Once again it’s almost time for GT Live East @ VIR Oct 3-5!!! My car club, the North Carolina Rotaries, will be hosting the MazdaDayz fanfest...all Mazda models are encouraged to come out and make this one of the largest Mazda meets on the east coast!

GT Live brings the widest variety of events to a single weekend on VIR’s calendar with a pair of six-hour enduros for the Grand-American KONI Challenge sports sedans and sports cars; motorcycle stunt riding, drifting, track attack events, static displays, music, and never a dull moment. The KONI Challenge races feature cars from BMW, Porsche, Mustang, Chevrolet, Mazda and more, with star drivers from the worlds of auto racing and show business taking part. More info can be found at www.gtlivetour.com and www.grand-am.com.

To make this experience even better, those attending the MazdaDayz fanfest will be granted special parking access inside the main paddock of VIR! Literally you get to park mere feet from fully prepped race cars and be able to take in the sights and sounds of this historic race track. Our club will also set up a meet/greet with many of the KONI Challenge Mazda drivers and crew. Also, I can guarantee a chance to sit and take pictures inside of a KONI Challenge prepped RX-8 race car. In the coming weeks I will provide more info on our sponsors for the event and how to obtain your parking pass prior to the event.

As of right now I am just trying to gain info on the interest level for this type of event. Please feel free to contact me either by PM or email at i8u@inbox.com. Please mark subject as GT Live, thanks!


Nic Cadenas
NC Rotaries Events Promoter/Coordinator
ROAR Racing Crew Member

A great time last year! I'll do my best to be there this year. Thanks for the post Nic.

Very good time for sure last year. Some time with the team would make it even better. I'm planning on making it this year, though the wife may balk at the Dragon, GT Live and another HPDE event I'm trying to add in the fall.

Just tell her Patrick Dempsey might me there! I mean he did drive for us last year at this event. That should get her to the event with you! HAHA!

Just tell her Patrick Dempsey might me there!

Actually, once I reminded my wife of that very fact she was convinced that the whole family should come. Looks like two Mazda's in need of a place to park from my house! The eldest will drive one of the vertibles (and bring along her BF) while the rest of us pack the 8.

Believe me, if he decides to drive with us again for this race I will personally guarantee your family to meet him. I hung out with him in the pits during the Rolex race at Mid-Ohio and then we took our new crew chief and his family over to meet him after the race...he was very cool about giving autographs and taking pictures!


Bring all the cars!!! I've never seen the vert in person...

Just tell her Patrick Dempsey might me there! I mean he did drive for us last year at this event. That should get her to the event with you! HAHA!

That won't faze her at all. I'll just have to be on my best behavior and get onto some repairs around the house for brownie points.

You know i never went south of Nj before....
This would be a cool mini-vacation......

^Got your pm man...you will surely enjoy this event!!! Hope you can make it.

i hope i can make it again. last year was hot as hell(literally)

Just wanted to pass along, I just secured Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development as a co-sponsor. Also, wanted to bump this thread back to the top!

awesome.

Still working with some prospective co-sponsors. If there is anything in specific you guys would like have or see at the event let me know and I will see what I can do. Already we are working out on getting some private time for the kart track. We were able to secure two thirty minute sessions last year, we are hoping for more time this year!

Still working with some prospective co-sponsors. If there is anything in specific you guys would like have or see at the event let me know and I will see what I can do. Already we are working out on getting some private time for the kart track. We were able to secure two thirty minute sessions last year, we are hoping for more time this year!

i might be able to do some photography for you. I'm not a professional but I'm trying to sharpen my skills.

Still working with some prospective co-sponsors. If there is anything in specific you guys would like have or see at the event let me know and I will see what I can do. Already we are working out on getting some private time for the kart track. We were able to secure two thirty minute sessions last year, we are hoping for more time this year!

I suppose parade laps for the groups attending are out of the question.

Nic, are you guys going to have that same tarp/canopy that you had last year? Will we have room to put up two of them? My group is interested to chip in and have a place to call home while we are sitting around. Heaven knows you can't sit out in the middle of that lot without some sort of covering! Last year it was baking!

Sorry for not getting back with you guys right away...been real busy lately.

Parade laps aren't gonna be possible but there will be a FREE autoX sponsored by the SCCA also the Mazda drift team will there giving out rides.

John, I am looking at getting a bigger canopy but feel free to bring one for your crew also. The more the merrier, we will setup the canopies a little different this year to give us some more room.


UPDATE!

Registration is now open!!!

Fan Festival Registration Page

Be sure to choose Mazda Days! This gets you into the corral area to park with us!

http://www.gtlivetour.com/events/att/festivals/registration.html

GT Live/KONI Challenge Series Ticket Info

Ticket Info - Advance/Gate
3-day Super Ticket - $40/$50
Friday - $20/$20
Saturday - $20/$25
Sunday - $20/$25

Advance Ticket Sales

http://www.gtlivetour.com/tickets.html
http://www.virclub.com/2008-gt-live/koni-challenge/

Accommodations for GT LIVE

Camping at Virginia International Raceway

http://www.virclub.com/amenities/camping.html

S. Boston/Other Area Accommodations

http://www.virclub.com/area-info/s.-...ccommodations/

Danville Accommodations

http://www.virclub.com/area-info/dan...accomodations/

Driving Directions

http://www.gtlivetour.com/events.html
http://www.virclub.com/location-map.html

i hope i get to go again this year. hopefully the ride lines won't be so damn long too, or maybe head of the line privileges.

