Yellow Rose Classic.....the dark side

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Well, who knew when I started perusing this exotic pleasure of owning my very own Cobra, that I would be in the middle of such a drama called “Yellow Rose Classic….the dark side”. Sounds kind of evil in a way!

To set the record straight as to the newness of the car, I proudly took delivery on July 4th. I was looking forward to meeting my new best friend Mr. Doug Reed, after spending what seamed like months on the phone putting my personal touches on the car. To my disappointment Doug couldn’t make it with the delivery so, I’m still looking forward to our meeting. Well back to the car, it has just over 200 miles on it (many more to come) and this was to be my first show. As I stated before, I did not go into this show thinking I would win anything, but more as a learning experience. I was looking forward to meeting some of you guys with common interests and getting involved. When entering I had 2 choices, Show or Driven. Well, to me I was driving it so it must be driven! No excuses, just my 2 cents…

No doubt about it, Doug Reed puts together a nice package and I still pinch myself every time I turn that key!!!

Hope to meet ya’ll soon.
Doug Sherar

[Alan Schup]

Gary, I am not blaming you. But if one wanted to try to keep the people involved anonymous, one could have brought up the topic without publishing the private (never meant to be public) communications almost verbatim. Although not mentioned by name, it is recogizable as my email by many people. So yes everyone, I am the person who wrote the letter that is being discussed.

I have absolutely no problems with Gary personally or as a judge --- he is an interesting and nice gentleman who is very thorough and extremely fair in comparing cars. He is one of the reasons I joined SCAT this year. My beef is with the classing system administration. There was at least three other men at this last show that told me the fun of the show was tarnished (not as fun as previous years) because of the very same issue, so the size of the class is not an issue. I believe in fairness so I wrote the letter and truly believe that the Mustang Club did not know they have participants grumbling about the same issue because they do not ask for critiques to make the show better. I thought a simple suggestion might get round-filed, but a protest might get some attention.

The letter is not about winning or losing, or the trophy/plaque or the cost thereof, but the principle --- and about people themselves (not the cars) --- the "funness" of the contest and of being with people and seeing beautiful cars. The one most important thing (and focus of the letter) that was missing somehow from that very private communication was that I still greatly enjoyed participating at the show and really do not expect anything out of my protest letter except maybe a change to the rules for future Yellow Rose shows. Jim and Matt made me out to be a big cry baby, but they have me wrong, or maybe just enjoy to be the bad boys on the block and stir up people's emotions --- I don't care for such attitudes --- I may have them wrong as well. I just like to see a fair and honest contest, and changed/edited my email from a comment letter to a protest type of letter when many more than myself was in the same situation. I think I am maybe the only one who wrote back to the show administrators.

As far as doing more with the club...
From the few club events I am able to attend each year, I have found the people in this Texas Cobra Club are a super great group of people with one exception who is driving me away with his continuous harsh personal comments directed at me over the many years, from the very first time I met him at Lone Star Classics to the first club meeting and dinner I attended to this forum continuing in this very topic thread. Except for this one man, everyone in the club has been very friendly, supportive, and very helpful. I've always paid my dues (contributed financially to the club) upon reminder, and try to contribute useful information to this forum.

I wish I had the time to be more active in the club events... I really do.

-Alan

ps. Doug... Great looking Cobra deserving of many trophies, definately the best of all the Cobras in the show. I have been very busy at work (my manager requested 4 new people to be hired, but instead directed to fire 2 people to raise the company stock price) and I've been out of town on the weekends lately. Your pictures are downloaded from my camera and will transfer them to the computer I have hooked up on the internet to send them to you soon. I did not forget. Expect them soon.

