I got there just as it was starting to sprinkle/mist a little, but had been forewarned by my ever-vigilant, weather-forecasting, wife's big toe which told me to abandon driving Pearl and, instead, seek the shelter of "Kelvinator", my trusty Rogue.
Damn good thing, too. It didn't rain as much as the skies just opened up and poured a Biblical deluge on the track and everyone there. The deluge started just as I was about four cars away from the check-in tent where two old volunteers were out there getting soaked while they handed out event posters (really nice ones, too), took your $20 buck "parking fee" and had you sign no less than four (town, county, state and PCA) waivers, then you were free to park. I got as close to the food tent as I could, then ran to it for cover only to find several guys from the Northeast 356 club as well as "Hot Rod Charlie" Padula and his brother Jim from my town. By the time we finished our coffees and talked about the new replica registration laws in Mass., the rain let up and we toured the vendor area. Didn't see the "75 Vendor spaces" filled, but there were around 20 there, mostly with 9-series parts, although one guy had all 356 Pre-A stuff at blow-your-socks-off prices, but I found a few parts that Gary Bloom (Flatfourfan) is replicating and got the dimensions for him. It was the first year for this event and the weather forecast was calling for falling frogs and locusts, so I guess a lot of potential people stayed away - hoping for a bigger turn-out next year, but this year was OK for a start.
My guess would be that about 150-ish cars showed up. In the "for sale" area was a 1958 356A coupe, quite nice in pale yellow, asking price of $132,000. Sitting right next to it was a documented, 18,000 original mile, 1.7L 914 that looked like it just left the showroom for $22,900. Honestly, even the areas under the front hood looked detailed. Also saw a 993 (don't remember the year) at a steal price of $55K.
So all in all.... It turned out to be a decent day. Had a nice ride through some beautiful fall foliage, saw a bunch of great cars, a whole bunch of lightly rusted parts and a terrific new track that I almost got onto for a parade lap with one of the 356 guys until an official-looking guy with a microphone runs over to us as we're lining up and says to Ed, the driver: "Hey! You gotta wrist band?'
"Wrist Band?", says Ed..... "What For?"
"You don't gotta wrist band, you don't get on the track!"
Reminded me of Paul Simon's new song:
) so if the weather holds it should be a good afternoon. Hoping to see a few of the local crowd, too.