Motor State Challenge, Watervliet, MI, June 19-21

[XcYZ]

Motor State Distributing, Lane Automotive and Allstar Performance Products will be hosting the “Motor State Challenge” on June 19-21, 2009 in Watervliet, MI.

This inaugural Pro-Touring /G-Machine event will mirror the very popular “Run Thru The Hills” event that will take place later in the year. A full schedule of activities is already confirmed so you won’t want to miss this happening. Situated in the Southwest Corner of the Great Lake State of Michigan, participants and spectators will be surrounded by lush, rolling vineyards and, of course, beautiful Lake Michigan.

The scheduled events will include facility tours of Motor State Distributing, one of the performance industry’s top warehouse distributors, a cruise through the back roads of Harbor Country and along the winding coast of Lake Michigan, a cookout dinner at Silver Beach on Lake Michigan on Friday, road racing at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI on Saturday, and a timed autocross to wrap up the event on Sunday.

Visit http://www.pro-touring.com/events/msc for more information and to register.

[RomsMotors]

I'll Be there, its in my backyard

[tazzz2_ca]

Sounds like a blast,,,,, Hope to attend.

[Steve Chryssos]

Here are guidelines for the Motor State Challenge competition formats. This event differs from the Pigeon Forge Run Thru The Hills event in that it adds a road course venue and omits drag racing. There are two competitions: Touring Class and Time Trial Class.
Touring Class Competition: Cars follow Goodguys Street Challenge safety rules for the most part. Specific safety rules are listed on the Motor State Challenge Tech Sheet to follow. Helmets required for road course pace lap sessions. A minimum 180 treadwear DOT legal street tire is required. R-Compound or race tires will not be eligible for Touring Class Competition points. The Touring Class is designed for reduced risk exposure as well as less vehicle wear and tear. Ideal for first time participants, road course speeds are regulated by a lead pace car. Each driver will have the opportunity to be placed directly behind the pace car for at least one lap per session. This will help teach braking zones as well as the correct track “driving line”.
Time Trial Class Competition: Elevated safety requirements including minimum 3 point safety belts. Specific safety rules are listed on the Motor State Challenge Tech Sheet to follow. Helmet required. Minimum 100 tire treadwear full tread DOT legal tires. Race tires, namely slicks and grooved slicks or any sub 100 tread wear tire will not be eligible for competition points. A maximum treadwear rating of 300 is recommended but not mandatory. Roll bar and racing safety harnesses are recommended for coupes and mandatory for convertibles. Previous track day experience recommended. The Time Trial class features road course hot laps without a speed regulating pace car. In the interest of safety, time trial sessions are tentatively limited to 5 laps total. As this is an inaugural event, final determination of session duration will be made on site. Since we're not limiting speed, we will limit track time to prevent heat related malfunctions and failures such as brake fade and excessive oil/coolant temps. Final determination will be based on the level of car preparation and driver experience as a group. TT class participants will be required to run the first pace lap session.

The ONE Rule:
To be eligible for a class trophy:
Only one class per driver. --AND--
Only one class per car. --AND--
Only one class per company.

In total, the Motor State Challenge event includes the following points earning components:
1) Cruise (Applies to both Touring and Time Trial classes) 5 Points for completion.
All Touring and Time Trial class participants who complete the cruise without vehicle failure will earn 5 points towards their class competition.

2) Road Course Pace Laps (Applies to both Touring and Time Trial classes) 5 Points for completion.
All Touring and Open class participants who complete at least one Paced Lap session will earn 5 points towards their class competition. Top speed 80-100 mph.

3) Road Course Hot Laps (Time Trial Class) Points awarded for 1st thru 5th. 10 Points Max
All Time Trial Class participants will earn points based on lowest AVERAGE lap times of the SECOND timed lap session. NOTE: Rules are based on AVERAGE time in order to promote CONSISTENCY over all out speed. The timed session will be 5 laps in total consisting of an "out-lap" warm-up followed by three timed laps followed by one cool down lap and pit in. Any shenanigans--driver error or otherwise--will result in a black flag and immediate disqualification from Time Trial Class competition. You will not be allowed to continue with road course hot laps. Return to pits immediately. No exceptions. Safety first.
10 Points for 1st place (lowest average lap time of three hot laps in second session.)
8 Points for 2nd
6 points for 3rd
4 points for 4th
2 points for 5th

4) Timed Auto-X Laps (Applies to both Touring and Time Trial classes) 10 Points Max
All Auto-X participants will be timed. Touring and Time Trial class participants will qualify for points based on LOWEST lap time.
10 Points for 1st place (lowest lap time)
8 Points for 2nd
6 points for 3rd
4 points for 4th
2 points for 5th

Tie Breaker: In the event of a tie: Auto-X rank per class will serve as the tie-breaker.

5) People's Choice Award (Independent of Class Competition)
All in attendance will be entitled to vote once for their favorite car. There are no guidelines. Selection is purely subjective. Just pick your favorite. Please be sure to cast your vote!!

