We just received this press release from GRIDLIFE, the company behind some of our favorite automotive festivals. The big story? Their festival format, currently limited to GingerMan Raceway and Road Atlanta, is expanding to a third venue this summer: Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado. It's also adding an off-road and powersports component, promising even more to do during the …
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Doesn't really look like my kind of scene but I will probably check it out anyway. I can see Pikes Peak from the hot tub on my roof deck so pretty much too close to not check it out.
I'm usually easily convinced if anyone needs to crash on the couch or borrow the keys while in the area...
tb said:Doesn't really look like my kind of scene but I will probably check it out anyway. I can see Pikes Peak from the hot tub on my roof deck so pretty much too close to not check it out.
I'm usually easily convinced if anyone needs to crash on the couch or borrow the keys while in the area...
Im possibly going to come up for this. May hit you up. These festivals are awesome!
tb said:Doesn't really look like my kind of scene but I will probably check it out anyway. I can see Pikes Peak from the hot tub on my roof deck so pretty much too close to not check it out.
I'm usually easily convinced if anyone needs to crash on the couch or borrow the keys while in the area...
How much space you have? Lol
I'm in downtown Denver, a couple hours drive from Pikes but I autox there sometimes and it is an easy drive.
I can prob sleep 4 or 5 in my living room, maybe room to transport 2 or 3 in my subie and of course can help with airport valet anytime.
I'm pretty flexible and always willing to lend a hand to anyone who can put up with me...
Too bad PPIR is my least favorite track in the state.
This looks dope. Forza Horizon 1 IRL.
This is only about 6, maybe 7 hours one way for me... Might be able to convince the fellas to get their rigs setup for a couple days of camping, depending on what our autox season looks like this summer. I think this might fall on one of our two-day events in SLC though... I'll have to keep an eye out. Thanks for posting!
TB, very generous offer of you!
NP, I am always happy to help out any way I can.
I have already told the wife that she is staying home with the kid and I am prob bringing the girlfriend down with me; it sorta looks like that kind of party...
For the most part I can understand what all is going on but what I am unsure of is what I (and everyone else here) is thinking of doing? I am honestly not a huge fan of watching others have all the fun and I never really just drool over someone else's toy... I guess I would sign up for the intermediate track days and just enjoy the scene the rest of the time?
Glamping sounds tempting but I am more used to a track side tent situation, as are most of us, probably? I'm kinda too old and too rich to go too rough but at heart I still feel like the same GRMer that I was 20 years ago.
Does anyone here have firsthand experience to share that could describe things a little better than the internets? I have read a bit of vague hyperbole that is less than perfectly helpful. Obviously, this is new for Colorado and there isn't a ton of information available yet but I am very interested in hearing from everyone who can share details or ideas about the best way to have the most fun.
Hmmmmm. 15 minutes from the house......Wife will be in Breckenridge with the Girls that weekend.....I'm going to count this as an IN!!!
I'd let people camp on my land but I do get bear and mountain lion there so probably not a good idea even though I've got plenty of land. I maybe convinced to grill some meat and Ice down some local brews at the house though. I have plenty of deck space.
I'm also in the camp of "I have no idea what Gridlife is apart from a music / car festival" so I'd appreciate some insight from those who have been. Basically, should I bring the track car, or should I bring the tailgate car? Performance or party?
Grilled meat and cold drinks are always a good idea. I also have a smaller portable weber that I could pack if I have room in the wagon; either way I will definitely be down to throw in on some quality steaks!
While it appears that they run a mini race series and have competitive drifting and stuff I am not planning on trying to get involved. I have absolutely no interest in going wheel to wheel with the blockheads that seem to make up the majority of this crowd... It all looks about as professional as the E36 M3 I used to come up with while bored back in high school. I hear, anecdotally, that even the car show area is reserved for the cool kids of the insta-famous crowd and not the regular old normal race cars of mere mortals.
