TreknMazda

Calling all RX-8 owners and enthusiasts!
The 1st Annual Mid-Atlantic RX-8 Festival will be held at the Virginia International Raceway, Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21. VIR is located 12 miles east of Danville VA on the NC state line.

NO admission fee, just passion for a sports car like no other!
Festival hours are 10 to 3 both days with prize drawings at 2pm.*
RX-8 Corral in North Paddock area to show off your car and for those Kodak moments.
Exclusive RX-8 Parade Laps with $5 charitable contribution. Thrill to the twists and turns of the 3.27 mile VIR track. (VIR website)

Advance registration is requested to prepare Festival packets for your arrival. PM me or email MARX8Festival@aol.com for the registration form while website is updated with festival informaton.

The HQ hotel is the Danville Comfort Inn & Suites. Call (434) 793-2000 and mention "Mazda Drivers" for special group rate while rooms last. Other nearby hotels are Holiday Inn Express (434-793-4000 and Hampton Inn (434) 793-1111.

Visit Mazda Driving Assoicates for information on the concurrent performance driving seminar. Even though the school is full, interested RX-8 owners are encouraged to sign up for the wait list.

*Prizes generously donated so far by Malloy Mazda, Rotary Revolution and Performance Buyers Club.

COME TO THE FESTIVAL!!

Elara

Sounds like a lot of fun. I'm going to try to make it, just have to convince my other half that it would be worth his while

jtimbck2

I definitely plan to be there!

By the way, shouldn't this thread be made "sticky"? Mods?

Elara

Yup, you're right. Thanks jtimbck.

Scotchee

I'm curious ... What will these parade laps be like (how many, how fast)? When I think of parade lap I think of slow and I don't know if I could subject myself to that kind of torture on a 3.27 mile race track riding in a car that would want to be going 100+

TreknMazda

Parade laps are typically highway speeds. You get a feel for the track, but the pace car controls speed. Kinda like a yellow caution in NASCAR. NO PASSING allowed. Another thing to keep in mind is that helmets are not required for parade laps. Passengers are also permitted for parade laps. Number of laps depends on the schedule. They are normally held during the driving school's lunch break or during designated quiet time (street legal mufflers required).

If you want to do 100+ you need to sign up for the high speed driving seminar which includes classroom and in car instruction.

fossil187

Damn seems like you know a lot about that subject I would love to sit threw a class and be shown the correct way to be an aggressive driver then get the opritunity to use it JK. I just think I'll like driving mine normal speeds. I am taking it cross contry next year (July) gonna do a contry tour in 3 weeks I hope the car can handle that thinkin about gettin a mini DvD player installed for breaks in driving . I still have some time before I set out on my trip. At the rate they are gettin the cars here seems I might just be getting it by the time its time to take my trip lol

TreknMazda

It appears that the Mazda Drivers website does not have the event information or registration form posted, yet. I am on the road with my RX-8 and won't return till after Labor Day.

Just wanted everyone to know that the FESTIVAL registration forms will be coming - but maybe not till I get back home. If you want a personal email delivery of the registration form when I return, send an email to MARX8Festival@aol.com. Again, there is no charge for the RX-8 Festival, but registration will help us plan the event for the benefit of all.

Looking forward to meeting all of you at VIR! Hope everyone has their RX-8 by then, but if you don't, please come anyway.

jtimbck2

They now have info about the event on the website, but they just give your email address as the link for the registration form.

TreknMazda

My apologies that the registration form has not appeared yet on the website. The webmaster is MIA. For those that want to register, please copy and patse the information below with your answers and email to MARX8Festival@aol.com.

Registration information for the Festival - Please complete and email back to me as soon as possible.

FIRST NAME:

LAST NAME:

EMAIL:

ADDRESS:

CITY:

STATE:

ZIP CODE:

PHONE:


RX-8 OWNER ____YES ____NO


RX-8 DETAILS

YEAR:

PACKAGE (S/T/GT):

COLOR:

LICENSE PLATE:

STATE:


AFFILIATIONS

RX8 FORUM _____ YES ____NO

IF YES, USER NAME _______________

MAZDA CLUB ____YES ____NO

IF YES, CLUB NAME

__________________________________


DATES YOU PLAN TO ATTEND FESTIVAL

___20TH ONLY ___21ST ONLY ___BOTH



HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT THE FESTIVAL?

TreknMazda

Just a few days away from the Festival!

There is no registration fee, but please register so I can actually have some idea how many folks to prepare for. Besides, the more that register the more we can get in sponsor prizes.

The registration form is above this post. Copy and paste your info then email to the Fesitval address.

If you don't have an RX-8, you can still come. The more the merrier! But you do need to sorta 'like' the RX-8. :p

jtimbck2

Out of curiosity, how many folks have registered to attend so far?