[Mirrorman]

Hello to all,

Interesting to read the many responses to the 'Yellow Rose' ...I have been to two of them, and the cars/people have been GREAT! My car(s) have lost and won..and both are victories to me. I have a few opinions/observations of my own, and would simply like to express them:
1. I am pretty crazy about all cars..yours and mine. As for mine..I name 'em, I talk to 'em, I pet 'em...and I just can't bear to sell 'em! (I also cannot hardly fix 'em).
2. It's not about $$ to me...I simply like being able to own what I enjoy the most. Yes, I currently drive a 120,000 mile daily driver that is immaculate. I would rather purchase a 1969 Cobra Jet than a 2004 LX470.
3. I drive all of my cars appromimately 150 miles a month, except the maroon Boss 429 ( recently acquired). The Grabber Blue Boss 429 was DRIVEN every mile to Nashville in April...but dropped a timing gear & needed a little HELP to make it back to Dallas!
4. I love to view all cars at the shows that I go to, and often go to the shows without an entry, because people and their cars are fun!
5. Winning a trophy is fun for the winner, and when I have the occaision to pick one up, it is enjoyable to be recognized as having an excellent vehicle, by our peers. I have experienced both the feelings of 'winning & losing'....and although every one might like to win...few can. Losing with grace is winning of another type, and for that reason, either way is just fine with me. I especially think that our 13 year old son is learning an important lesson here. It is great to see anyone win a trophy....but losing well takes more grace in my book. I must confess that I do not enjoy clubs of any brand of vehicle 'banding together' to produce a popular vote winner..which is a common 'cruise nite' tactic.
6. I used to sometimes think that the award didn't always go to the best vehicle...did you all see the Olympics? We all have to move on, and realize that there will be another 'trophy run.' Accept the card you drew and move on. When I realized and accepted this, my cars..and I, had more fun.
7. The people are what this is really all about..the cars are simply the VEHICLE to interact.

I am a pretty shy person, so you may see me as an aloof 'car show guy'. Nothing could be further from the truth! We should thank EVERY judge we see, AFTER THE AWARDS, because they are performing the most difficult job of all. Volunteers all, they are willing to do their objective best....to produce the fairest results for ALL of the entrants...lets award them a TROPHY!?

Jim Mango

[Gary Morris]

First Class Act all the way. Thank you Mr. Mango! Jim took the time to bring not 1 but 3 extremely nice cars to the show, plus the time it took to make all show ready. Not one but 2 Boss 429's and a 68 Shelby GT500KR. All this for what? A couple of trophys? I think it's a lot more than that. He got to spend a fun filled weekend with fellow gearheads and talk cars among friends. People.....It doesn't get any better than that in my book.

Gary

[jrussell]

Jim,
I have only had the pleasure of your company a few times, but I certainly enjoyed those times, and I am very pleased you have joined us here! I hope others read your post, because that is the difference in both people and philosophy of living life.....it's the people and the experience, not the plastic!
"People" have made the Texas Cobra Club what it is today, and the last time I looked, the Texas Cobra Club has NEVER charged any "dues" for membership, but what do I know, I an just one of the founding members.
Jim, I am proud to have you with us, and if you run out of time to drive any of those old cars of yours, just shout, and I believe you can get lots of help in short order
John Russell
just one of the Founding Members of the Texas Cobra Club

[Alan Schup]

John,
Dues, donation, kitty,... whatever. I've have contributed financially whenever I've been asked... and I truly wish I had the time now to do more club events, or neighborhood shows to support those clubs. I want to do more, so continue to beat a man when he is down.

All,
Because I can not attend many shows, I even budgeted time off from work to prep my car for this one show, making it look better than previous years when I did win a trophy. Sure I was very disappointed that I did not win anything, but I still had enormous fun at the show. I read some people think I am concerned only with winning. Far from that --- I enjoy the fellowship of the events above that of winning an award --- if I was trophy-hungry then I would be at all the car shows, but I am not. The private email to the administrators of the event and to the club was to bring attention to what I feel is a CONTINUED wrong that should be changed. Last year's comment went unanswered and forgotten (and did not make it public like this letter), and it took a letter of protest to get any answer at all. Please look at this as an attempt to make the show better for all participants (I have heard from one more participant with the same complaint, making a total of 5 that I know of). This time, I got a very thoughtful email back, though there is no mention to consider any rule changes.

I have difficulty sometimes putting thoughts into words (especially when rushed for time), so if anyone has a question as to what I mean, just ask instead of trying to put more into something that is not there.

