jensenracing77

just planing ahead. i thought i seen this info somewhere but i can't find it now.

oldzzy

I think the 2012 are in Des Moines Iowa and not sure about 2013

oldzzy

according to google 2013 is going to be in ST. Louis

starfire

I have heard 2013 is being proposed to be in Springfield, IL, but nothing will be certain until after the presentation to the OCA board by the Archway and Illinois Valley chapters in Reno.

66-3X2 442

The OCA Nationals in 1013 were held in Jerusalem. I was there along with many others from this board and a good time was had by all. Springfield,IL is what I'm hearing for 2013. IMHO the only way the OCA is going to survive long term is having the meet the same time,same place every year. It works for the Buick guys @ Bowling Green with huge turnouts. I think Columbus,Ohio is a very good venue for the meet. I just talked a friend who went to the GoodGuys @ Columbus and he said the site was fantastic and there's a dragstrip in the area. Another thing that I think needs to be done,make the Olds Homecoming in Lansing a two day meet. I'm not traveling over 700 miles for 8 hours but I would go for a Saturday/Sunday show.Thoughts?

jensenracing77

looks like 2013 may be my next national. the homecoming show is a great show, i have mixed feelings about a 2 day event. it is a big enough show that 2 days would be great but at the same time i have a harder time going to events that are like that. i only went to one there and it felt like a 2 day event already. the night before there were lots of oldsmobile things going on around the hotels and Lansing

TK-65

Ive been saying this for a while now. I have a feeling the Reno nationals will not have many people show for it, at least compared to other OCAs. The Seattle one was not well attended either. Id love for it to be in Columbus, Id go every year.

66-3X2 442

I went to the meet in Seattle and it wasn't a very good show compared to other meets. You can see what's happening with the Olds Nats,they use to award them 3-4 years out. Now,it's down to two,the chapters are not active in pursuing the Nats. I've been an OCA member for 29 years and the Nats use to be a big deal but you can see the decline start with attendance. I know the economy has a lot to do with it but listening to long time members,you can tell changes need to be made.

stevengerard

what are those changes. I don't go to enough shows of any kind to know any different. I suppose if Nationals were held in the midwest or the east there would be less folks from the west who show up and vice-versa. That is why I am not going to Reno, besides the money its the time time to get there.

Lansing is great, I probably wouldn't go for more than a day myself but understand those farther away feel its not worth the travel unless there is a few days of stuff to do. From Chicago you can actaully do Lansing in a day

jaunty75

Being from southeast Ohio, I would have a parochial interest in having them in Columbus every year, but I think the club would no longer be national if this happens. I can see having maybe three out of every four or four out of every five meets somewhere in the upper midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio or nearby states like Pennsylvania and New York) because this area tends to be the center of gravity for OCA membership.

But you still have to throw the occasional bone to the many members who live outside this area, particularly the far west (California), southwest (Texas), and south (Florida, Georgia). I used to know the exact state-by-state statistics, but I believe that while Michigan and Ohio might be in the top three in terms of OCA members, I think that California falls right in between at #2. My numbers might be wrong, but I think the ranking is roughly correct--California is second or third in number of OCA members. If the meet is never held in those areas, even occasionally, membership from those areas will decline, and that will hurt the hobby.

Chesrown 67 OAI

I'm a proponent of just making the HOMECOMING in Lansing the 'NATIONAL" each year.
They already get more cars there!! Give that some thought - folks??

jaunty75

Same problem. It doesn't matter where it's held, if it's in the same place every year, people who live far away will be less likely to come.

Plus, wherever the show IS held, if it is held in the same place every year, a tremendous burden is placed on the people whose job it is to put the show on year after year. By moving it around as it does now, the OCA spreads the "pain" around.

I can see how it would be fun, if tiring and probably frustrating at times, for a chapter to host a meet once. But every year? I don't think so. The OCA would need to establish some kind of regular staff to do the work every year, and pay them.

cutlassjoe

X2 on that. I am the current President of a local car club in Windsor Ontario. We have everything in our club from street rods, muscle cars, and even a 1984 Fiero...No rice burners though. In Canada they used to have a national show they called Can-Nats. They had it in a different location each year. The drawback was that sometimes it was just too far away, and each year you had a new club hosting it that had to learn everything about putting on a national show. It is a lot tougher to do then the local show you do each year. I know we spent about a year and a half planning it.

TK-65

It doesnt take much to get a national meet. The Allegheny club has a very small membership and they got one. If California is so active and huge, why hasnt there been a meet there in the past 13 years? If the SoCal guys want to host all they have to do is ask. Present it and they will get it.

The OCA location, the judging fiasco, the age of members, and the divide between race cars/performance and the classics are hurting the OCA. The Olds club is nice to have, but sucks hind tit when it comes to all the other clubs. Hell, AMC has a better meet than us.

