Englishtown NJ Fall Show and Go, October 18th, 2015

[obnoxiousblue]

[[email protected]]

I think it was an awesome day. I hope that the central jersey guys keep their part of the event going even though I know it is not easy by any means. Every year that the show goes on different issues can arise or a lower turn out but this is a staple of the east coast events now I believe.
Hopefully we can get the car show back to where it once was because the race portion is for sure on the up swing. We had racers from Kentucky, South Carolina, Maryland and NJ surrounding states all present. I hope you guys could atleast tell the pits were more full of people were racing who may may have never seen.

As far as the bus and the type 3...awesome. Just goes to show you do not have to be fast to have fun. Will you do it again? I sure hope so.

[obnoxiousblue]

[[email protected]]

Sorry, no more photos. A friend actually took that as her boyfriend was driving the buggy.

How was the car show and swap turn out? I did not even get a chance to walk through. I know if it was a bit smaller, I would not be surprised due to the weather.

The reason the spectators had to walk around this year was because the back lot where they usually park was being used for a medical training session.

[noneed]

The swap meet was not nearly as full as usual, and the treasures were few and far between, but I still had a good time.

One thing that needs to be addressed for next year though...

Parking the spectators on the other side of the track so they have to walk a marathon just to get into the show after charging them $20 a head is complete bullshit.
I know the CJVWS guys have nothing to do with it and that was the track's idea, but this has got to be taken up with Raceway park so that it does not happen again.

I had people telling me all day how pissed off they were.
Quite a few of them told me if they pull that again next year, they are turning around and going home. Honestly, I can't blame them.
It's ridiculous to make people walk that far just to get in and the track needs to know it.

Easy access to one's vehicle is pretty important if one has young children, medical needs, a handicap, or let's face it even for those with none of the above that just want to get that trans / set of wheels / whatever they bought back to the car would like to be able to do so without walking across the state...

Hopefully you guys can rectify that for next year.
Again, I already know CJVWS had nothing to do with this and I know how much work you guys put into an event, but this is gonna hurt the shows attendance big time...and I'm not the only one that believes that ~
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Drive your VW... That's what it was made for.

[73sports]

I hear the track people are pretty stubborn. I know that it was pointed out to them that if they lowered the general admission price to $15, they would probably make more money from ticket sales because more people are willing to pay $15 to get in than $20. They won't budge. I can only assume that in a few more years it will be $25 to get in.
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I will never lie, but sometimes the truth changes.

Central Jersey VW Society

[Karzapart55]

I think RP just put the nail in the coffin. Those who had to walk around the track wont be back, many venders wont be back. If RP want to continue this show I think the only fix is to drop the spectator entry fee to 10$. An apology to the walkers wouldn't hurt.

[[email protected]]

Englishtown made the spectators park far away 1 time and everyone is in an up roar. As I said earlier, they used the back lot where people normally park for a medical training exercise. I am sure the track did not want to purposely inconvenience you and next year, it will be back to normal.

As far as the gate fee....I never really understood this. It is $5 more then the AAG show. Granted the AAG has a MUCH larger show and the swap is bigger...I understand that...but people let $5 keep them home? $5 stop you from enjoying the hobby you love so much and SPEND MONEY in other ways to keep going? We being real here? $20 for hours at an event, surrounded by cars and people you like, browsing parts, walking around and watching some drag races does not seem like a bad deal to me. You go to the movies? Whats the price of the ticket for a 2 hour flick now a days? 2 hours versus 8......

Where does the $5 extra gate fee go.....maybe to cover property taxes on 300+ acres of land in central jersey. How about full time security force of atleast 6. 2 fully staffed and on site ambulances. A working and on site fire truck. That is just a few.....

If people want to bitch, then don't show up. Don't post here where people can see it and possibly deter them from attending and helping the decline of events. Get out there. Have some damn fun because in case you missed it.....the hobby is not getting bigger over night. Don't be one helping to drive nails in the coffin

[Karzapart55]

Only $5 more? Tell that to a guy bringing his family. Lower price mean more spectators,more food and beer sales,also more race participation. Larger crowds will inturn create more intrest. As far as RP is concerned, I don't think they care if the show survives or not. They knew when the show was being held, Why schedule training the same day? Cost of security? with that crowd, Barney Fife would be all you need

[[email protected]]

$5 for a family of 4 is $20. Still not much money in 2015. Maybe it's me? I am no rich guy either, blue collar working class. I can see a $30 per person being expensive.

Wether the crowd is VW people or a concert...that is the full time staff that Raceway park employs and pays for. Contrary to belief, the people at RWP do care if this event does continue or not. I have worked closely with them and see them more then just at the 2 VW shows each year at the track.
Have I asked them to lower it? yes. Have the Central Jersey guys also asked? Yes. But they choose to keep it at $20. I will choose to support it next year..and the year after...and aslong as they continue to put on a LOCAL VW EVENT IN JERSEY

[MMW]

First I'll say I have never been to this show. It has never been on my radar because not many people talk about it in terms of it being awesome.

