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Pontiac Heaven weekend Phoenix May 3-5, 2013!
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The 15th annual Pontiac Heaven weekend has been rescheduled and relocated. The new dates are Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5 and will be primarily held at Firebird Raceway near Chandler which is outside of Phoenix, Az right on the I-10. If you are flying in, it is now a short 20 minute drive to get there. We are looking forward to moving my event to a national NHRA event track! There is a beautiful Hotel and casino across the street and many other places to eat and more nearby. There is even a Love's truck stop right across the interstate that sells high octane leaded and unleaded race gas from the pump! If you are like most of the Pontiac crowd that leans on what many call traditional Pontiac Power ( I call it REAL Pontiac Power ), this event is for YOU. ALL show and race entries are Pontiac powered, no exceptions! You will love it! We are a great group of pure Pontiac fans that get together for this special annual "Reunion" to celebrate that wonderful Pontiac V8! We are still working out some details like our host hotel, conference room, etc. Soon, I will announce this so, hold off on reservations for now. Please help spread the word and make plans to attend this one of a kind weekend! Friday night, there will be open track test and tune, plus diesel truck drags and Pontiac brackets. Saturday the 4th is the 15th annual Pontiac Heaven exclusively for Pontiac powered vehicles. Saturday night is more open test and tune plus the Nostalgic Show & GO! warm ups for all 1981 and older brands. Sunday the 5th, the Pontiacs take on the world at the 11th annual Nostalgic Show & GO! More info on www.pontiacheaven.org also on the Pontiac Heaven facebook page or email- [email protected] or call me direct- 480-899-7873 Welcoming a past sponsor back with us- Alpha Omega surveying! __________________________________________________ ____________________________- Here is a pic from the 2007 Pontiac Heaven with Dave Campbell with his 69 GTO Judge. Sadly, I have learned of Daves passing this week of health issues. http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps80c37ec2.jpg We will be remembering Dave along with Ron Hildreth at this years Pontiac Heaven. If any other of our regular attendees of Pontiac Heaven have passed on, please let me know. |
Bad news about Dave, good news about the event.
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Works great for us---fifty miles closer. It's exactly 100 miles from our house. We will be trailering our '60 Catalina project car--might have it painted by then. And we'll be selling at the swap meet. My Tempest will have to "wait 'til next year".
Thanks for all your hard work on this, Steve. The weather should be great. Looking forward to seeing everyone there---with time to watch the races and talk. Jim |
Glad you're event is going forward, Steve.
:) Sorry to hear of the passing of your friend, though. :( Good luck on the race/event. :) |
Great news for Southwestern Pontiac Racers..
Great news, Steve :D. Thanks for hanging in there and making our favorite out of state race event possible :cool:.
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Glad to hear about the Heaven still going on. Had a blast last year! Unfortunately the date change is bad for me. However I should be able to make the Fest in Nov. Will that also be at Firebird? Cuts my driving time from 1.5 hrs to 45 min. Hope to attend some meetups in April.
Ps what about the stories I hear about Firebird shutting down because the land lease is up? |
PONTIAC HEAVEN RRRRROCKS!!!!!
Great, GREAT Event!!!!
I no longer have the financial ability to make it, but HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS EVENT! Please go and take videos to share with the rest of us. You will not regret it. One of my BEST PONTIAC memories was here, and probably 3 of my top 5 memories were at these events!:D Phil P.S. This is :oembarrassing:o to ask, but please help me to make it next year by going to https://www.facebook.com/OGREnterprisesLLC and liking us. This is a new business my friend and I have started. Our Main Website is http://www.realestateogrllc.com/ |
Glad to hear it! I will plan on being there! I was crushed thinking that it might be cancelled since this will be the first time since 2007 that I will have a car ready for participation. I am going to flog my 67 FB in the trophy bracket.
And yes. Lots of hotels, eating, shopping, etc. nearby. But I will miss the "old school" feel of Speedworld. |
Rats!!!!!!!!! I am going to be in town the weekend of April 5,6,7!
Steve, what are you doing to me?????????? George |
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The Wangers crew is looking forward to some quick passes down the 1320 at Firebird!
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Super excited Steve to know that the event is on again!! I know it's been a whirlwind of activity and frustration for you, but thanks so much for your endurance! The Pontiac faithful are thankful for your efforts! Looking forward to the festivities...
