I STILL HAVE A DREAM
If you’ve been reading this magazine for as long as I’ve worked here, you might recall many moons ago that I mooted the idea of an import orientated Beach Hop. Back then, I was openly dubious that it would work, given the number of guys in the scene who seemed to be unable to resist the urge to pop the clutch at any given opportunity, the bigger the public crowd the better, as if it was going to get them laid or something. Now, I’m not saying that the V8 crowd are a bunch of saints compared with them — just search #mustangthings if you need proof of that — but we tend to go a little harder — like, sit-the-car-on-the-spotand-pop-a-set-in-Maccas hard. But, over the past few years, as more grey hairs have begun to appear on many of those clutch-kickers, and the value and thickness of wax on their car have grown, I’ve begun to think that it might actually be an achievable dream.
Imagine everyone heading to a waterside location for a week of beach hopping, a laid-back show, and a bit of non-automotive entertainment. Maybe even some spirited driving events if the location was right, which could, at least, ease some of that pent-up frustration at not being able to bury the right foot every two seconds. Then all the unofficial night cruising and lurking from bach to bach, catching up with mates. It could be one hell of a week, if you ask me.
If events like Chrome and REunion can be as big as they currently are, there is no reason that we can’t muster at least 500 entrants for something like this as a starter. Perhaps, and I know this will piss some people off, vetting these entrants would go a long way to setting the tone right for the event. Like other similar events, the others are welcome, just not in an official capacity. While I can think of many suitable locations around the country, it needs to be fairly central, big enough to swallow the influx, have all the necessary shops; restaurants; and bars; and, most important, be welcoming to the import world — although, it’s this last bit that gets me a little worried, and I can already picture the faces of the council members as the organizer attempts to sell them the dream.
If you can get over this hurdle and get enough support at the beginning to at least get it off the ground, and prove to the naysayers that it can happen without riots in the streets, I could see it becoming one hell of a good week with like-minded individuals. Yeah, it will never come close to reaching Beach Hop size and, quite frankly, I do not think it needs to even try to, as that’s when issues occur and all the clutch-kickers suddenly see it as the Super Bowl of street skids. Yeah, I’ve seen plenty of #mustangthings go down there too.
The reason that this type of activity really makes me nervous is not the attention it draws to those doing it, but the the attention it brings to all the others, and I don’t know a single person who wants to have their car put under the microscope roadside, with the family or mates sitting curbside, when they were obeying all the road rules.
So, do we have any takers, or someone crazy enough or driven enough to pull it off? Anyone? Don’t be shy now. Or maybe I should just get off my arse and stop putting ideas out there in the hope that others will action them. Nah, who am I kidding; I’d have way more fun as an entrant. A little boy waits.