TK-65

Homecoming is by far the best Olds show. One reason why, and I know a lot of people dont agree with doing it at a national event, is you dont have to be a member of the OCA to attend. I know the OCA is a club and the meets are for club members. But wouldnt it be easier to attract new members by letting non members in, letting them pay their money, and then showing them what its all about?

I have many friends that hate the OCA because they have been turned away because they are not members. Money is money, and the more Oldsmobiles the better. The people you let in may join, but the people you turn away will NEVER join.

TK-65

Homecoming gets 500 cars. Say Reno gets 150. Why try to make 150 work instead of making the 500 car meet better. Few will drive to an event thats not well attended, many more will come if they know its going to be worth it.

66-3X2 442

If having it @ a permanent central location @ the same time every year is a bad idea,why is the Buick deal @ Bowling Green a huge success? Isn't the Mopar Nats are in Columbus every year and look @ that monster. Like I said,it was IMHO that would help the OCA Nats. The problem having them in Lansing is they have to use the parking around the capital and that's why Homecoming isn't on Friday. I was told this by someone who has talked to them about making it a two day deal. I would imagine the ones who are against the two day deal live within hours and an easy drive. I'm not up to driving over 700 miles for 8 hours,not saying I won't but if it was a two day deal,I'd be more inclined to go.

Chesrown 67 OAI

Many Olds enthusiasts would join a local OCA chapter if they wouldnt be required to be an OCA member in order to join the local!!! That's "bull-pucky"!! They would be much better off if thats the way the want it if the dues structure would be for a person to join a local chapter and pay one fee with part of the fee being forwarded to the OCA for National membership --- Thats the way most civic and service club organizations handle it?

TK-65

Homecoming is a great show, but people start leaving around 1-2pm. And there is not a drag strip nearby so it cant be used as a permanent OCA nats venue. Thats if drag racing is still a welcomed event at the OCA.

Columbus sounds great. That means it will never happen.

TK-65

RE Olds chapter runs the Homecoming show and the car show is twice the size as the nationals and the swap is 3 times the size. Same people every year and they put on the biggest Olds show in the world.

Mike is right, the Mopar Nats and the GS nationals are held at the same place every year. Everyone knows where the GS Nationals are and who started it, Richard Lassiter. Who knows where the Buick Club of America held their last show and even if there is a BCA (there is).

Bloomington Gold aint in Arizona then Florida then Seattle. Its always been in Illinois. The OCA needs to get a location, and stick with it.

btw the way, look at this killer website for GS event. Ive heard the OCA is very non internet.

http://www.gsnationals.com/index.htm

66-3X2 442

I'm not saying the Homecoming show needs to be the OCA Nats @ all. All I'm saying is for those of us that live a long distance would be more inclined to go if it were two days. This will be the first Olds Nats I've missed since 04 and I remember Seattle. I've already made my trip this year,I spent a week in sunny Phoenix in January to see my Auburn Tigers spank Oregon in the National Championship game. I spent $2568 for two tickets to the game and that alone would have paid for my Reno trip. Add a condo,airfare and a rental car for a week,that's where my vacation $$$$ went. I wouldn't take double the amount back to miss the game,it was worth every dime.

Run to Rund

There are attempts being made to improve OCA in terms of "customer service." I have been in OCA for 35 years and was tired of "we've always done it that way" ever since I joined. More progress has been made recently than in the first 30 years or so.

There will be about 250-300 cars registered for the Reno show. The race in Fallon isn't intended just for "serious" racers but for everyone, including the "classics." My interest is the "new" 1966s, lol. There will be Super Pro, Pro, and Show Stock classes with winners and runners-up getting 1/2" thick CNC machined aluminum plaques made by Chris Dreiling. They aren't cheap and I personally feel they are more significant and enduring than a $50 or $100 purse would be (and that is the most that realistic racers could ever expect to win regularly).

66-3X2 442

Come on Joe,we all know what you're doing. You want the trailer queens to come out so you can take advantage of them. You need to talk to Curt,seems he had a change of plans and won't be attending the Reno deal. Here's why,he was the lucky high bidder.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

Run to Rund

Oh, my 2 cents on location. Because of the size of the country and spread of members with concentratrions in the eastern rust belt and the far west, I have suggested two Nationals at different times in the year. Both should have drag strips handy, and both should have cheap flights available to them. I suggested Las Vegas for the wsest, just not in the heat of the summer (when presumably the eastern meet would be held anyway). Vegas has cheap flights and hotel deals, and a world class NHRA strip. It is within 300 miles of Phoenix and the LA area, 440 miles from Salt Lake, 880 from the Denver area. Aron Nance and the others from Texas could shave 450 miles off their 1700 mile "commute" of this year. Many have complained that (a) Reno doesn't have decently priced air connections, and (b) the track in Fallon is not real close. I don't know what would work for an eastern Nationals, but it would be best if westerners could drive or fly there easily, just as is the case for Vegas.