:D |
As of now, here is the 3 day schedule-
Friday, May 3rd noon-5pm- guest speakers and tech sessions 6-11 pm open track test and tune Pontiac Heaven warm up brackets Diesel truck drags Saturday, May 4th 6am-4pm 15th annual Pontiac Heaven, real Pontiac power only- no exceptions parts exchange 3 or 4 drag race brackets car show Special guests vendors 6-11pm- Open track test and tune Nostalgic Show & GO! warm up brackets NEW- "F" body shoot out for Firebirds and Camaros http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/a...pseadaf0f7.jpg Sunday, May 5th 7am-4pm 11th annual Nostalgic Show & GO! 1981 and older only ( any Pontiac powered allowed if is ran on Saturday) Car show worship service parts exchange drag racing 3-4 brackets A/FX shoot out! http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps01cb8e2c.jpg |
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Glad you enjoyed yourself, that is my goal. I also have the first weekend in November scheduled 1-3. we will run a similar program except for the Saturday event will be the annual Pontiac Buick Olds FALL FEST open to all years and models of these 3 makes. As of today, the rest of the 3 day weekend in November will be the same as this years May weekend. If things go as planned, we will return to our normal annual schedule for 2014 and beyond with the first weekends of April and November. It will be a bit warm in early May but, it was the best date I could get. I have moved the daily schedule a bit earlier for the May weekend to accomodate the weather. http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps27a9873b.jpg Special Thanks to my wonderful sponsors! Without them, there is no event. Please support them all, they support us! Main event sponsors- Network Automotive Service Centers- 15 year sponsor Glenn's Garage- 15 year sponsor Too Hotties Mens hair cuts WW Williams Kauffman Racing AllPontiac.com Quick Guns Todd Harding & Son auto Swap meets- New Sponsor! co sponsors- Butler Performance The Thompsons Ames Performance Space Age Auto Paint Store Reliable Diesel National Parts Depot- new sponsor! Cactus GTOs ( GTO AA) AZ Chapt 29 POCI Alpha Omega Surveying - returning sponsor! I am so appreciative of these people supporting Pontiac Heaven, please let them know. :) |
Any word on the hotel yet?
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I am working on a host hotel with a special rate but, working with all new people and location, have not reached what I wanted yet. So, am endorsing the Wild Horse Pass hotel and casino. This is across the road from Firebird and the closest to the track. Info below on the revised event flyers. http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps09d167bc.jpg Main event sponsors- Network Automotive Service Centers- 15 year sponsor Glenn's Garage- 15 year sponsor Too Hotties Mens hair cuts WW Williams Kauffman Racing AllPontiac.com Quick Guns Todd Harding & Son auto Swap meets- New Sponsor! co sponsors- Butler Performance The Thompsons Ames Performance Space Age Auto Paint Store Reliable Diesel National Parts Depot- new sponsor! Cactus GTOs ( GTO AA) AZ Chapt 29 POCI Alpha Omega Surveying - returning sponsor! I am so appreciative of these people supporting Pontiac Heaven, please let them know. |
Okay so what's the scoop Steve?
I know Speedworld shut down until further notice, but I keep hearing Firebird is on thin ice too with a tentative shut down date that goes from month to month. So is this May event going to happen or is it a maybe? I know you also mentioned you still have your November event scheduled too. However I see nothing on Firebirds website about scheduling anything past this current month (that thing needs updated with more month to month events) So it's making it hard for some of us to plan. With the way Charlie let the place go it should be no surprise that the website lacks info, and it also makes some of us believe the tentative shut down could still happen if events aren't listed months in advance. So yeah,,,I'm hesitant. I can probably make it as I've always been a regular to this event, even though it's now a much longer drive. But moving my schedule around for a track that may close at any point seems like wasted energy. I'm going to miss the nostalgia atmosphere of Speedworld, reminded me of home. I hope this goes as planned? I'm also hearing there is supposed to be an F-body shootout this same weekend? So I don't know what to bring down there. Please clearify. Thanks. ;) |
This is my understanding of the situation:
Firebird is located on Indian land, and the facility is owned by the Indians. The end of the current lease is up the end of March, and it will not be renewed due to conflicts between the tribe and the lessee. I believe that the tribe will be running the track after the end of March, but will leave this for Steve to clarify. The website is owned and run by the lessee, and that is why it shows the last event at the end of March. As a side note, Firebird is 17 additional miles for those coming from SoCal, but Google lists the same travel time... |
Yeah, I'm aware of the Indian Reservation land and the lease. It's the same thing that happened to the Beeline Dragstrip in the late 70's :rolleyes: If anyone even remembers that. They say history repeats itself. Now that Speedworld is gone (which started around 61 if I remember right) We've now lost the only 2 dragstrips that actually had nostalgia history (Firebird was opened in the 80's long after the good times of dragracing) But I digress :(
The lease isn't being rehonored because of the lack of renovations and upkeep that is said to be Charlie's problem (the lessee). The Native Americans want the place cleaned up understandably. My hesitation comes from talks of whether the Native Americans were even going to keep the place open after March while possible renovations took place or whether they would even attempt to run it themselves at all. It's been on going for months. But I didn't mean to drag all that into the conversation. I truely hope it stays open and becomes a top notch facility. Anyway, yeah you guys coming from Cali don't have much issue with the relocation since you'll probably just shoot straight accross the I-10 in no time. Myself, I come down from the North (Prescott) and the 303 loop took me around Pheonix in no time flat and dumped me off just a few miles from Speedworld. Now I have to travel straight through town on the heavily traveled 101 and 202. Firebird is only another 20-25 mile extra distance, but the added time is 45 minutes or more depending on traffic unfortunately. |
Would you like cheese with that whine...
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BTW, I'll be driving my 11 sec. '66 GTO "race car" along with my wife, luggage, and tools. See you there :). |
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