I talked to Jim who is the head engineer at the hotel about parking. There will be a section roped off in front and an overflow parking lot in the rear. There will be a wash area set up in front too. He prefers we park our trailers in the rear. I've dumped my uHaul trailer in the back parking lot and plan to drive my car to the track. One less thing to worry about. Look forward to seeing everyone!!!

If anyone gets here early and would like to hang out, my cell is 407-403-4010. We may go to the Mecum auction to kill some time.

[jetske]

Welcome to Indy Brian! Let's keep our fingers crossed on the weather. We're due for some dry days. I'll be home cleaning cars this afternoon, getting ready to go to the Radisson in the morning. Looking forward to meeting you in person!

[Dean Kroencke]

Hey Bruce - Is the exit for Sam Jones Expwy (West, Exit 11B) open when going north on I-465? I will be headed your way tomorrow morning.

[jetske]

Hey Dean, I honestly don't know because I never come from the south. I always drop down from the north and it's ok. Maybe Brian Fox can comment if he came from the south. I assume some stuff is closed...

[brianfox]

The address of the Radisson is on S. High School Rd, but you are better off to approach the hotel going westbound on Sam Jones Expy. You can get on Sam Jones Expy from highway 70. I think you can also get on Sam Jones by going north or south on 465. If you see the Crown Plaza hotel, the Radisson is just behind it.

The Saturday Mayor's breakfast is sold out. I was a little late trying to get tickets as I wasn't sure if my father was coming.

There has been several questions concerning parking at the track. Maybe not everyone got Greta's latest email. I will post it. Right now, it looks like we will be able to do a lap on Saturday evening!!!

I know we have a PCR dinner planned on Friday. However, Greta's latest email says we can stage the cars inside the track on Friday after 6pm. This works a lot better than trying to get the car to the track before 5am Saturday morning. Maybe we can discuss this tomorrow night?

Here's Greta's email:


There have been numerous changes since we last communicated, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

You should have received the following packet with:



· 2 Bronze Badge Coupons (per entry)

· 1 Hulman Bvld Parking (per pace car)

· Northwest Vista Parking for those who indicated they were bringing a trailer

· G Stand Parking for those who will be driving a car other than a Pace Car

· 2 purple Museum Comp tickets (per entry).



RECEPTION:



The Pace Car Reunion Reception will be at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum. The time will be 7PM – 9PM. You will not receive tickets for the reception. We will have a list of the participants at the front desk those of you bringing additional guests must contact us @[phone] or [e-mail] by 5/18/11. You will pay for your additional guests that evening.



ADDITIONAL COST FOR RECEPTION IS AS FOLLOWS:



· $20 per adult

· $15 per child



CREDENTIALS:



You will need to obtain your credentials at the Administration Building at the corner of 16th & Georgetown SW corner of the track (blue glass building). Hours are noted on Bronze Badge coupons. PHOTO ID REQUIRED.



Make sure the appropriate parking sticker is visible in your front window:



· Trailers need Northwest Vista

· Pace Cars being driven need Hulman Boulevard (even those in trailers)

· Vehicles other than Pace Cars need G Stand Parking



LOAD IN:



Entering Gate 9A you will be directed by IMS Safety Patrol for staging on Hulman Boulevard. If you arrive on Friday 5/20, you will be staged on Hulman Blvd. after 6PM or you will have to be here at 5:00 AM Saturday 5/21.



STAGING ON FRIDAY 5/20 WILL BEGIN AT 6PM

STAGING ON SATURDAY 5/21 WILL BEGIN AT 5AM



I enclosed a map of the track that shows many of the locations that you might need.



· Gate 9A and NW Vista Parking is in the NW corner of the track

· Gate G is near the SE corner of the track

· Administration office for credentials is just outside the SW corner of the track (blue glass building)

· Pace Car Display (on Hulman) is the road that runs North & South in the middle of the oval



TRACK LAP:



There will be a track lap on Saturday 5/21. Those of you interested in participation must be at their cars by 5:30PM. The track lap will take place promptly at 6:00PM.







Greta Allen

Hall of Fame Museum

4790 W 16th St

Indianapolis IN 46222

317 492 6779 Phone

317 492 6449

[Dean Kroencke]

Hey Brian - Thanks for the information on Sam Jones Expwy. I am glad you brought up the change in time for Friday. I had the same concern.

[jetske]

Hi Guys,

PLEASE NOTE

Greta's email with the changed load-in time for Friday is now incorrect. A 6pm load-in would have killed our 6:30 dinner plans. As of this afternoon, we can bring the cars to the track at noon to stage by turn 4. Then starting at 4pm we will be moving them to the infield for the show. I will have schedules and information ready for everyone at the Radisson. Sorry for the confusion, but our group loads in starting at 4pm.

Thanks!
Bruce

[brianfox]

Thanks Bruce. I figured we would iron out the details tomorrow at our gathering.

Funny thing happened this evening. My son and I were driving around to find a decent place to eat. We've had enough burgers and fries on both our drive from Orlando and our short stay in Indy already and were looking for a good sit down place. We found one. Great food and service and I thought I've heard of this restaurant from somewhere before...It was Grindstone Charley's LOL. How's that for random luck? Gonna order the ribs again Friday baby!!!

So far I can give you all a review.

Hotel: 3/5 stars. Good people, good service and OK facilities.

Roads: 1/5 stars. Lots of construction around hotel. Watch the manhole covers that stick up on High School Rd where they have removed the pavement north of Washington Street. This road is OK for my Tahoe, but could do some damage to the low hanging front spoiler on a C6.

Weather: 1/5 stars. I've enjoyed the cooler weather here having left 90 degrees in Florida. But come on, 50 degrees in May? At least the temp is going to warm up to 70-80 for the weekend. Please stop raining, my Corvette only likes to see water from a hose.

Food: 4.5/5 stars for Grindstone Charley's. Highly recommend the boneless wings. We had the Thai and original Buffalo flavored wings. My son liked his flatbread chicken pizza and I liked the steak and rib combo. Two thumbs up! ;D

[jetske]

Brian glad you liked Grindstones! I liked it a lot the last time I was there. The roads are bad all over the west side right now. I am working on maps to show routes to the track that will minimize the road rash, as I drove the route Monday to get some alternative directions. High School Road is probably terrible so we won't go there.

Hotel 3/5 stars? Ok, i guess that works for me. There is a 5 star downtown (Conrad) and we would be paying three times as much...so I'll take 3 stars even though I wish it was 4. The weather? Yep...been very wet and cold but hopefully we will warm up and find ways to stay dry as much as possible! I'm sick of cleaning cars!

See you tomorrow! Did you find Waymier's ok? Looking forward to seeing your ride!

[ndpace6793]

Brian, welcome to Indy! Lots of stuff to go see and do! How did things go with the Waymier Group? Is your '08 a coupe or a vert? Looking forward to meeting you.

LaVelle Hunt