ALMS Grand Prix of (Road) Atlanta, April 17:

I know Andy put up a thread on the South Central forum, but you Carolinians seem to support the Road Atlanta events better than my Georgia brethren.

So who's coming to the ALMS race at the end of next week? Any chance of an RV parked by the fence in the skidpad again? How about a Ferrari corral?

I can't come Saturday since my company is holding a Family Day, but I will be there on Sunday, depending on the weather:
--If the weather is great I'll come in the Ferrari.
--If the weather is so-so I'll come in the Civic.
--If the weather is lousy I'll probably stay home and watch on TV.

 

While I don't mind driving the Ferrari in the rain (and I have, as recently as this past Saturday), I'd rather not if I can help it. And if there is ANY chance of thunderstorms, fuhgeddaboudit! Remember that thunderstorms, especially in the spring, often bring hail, which is the one thing we all should worry about.

 

I'll be going to the auto show sooner (probably this Sunday), but after I'm done with Family Day at the plant on the 16th, I'll be available the rest of Saturday afternoon. Suggest a good place to meet, and I'll be there.

 

I know it's early to predict, but what time do you expect to get there, and do you have any plans after the racing ends?

Frankly, I was not planning on going to the track at all on Saturday; I was thinking in terms of something involving Andretti SpeedLab, Ferrari of Atlanta or Flashback Motorworks......

 

Here's one option that could appeal to both those going to the track on Saturday, and those who aren't!

We could meet for a nice Italian dinner at Giovanni's Restaurant in Suwanee. Giovanni's is exotic car friendly and hosts car show/dinners approximately monthly during the summer. There is plenty of parking in a lot with little thru traffic, they have a nice outdoor deck for dining "al fresco", and the food is great! And it's on the northeast side of Atlanta, so it's not that inconvenient for anyone coming from Road Atlanta.

It's at 3630 Peachtree Parkway, just north of McGinnis Ferry Road. Rather than give directions, let MapQuest do it for you. I think their 44 minute estimate is rather overly generous:
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&do=nw&un=m&cl=EN&ct=NA&rsres=1&1y=US&1a=5300+Winder+Highway&1c=Braselton&1s=GA&1z=30517&1ah=&2y=US&2a=3630+Peachtree+Parkway&2c=Suwanee&2s=GA&2z=30024&2ah=

Think about it, everyone who reads this......

 

Has the jury reached a verdict yet? As I see it, your options are:

A. After the Auto Show, go to Road Atlanta for the Saturday afternoon support races, or:
B. Meet me (and hopefully some of the other locals) somewhere in the northside and we can visit Andretti SpeedLab, Ferrari of Atlanta (and perhaps the Lambo store as well) and possibly Flashback Motorworks (I need to find out how late they'd be open).

And from either A or B, there will be option C:
C. Nice Italian dinner at Giovanni's in Suwanee.

And on Sunday I guess we'll all meet at the skidpad. The long-range weather forecast looks perfect.

 

You say you're going to go from the track to Andretti and then do dinner? I would suggest reversing that for two reasons:

First and foremost, Giovanni's happens to be on the way from the track to Andretti. If you want proof, I can provide a link to a map.
Secondly, if you leave the track at 5:00, you would pass Giovanni's around 5:45, which sounds like a good time to eat. I've already found at least one local who would be interested in joining us, and if we set a firm time I think we could do even better. If you go to Andretti first it will be a very late dinner, which I, for one, would not be interested in. (Andretti, BTW, is open until 1 AM on Saturday night!)

 

Oddly, I haven't been inside Andretti SpeedLab either; last time I tried they were closed for remodeling (completed about a month ago!).

No, I have no plans to go to the track on Saturday. I was planning to meet you guys, presumably at Giovanni's for dinner, and then lead you on to Andretti.

Okay, JDAVID, you want proof, look at these two maps. One is the route (previously posted) from Road Atlanta to Giovanni's; the second is the route from the restaurant to Andretti.

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&do=nw&un=m&cl=EN&ct=NA&rsres=1&1y=US&1a=5300+Winder+Highway&1c=Braselton&1s=GA&1z=30517&1ah=&2y=US&2a=3630+Peachtree+Parkway&2c=Suwanee&2s=GA&2z=30024&2ah=
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&do=nw&un=m&cl=EN&ct=NA&rsres=1&1y=US&1a=3630+Peachtree+Parkway&1c=Suwanee&1s=GA&1z=&1ah=&2y=US&2a=11100+Alpharetta+Highway&2c=Roswell&2s=GA&2z=&2ah=

 

One little aside, the route on that second map from Giovanni's to Andretti goes right past Ferrari of Atlanta!

Open up the map at step #7. The dealership is at the corner of S. Main St. and Wills Rd.

They won't be open by the time we go by but you'll still be able to see the cars on the floor through the big windows.