[s-cars] //SFest 2006 - event recap

[pkrasusky at ups.com]

Well folks, I find myself sitting here now a full month post //SFest and
feel I've finally decompressed enough to post an official recap of the
event.  You likely have seen many of the pics
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z55A41BAD and heard some of the stories but
here's how I saw things.  I'll keep it brief.

What can be said that has not already been said?  How was 2006 any
different than the prior four years?  A handful of the devout have been
with this all five years running now and they could tell you best.  What
started out as 20 UrS cars and another 20 cars 'of interest' assembled
for two years at my house in Tolland, CT for a BBQ and some brews has
grown into a what scarily appears to be a premiere national event.  

How'd that happen???  

//SFest 2006 - at the 16 acre cabin owned by owner of a '94 UrS Orest
"Bys" Bystrianyk http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q16622FDD for now the
third year -  was organized by the team of me, Jeff Postupack, Bob
Rossato, Jim Pasqualoni, and Steve Young.  The residence saw 37 UrS
sedans, 15 Avants, an RS6 sedan and an RS6 Avant (!!!), and
approximately 40 'other' cars of interest, with the first 75 arrivals
receiving a goodie bag including an //SFest - Shokan t-shirt, an //SFest
key fob, an Audi flag, and an Audi Nalgene bottle, and Steve Young had
event hats to sell (email Steve sryoung at trane.com, found a few leftovers
to sell) .  Appears we're getting good at this folks
http://makeashorterlink.com/?F26712FDD.

That's how it happened... and further immortalizing //SFest was a
handful of other key ingredients. 

This years' cars 'of interest' included the late morning arrival of my
client Bob Rohrs in his stunning red Ferrari F430 F1 Berlinetta
http://makeashorterlink.com/?R25421FDD, which set the field of otherwise
predominantly German iron off quite nicely and sounded sublime,
especially when you got the right seat
http://makeashorterlink.com/?D53626FDD.  Keith Maddock's buddy came all
the way up from NJ in his navy '87 930 full of mods
http://makeashorterlink.com/?G36426FDD, only to stay about 20 minutes,
give a few joy rides, and head home.  The F430 and 930 departed
together, with the V8 being heard through near 2 miles of twisties, and
the 930 ripping what seemed to be a gigantic hole in the atmosphere with
its intake whoosh.  Awesome.  

Bob D'Amato staged his '97 black onyx Cosworth Escort RS up on the hill
for what began the row of boxed-fendered cars
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V24423FDD - oh me oh my what a machine that
thing is.  Steve Mills of MD and his uber black VW Rallye Golf (damn
that's a cool car) continued that theme, which then bled into the likes
of Aryp's enviable Mars Red UrQ, to Tim LeClair of Foreign Autopart all
the way from Michigan with his red 951 (go Tim!), a burgundy 951, an
R32, a Mini John Cooper Works, and a '79 911 SC.  James Murray ended the
line parking in front of Bys' snow plow with his Smart Fortwo
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T48421FDD all the wayway from Montreal.
Bob Rossato and friend Steve McNary again shuttled Steve's pair 'o Coupe
GT racers http://makeashorterlink.com/?F26712FDD, producing a sound of
ten buzzing cylinders of fury that echoed through the surrounding
rolling hills, then went back for Steve's MGA, MGB, and TT.  And a pair
of very well set up Coupe Quattro's with AAN conversions
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z18732FDD by Adam Ordway and Lewis Greitzer
rounded out the mix oh so well.  

Seems more fully modded up Avants were there than sedans if you can
imagine http://makeashorterlink.com/?F6F625FDD, with Bill Mahoney here
from IL for the 5th year, Keith Maddock here now for his 3rd with
hilarious real MI tags http://makeashorterlink.com/?I3C621FDD, and Nick
Schirappa from MA here for his 2nd, and Manny Sanchez from MD here for
his first all with highly tuned examples.  And what is an //SFest
without the stalwart 500E's http://makeashorterlink.com/?D2C754FDD,
parked here next to his wifey's Allroad.