The question I ask myself - Is this a must go to show like Flanders or just an expensive regular show? Just because you have high overhead does not always make the event worth the money for the participants.

If they only charged $15 to get in would it make it a better show? Or would it be the same thing & you would have $5 more in your pocket?

Most of the comments I have seen are people complaining about the admission price & not much else. Sure there are the people who say they had a good time but I don't recall any who say "went for the first time & I can't wait until the next one." or "Not to be missed". Those sentiments seem to be lacking. I think the question that should be asked is why is this not a go to show & how can it be made to be one.
_________________
Mic
1959 356 coupe
Missing the original engine 72488
Update - third pc. found!
Now just need the case halves.
1965 fenderless beetle

[MMW]

This was posted on the CJVWS board. Any ideas & comments are welcome. Either post them there or post them here but share your comments! It is important to know how most people feel.
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(below copied from CJVWS forum. Not my post.)
I know many members dislike this event for many reasons, mostly due to the cost to participate. We have expressed this concern to Raceway Park with little interest on their part of reducing the cost. However, those CJVWS members that were in attendance have been discussing ways to improve the show, reduce the cost via other means and otherwise try to turn around the decline in participation. We plan on bringing up these concerns at the next meeting. If others have any thoughts on the matter please express them at that time. By doing nothing we run the risk of loosing yet another New Jersey vintage VW venue if things don't change.
_________________
Mic
1959 356 coupe
Missing the original engine 72488
Update - third pc. found!
Now just need the case halves.
1965 fenderless beetle

[[email protected]]

One issue is there is no buzz created about the show. A pre show thread goes up and gets what....6 comments? Now the issue goes a lot deeper then just this forum. Raceway Park for years has had no promoter. No one dedicated to getting the word out and has just relied on employeees with a deep passion and will or spectators/racers. This is wrong. It affects more then just the VW events. It is pontiac, mopar, chevy days...and the list goes on. All have been on the slow decline. Now for 2016 RWP is back to a promotor but we will see what happens and how much or if ANY attention he gives to the VW's.
RWP and Central Jersey should try and come up with a way to get the word out more. I passed out over 200 flyers for the event at Maple Grove personally. I also handed out over 300 at Flanders. Someone, somewhere down the chain maybe needs to get ahold of RWP and get a bunch of flyers and see if they can get them to every single car or spectator that walks through the gate at the AAG. I also thing RWP needs to kick back a donation to the Central Jersey guys for helping to keep the VW shows going

[[email protected]]

One issue is there is no buzz created about the show. A pre show thread goes up and gets what....6 comments? Now the issue goes a lot deeper then just this forum. Raceway Park for years has had no promoter. No one dedicated to getting the word out and has just relied on employeees with a deep passion and will or spectators/racers. This is wrong. It affects more then just the VW events. It is pontiac, mopar, chevy days...and the list goes on. All have been on the slow decline. Now for 2016 RWP is back to a promotor but we will see what happens and how much or if ANY attention he gives to the VW's.
RWP and Central Jersey should try and come up with a way to get the word out more. I passed out over 200 flyers for the event at Maple Grove personally. I also handed out over 300 at Flanders. Someone, somewhere down the chain maybe needs to get ahold of RWP and get a bunch of flyers and see if they can get them to every single car or spectator that walks through the gate at the AAG. I also thing RWP needs to kick back a donation to the Central Jersey guys for helping to keep the VW shows going

[MMW]

spotspeed -- This was sent to me by Jeffrey who is the recently retired president of CJVWS.
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Mic, this is a RacewayPark event, CJVWS is paid to manage the swap and judge the air-cooled show and Slammin Euros manages the trophies and judges the water-cooled side. RacewayPark does all the promotion, buys the trophies, and covers all the overhead for the track.
_________________
Mic
1959 356 coupe
Missing the original engine 72488
Update - third pc. found!
Now just need the case halves.
1965 fenderless beetle

[caseydenise]

I'm the president of Central Jersey Vokswagen Society. We manage the aircooled part of this show for Englishtown Raceway Park both spring and fall. Raceway PArk host the entire show and our clubs responsibilities are to park, judge and take care aircooled vintage folks.

The show always has mixed reviews for admission price, parking, weather, and the list goes on. Our club is talking with the track about making things better. We have an upcoming CJVWS meeting and Englishtown is a topic. I will post back here after that.
Casey
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Central Jersey Volkswagen Society - President

[[email protected]]

I appreciate what the club does and I am sure many others do also. My interest has mostly been the racing and I believe with bringing the Heritage Series there in October, we have really started to bring THOSE numbers back up to a respectable level. The spring show is just to early to gather a large racer turn out and I am sure it affects the show and swap numbers also.

Are the central jersey guys thinking about asking Etown if they can move the dates at all? What is the clubs take on the event?

[Karzapart55]

Moving the dates? Are you not listening to peoples' complaints? Its all about the fees and RP attitude. Im sure they can read this forum. Why no response from them?

[[email protected]]

...reading comprehension. The club president said a common complaint/issue is the weather. How do you solve that??

[Karzapart55]

The weather was beautiful. That was hardly a concern