Some of our members were still BUILDING, or assembling, their cars with just a week or two to go before the conventions! Check out Lucien's car which as he puts it, "155.5 hours until I head East for the convention and I also only have a few small last minute detals!"
HOST HOTEL Radisson Hotel & Suites 11 Tara Boulevard, Nashua, NH 03062 http://www.radisson.com/nashuanh 1-888-201-1718 Room rates: $95.00 Plus tax
Sunday : July 26, 2009 We arrived in NH on Sunday and had seafood (first of several times) at Browns, a NH tradition. Probably about 60 people came and had a good time too, at least I didn't hear any grips.
Thanks to Chris Archer for doing the vast majority (all?) of the leg work on the restaurants and more during the past year.
Monday: July 27, 2009 Monday more cars arrived and registration was opened. We got nearly 100 cars, not bad when the economy and gas prices had us planning on 60!
We had a parking lot set aside, but nobody used it till the Car SHOw on Tuesday, when we required cars to be there! It was quite a hike up the hill, so I quit asking people to park there after I did and walked up....One time! LOL.
The Monday night reception was good, and we went out to eat after.
Tuesday: July 28, 2009
Tuesday, the lower lot was full of great looking SHO's, and some Road Warriors that weren't so great looking, but all of them had a story to tell. Ryan Pasch got lots of congrats for his Ninja Turtle restoration.
Thanks to Bill Strobel and Paul Thomas and the several judge volunteers that scrutinized the cars and helped us pick winners.
Tuesday PM, people went out to see the beach or the surrounding countryside. Jan and I stayed at the hotel making trophies and took just a long enough brake to get in the car and drive to Essex for dinner.
Wednesday: July 29, 2009
About 50 cars took to the track at NH Motor speedway, the NASCAR track. We did the road course config which was a great bit of fun, and for some reason easy for me to get right. Some courses I take a full day to learn, and I had this one fairly well down after just a few laps. I mainly drove my non-prepared '91 as pace car for the Novice class, went for a few rides with others to help them, and tried to keep things going. Thanks to Tony, Kirk and others for helping with tech, and to Andy Angermeier for doing main straight flagging and more so Ken could take care of other things.
Wednesday night, more great food, and more parking lot antics. TRACK TRAINING Reading and gather up as much info on a track prior to the day of the event is CRUCIAL!! Here is a Hot Lap write up from SCDA Member Ian Prout on NHMS.
For those trying to prepare for the drive around NHMS, we have located some videos which may help:
Thursday most people went to Boston and many were able to take one of two DUCKS boats that went on a tour of the city and the river. Great fun, and thanks to Ken, my son, for organizing that great event along with Chris Archer for lunch at Cheers. I had my first real beer since last convention because....well because you can't go to Cheers and order an O'Douls.
The Banquet was packed full with around 160 people, and the food was good. Lots of awards, a speaker from Ford (thanks Steve Ling), door prizes and a great charity auction that netted just under $5000 for the Intrepid Fallen Hero's Fund. Jan and I always add to whatever total to get it to the next level, so our total donation will be a full $5000! the special artwork autographed by Bill Ford went for over $2000~!
WHIP-LASH Award So who remembers what this whiplash title refers to? This is a once in a double-convention award going to the person with the most SHO-N-GO points from both the Seattle AND Nashua conventions for bringing their SHO out and doing every event available for the chance at a nice reward! Who is eligible for the WHIP-LASH award you ask? Well, currently we have 15 people that qualified for the SHO-N-GO in Seattle... are you one of those 15? If so, then you qualify! If you have also registered for Conv 18 then you are 1 of only 5 people so far that can go for it! The other 10 people might lose out on the Tire Rack gift certificate award that goes to the winner. Don’t remember who those 15 people were, here they are in alphabetical order: Duane Barker, Stephen Bates, Kirk Doucette, Amir Garrison, Kurt Gutzka, Chris Klueber, Eugene Lee, Ian Macoomb, Kevin Manson, Mike Nelson, Anthony Northrup, Robert Schmidt, Sean Simons, Karen Stimson, Victor Weldon.
Congratulations to Ian Macoomb for winning the WHIPLASH Award!
Friday: July 31, 2009 On Friday, Jan and I had planned to travel to the Northern parts of NH but after a great breakfast to see Ken and Jodie and family off back to Illinois, we came back to the hotel for a swim. Jan went to do some laundry and I slept for four more hours! That night we decided to take a shorter drive to Keene just an hour or so west of Nashua. We found took a few side trips, and at one point were almost lost and found a couple walking in the country. We asked if they had recommendations for a restaurant nearby for dinner. They recommended one that their son's used to work at at we found it totally delightful! Will give more details later.
SPECIAL THANK YOU: Thanks again from the Mallinson Clan, to our SHO Convention working group for 2009
Special thanks to Chris Archer, Kirk Doucette and NESHOC for their help in planning and so much more. And the members of the SHO Convention Committee that provide guidance
On a personal note, We would like to thank everyone who continues to provide support, advice and insight along with invaluable assistance putting on the SHO Conventions! Thank you to all!! THANKS TO THE VENDORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONVENTION FOR THE DOOR PRIZES OR CHARITY AUCTION. Check them out and buy from them. These are good people!
Beyond 2009:Convention 19 has already been announced as being in the Detroit / Dearborn area in Michigan!
SHO National Convention #18
