If you're tired of the same old same-old when it comes to car shows, you need to be at the YearOne Experience in Georgia, May 16-18: It's not a car show, it's a full-throttle event you participate in, not merely "attend." While most shows cater to the power parking mentality, The Year One Experience will destroy that concept in a cloud of tires smoke and brake dust. Held at both the Road Atlanta motorsports facility in Braselton, Georgia and the Atlanta Drag Way 15 minutes up the road in Commerce, The Experience has more than enough to excite every automotive enthusiast.
Activities at Road Atlanta include a timed autocross, wet autocross course, 0-60-0 challenge, fast-paced "parade laps" in your own car around the famous 2.5 mile road course, and Skip Barber driving School track day sessions in your own car, as well as ride-along hot laps in YearOne's new track-prepped muscle cars.
The 2007 Experience saw over 1,600 laps put down on the autocross course, the 80 track day slots sold out, the 165 hot-lap ride alongs in race cars sold out, and more parade laps around road Atlanta than they could keep track of. Of course, there's still a car show at the heart of the YOX, with a $5,000 award and custom crystal vase-The YearOne Cup-given to the chosen winner.
At the Atlanta Drag Strip, participants can enjoy the Friday Test & Tune sessions, then watch the real entertainment: the Outlaw Street Car Racing Association race featuring stock-bodied cars running 150s and 160s in the 1/8-mile. Drag racing doesn't get any better than the wheels-up ORSCA action.
The heart of the Year One Experience is a huge car show, with individual classes for every kind of vehicle. The big prize is the Year One Cup, accompanied by a $5,000 gift certificate and an impressive amenities package. The Cup winner is chosen by industry VIPs in attendance, while all other classes are chosen by participant vote. Media coverage of past shows has been extensive, so if you've ever had dreams of seeing your car in print or on TV, this could be one of your best opportunities as editors from over a dozen magazines and crews from several different TV shows will be on hand.
The Year One Experience is a great show, but it's also a family event. To that end, there is a huge kids' play area with activities for all ages at no additional cost, and excellent shopping with the largest mall in the South East just 15 minutes south and outlet stores at the Drag Strip's exit, for members of the family who might not enjoy spending three days engulfed in brake and clutch dust, tire smoke and exhaust.
If it isn't the best time you and your family have ever had at a car show, you need to sell your car and take up stamp collecting. For more information on the Year One Experience, go to Year One's website at www.yearone.com, or call 1-800-YEAR ONE, Ext 300.