MH99 - conclusion of a great weekend

[ti@amb.org (Ti Kan)]

I just returned from a absolutely fantastic weekend at MH99 and
it was so incredible it defies description.  As a long time Audi
enthusiast I've got to say this has got to be THE event of the decade,
perhaps ever.

I was there in the QCUSA corral with two of my Audis, a silver
1980 4000 and a pearl 1996 A4q.

Others have already written about what was there... but to me the high
point has got to be the QCUSA parade lap around the track.  Imagine all
of us, over two hundred Audis driving around the famous Laguna Seca
(two laps!), with people cheering from the side.  Engines revving,
horns honking, tires squealing...  the feeliing was simply amazing.  

Audi has been the "underdog" when it comes to prestige, but to be honored
as the featured marque; as equals in pedigree to the likes of Ferrari
Porsche, Lotus or Jaguar, really rewards our enthusiasm.  For myself and
many of us who have stayed with Audi through the years, it provides a
great sense of satisfaction.

And to take in the sights and sounds of ALL the historically significant
race cars in Audi history at once!  WOW.  Audi really pulled out all the
stops and put on a very impressive display.  Those Auto Union racers
and the streamliner were stunning, and so were the Le Mans R8Rs, the
Trans Am 200qs, the IMSA GTO 90tq, the rally and Pikes Peak rally Sport Qs,
and myriad historic NSUs, Horch, DKW and Audis.

Not to mention the GRAND scale of an Audi enthusiast gathering!
A sea of Audis and owners who all basks in each others enthusiasm.
And talk about the cars...  Some radical (Ned Ritchie's beast, Tim
Valencia's 20VT 4KQ race car, the LT1 5KTQ, etc) some whimsical (a
topless purple Fox!), rare (no less than 6 Sport Qs, and lots of UrQs)...
others have tasteful mods, or are just great, well cared for cars.
Even some nifty DKWs, NSUs and a very clean late 60s Super 90 (?).

It was a great pleasure to have finally met many of you from this
list, and some of you with your beautiful cars.  Was nice talking
to our listmeister Dan Simoes, also many other listers, (would fill
a page to name names, and I am terrible at remembering names...).
Tom Nas brought a really neat collection of Euro Audi brochures and
memorabilia... all the way from Holland.  He is my kind of Audi fan!

And to feel like a VIP dining in the Audi hostpitality suite, having
brushes with greatness with various Audi luminaries...

I even chatted with Greg N. Brown (editor of European Car magazine)
who said "buy it!" when I mentioned my interest in a new S4.  He
went on to say that Audi has got everything right on that car, and
he would recommend it over an M3.  High praise from someone who has
seen and driven a lot of cars.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that MH99 is not just all about
Audi, but it was the 25th anniversary of the Monterey Historics and
there was an impressive display of the past featured marques...
and all the other wonderful classic race cars doing their thing.

Thank you all, this is an experience that I will not forget.  And thanks
to QCUSA and Audi for putting on an awesome event.

-Ti
P.S. Pictures of MH99 will be on my web site soon.

96 A4 2.8 quattro
84 5000S 2.1 turbo
80 4000 2.0
-- 
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
   ///   AMB Research Laboratories, Sunnyvale, CA. USA
  ///    ti@amb.org
 //////  http://metalab.unc.edu/tkan/
///