I think it is mostly a party with a veneer of horsepower that is more for social media likes versus getting rubber and fuel all over the fancy vinyl wraps. I'm just gathering info so I might be off base but I think it is mainly a show tour meant to be watched by hard parkers and youtube commentators. Sounds interesting and probably some fun to be had but I think mostly in the form of tailgating.
I only have one car at the moment and it is a street sleeper that is big enough to pack a party into so I'm thinking I will just show up and figure it out when I get there?
Definitely sounds like a place for the LS400 rather than the Supra. I appreciate clean and cool as much as the next guy, but I'll be drawn to the car with rubber and dirt all over from track use every time. I'm only 35, but I might as well be 75 as far as my opinions of social media are concerned.
On the plus side, the Lexus is a great road trip car. Super comfy and I've yet to hear a better stock stereo so far. =)
In reply to te72 :
If you are into time attack type events with the Supra then you might want to try to find the rules and maybe it would apply to you. It seems like they use their own formats and are not affiliated with any of the larger sanctioning bodies out there? A quick look online will indeed show some very serious machinery doing competitive racing in small fields in an informal, fun and friendly format with different levels of builds and budgets. I've seen pics and vids of the drifting exhibitions but nothing that actually looked like traditional formula drift style competition so I just have no clue what it is really about.
However, the actual racing doesn't seem to be actually the same as the "lifestyle experience concepts" of the festival. I think that they might be two separate events happening under the same umbrella name; really, I have no idea...
My main knowledge of social media is that the online image can often be quite far from the on the ground reality, often purposefully. I'm content to just figure it out when I get there and reserve any judgment until then. Typically I enjoy being exposed to new things and am always supportive of people having fun any way that they see fit so you will not find me hating on it too hard no matter what is going on.
Comfy luxury is something that I very much appreciate so I would choose the Lexus for any type of road trip, the LS is really one hell of a great all around vehicle and I am a little envious. My Legacy GT is upscale for an old Subie but it's main appeal is the mid sized wagon versatility with a STi engine hidden under plain clothes and it lacks the refinement of a q ship cruiser.
Here’s a little more information about what these festivals are like:
Thanks, Tom. I’m trying to figure out if an event with a hashtag in its name is a good match for us or what cars we should bring. PPIR isn’t that far away.
Tom, that was a good read and filled in a lot of information about something that I have heard of but ignored in the past. Midway through I had flashbacks to the hundreds of emails I've sent over the years to complete strangers telling them to check out the challenge without success due to my lack of marketing skills and finesse...
It sorta comes across as too much of a slick and trendy marketing exercise, but who cares? Cars! I really like cars, and anyone else who kinda likes cars would probably really enjoy it, too. I'd be surprised if everyone thinking about this never tried something weird, silly or just plain new simply in the name of liking cars.
At nearly 40 years old I have never used a hashtag in my life and admit to finding them a bit cringe-worthy but I am not against anyone who does if it works for them. I bet that there are a lot more things in common to unite us car guys versus small differences to divide the crowd.
Keith, I'll easily admit that I don't even care for miatas (miatae?) much but I think that you should probably come and bring some. You guys build cool cars and there will be lots of people there who like cool cars, so everybody wins! Maybe just think about which flavor of car would be the most fun for you and go with that?
I'm probably too old and disabled to party like a rockstar all weekend but if there happens to be good food involved, too, then I will be really happy with whatever goes on.
If I'm making the trip over, I'm looking for the car that will eventually make us the most money by attracting the most potential customers. We have no stickerbombed stancebro Miatas in the fleet ;) I'm thinking a booth with a nice turbo NA and a V8 ND and putting the Targa Miata on the track is the best bet.
Well Keith, If I haven't gotten around to selling it, Betty is right here and my track Miata has 90% of your catalog on it. The previous owners spent a ton with you guys.
Keith, don't fret, you still have Four months to put together that sticker bombed stanced out roadster of your dreams! Nothing wrong with trying to make some money I just always tend to default to having the most fun possible instead.
