Dearborn was a different animal because of the gas prices last summer. There were a LOT of cancellations. That's also why judging didn't take as long, since I can't tell you the times I've been out there judging all day- from right after judges breakfast til late Friday afternoon.
If Obamanomics doesn't jack up fuel prices again, I think you'll see a good turnout in Seven Springs.
OCA Nationals is designed as a vacation type thing, since the idea is that if people are going to drive great distances to attend, there should be more for a family or couple to do than just a car show. Granted, going alone I spend most of my time in the show or swap meet, but I can understand needing to entertain the rest of the family who might not be as "into" cars.
Those of you yelping about having to take time off work- I believe that is why we have the benefit of vacation time, to cover doing something like this. The ten years I was an OCA director, seemed like the National Meet was always scheduled the week that I had to burn up 68 hours of vacation to get the time off- 40 hours to get Tues-Friday, then 28 more to get the weekend night shift. Yeah, it kinda bugged me to have to use that much time when other people could get by with 40 or less, but bottom line was it was something I enjoyed, and I had the time available to take. It was use it or lose it, and I was not about to lose it.
Of course, anyone who has a better idea how to do it is welcome to present it to your Zone Directors who will in turn present it to the Board. That's a polite way of saying if you don't have a better idea and are willing to help execute it, quityerbitchin.
I can speak from experience that putting on a Nationals is a lot of hard thankless work, and the people who bitch the loudest never offer any help. One guy in Greensboro bitched so much that finally, midway the show, I told the meet treasurer to refund his money and suggested he go home. Then he wrote nastygrams to JWO about it.
Found out later two other Nationals host chapters had had trouble with the guy before us, though we were the first to refund his cash.
And people wonder why I left the BOD and retreated to just being a member who gets his JWO every month. At least at work I get paid to take abuse.