StudBug headed to Portland, OR ...

[Mad Mike]

Yes Debbie - you can finally meet the StudBug itself if you can make it to Portland next month! Plans are being finalized that will find FMX superstar "Cowboy" Kenny Bartram continuing his quest for the 2006 Rally America Production Championship at the Oregon Trail Rally in the world's first New Beetle Rally Car. For more info on the event be sure to visit http://rally-america.com/event.oregon2006.php
and/or http://www.oregontrailrally.com/

See you there!

[jdesigns]

I guess I need to take a day or weekend off! Oh yeah! Looking forward to it!

[marvins_dad]

I guess no StudBug at TNBRU this year, huh?

[jdesigns]

I just realized I have a photoshoot booked for the 22nd. I guess I need to put the pedal to the metal either on Friday or Sunday.

[dnyed]

Oh My God!!

I will finally meet my all-time favorite New Beetle!!

You can bet your sweet pitooty I'll be there!

*edit. Already organizing GTG!! Mad Mike, will you be there, too?

[Mad Mike]

Originally Posted by marvins_dad

I guess no StudBug at TNBRU this year, huh?

Unfortunately that may come to pass ... again. Sorry. Since the SB is soon to no longer be my car and the fact that I'm still unemployed we're keeping expenditures to a bare minimum - which would explain why my sole autosport competition in over a year was a $20 autocross a week before I got fired.

Originally Posted by dnyed

Oh My God!!

I will finally meet my all-time favorite New Beetle!!

You can bet your sweet pitooty I'll be there!

*edit. Already organizing GTG!! Mad Mike, will you be there, too?

Yes ma'am! If things end up finalized the way they stand now I'll sell Kenny the StudBug and then be contracted to tow and service the car through the 2006 season and, hopefully, lose my 'title' as the only Oklahoman to win a national stage rally season championship.

I may be in Portland as early as noon Thursday the 18th.

[dnyed]

Excellent! Will you have any free time?

[Mad Mike]

Originally Posted by dnyed

Excellent! Will you have any free time?

Probably. I'm getting there Thursday for this:

Rally America Fan Appreciation Day
Thursday, April 20th, 2006
11am to 2pm
Pioneer Courthouse Square, Downtown Portland

Everyone is invited to come down to 'Portland's Livingroom' and visit with some of the top rally drivers in the US, and see their cars! This is event is FREE and open to everyone. Spectator guides will be available.

Spectator guides will also be available at the following locations beginning April 10th, 2006:

* The Red Lion Hotel, Hillsboro
* The Independant Newspaper in Vernonia
* The Trask Store in Tillamook
* Timber Junction on Hwy 26
* Portland International Raceway
* Competition Motorsports
* www.oregontrailrally.com

Probably go check into the hotel after that - Register & tech Friday morning - we have stages at PIR that evening and we're in the woods Saturday & Sunday (I, of course, will be hanging in the service areas both days).

http://www.oregontrailrally.com/tentative_schedule.cfm

What, dare I ask, have you in mind?

[dnyed]

Originally Posted by Mad Mike

Rally America Fan Appreciation Day
Thursday, April 20th, 2006
11am to 2pm
Pioneer Courthouse Square, Downtown Portland


What, dare I ask, have you in mind?

Yay! I work downtown near the square! I will be there very shortly after noon (my parking garage pass doesn't let me in until 12 sharp).

Will SB be there?


I had in mind a little local gtg, TBA, of course. I'm thinking BBQ joint. It will depend on whether or not I can get the night off. (I work 1:30-10:00pm)

I'd like to kidnap you to join us. It would be an honor. I'll see if I can get the night off, and maybe some local folks to attend, ~if~ you are available, that is.

[Mad Mike]

Originally Posted by dnyed

Yay! I work downtown near the square! I will be there very shortly after noon (my parking garage pass doesn't let me in until 12 sharp).

Will SB be there?

That's the plan at the moment - the fan fest thig is why I'm heading out of Oklahoma a day earlier than necessary if we were doing just the rally.

I had in mind a little local gtg, TBA, of course. I'm thinking BBQ joint. It will depend on whether or not I can get the night off. (I work 1:30-10:00pm)

I'd like to kidnap you to join us. It would be an honor. I'll see if I can get the night off, and maybe some local folks to attend, ~if~ you are available, that is.

I would be honored!

At this moment Thursday evening is likely to be the only time I can safely schedule away from team responsibilities (or possible ones). Once the competition has begun the Rallye Gods have a bad habit of damaging rally cars to mess up anything planned for a weekend's off-rally hours so I'd hate to plan anything Friday or Saturday nights.

Speaking of all-night repair thrashes (something that has never been necessary during my time with the StudBug) if anyone in the PNW has a little mechanical aptitude, are four-letter-word insensitive (things can get tense every once in a while), nothing better to do with their hours that weekend in April and are keen to see the inner workings of a US stage rally team I'd love to have some help servicing the StudBug. Tons of rally stories and other entertaining BS guaranteed!

[CrazyJames]

If only I were single with disposable income still

I'd so be there

[dnyed]

I will ask for that night off, when I get to work today.

If we (the PNW crowd) miss this opportunity, we would hate ourselves!

[dnyed]

I have the day off. I (we) would like to show you some hospitality on Thursday evening. I hope you can spare time for dinner with some Pacific Northwest NB'ers.


Would Kenny be able to join us, too?

[dnyed]

Yay! StudBug is coming to Portland!

[dnyed]

See you Thursday! Then, See you Saturday!

[Mad Mike]

Check out http://www.11tenths.com/graphics/movies/ot-06.mov
for a peek at StudBug on an Oregon Trail stage road ...

[jdesigns]

Awesome Mike! Thanks for sharing the vid!

Mike Schmeling did a very nice job at editing!

For those that too impatient to sit through the whole video, Studbug makes his appearance at 3:58. Looked good to me!


It was a great pleasure to see you again April 20th! I wish I was able to make it down for the actual race, but I'm still glad I drove more than 6 hours to have dinner with you, Kenny and Dennis.

[Mad Mike]

Originally Posted by jdesigns

It was a great pleasure to see you again April 20th! I wish I was able to make it down for the actual race, but I'm still glad I drove more than 6 hours to have dinner with you, Kenny and Dennis.

Ya'all wouldn't believe the impression our BBQ outing and the DNYED home visit had on the boys. It was only their second rally so they were still new to the scene so I'm sure they'll never forget Oregon 06! In fact, they mentioned the NB turn out when we did PA. last month.

[TechnoTrix'd]

Looking good Mike, nice to see Studbug still terrorizing d'em Sue-ba-rues.......

[dnyed]

Finally got a chance to watch the video. I am so glad I met StudBug!