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We got the feeling that the open
track was better attended at SAAC-26
than at some previous conventions.
Why was that? There are a lot of pos-
sible reasons. One is that with more
open track opportunities taking place
in various regions, more members
were showing up with single-purpose
cars. Driving a car to the convention
(especially from long distances) makes
you think twice about running it hard
on the track because there’s always
that small voice in the back of your
head telling you to take it easy, be-
cause it has to get you back home. If
you have a track car or a vintage racer,
having a trailer/tow vehicle is just
about a necessity.
To increase the amount of track
time everyone would have, instead of
giving the vintage race cars their own
session they were sent out with the
cars in “A” group in the morning. Pass-
ing was only allowed on the straight.
There were separate practice sessions
in the afternoon for vintage racers be-
cause they needed the ability to pass
all around the track.
The schedule called for everyone to
be on their own for dinner on Friday
night. The evening program was held
at the Hilton, where artists and liter-
ature collectors/vendors were invited
to present their wares. Everyone ap-
preciated the opportunity of examin-
ing this stuff indoors where it was air
conditioned instead of out at the track
under the blazing sun with noise and
dust swirling around. As one partici-
pant put it, “
much more civilized
.”
The SHELBY AMERICAN
Fall 2016 77