Full disclosure: I live on the northwest edge of the Chicago area,
convenient to Road America. I do not race.
Don't get me wrong; I like Road America. I think it is lovely and a great
site for an event. Someone way back made a comment about it being quiet
during the week? Having been there during the week, I can assure you that
you cannot take that for granted. Skip Barber uses it for racing schools.
Yes, there are some nice roads in the Kettle Morraine area, at least by
Midwest standards. There is also an abundance of mind-numbingly boring
roads.
Also, it is 400 miles or so north of LotO. Not a big deal, perhaps, but it
means that the people coming from the east get the great joy and privilege
of driving through the Chicago area just to get around the bottom of Lake
Michigan. What a PAIN!!! I suppose that it could be fun to take the SS
Badger car ferry from Luddington, MI to Manitowoc, WI, only about an hour
from Road America, but that runs $70 per vehicle PLUS $67 per adult one way.
Plus another $40 or so if you have a trailer. Not exactly cheap, but you
could promise your wife that you will take her on a cruise ;-) Or you could
take the scenic route through the Michigan Upper Penninsula...
This location disenfranchises the same people that the last event did. This
country is simply too big. Somewhere along the line we have to accept that
not everyone can expect to make it to every event. Sure, there will be some
diehards out there who will, at great personal sacrifice and expense. Ask
Larry Miller how much his trip to LotO cost. It is not possible to please
everybody every time. Volunteers willing and able to do the work necessary
to plan an event like this seem to be a little thin on the ground. Jim is a
bit gullible, but I doubt he will do another one. Who wants to step forward
as trainee?
Perhaps someone should volunteer to host the 50th celebration of the Sprite
Mk III / Midget Mk II out east in 2014?
David Lieb
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