FYI, rooms are filling up already. There's not much left in Danville. I just booked a room. I wonder if we can get head of the line privileges for the Mazda Drift Team?

Any promo codes for the tickets?

Still working on the promo code tickets...and that would be a NO on the drift privileges, sorry.

*UPDATE*

I have been granted a special discount code for $20 off the purchase of your 3-day weekend passes for GT Live. Tickets can be purchased on etix
http://www.gtlivetour.com/tickets.html
The discount code for this offer is PCC08 and will be valid for 10 days
starting 9/5.

*UPDATE*

I have been granted a special discount code for $20 off the purchase of your 3-day weekend passes for GT Live. Tickets can be purchased on etix
http://www.gtlivetour.com/tickets.html
The discount code for this offer is PCC08 and will be valid for 10 days
starting 9/5.

You da man!

Do you know how autocross registration will work? Is it on site?

I will look into it.

looks like my ship's schedule is open so i'm gonna try to put in for leave. hopefully its not as hot as last year, it was a scorcher. :Eyecrazy:

*UPDATE*

I have been granted a special discount code for $20 off the purchase of your 3-day weekend passes for GT Live. Tickets can be purchased on etix
http://www.gtlivetour.com/tickets.html
The discount code for this offer is PCC08 and will be valid for 10 days
starting 9/5.

That's great news Nic, I'll pass it along to the club. Thanks!

we need to organize a photoshoot like last year. maybe this time we can squeeze some race cars into the group shots.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n303/nuke0907/GT%20Live%202007/PICT0030.jpg

I can guarantee at least one race car. I need to talk to a close friend of ROAR's, Hickham Motorsports, to see about having them bring over their car also.

sweetness. i just put in my leave chit. i'll buy my tickets once i know its approved.

bump

damnit i can't go now. :banghead: once again i miss something cause of work. we can't support our watchbill with me going on leave. hope you guys have fun, i really wanted to go. :rant:

damnit i can't go now. :banghead: once again i miss something cause of work. we can't support our watchbill with me going on leave. hope you guys have fun, i really wanted to go. :rant:

We need to start planning your life out ahead of time.

We need to start planning your life out ahead of time.

the Navy already does that for me. work, miss car meet, work, miss car meet, work some more. :Eyecrazy: its driving me nuts.

NEW INFO!!!

The free AutoX event has been changed to the WRX Track Attack...please refer to www.gtlivetour.com for further info.

From what I was told, by registering for this event you get to set a time, session and heat cycle to drive an '09 WRX STi in an autoX setting. I, myself, have registered for this one...I really want to see what the hype is all about of a WRX.

See everyone there!

NEW INFO!!!

The free AutoX event has been changed to the WRX Track Attack...please refer to www.gtlivetour.com for further info.

From what I was told, by registering for this event you get to set a time, session and heat cycle to drive an '09 WRX STi in an autoX setting. I, myself, have registered for this one...I really want to see what the hype is all about of a WRX.

See everyone there!

What session are you signed up for?

Maybe I'm blind, don't see the sign-up link.

Maybe I'm blind, don't see the sign-up link.

Go to the "Attractions" tab, then scroll down to "WRX Track Attack". Let me know what time you sign up for.

Pat, I signed up for Sunday at 1pm. Oh yeah don't forget to check us out in the pits during the ST race. I will be moving up from my position as the fire bottle man to something much more fun!

Pat, I signed up for Sunday at 1pm. Oh yeah don't forget to check us out in the pits during the ST race. I will be moving up from my position as the fire bottle man to something much more fun!

This doesn't involve you wearing a miniskirt and holding an umbrella, does it? :uhh:

I signed up for the same time slot. I don't want to miss the ST race Saturday or the drifting events later Sunday. Maybe the carts Sunday morning for warmup?

^LOL!

I'm gonna be the new jack man...ya'll should come by and watch me bust my ass jumping over the wall! HAHA!

I'll watch you bust your ass on the wall ... you guys come watch me rock the WRX at 10:00 am Sunday morning!

I'm first, I'm first .... nah, nah, nah nah .... well, you know.

So, I'm leaving Saturday morning (early) is anyone else from the Hampton Roads area going? Maybe we can caravan or something...

i won't be able to go, sorry.

So, I'm leaving Saturday morning (early) is anyone else from the Hampton Roads area going? Maybe we can caravan or something...

I'll be going out Friday night. Just watch out for cops in Emporia and South Hill. South Hill was a major speed trap when I went out in June.

*UPDATE*

For all attendees of the the Mazda Days fanfest, we will be using the Gallery at VIR as the "Mazda Pavilion" located between the Patriot Course staging area and the main paddock.


