Rotary Power Northwest (RPNW.ORG) held its monthly membership meeting on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2007, followed by Board appointments for officers. I was appointed President, almost ten years after I began my last stint in 1997. Time flies.

We are working up an events schedule for the coming year and need your input. The plan is to have at least one "real" event (activity, not just meeting) every month. To get the ball rolling, we will go Karting in Tigard, OR in February, probably on the 10th. In March, we will have a tech session at Pineapple Racing, date TBD. After that, the slate is open. Ideas tossed around included a dyno day, either at Ground Zero or TorqueFreaks, a Barbeque in the warmer months, another swap meet, a St. Helens drive, and a new and improved Northwest Rotor Rally. Your suggestions are welcome. Once the event ideas are sorted through and people assigned to coordinate them, we will check the proposed event dates against those of other organizations so we can minimize scheduling conflicts.

The Northwest Rotor Rally will definitely find a new venue. The plan is to make it into both a car show and performance event, featuring slalom, skid pad, 0-60 acceleration, 60-0 braking, full autocross, dyno pulls, etc. Lots of trophies, both for individual events and overall results. Probably open it up to other makes and models to fill out the field, but rotary power will have it's own special place. Like I said, it's just a plan and subject to change. We were exploring the idea of holding it in a huge, flat lot in Packwood, WA but I have also been talking to my bosses at MazdaSport Magazine about an airstrip in Shelton, WA as more of an All-Mazda thing. The timing is expected to be late summer or early fall.

RPNW is a real non-profit corporation, with insurance, accounting and other expenses. As such, we have membership dues to help off-set those expenses. Annual membership is currently $20. We welcome non-members to participate, of course, but usually at a slightly higher cost. The idea is that if you end up participating in multiple events, the membership fee will have paid for itself. We will also work towards getting vendor discounts, so you get even more benefits of membership. I also plan to resume mailing event notice postcards to members, so you can put it on your refrigerator to remind yourself of what's coming up. Pineapple Racing will sponsor the cost of printing and mailing the postcards.

That's all I have to report at this time. Please stay tuned and have a Happy New Year!

 

It was great to see (almost) everyone again!

 

Yeah, it was a pretty big turnout for just a meeting. Ironic that our most steady member for the last 10 years, Bill White, wasn't there for once.

 

rpnw.org really didn't have much info on where you meet or anything, i'm really intrested in meeting up with you guys!

 

sounds like a good start for the year. keeping at least one event per month is a good thing. we do that up here, exept from oct through jan. the weather just ruins the mood.
the shelton air port is supposed to be an old drag strip. they actually opened it up as one last year for a car show and oldies drag. i myself would like to be able to get down and do more things with your club this year. so keep us all posted on the events happening.

 

RPNW Meeting Time and Location

 

may have to drop in on the next one hopefully the fb is a little better looking by then just needs paint and some better interior pieces not to fond of the red

 

Another event idea came to me over the weekend. Would anyone be interested in a GranTurismo 4 Challenge event, with two networked PS2s, two sets of force-feedback wheels and pedals and two monitors? Basically, simulators.

I envision a round-robbin qualifying where every contestant runs solo for 20 minutes or so in which to post their best lap time on the same track and in the same car as everyone else. Then the top 8 contestants advance to quarter-final head-to-head elimination, then 4 to the semi-finals and finally the top two battle it out head-to-head for the championship in an epic race at the Nurburgring in the 787B.

Entry fee $20 for members, $25 for non-members. Winner gets $100, a trophy and sponsor prizes. Runner up gets their $20 back and perhaps some parting gifts. Everyone else gets free pizza and soda, as well as the entertainment of watching the final eight battle for the trophy. The club takes whatever is left over after expenses, which will be used to fund other exciting events. For a little more, we could add an optional practice day a week prior.

Let me know what you think. Just trying to get an idea of the interest level and input on the format before taking it to the Board for discussion.

 

Ever thought of lookin into a track day at the new race track being built in Milwaukie, http://www.oregonraceway.com/index_files/Page365.htm. It's slated to be open in August. Just a thought, I know PIR is rather difficult and expensive to rent.

 

Oregon Raceway Park is being built in Grass Valley (Central Oregon). I was there last summer when they were laying it out. Should be a nice facility and I can't wait to see it in action.