Your Best Guess for 2014 HRPT stops............

[smalblock]

When attending the NSRA Street Rod Nationals at Knoxville, we stay at the Strawberry Plains exit (I-40) east of Knoxville. Lots of motels, restaurants and a good area. It's not that far to Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, either.

[383S-10]

Heck I might just stay in Pigeon Forge that night........

[Slick68]

If they stop in Knox Vegas, I don't have to worry about a motel! WooHoo!! The only downside is driving 4hrs to Concord, spending the night, driving 5-5.5 hrs back BY my house to Knoxville, then driving another 45 min home, staying the night there, then driving back toward Knoxville to get on the posted route. :lol:

Hey, wait. Maybe I could just stay with the MIL that night....................nevermind, I'll go home!

[67 Malibu]

I couldn't agree with you more!! I'd much rather see IRP than the Brickyard after that Cluster F*ck!!!

After over twenty years of Super Chevy Shows at IRP I can guarantee you that IRP is a much, much friendlier venue than the 500 was in 2011. It is also a much more "natural" venue for this type of event. And, it has one of the most historic NHRA tracks in the country.

[The Chief]

Im already starting to dislike this tour, the mileage is creeping up. I dont want to drive 4+ hours every day. Im not driving a late model muscle car im driving a 60's car. Perhaps i should just rent a nice lexus

[Cobra_4]

When attending the NSRA Street Rod Nationals at Knoxville, we stay at the Strawberry Plains exit (I-40) east of Knoxville. Lots of motels, restaurants and a good area. It's not that far to Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, either.

Heck I might just stay in Pigeon Forge that night........

That's what I'm thinking. Depending on which way the route goes that morning that may be what I do. At least come back down to the exit there and stay around Bass Pro at one of those motels.

Im already starting to dislike this tour, the mileage is creeping up. I dont want to drive 4+ hours every day. Im not driving a late model muscle car im driving a 60's car. Perhaps i should just rent a nice lexus

I know! The overall distance doesn't bother me as much on the way there but it's gonna be a long ride back. Plus 4+ hours is a long time in a 1970's seat. I'd love to bring my Challenger but I was thinking about my 79 Mustang. But the longer these stops get the more I'm thinking I may hit pops up for his 08 GT500 so I can have comfort!

[The Chief]

I know! The overall distance doesn't bother me as much on the way there but it's gonna be a long ride back. Plus 4+ hours is a long time in a 1970's seat. I'd love to bring my Challenger but I was thinking about my 79 Mustang. But the longer these stops get the more I'm thinking I may hit pops up for his 08 GT500 so I can have comfort!

The problem I have with these 4+ hour drives is it leaves hardly any time to relax, the drive takes up most of the day then you get backed up in the venue traffic and thats before any of the typical tour breakdowns that happen no matter what prep you do.

Family events and Hotrod need to look at the demographic, more and more late models that are happy to sit at 70mph for 4 hrs and then sit in traffic for another 40 mins with no issues. Late models are NOT HOTRODS they are daily drivers and if thats what the power tour is becoming then the true Rods will all but vanish

[65longroof]

The problem I have with these 4+ hour drives is it leaves hardly any time to relax, the drive takes up most of the day then you get backed up in the venue traffic and thats before any of the typical tour breakdowns that happen no matter what prep you do.

Family events and Hotrod need to look at the demographic, more and more late models that are happy to sit at 70mph for 4 hrs and then sit in traffic for another 40 mins with no issues. Late models are NOT HOTRODS they are daily drivers and if thats what the power tour is becoming then the true Rods will all but vanish

Tell that to the guys that ran the first couple of tours, mostly race cars with nothing but a gear swap. Tours were from California to Michigan and about 10 days long. I've been involved in 11 tours, 9 long hauls. My first 7 were in a 69 LeMans without overdrive or AC and the next 4 were in a '65 Chevelle wagon that had overdrive in one trip. To me the tour is about the journey, not the destination. It's the guys in the newer cars that are skipping the routes and taking highways to be the first into the venue and totally missing the point.

Seems like as the tour got down to just 6-7 days and shorter daily mileages that participation started swelling (and more newer cars). Maybe it's because the younger generation (and more newer cars*) couldn't get more than a week off at a time??

Chief, I understand that you're not American, so for you, checking out all the cars at the venue is probably mind numbing and what you're in it for. Personally, I most look forward to driving the backroads and seeing this great land of ours and the people waving on the side of the road. Also, the parking lot parties/antics at night are a blast. The next tour I/we go on, we might not even hit all the venues, just do the route and head to the hotel to start the party.

*I don't mind the newer cars going, heck all of our cars were new at one point. It seems like less of a challenge for them, but at least they are into cars and enjoying the hobby! We need to keep this hobby growing!

