Roundup 29
Summer, 2008

The Motor City

Detroit, Michigan

Some are thinking that far ahead. Just ask Paul Wicker, John Cowall and Dick Baumhauer. It is confirmed that Roundup 29 will be Detroit in the summer of 2008 to coincide with the 100th Anniversary celebration of General Motors.

The date for this year's Roundup has been firmed up for June 20, 21. & 22nd. An autocross lot has been contracted from the City of Detroit on Belle Isle in the middle of the Detroit River.

In the image below, the west (pointy) end of the island has a large fountain/pool west of the circular "Fountain Drive". The pool is shows up black and the big parking lot we will be using for our autocross shows up as gray/white. JJ & I went there today (1/14/2008) to check it out...it's a home run! The driveway on the south side of Sunset was/still is used as the pit lane for the Champ Cars. Last year they paved this lot for the paddock area for the Detroit Grand Prix race. They'll start moving the concrete barriers onto the island the day after we use the lot for our autocross to make their race course.

Here's a Google Earth satellite view of Belle Isle. Zoom in to the fountain on the west end of the island. You will see the big parking lot WNW of the fountain, bounded by Sunset Dr, Fountain Dr, and Casino way.

View Larger Map

This lot should be plenty big, & safe for everybody. It's completely fenced for the security of our participants and that of the hundreds of people who frequent this park on a Sunday afternoon.

Roundup Hotel

The Roundup Hotel will be the Holiday Inn Southgate Banquet & Conference Center located at 17201 Northline Rd, Southgate, MI, 48195. This hotel is located within 1/2 mile of I-75 at the Northline Road exit, which is about 5 miles south of the city of Detroit. It is also within 5 miles of I-94, for those coming from western Michigan.

There are 40 rooms 'blocked' for Friday & Saturday, June 20 & 21, and 20 rooms 'blocked' for Sunday June 22. The rooms will be held until May 30, 2008 and released to the hotel inventory on May 31, 2008. Room rate is $93.99 + taxes. Call the hotel to reserve rooms @ 734-283-4400. Ask for the rooms assigned to the Cosworth Vega Owners Association.

Early Arrivals

For those wishing to come sooner than Friday, PLEASE contact me for events/attractions in the metropolitan Detroit area, i.e.: Ford Rouge Plant Tours, 'The Henry Ford' (previously known as Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village), Henry Ford's Fairlane Mansion, the Walter P. Chrysler Museum, or anything else you've heard of in Detroit..We've got Art, Historical, Black History, & Science Museums. Metroparks for swimming, boating & fishing. Malls galore for the 'shoppers'.

Friday

Friday is Check-in day, but I'd like to have an event (Ford Plant Tour?) for Friday AM if enough are coming early. Ther's a 'Cruise-In' at the local Sears store on Friday evening, after which we'll have the Director's meeting at the Hotel.

Saturday

Saturday is Dick Balsley & Paul Wicker presenting GM's BEST. GM doesn't have a public museum, but we'll see their 'SECRET' museum(s) on Saturday (says Paul). I'll throw in road rallye to or from it, just for FUN! Sometime we'll get the cars judged & shown at the hotel. Believe it or not, we have some grass & shade at the hotel's lot, which will have areas secured for CVOA. Next door to the hotel is a super YMCA with a water slide. Of course, the hotel has its own pool.

Sunday

Sunday is the autocross, hosted by the Michigan Sports Car Club. You will not have to work set-up or tear-down this year! As noted above, this will be on Belle Isle, a nice park in the middle of the Detroit River. Roger Penske paved the paddock for the Champ Car Grand Prix, and we're gonna run on it!

Sunday Night Banquet

The banquet will be at the hotel. More details to follow.

John Cowall