[urq] UPG/CT 25 in 05 , ....this can be done with your help.....(long)

[MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM]

I'm glad to see some interest in having another UPG rally. Usually at this time of year, Gary and I are trying to peek interest in another UPG event but seeing as the Carlisle event is taking place at the same time as the other two UPG Private events were scheduled, we haven't really discussed it in lenght. Is the Carlisle event this years UPG-05? No, not at all. As most of you know UPG was invited by ACNA to a 25th Celebration of the quattro in Carlisle, PA. Seeing as a big turn out of Type 85's showed up at last year at the event, It seems that Mid-Atlantic ACNA felt it a good event to cellebrate the worlds finest drivetrain. It's also easier to register a group of cars to a pre-existing car event than creating one from scratch. To cellebrate the quattro's birthday without the Urquattro would be like cellebrating the birth of Porsche and not having any 356's there. So many UPGers may feel a little skeptical about signing up for the event because of it's public showing, to far to
 drive or it's just not some people's cup of tea do to other car events that they may have attended in the past. This could be a great time to meet everyone who can't make the trip to CT.
 
We were pretty jacked that UPG was officially invited to the Carlisle Import Show in winter's issue of QQ. It would be a shame if only three cars showed up. I mean to see four urqs show up to an offical Audi Sport (Valenti Audi meet and greet with Pobst and Galati) event and all the AudiSport guys flip out to have a huge urq showing (4, huge???) just imagine would happen if they see 20+ at an event. Many on this list wanted to be at UPG-03 and UP-04 but couldn't make the trip do to it's geographical location. Carlisle is a great opprotunity for the mid-Westerner's and mid-Southern's to attend. Granted it isn't the middle of the country but its closer than Bethany,CT. The other thing is I don't see that much vocal traffic from Urq owners in the immediate area, is it possible that there are no urq owners with in 2 hours drive time to Carlisle?
 
I imagine that celelbrating quattro's 25th birthday at a Kit Car show seems a bit strange, but again UPG was invited and from what I understand they have a pretty good swap meet there. I know Force 5 will be there and some private dealers. I imagine Urq parts will be rare at the meet but how can one tell without going? Another reason for the possible lack of interest in Carlisle could be the fact that we are grouped with 4000/CGT owners. I know most of the owners who are attending and they are as fanatical about audi's as we are, maybe more so seeing as they don't own an Urq and choose the 4000/CGT as a platform to achieve Urq ownership. What a great opportunity to promote our cars to potential Urq owners. Get a buz going, show them how cool these cars really are. Most of the 4000/CGT are just plain goofy, like me, about type 85's. Good opprotunity to see some tricked out 10vt's and 20vt's at the show as well with a couple of CGT turbo conversions going and some 4000 turbo conversion
 as well. If you're flirting with the idea of tricking out the WX, MC or a 3B, this will be a great opprotunity to see some creations first hand, maybe get some ideas on how certain set ups worked with others.
 
So as time marches on, I hope that some UPGer's would give the Carlisle gig consideration. We think its going to be a great time. Just seeing Jim Bufkin's Rally Urq in person will be intoxicating enough. The weather is typically great that weekend and let's face it, all of us spend at least 1 hour of the day on this website talking about our cars, it's even better when we meet in person. UPG-03 was held in the rain and no one seemed to care. Everyone just stood around outside talking to others about the cars. Plus there should be some great photo op's with all the cars. And hell, Could be some Car magazines there as well. Everyone knows there will be some great articles on this site, QQ and Audiworld.
 
As for UPG/CT 25 in 05, We have talked about having a late summer UPG do to the carlisle gig being early in the year. I think an late September, early October event could be awesome! The autumn months in New England are amazing with the foiliage and great weather. This could also give more Urq owners an opprotunity with more time to plan the trip. Maybe the beginng of summer is too early for the UPG event with people planning trips with the family, finishing up school, etc. 
 
UPG interest petering out? I don't think so because the last couple of weeks have shown interest in why there has been no mention of it. So I gotta think that people out there want another UPG event. Yeah we were down 5 cars from the 2003 event (22 in 03, 17 in 04) but out of the 17 that showned in 04 we had 9 new urqs to the event. So let's do the math, take 22 cars from the 03 event, add 9 from the 04 event plus lets say another  5 more cars due to new urq ownership or their car wasn't ready for past events, we could potentially have 36  at UPG/CT 25 in 05. So let's throw it out on the table, who would go to UPG/CT 25 in 05 around the last two weekends in Sept or first two in October?? Again, I've noticed a larger community of peeping-toms out there (lurkers who do not like to post) so feel free to e-mail myself or Gary Brown with your answers, opinions or just good ol' fashion feedback on a UPG event in the Fall.  Thanks,
 
Mike C