Elara

Me too

rx8daniel

If this was already answered I apologize for missing it. Did we get an answer to the question about the parada lap speed? It's a long way for me to go to drive the speed limit on a special track designed to go way over it.

TreknMazda

"Parade laps are typically highway speeds. You get a feel for the track, but the pace car controls speed. Kinda like a yellow caution in NASCAR. NO PASSING allowed. Another thing to keep in mind is that helmets are not required for parade laps. Passengers are also permitted for parade laps. Number of laps depends on the schedule. They are normally held during the driving school's lunch break or during designated quiet time (street legal mufflers required)."

The 'speed limit' is not 55 or even 70. When I said highway speeds I did not mean to imply 'posted speeds.' I will be leading the parade laps. Don't know what the top speed will be. It will depend on various factors including track conditions and safety of participants as well as spectators. I think it will be worth the drive. But we don't want anyone crashing on a parade lap (or even leaving the course for a spin through the grass). That would be very bad for your ego and your RX-8.

TreknMazda

Today (Thursday) is the last day to register to guarantee you get your custom nametag and a special surprise gift for attendees. Fill out the registration in the earlier post above and email to the Festival address. We only have room for 483 more RX-8s, so don't delay

If you don't register - YOU CAN STILL COME. But you won't have the 'collectible' nametags.

Weather is going to be great. Bring sun screen!

Saturday Sep 20:
Sunrise: 7:03 am UV Index: 7, High Sunset: 7:18 pm
Moonrise: 12:52 am Phase: Waning Crescent Moonset: 4:17 pm
Saturday forecast:
Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 60s.

81 °F 62 °F
Sunday Sep 21:
Sunrise: 7:04 am UV Index: 7, High Sunset: 7:16 pm
Moonrise: 1:50 am Phase: Waning Crescent Moonset: 5:02 pm
Sunday forecast:
Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the low 60s.

77 °F 62 °F

Elara

Ok, here's a silly question- as I've never been to VIR, once we get to it, where are we going? Or will there be signs?

And while I signed up for both Sat and Sun, we may wind up only staying for Sat- hope that won't cause too many problems...

TreknMazda

When you arrive at VIR you will sign the usual waiver at the guard shack. They can give you directions there, but you will continue straight to the 'T' intersection and turn right to follow signs for the North Paddock.

One day or two days - doesn't matter - unless you want to be sure you meet everyone that attends and show off your car to the max:D

Elara

Ugh, survived the storm and have no water or power. So you'll recognize me tomorrow by the dirty car covered in pine needles, poor thing. Trying to convince my husband that we need to drive down tonight so that we can get a hotel room and actually have WATER. See you guys there.

TreknMazda

No water for me this morning, but I had power so I could see there was no water. :p

I'll be leaving after work today to drive down. Hopefully, the boss will let me take my lunch hour from 4 to 5 and I will be on the road an hour earlier.

From the Mazda Drivers website:
ESCAPE TO PARADISE, THE EVENT AT VIR IS A GO!!! Friday AM Track Update, Sept 19 9:30AM, track management called to confirm cars are on course, power and water up at VIR and Danville. Please drive safely to the track.
Latest weather forecast; sunny Saturday, 82 degrees, 0% precip., Sunday partly cloudy, 80 degrees, 0% precip.

So, Elara, sounds like you should live in Danville tonight.

Elara

Just made a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express- the Comfort Inn was all booked, unfortunately. We'll drive down this afternoon at some point. Maybe I'll have time to give my car a once-over. Think I'm going to go to the one brushless carwash that's working in Richmond, and I'll bring all my zaino and towels to the hotel and make her look pretty from there. I am praying I don't get pulled over now, because I still have my stupid 30 day tags and one of them got blown off last night!

TreknMazda

Holiday Inn Express is great. I normally stay there for events, but the club wanted me at the HQ hotel this time.

HIE bakes cookies every afternoon around 5!! (at least they were still doing it the last time I stayed there) Seems like they also started a Manager's happy hour or maybe I'm getting it confused with another Express.

There are do-it-yourself car wash bays on the way to VIR, Route 58 just east of Route 29. They are either just before or just after the Danville airport, north side of road.

As long as you have the rear tag on, you should be good. Will not come up unless you get stopped for another offense, like speeding. My front bracket "has been off for repairs or missing hardware" the last month. Haven't had to explain that to any officer, yet. Plus, you have the perfect excuse: "Isabel took it!"

TreknMazda

We are being forced to close our office building because of low water pressure. Guess I will be in Danville sooner.:D

Elara

Hey Rikki, where are you? We looked for you today, but didn't see you! Tomorrow, perhaps?

Elara

There was power, you just had to look really hard. I only know of one place that was open and had gas on friday. A lot of places still aren't open, because something like 2/3 of richmond is still without power. Sorry you got stuck in the mess- maybe we'll see you next time.