By 2:30 Jim Pasqualoni and I ran out of formal spaces to park the influx
and we finally got to begin to socialize and libate.  2006's selection
for quench consisted of a 1/2 of Rogue Dead Guy Ale and 1/2s each of
Sierra Nevada IPA and Magic Hat #9 running through a cold plate.
Capitalizing on his cooking and catering experience, we tasked Bob
Chefbob Saas with manning the 6' grille
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E2A463FDD and serving up endless burgers,
dogs, assorted NYC sausages, fine PA corn on the cob, steak tips,
sausage and peppers, fruit, munchies, more food than you can imagine -
we went all out this year.  Rounding out lunch were a pair of cakes
brought by Bill & Colleen Perron featuring various UrS pictures screened
in them http://makeashorterlink.com/?L5B432FDD - a way cool touch.

As the day rolled past the time for the raffle approached.  This years'
bounty was almost too much stuff http://makeashorterlink.com/?U55712FDD,
in no small part thanks to our extremely generous sponsors
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H2B611FDD.  Aaron Smith of Shokan yet again
provided high level support, this year by contributing the co-branded
shirts for the give away and a number of parts for the raffle.  Our
other amazing raffle contributors included:  Audi USA, Auto Union, Audi
Club of America, Europrice, Foreign Autopart, Audi World, Sports Car
Workshop, SJM Autotechnik, Force 5 Automotive, Wagner Audi, Computemps,
Don Warren of Kryptonite Locks, Jeff Postupack, Bob Rossato, Bruce
Mendel, and Steve Mills.  These entities & individuals selflessly
supported our event, some for now multiple years, and without them this
event most certainly *WOULD NOT* happen whatsoever.  Thanking the
organizing staff for our efforts is one thing...  thank these folks by
patronizing their respective establishments.  Thanks again to all them,
cannot say that enough.  And don't forget Darin Nederhoff for hosting
all the event pictures and details on his site www.s-cars.org.  Thanks
Darin!

With the raffle finally ending, and with Bob Pastore winning seemingly
everything, //SFest began to breath in and take a deep second breath.
As the sun set the tiki torches were lit and the projector began rolling
//SFest Outdoor Theater through the sound system.  The raucous sounds of
Trans Am 200s could likely be heard two zipcodes away.  //Festers sat
back, relaxed, enjoyed the footage and solidified the camaraderie that
is honed daily on the lists and forums.  Great times with even greater
people.  My buddy slipped in mid-theater in his GT3 and I managed to
push Mike Pederson and Bill Mahoney into the seat for a ride, I think
most missed it even being there though.

As midnight passed the core bunch made their way down to tent city;
there must have been 20+ cars still there when we awoke Sunday.  Not to
awake unrefreshed, Bob Rossato Nasaengineered a shower
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K1A732FDD for all to enjoy.  And, as always
with //SFest, we broke camp and tore down the set up to establish a yet
again leave no trace event scene.  By 11:00 Bob, Bys, and I sat and
surveyed the now eerily quite serene grounds.  //SFest had come and gone
once again.  Sigh.

Each year it seems I sit back post //SFest numb from the fun and
bewildered exactly how one could ever hope to achieve better.  Or even
replicate for that matter.  However despite all odds, we always seem to
make it happen.  This is not possible, without again our sponsors, and
without those who came from NC / TN / WV / VA / DC / MD / NJ / PA / OH /
IL / MI / CO / NY / MA / NH / VT / ME / Toronto / Montreal.  It is also
not possible without a location - thanks Bys!  Bys' residence did go on
the market fall of last year and remains for sale, leaving the future of
another event there extremely unlikely.  And while I am selling my UrS,
I did replace it with a D2 //S8 so I'm still in the mix.  I've vowed not
to do this again, as has my poorpoor wife - who knows, crazier things
have happened.  Like //SFest.  What have we created???  I've said it
before and I'll say it again - those who have //Fested - know.  As
always...  stay tooned.

-Paul & the //SFest staff
CT home of insanity
twelve rings 457k miles and a TR3