6) Long Distance Award (Independent of Class Competition)

Example: Touring Class Winner: 20 Points maximum.
Cruise Completion: 5 points
Pace Lap Session Completion: 5 points
Auto-X Touring Class fastest lap: 10 points

Example: Time Trial Class Winner: 30 Points maximum.
Cruise Completion: 5 points
Pace Lap Session Completion: 5 points
Road Course Time Trials Lowest Average Lap: 10 points
Auto-X Time Trial Class fastest lap: 10 points

Always keep in mind that this is a hot rodding event--not all out, 10/10th racing. We've stepped things up with the Time Trial class. Reminds me of Run Thru the Hills 2 and the Auto-X from Hell. Our ultimate goal is to provide a venue for enjoyment and camaraderie. It just so happens that we collect times along the way and tally the results. Previous events have taught us that experienced, consistent drivers place well. Good equipment helps. A wide variety of cars, regardless of parts selection or power levels, have placed well in the past. Small or big block; stick or auto; air or steel spring, the equipment is really just a good excuse for a party. Drivers are the key to safe, successful competition. Excessive driving practices coupled with inexperience and/or mistakes usually lead to poor times, spinouts, broken parts—and crashes. It pains us to disallow a car for a bad battery mount or reckless driving. We understand that enforcement can ruin someone's day. But we will fully enforce all rules of safety and driver conduct.

Gingerman Tentative Schedule based on the following: 54 cars @ 7 cars per group = 6 groups. Two groups on track at the same time staggered by one half lap. 20 minute sessions. PLUS 10 minute gaps between group pairs.

SATURDAY SCHEDULE
7:30 AM-8 AM MSC Staff Meeting
8:00 AM to 9 AM Registration and Technical /Safety Inspection
-MORNING SESSION
9:00 AM to 9:20 AM Groups A and B (Time Trial Groups – PACED)
9:30 AM to 9:50 AM Groups C and D (Touring Groups)
10:00 AM to 10:20 AM Groups E and F (Touring Groups)
10:30 AM to 10:50 AM Groups A and B (Time Trial Groups -- OPEN)
11:00 AM to 11:20 AM Groups C and D (Touring Groups)
11:30 AM to 11:50 AM Groups E and F (Touring Groups)
12PM -Lunch
-Time Trial Competition 1:00PM to 2PM (OPEN Timed)
-The TT competition segment will be based on laps--all others will be session time.

-AFTERNOON SESSION
2:00 PM to 2:20 PM PM Groups C and D
2:30 PM to 2:50 PM Groups E and F
3:00 PM to 3:20 PM Groups A and B
3:30 PM AM to 3:50 PM Groups C and D
4:00 PM AM to 4:20 PM Groups E and F

Be Safe and Enjoy!
/Steevo

[protour73]

6 days and counting!!!

[Steve Chryssos]

IMPORTANT:

FRIDAY JUNE 19TH
Event Registration is set for Friday June 19th at Motor State. Registration starts at 12PM and Runs Thru 3PM. Please arrive on the early side as Motor State will also be providing facility tours during that same time frame. You will receive a full event kit including an all access pass with lanyard, goodie bag, event schedule and cruise directions. The address for Motor State is:
8300 Lane Drive
Watervliet, MI 49098
269-463-4113

Bring your hot rod to registration as we will be leaving for the cruise directly from Motor State. A cruise driver's meeting will be held in the Motor State Training room at 3PM. The cruise is scheduled to kick off at 3:30PM-3:45PM. Dinner is after the approximately 60 cruise at 6PM, so try to tank up (you and your car) before you get to Motor State at 12 noon.

Surfari Joe's Ramada Inn, the host hotel, is located very close to the Motor State facility. As it resides on a fairly new road, directions to the hotel from Motor State are as follows:
Lane Drive to M140. North on M140 to Arnt Drive.
Address for the hotel is:
8528 Arnt Blvd., Watervliet, MI
269-463-794
http://www.safarijoes.com

SATURDAY JUNE 20TH
Saturday's Road Course event will be held at Gingerman Raceway. Event start time is 7AM. I know that's early, but it's a small price to pay so that everyone can haul ass all day. The tech process takes time. We want to get everyone tech'd in as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
Address for Gingerman Raceway is:
61414 Phoenix Road, South Haven, MI 49090
269-253-4445
http://www.gingermanraceway.com/directions

SUNDAY JUNE 21ST
Sunday's Autocross event will be held at Lake Michigan College in the east parking lot. Start time is 7:30AM, but if you already tech'd in on Saturday, you can arrive closer to 8AM.
Address information for Lake Michigan College is:
2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI 49022

From Motor State: Head west on Ln Dr toward N M 140/MI-140
Turn left to merge onto I-94 W toward Chicago - 10.1 mi
Take exit 30 for Napier Ave - 0.3 mi
Turn left at E Napier Ave/US-31 (signs for Niles/S Bend) - 0.9 mi
Turn left at Lake Michigan College - East Parking Lot

[Steve1968LS2]

My car should be there in a couple of hours.

[tazzz2_ca]

My weekend is over already as I just came back from the doctors office and they have quarantined me for possible swine bug exposure.....

It all started a few days ago with a whooping cough type thing all the sudden and then it went crazy.... the coughing, the sweats and headaches,,,,,man this really sucks and my ribs feel like I've done a few rounds with Tyson already..... I've been so excited to attend and participate with my cars and now I'm just fighting off the urge to cough non-stop...

Please post pic's gang as It'll be as close as I get this weekend....

[phillym5]

I just got home from todays event at Gingerman.
It was awesome to see some of the cars i watched get built over the past couple years ripping up my local track.

Bad penny was there looking real good... but i have to give it up for the Green RS Chevelle. That is a serious bad ass machine. The interior is amazing.

For those (I/we) met today... good to meet you. We are Josh,Brian, and Sam from All Speed.

I really hope to see you guys here next year as well. We should have a car out threre. (I didn't want to run circles around you guys in my Porsche!!
).... lol... just kidding of course.

[phillym5]

I should have picked up and used the camera next to bad penny.... o well, here's the blackberry snapshots.