Blue Suede Cruise editorial
Randomlv Speaking
by: John Shapiro
I'm sure you've heard the rumors. This time it's true. The Blue Suede Cruise is no longer, at least as we know it. The following offers as much as I can tell you about the explanation for the end of the BSe. You'll also read the official letter from Summit Motorsports Park track owner Bill Bader Jr.
First let me explain the beginnings of the BSe. Although this was the 6th edition of the show, the idea began some 7 1/2 years ago as myself, Bill Bader Jr. and Dave Elret of (Dave & Ed's Swap Meets) got together at the Cleveland Auto-Rama for what was to become the ground work of the BSe.
Without boring you with specifics, Bill provided the location, Dave was to provide the swap meet and I consulted all the event structure based on all the shows and cruises we had been involved with along with graphic
art advertising. I also brought to the table, experience from going
to hundreds of shows as a real
life participant. Later meetings included Bill's father 'n law, Jim Tracht, who in addition is a good friend is a fellow cruiser and had experience on long hauls and out of state events. Each of the 3 separate arms (the track, the swap meet and the cruise) had 3 specialists so advice was only a phone call
away. Between all of us we had a brain trust that was sure to win.
At many meetings through we'd all play "what if" we could design the ultimate experience what would each of us want. Could we let cruisers go down the track and get an ET slip? Could we have an official track photographer shoot each car offering it for sale a few hours later as
a memento and proof that your car actually went down the famed quarter mile. Those questions and more were answered with a resounding, Yes!
The first year we picked up close to 900 cars out of the box despite the rain the solid rain all weekend. The second year, the rains came again and Bill scrambled like a NFL QB when he moved the Bowzer Oldies show to the school gym. The 3rd year I think we broke 1,000, then came the sun and huge growths in participant attendance eventually reaching over 2400 in last year.
Sure there were problems, but they were quickly fixed by often having on-the-fly meetings, dismissing them as
"growing pains". .
Then this year, it seemed one problem loomed large.
Early Friday morning (2 am I think) the rains came a'Ild flooded the westside of the track putting most of the vendor tents underwater. One vendor couldn't get out of his motorhome until the water reseeded. Bill obviously felt the grounds would be torn up and of course the track would be too wet to safely let cruisers down the track. The weather forecast called for more and so he gave the
word to cancel that days activities. Unfortunately, Bill was in a drag race mode and doesn't understand that the "C" word is never used in a street rod event. Even the NSRA "Flood Nats" in Louisville wasn't cancelled when they got 10 inches of rain in one hour. But in the drag racing world, if there's rain, the event is cancelled.
By 8am the rain never came but the cruisers did and parked on the East side of the track on the new asphalt. What happened next will still be a puzzle to me forever. When I arrived around 8:30am the crowd surrounded my car like a bees to honey only I wasn't their honey. "The cook-out has been cancelled", screamed everyone. What? How could that be. I'm not a cook, nor do I have a clue as to how to make enough potato salad to serve hundreds of car people, but I know ya can't make it in an hour and
I do know once it's made it'll go bad quickly unless it's used. I called Bill, left a message, never to get a return call.
So why not have a cookout under the bleachers? Or maybe a rain-check for Sat.? He had scrambled before, surely he could have come up with something to sat-
isfy the troops. He did, free ice cream! Which further antagonized the crowd who were all screaming at me (a dollar back, big deal!!) All I could say was, "It's his place, he makes the rules, I'm just the architect and sponsor!" Please don't shoot the messenger.
Whatever the case, the cookout wasn't rescheduled, there were no rain checks and although Saturday it was a wonderful day
as cars packed the joint they also packed my booth with complaints.
By Monday the email was buzzing with some of the nastiest comments I've ever heard. We got letters, we got phone calls and by noon, it was becoming clear to me that I couldn't be a part of the BSC. Although Bill owned the show, my name was on the masthead and I was getting so much flack I had to look several times in the mirror to see if I had a bulls-eye on my back.
I called Bill and he basically said he was getting the same amount, if not more and made the decision to end the show.
I offered him the "Guest Editorial" as a way to end the show or to offer some sort of closure. Here's the letter.
Open Letter
to Blue Suede Cruise Participants:
For the past six years our team has worked exceedingly hard to deliver the best possible experience to each of you attending the Blue Suede Cruise. Understand we want you to be happy; if you're happy "we" all win - WE CARE! However, it seems that with some, despite our best efforts we continually fall short.
As a result, I have made the decision to discontinue the Blue Suede Cruise. I want to thank all
of you for giving us the opportunity to have you as a guest in our home. Additionally, I want to apologize to those who left feeling they had an unsatisfactory experience. This was clearly not our intention.
God Bless ...
Bill Bader Jr., Summit Motorlsports Park, Norwalk Oh.
As I said, the show is now done - as we krow it.
From what I hear, there is 3 nationally known event promoters who are interested in putting on some sort of similar event. Which means they might rent the track and hold their own event or possibly do a National show somewhere in the Cleveland vicinity and quite possibly it'll be called something else.
All I know is, the BSC was a great showwhile it lasted and I'd like to say thanks to all of you for answering the call to support it.
The show's growth was phenomenal. I'm extremely proud of all our readers who took time off from their work to sneak out an extra day of traveling to help make the show successful. Believe me, it was the talk of the industry.
I thank those folks we personally invited to come up from Columbus who had never heard of the show or the race track, but put all their confidence in me as I assured them it was one of the most "fun" events they'd ever attend.
I appreciate all the driving you Pennsylvania folks did, especially my good friends from DuBois, Pa, who drove 6 hours each way each year with their families. Special thanks go to the Youngstown contingent of Pat Pantone who single handedly brought so many cars I think all of Youngstown was empty that weekend.
A special tip of the cruiser hat goes to Auggie and his bunch from Wheeling, Josh and his rat rod crew from Cincy; the Indiana boys, the Choppers Hot Rod
Club for not only bring the entire club but early on realized renting a giant tent was the way to go since the first 2 years it rained!
A special "Starters wave of the flag" to all the vendors who stuck it out in the early years and put up there tents and motorhomes to sell their wares and put their name in front of thousands of hot rodders.
Obviously I can't mention all 2,400 who attended the 5th anniversary (last year) but, this '01 architect would like to thank all those who occupied the building known as the Blue Suede Cruise for it's 6 years, whether you came for one event or kept coming back year after year.
I have a feeling the BSC will be talked about and rehashed for many months to come, hopefully the good part of the shows will be remembered for years to come. It was one hell of a FUN event.
I can tell you one hard lesson, being a sponsor is a double edge sword. You can go from hero to whipping boy real quick and I can tell you that we will be seriously taking a closer look at what we sponsor in the future.
On a side note, we couldn't and wouldn't put all the letters we got into the Dear John section as that section would be 50 pages long, I did however put some of
the "choice ones" both pro and can in this issue to give you a brief sampling as to "fine prose" that our readers represent.
I've also devoted 10 pages for show coverage of the "last" Blue Suede Cruise so those who came can remember the good times.
While you enjoy the story I'll be busy writing my next book ... "Car Events for Fun & Profit" or "Ready, Fire, Aim get the guy in the orange car."
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) had a good time
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