I towed 2950 miles one way to Sturbridge last year; this year I heard whining about coming half that distance to Reno. My car might be the only one to attend both 2010 and 2011 Nats. With escalating fuel prices and short vacations, I believe that a combination of standardized locations and locations serving 90% of the OCA members between them would help.

Run to Rund

Awww, cmon Mike. Your trailer queen won't even get out of its garage in Alobama, after three paint jobs during its current restoration. It dyno'ed over 400 HP, so bring it on. People on this forum will be agast upon learning that you spent all your money (both dollars) attending a ball game instead of coming to the Nats, lol. How can my slow ride take advantage? Its probably the slowest car on ROP, and the only one with flat iron intake and iron heads Don't tell me yer skeered of it

Curt gotta come as I have his new ride hostage in Albuquerque.

jaunty75

Everybody's arguments in favor of holding the OCA national meet in the same place every year are very strong. I agree that there are many positives to doing so. But there also negatives, and I think the OCA would find that it's hurting itself as much as helping itself if it did so. If the OCA wants to consider itself a NATIONAL club with NATIONAL appeal, it needs to move the show around.


The complaints about the OCA not allowing non-members and non-preregistered members to show their cars also have some validity, but you have to look at it from the OCA's point of view. Whoever is hosting the show needs to be able to plan. They can't arrange for a show field that will hold 500 cars and then have 750 show up. Yes, it's great to see all those cars, but it would be a logistical nightmare for the show hosts. Pre-registration for the show is a necessary evil.

But restricting it to members only I do have a problem with. Why not put the entry form on the website and let anyone who sends the form in on time be able to register? For non-members, charge more and include a year's membership in the OCA. It would be the best way possible to get new members. I don't see the downside to this. I think the thinking on this, which may be outdated, is that showing your car at the Nats should be a privilege reserved for members only. OK, fine. But let people join when they pre-register and perhaps give a discount for the combined show registration/membership fee. I attended a station-wagon show a few weeks back that had this same restriction, but I could join right there, and they gave me a discount on the combined show fee/membership fee. Very nice.


About requiring people who want to join a chapter to also be a member of the OCA, I, again, can see the OCA's point. If people were allowed to join the chapters but not the national, then most people would probably join only the local chapter, as that would the main source of their interaction with an Olds club and the cost would be less, and the national club could start having membership problems. Second, the national club does provide services to the chapters, primarily in the form of insurance for the shows that the chapters put on each year. That insurance doesn't cost the chapters anything. It's a service that might not be available or might start costing money if the national club were no longer no longer able to provide it. Like the OCA nationals pre-registration requirement, being required to join the national OCA if you want to join a chapter is a necessary evil.

leepear

A few of you sound like great potential new Board Members for the OCA. I believe change is good but don't really have an opinion since it will be my first Nationals and I am glad it is close to where I live (still a 9 hr drive from So Calif).

Lee

starfire

The reason the Lansing club can host the Homecoming each year is because it is a one day event. They don't have to worry about negotiating with a host hotel, setting up tours, judging, awards, hosting a banquet, etc. When we (Motor City Rockets) hosted the Nationals in Dearborn, MI in 2008, it was a major undertaking. It literally was a second job for about 20 of us for three years to get that done. As it is, the RE Olds chapter members have to work their butts off ( with a little help from the MCR) each year to be able to host the Homecoming, and while they will tell you it is worth it, they will also tell you it is burdensome work each year. As a matter of fact the first Homecoming 2012 meeting will be soon.

I don't dislike Joe's idea of an east/west dual meet, but that would most likely cause more problems than it solves. It is hard enough to get chapters to host one meet a year, two might be impossible. Also it would split the membership. People east of the Rockies would stay east and people west would stay west. We don't have a lot of chapter members going to Reno this year, but I think that is mostly the economy. However, the ones who are going will be there and will interact with the west coast folks and get to see their cars, which wouldn't happen if there were two meets.

Oh, and the Oldsmobile Club of America National Meet is put on by the club members for the club members. Why would non-members be able to enter cars? If you want to enter your car, join the damned club! You can still go and visit the show and look at the cars and shop at the swap meet, heck, you can even stay at the host hotel usually, even if you are not a member.

TK-65

Why not let everyone in, have the members park in a designated area and have them be the only cars that get judged. All others park at the other end of the lot. More money, more cars and an incentive to join the club for future shows. That are in the same place. I can bet the OCA gets a uptick in members in host cities that dont stay on after their year is over.

jaunty75

That's my point! You're assuming there IS an other end of the lot. What if there isn't?