-Alan

[Gary Morris]

But....Alan, Come on now. I was going to just let this lay but since you posted I thought I would clarify something. Trust Me......Yellow Rose will stay the same. The only reason you got a response this year is I was shown the e-mail and it upset me to the point that I told them I would handle it as I am one of the few TCC members that is also a NTMC member. Had I known last year you would have heard from me then, but last year I was not as active but I did judge last year as well and will probably continue to do so in the future now that the show will put me into another class. I don't like it but some CSX owners feel the need to be separate from the replicas. I'm not one of them...but that's the rules and if I don't like it I won't show up...BUT trust me I will be there with everyone else. As far as your support of the TCC.....well that's a question all it's own. I too am a founding member of the TCC and we have never had dues or anything like it. You may support "THIS" forum, but his forum is not the TCC. The TCC is very loose in any requirements for membership but I would think one would be to just show up! If someone was to ask me if you were a member I would have to say NO. The last time this was brought to your attention was when you got upset because we did not attend the Boy Scout jamboree. At that time we told you how to make it better and you stated you were not aware that our monthly Saturday meetings have become the standard and you even replied that beginning next year you were going to mark your calendar to refelct this......Alan that was in November of 2002!! Since then we have had 21 meetings, 2 AER shows....2 National meets, dessert runs, informal get togethers etc......and correct me if I'm wrong but I haven't seen you at ANY of them......NONE...NADA!! And to say you are a contributing member of the TCC? Please! If it was not for this forum you wouldn't even have a clue as to who owned what car......how strong the local bunch is or even how many cars are around in the area. I'm sorry you're not able to reap the benefits of this group but all I can say is that it's just like anything else. You get out of it what you put into it.

Gary
Founding Member of the Texas Cobra Club

[Alan Schup]

Gary,

So this continues on a public forum? This is uncomfortable for me to write this in the public eye... oh well. Of the relatively few people I have met in this club, I thought you were one of about a dozen I hold in great respect. I now many have a change of mind... I am sorry you have personal problems with my private email to the club and show officials, but since you knew I am the author, you should have privately contacted me before going public, especially with the exact content. All email sent to a private entitity is private, and am concerned what other private email sent to the Mustang Club or their members might show up publically -- very bad netiquette to post a private letter. Had I wanted to complain publically on this forum, I would have, but I know to complain/discipline in private and praise in public. This would have been far better discussed off the forum, and I feel uncomfortable writing this on this forum.

I have never said that I attend every single club event, nor do pretend that I do. Let me correct you: I was more active the first year I joined. Since May 2001 when I joined, I've attended at least 6 local meetings and lunches on my days off that I can remember offhand (mostly when I first joined, and in fact remember happily donating money when the hat was passed during the very first lunch meeting I attended to start a kitty for the club to purchase whatever I've now fogotten), 1 of those 2 AER shows you mention, and another AER show the club did not attend, 1 Yellow Rose show that the club entered (and again I put $20 or so into the kitty to help offset display decorations and stantions rental) and 2 other Yellow Rose shows the club members did not show in force, a few informal get-togethers including (I checked the email on this one to be certain) 1 track event at Motorsport Ranch, two TMS laps events where the club advertised on this forum and showed up in force, and a XMAS party I happened to be in town (of which I remember donating $20 or more to the club soliciting donations to offset the rental of the margarita machine and liquer),...

The invitation to the Council-wide 30,000+ people large Boy Scout Camporee at TMS was just that... a formal invitation by Longhorn Council that was belittled by you and a few other members and then became an Alan bashing session when I defended the event and continued to try to solicit members coming out informally. (The reason you gave while representing the membership at large is that I am an unknown person to you and the club, not attending every single event to be recognized as a member worth any value to the club --- fairly the same thing you are saying now.) BTW, the Model-A club was represented along with the various TMS racecars, and I still had fun with those car owners there, being the only person there with a Cobra among the other cars on display.

Again, I am as active as I possibly can be, which may not be considered active compared standards of those who evidently eat, sleep, live, and die for Texas Cobra Club events. I would think the people of the club would appreciate any level of support, nomatter how big or small. If I am wrong about the friendliness and high quality of people in this club, then shame on me, and as you say, I have a choice as to who I associate with. It is beginning to look like I may be totally free on labor day weekend to attend the upcoming September meeting, if I am still welcome in this club (since it seems this has turned into a ridicule/censure/berate Alan on the forum). Again, I do not feel much welcome because this is beyond just friendly bantering... and now that I think of it, you and Jim may be the reason I subliminally hesitate to participate in more club events than I do.

-Alan


(dang mispellings and incomplete thoughts... it seems I only see them after I've posted)