- Mazda Days located beside Gallery
- Driving Simulator - with prizes for top 10 scores each day
- Base Camp for the Mazda Drift Experience
- Formula D Pro/Am Drift Driver Lounge - with part of Gallery roped off for furniture, water, drinks, and basic hospitality
- Dealer Display
- Mazda Display
- Grand Am Car for display (provided by Roar Racing)
- Autograph Session / Meet-and-Greet with Grand-Am Drivers (TBA)

Thanks to Nic for all the work helping to organize the Mazda group. We had fewer 8's , but more 7's than last year and more cars overall. The spot we had was great being in the middle of things and having an air conditioned space to retreat to. A great time!

We had fewer 8's

i really wanted to come but they denied my leave.

I'll have to get some pics up soon. I've been sick, so it's still on my CF card. One more autocross you can make in November - since you've been bagging out of all the other events. ;)

I finally got some of my pics uploaded:

Roar Racing #60 car on display in the Mazda area. They started pulling parts to fix one of the cars in the race, then drove the car off later and pulled the engine for another car.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043140.jpg

FC's grouped together:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043136.jpg

FD's likewise:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043137.jpg

Roar's engine bay. Pretty stripped down with the Mazdaspeed intake & strut bar added:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043145.jpg

My car. Somebody stole all the Mazda banners the first night.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043150.jpg

Engine from the Miata drift cars. It's a Cosworth upgraded engine with CF intakes and valve covers.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043147.jpg

Other cars of note:

There were a couple Skylines:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043153.jpg

A couple rotaries in the Time Attack.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043156.jpg

Another of the 8:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043134.jpg

My daughter with a Ferrari:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043167.jpg

Aston Martin Vantage:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043168.jpg

Nissan GT-R. It was tagged for the Time Attack, but I never saw it run.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043190.jpg

Porsche Carrera GT
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043182.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043183.jpg

Porsche RSK, I think.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053303.jpg

Porsche Turbo. Excellent color choice.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043249.jpg

Audi R8:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053316.jpg

I'm not into Harley's, but this looked really nice:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043248.jpg

Chevy Silverado:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043273.jpg

Racing shots:

The ST race had the RX-8's. These are Roar's coming up Snake:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043241.jpg

The MER racing 67 car. It didn't finish the race.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043238.jpg

The RX-8 got edged in this turn by the BMW:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043250.jpg

Brass Mitchell Racing 51 car coming out of Nascar turn. It was the highest finishing 8 in 12th spot.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043264.jpg

The Pontiac G8 pace car:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043262.jpg

The Riley Mazda car was in and out of the race & didn't finish.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043282.jpg

Roar 61 had another car lose an engine in front of it, then spun on the oil & landed against a tire wall. This is coming out from the fix:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043278.jpg

In the evening, coming out of Oak Tree turn:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043296.jpg

The Roar cars ran together for much of the race:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043297.jpg

The GS cars coming down Roller Coaster on Sunday:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053307.jpg

At the bottom of Roller Coaster. The smoke is from a car that blew it's engine right in front of us.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053308.jpg

The car with the blown engine, way off the track now:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053309.jpg

Mustang off-roading:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053310.jpg

Close up on 61:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043159.jpg

60 with the engine gone now:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043176.jpg

Qualifying didn't go so well:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043172.jpg

The drifting events were fun to watch, but we're all going to get cancer from the clouds of rubber we inhaled.

The one Rotary drifter:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043204.jpg

Wrong direction:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043203.jpg

I'm not sure if this was a Nissan engine or something else, but the supercharger whine preceded the car every time. It just howled.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043215.jpg

The C.I.N. Racing turbo Mustang was good again this year.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043216.jpg

The 7 in the pits
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043237.jpg

Other stuff in the pits
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043234.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043235.jpg

Somebody's gotten off the track
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043286.jpg

At first you say "WTF", but this guy was good:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053342.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053343.jpg

These guys, not so good:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053345.jpg

I8U gets a drift ride:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053346.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053349.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053355.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053358.jpg

One of the Mazda team drivers:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043293.jpg

A few miscellaneous pics:

The GT Live girls:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043171.jpg

I8U does some kind of Roar Racing Rumba with cars before the race:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043178.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043180.jpg

I8U holding up the Roar canopy:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043267.jpg

When you've lost the back seat...
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043280.jpg

Our kids went carting after we did.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053319.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053325.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053323.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053334.jpg

This kid was pushing the little ones aside:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053326.jpg

I don't know who these two represented...
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA053337.jpg

The cloud by the trees is all tire smoke from the drifters
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/patbus65/GT%20Live%202008/PA043294.jpg

Great pix Pat!!! *holding up the canopy* HAHA!

Great pix Pat!!! *holding up the canopy* HAHA!

Your secret new job - REVEALED!

Your secret new job - REVEALED!

That's cuz everyone missed my super fast jack-man job...ya know they call me the Magic Man, now ya see me , now ya don't! HAHA!