I attended the 2009 nationals in Pennsylvania as a spectator. The event was held at a mountain resort in the middle of nowhere with no nearby hotels or shopping malls with parking lots that might have housed overflow registrants. The show field was full, and there were no other lots to house day-of-show registrants who might or might not show up. Heck, the swap meet and spectator parking were both on a dirt field as there were no other paved lots available. In some instances, yes, there might be room for overflow, but not always. Better to have a consistent policy from show to show and year to year instead of one that depends on where a particular show in a particular year is being hosted.



P.S. It isn't necessary to quote my entire post, pearl of wisdom that it is.

Just pick the part you're responding to and quote that (for example, as I've done with you). Makes for a much more useful read.

jaunty75

Interesting points, all. As large as your show is, it IS just a one-day event with none of the logistical issues attendant to a multi-day show. But then there are people who have posted here and elsewhere that they don't want to attend a distant show if it is only one day as it doesn't make the trip worth it. I can see that point. There's pluses and minuses no matter how you do it.

Your comment about the Motor City Rockets' experience is right on the mark, too. The chapter I associate with, the Mid-Ohio, hosted the OCA Nationals the year before (I think) I joined the club in the early '90s. The old-timers talk about that experience from to time, both with fond memories and occasionally with disdain. It has now been more than 20 years since the chapter hosted the show, and there's never been any sentiment that I've seen to host another one.

starfire

I just don't see why it's such a big deal to pony up the $30 and join the OCA if you want to have a car in the OCA's National meet? With car registration you are out a whole $65 plus the cost of your gas to get there and your hotel room (some Nationals locations have even had campgrounds nearby if you needed to stay for cheap), and you get to take home a trophy showing that someone judged your car and found it worthy of a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place.

BTW, the Homecoming is big, but at around 500 cars each year it is not twice as big as most OCA Nationals (I forget our exact number in 08, but it was around 480. I think Seattle even had around 350 cars). And the Homecoming Swap meet is big (it was the biggest this year that I have ever seen), but it is not three time bigger than an average Nationals swap meet (OK this year's was probably three times bigger than Pennsylvania's swap meet was in 09).

jaunty75

A good point, but I think the main complaint is not that you have to join the OCA to show your car, it's that you can't join up and show your car on the day of the show.

66-3X2 442

I'm not saying that the current one day setup is bad. I'm just thinking that if it was a two day deal,it might bring more people in. I'm not saying that it should be run like a national meet with tours/activities either. Keep it just as is but spread it out over two days. The hotel situation will work itself out without any organization/input from the host club. If the area hotels can handle the 97 100th anniversary meet,then Homecoming shouldn't be a problem. Again,I'm not bashing the current way it's run,just throwing the possibility out there of a two day meet,that's all,nothing more,nothing less.

66 Olznut

Or you could just find an Olds-less buddy due to his car is in the paint shop that is an OCA member and just pay $5 for an associate membership so you can enter the show with your Olds............. My buddy hasn't been a member for years but didn't wanna pass up the Reno meet so I'm towing up his car and besides, we're pretty sure my truck gets better fuel mileage towing his car than his car gets on the road.

starfire

Right, but that's not the point of a National show. That's what regional shows such as the Homecoming and the Quad Cities Meet are for. Even OCA members cannot just bring their cars on the day of the show. All cars must be pre-registered and registration ends one month before the show.

In my opinion, if someone is concerned because there is not an Olds meet in their area like Homecoming or Quad Cities, they should join their local OCA chapter and volunteer to chair an event of that type in their region. I remember a story about a little red hen and some bread that this whole thread (that we've hi-jacked so successfully now) brings to mind...

66-3X2 442

The problem with late or same day registration is,they have to know how many cars are coming for space and trophy's. What if they had limited or no space and 50 guys show up the day of the meet,then what?

jaunty75

This is an interesting point. These tours and things are put in, I'm sure, to give the event more of the feel of a family vacation that would appeal more to the spouses who might not be as interested in the cars and who otherwise might be less inclined to attend the show at all.

I presume they get good participation as the nationals have them every year, and it gives you something to do if you're there for three or four nights and you can only do so much looking at the cars. But these tours have never been appealing to me or my wife. If there's a nearby attraction of interest, we like to go on our own and see as much or as little of it as we want and at our own pace.

jaunty75

Hey, you're preaching to the choir! Go back and read my earlier posts.

starfire

I hope your buddy lives in your house, because Associate memberships are only for people living in the same household.

If you are a real cheap *** you could just have a member register your car as his (members can usually register up to two cars) and save that whole $5 (wow you can now afford a footlong sub at Subway).