[The Chief]

I agree with what you say, each year i get to meet up with the guys i talk to on the pontiac forum i help run as well as some of you guys when i see you at gas stations and venues.

I just find it frustrating that some times the distances coupled with breakdowns add to the stress of trying to get to the venue each day.

The original tourers probably didnt have to deal with the BS traffic of venues with lots of cars back then?

[dianeokie]

The problem I have with these 4+ hour drives is it leaves hardly any time to relax, the drive takes up most of the day then you get backed up in the venue traffic and thats before any of the typical tour breakdowns that happen no matter what prep you do.

Family events and Hotrod need to look at the demographic, more and more late models that are happy to sit at 70mph for 4 hrs and then sit in traffic for another 40 mins with no issues. Late models are NOT HOTRODS they are daily drivers and if thats what the power tour is becoming then the true Rods will all but vanish

Tell that to the guys that ran the first couple of tours, mostly race cars with nothing but a gear swap. Tours were from California to Michigan and about 10 days long. I've been involved in 11 tours, 9 long hauls. My first 7 were in a 69 LeMans without overdrive or AC and the next 4 were in a '65 Chevelle wagon that had overdrive in one trip. To me the tour is about the journey, not the destination. It's the guys in the newer cars that are skipping the routes and taking highways to be the first into the venue and totally missing the point.

Seems like as the tour got down to just 6-7 days and shorter daily mileages that participation started swelling (and more newer cars). Maybe it's because the younger generation (and more newer cars*) couldn't get more than a week off at a time??

Chief, I understand that you're not American, so for you, checking out all the cars at the venue is probably mind numbing and what you're in it for. Personally, I most look forward to driving the backroads and seeing this great land of ours and the people waving on the side of the road. Also, the parking lot parties/antics at night are a blast. The next tour I/we go on, we might not even hit all the venues, just do the route and head to the hotel to start the party.

*I don't mind the newer cars going, heck all of our cars were new at one point. It seems like less of a challenge for them, but at least they are into cars and enjoying the hobby! We need to keep this hobby growing!

I'm one of those with a newer car..........but it's not really too easy for us either, although we do have AC, I make it a rule not to use mine unless it's miserably hot, because I'm old school and like to cruise with my windows down, (and music blaring). I have a manual transmission, so I hated the long lines, clutch in, clutch out.........heck I even had calf cramps.......It is about the journey, not the destination..............we sometimes strayed off the route to make those stops some of the others made, but it is exhausting to drive all morning, try to get to the venue to collect the magnets..........which run out sometimes..............I think you have to pick and choose what you want to do.............it always seemed as if someone would warn me if there was something important I needed to know! Thanks Allen (?sp) cstmwgn............ Don't generalize about us late model owners. I've made my car my own, I'm just not a mechanic.........I'm a 50's something grandma that happens to love cruising and admiring all the cool cars.......

[Cobra_4]

I don't have a problem with the new muscle. I've owned my share of it. Its great for the continuing growth of the hobby and the growth of the power tour. These new cars will be old one day and it will give the younger generation cool cars to look back on and remember when they get older.

[Jimsc52]

A friend rode with me in my '63 Nova 4 years ago, and got hooked. The next 2 years he and his wife did the longhaul in their newer AC car. This year he took his Red/White/Blue '69 AMX and they did the longhaul again. Tuesday I asked him if he enjoyed it more in the AMX (he had a few problems) or wished he took the newer vehicle. After an ever so slight hesitation, he said there's nothing like the attention the old car got. The thumbs up, the pictures people took, the comments, the new friends made because of the old car. They lived with the no AV and minor troubles fixed right away. I don't see them taking the newer vehicle any more... Just sharing...

And oh yeah, some new cars get reactions too...

[The Chief]

My statement wasnt a target at late models just that driving old cars is a lot more work and running in traffic is even harder.

Im running drums all round, I have no AC not that it matters and im on a carb, the biggest issue i have is the damn traffic. People drive without thinking, modern cars have disc all round and you can drive on the bumper of the car in front and stop with no issues but with drums all round and a heavy car you need space, problem is the idiots in their modern daily drivers take the space you leave for stopping.

[dianeokie]

My statement wasnt a target at late models just that driving old cars is a lot more work and running in traffic is even harder.

Im running drums all round, I have no AC not that it matters and im on a carb, the biggest issue i have is the damn traffic. People drive without thinking, modern cars have disc all round and you can drive on the bumper of the car in front and stop with no issues but with drums all round and a heavy car you need space, problem is the idiots in their modern daily drivers take the space you leave for stopping.

That I understand, when someone gets on my bumper on a hill, I just hope I don't roll back into them...............

[The Chief]

I would rather have a stick in the catalina, i hate the stupid auto box, I drive stick every day over here