Post Reptile Roundup Thanks and Thoughts

[Gatorac]

I'd like to thank all of the DSCC officers, directors and volunteers that helped put on a spectacular event. Lorrie and I enjoyed ourselves very much. Fantasy of Flight sure is a great place for a car show and we had the prime spot too. Larry did an excellent job of picking up the slack left from those that found themselves in the unfortunate position of being unable to help. His hard work really showed.

It's great to see so many old friends and meet new ones each year. I find myself sad at the end of each Roundup that it will be a whole year until we all get together as one group. This year my heart is especially heavy as the economy has taken it's toll and 2 very good friends find themselves 1500 miles away.

The outlook for the DSCC looks good. I saw many members willing to take up the challenge and help continue the work.

For those who have never attended this event, I urge you to come to the next one. The people you will meet are some of the best you will ever know. For those who usually only attend half of the event, try to attend the whole thing next year. If you don't want to take your car on the track, you are not alone. It's still great fun to attend. I haven't put my car on the track the past 2 years but I still wouldn't miss that portion of the event. I promise we will find enough stuff to do. The Gainesville area has some of the best cruising roads in the state. If your not into car shows, me neither. I'm not too excited about sitting next to my car for 8 hours in the sun. That's not what happened at all. There was so much to see and do I didn't sit next to my car for more then 10 minutes all day. We got to take a ride in a 1929 biplane. An airplane museum, boat races, air show, R/C stunt planes, parachuters dropping out of the sky allo day. All with some great friends. We just got the best parking spot in the house.

See you guys next year if not sooner.

[Tom Wells]

Jim,

I second the kudos to Larry! I can't imagine how much time he put into the planning. The two track days and the banquet were top notch - I obviously missed a great show too.

I don't know if it was his planning or what, but my car was still running fine at the end of two hard track days. Never happened before...

Three cheers for Larry!

Tom

[Toro]

Ditto I am a short term member and have only done a few events most of the time missing some part of the event. This was two great dayz of track time and the best car show venue I have ever attended, missed the poker run cause I missed the wife and was home by 6am Sunday.
Larry thanks to you for all your hard work and anyone else who worked with you. Also thanks a lot to Ed and his old crew to R Bailey for getting me into this track stuff. Finally found my passion at 50 because of the March 2006 track event.
Again thanks to everyone involed what a great event.
Chris Moons
Jupiter Fl

[RalphSchmalph]

When I bought my BDR last July I told Frank Dodd I had no intention of tracking the car. Then thanks to Larry Hess' recommendation thru DSCC I fell in with a bunch of terrific guys in the Jupiter, Florida area who are racing enthusiasts. They convinced me to come to the Roundup in Gainseville and made me feel welcome in every way. I had only 700 miles on the car when I hit the track for two days of racing and had an absolute blast! I learned a lot and met some very nice people. I also missed home after two nights and knew that I had a long four hour drive ahead of me so I missed the Car Show and the Poker Run. After hearing more about it I regret leaving so soon.
I'm posting this to let anyone who might have some qualms about racing their cars to not hesitate. It brings the best out in yourself and your car. It builds confidence in daily driving and gets rid of that "need for speed" when perhaps you should be doing the speed limit. We're all part of a great community. Take advantage of it.

[Tangible Toys]

Being our third round up we had blast!!
Even though we didn't have our #520 cobra, we had our cheetah ,we still enjoyed seeing the people we miss all year long!! Had a great time at the meet and greet and the show and most of all the poker run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CobraDan]

I just attended the 8th annual gathering of Cobras at the Reptile Roundup, held from November 6th-9th, 2008. Starting on Thursday they held a 2-day high performance driver’s education event at the Gainesville, Fl road track. Then on Friday starting at 7pm we had our meet and greet behind our host hotel in Lakeland, again this year sponsored by Reg Dodd and Backdraft Racing with pizza and drinks for all that attended. It was really great as always seeing so many old friends who I only get to see once a year at this annually held event. Reg had many Cobras to look at but he also brought along their first CAV South African built GT40 in red, just a great looking car. Backdraft is now the American distributor for this GT40 replica along with their Backdraft built replica Cobras. Wayne Pontes of Tangible Toys another of our sponsors brought along his red continuation Cheetah, this was the car that was originally built to beat the Cobras on and off the race track. On Saturday our 1-day car show was held at the Roar N Soar event, and hosted on the grounds of Fantasy of Flight. The DSCC had a Cobra Corral that parked us right in front of their museum at the Fantasy of Flight. There was another car club in the parking lot area and different things going on all over the grounds at the Fantasy of Flight. They had RC controlled planes and boats plus the real planes and boats. They had a Salome course, plane rides, parachute jumpers, the museum and so many other things to view and see that I can’t remember it all. We had a stage placed right in front of the Cobra group where a disc jockey played tunes and more than once our song “Hey Little Cobra”. Later in the day we had a live performance from the Blues Brothers on that same stage. On Sunday the Cobras gathered for breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then a Poker Run and later their departure for home just waiting for next years annual event.