Personally, I have at least two more spinal surgeries planned for the next Three months so I might be back in a wheelchair by the time this thing rolls around so I'll mostly be having my fun vicariously anyway. I think I would be most happy if there is something there that is really cool that I don't even know about, yet...
I was planning to go to Colorado in July and hadn't picked the week yet, so...
tb said:In reply to te72 :
If you are into time attack type events with the Supra then you might want to try to find the rules and maybe it would apply to you. It seems like they use their own formats and are not affiliated with any of the larger sanctioning bodies out there? A quick look online will indeed show some very serious machinery doing competitive racing in small fields in an informal, fun and friendly format with different levels of builds and budgets. I've seen pics and vids of the drifting exhibitions but nothing that actually looked like traditional formula drift style competition so I just have no clue what it is really about.
My main knowledge of social media is that the online image can often be quite far from the on the ground reality, often purposefully. I'm content to just figure it out when I get there and reserve any judgment until then. Typically I enjoy being exposed to new things and am always supportive of people having fun any way that they see fit so you will not find me hating on it too hard no matter what is going on.
Comfy luxury is something that I very much appreciate so I would choose the Lexus for any type of road trip, the LS is really one hell of a great all around vehicle and I am a little envious. My Legacy GT is upscale for an old Subie but it's main appeal is the mid sized wagon versatility with a STi engine hidden under plain clothes and it lacks the refinement of a q ship cruiser.
I will have to check out their rule set and / or expectations for their time attack runs. My car should be pretty good at that sort of thing. It's surprisingly good at small track autocross (anything where speeds don't exceed 45-50mph), but it's obvious to me that it would be faster if I could stretch its legs on a proper circuit... Appreciate the suggestion. =)
I tend to be the same way with whatever makes folks happy and engaged with their cars. I'm not big on car shows, for example, but I go to a few of them and appreciate seeing neat things.
The LS400 is a long story actually. Highlights, bought one as an engine donor for a project that never got off the ground. Drove the car for a bit as a daily, surprisingly fell for the car. Told myself I'd only get another one if I found a 98-2000, in green. Never thought I'd find one, but found a own-owner, Lexus dealer maintained car that met that requirement. Has typical LS400 issues, leaks that come with 180k, but apart from that, fantastic car, highly recommend them if you find one that meets your needs.
In reply to te72 :
Yeah, definitely look into it more. I have seen videos of some great cars having lots of fun on track at these events. It doesn't seem like the racing events have much to do with the festival events, but I gather that every event they have is a little different than the others depending on what they can get away with. If they divide up the track and intermediate length configuration could be perfect for you.
I might grab an LS some day if the perfect one comes up like the one you found but sadly I think that they are just a bit too old for my tastes now... hard for me to keep up on the maintenance that an older car needs after all of those miles. My current beater is an '05 with 115k on it and I really should be driving something newer but living in the city with a young kid I think that I will let this one get totally destroyed before I start ruining an nicer car!
I've been talking up the event to a few tuners and people that I know in the area and everyone seems interested and hopeful. I'm confident that there will be plenty of fun to be had.
I'm planning on heading down from Ft Collins. I can at least chat with the Grassroots Motorsports and Flyin' Miata folks! The Grassroots guys had a lot of fun at the other pound-sign gridlife events. I've driven all the way down to PPIR and back in a day just for 2 autocross runs, so this is bound to be more fun. On the fence whether to bring my 2000 Miata or the uncomfortable lemons car:
http://www.murileemartin.com/UG/LCO18b/543-_MG_4712.html
BMW88rider, I'd love to check out Betty! A V8 roadster has been a dream of mine for some time, but I have yet to ride in one.
Keith, just my opinion, but I bet there will be a few younger folks there and a turbo NB with aero mods would be pretty relatable to them. I've met a few who are in the middle of some kind of cheap turbo project nightmare and could be swayed to call FM for solutions. The V8 cars are always a good idea, the V8 ND will definitely "gram" :)
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