Spring Fling

[DVJR]

I have sat back, watched, and listened for four years the happenings in and around the Double Venom Spring Fling. At the end of every year, I read every thread that gets posted on this event. This will be my last post on this subject. I will not read anymore of this garbage. But, I have held my silence long enough. I do not have the tactfulness that my father has, so my apologies to the good people that I have met over the years.

We all know how this event started so I do not need to go into that.

I have held many talks with DV about where "we" should take the DVSF. In "we", I mean as a group of cobra enthusiasts. What do people want? What would make everyone the happiest when they arrive here for three days? What can we do to make this time with friends and family the most unforgettable experience as possible?

We have publicly asked for and welcomed ideas and constructive criticism from anybody willing to speak. 72 hours was never enough time to fit in everybody's ideas so I apologize if yours were left out. Nothing personal, but the logistics of it were impossible.

For those of you that have whined, complained, and tried to undermine my father, I have no respect for you. I am embarrassed and ashamed to see this event dragged through the mud the way it has.

All the event was supposed to be, was a group of people that loved these cars. Forget all of your politics and petty disagreements for three days and come out and have fun. The first year, this was accomplished. After that, the backroom talking started.

Everything has gone downhill from there. DVSFIV was the first year that I really dug in and tried to organize the event. DV helped me overcome obstacles and avoid failures that he had experienced before. I liked organizing the DVSF because I knew that so many people would have fun, no matter what we did. By the end of DVSFIV, I knew I was done. The complaining and undermining that went on, was too great for me to handle. I admit, I took it personally. I know I shouldn't have, for the most part, but I couldn't help it. I shut down my own business for the better part of 80 days and tried to put the event together.

I do not know what politics are involved in this bickering that is going on. And I don't need to know because there SHOULDN'T BE ANY. I personally wanted to shut the event down completely.

Some people have taken this event for granted. If you didn't like the way it was held, then you should have moved to London, got an apartment, hotel, bought a house, whatever, and sat down in the hundreds of hours of planning it took to do this. Then give up your work and family time to go to meetings and run errands and make phone calls.

My hat is off to Jack and the Lake Snakes Cobra Club. They have taken on the responsiblity and headache of continuing the Double Venom Spring Fling. I know that they will continue on with the ethics and integrity that my father wants engraved into this special event.

None of us ever wanted recognition for doing this event. We just wanted to see some really cool cars and meet really nice people.

I have not expressed all of the heartache I have experienced over these last couple of years, especially what DVSFIV has done to my personal life. I cannot put into words what many people have done for this event. Thank you for the help and support you have provided.

As for the rest of you that think this event will bring you glitz and glamour, I feel sorry for you. Good luck with that.

It really is a terrible thing when a few people can ruin such a wonderful time for many. I thought we had a stronger group than that.

I apologize if I have rambled. But after four years, I cannot take it anymore. Shame on you. I'm done. Goodbye.