Stevel Trax 2007 Write up (a few pics too)

[Stevel]

As this was our first ever National Meet I thought I’d post some details of the experience. So if you just wanna see the photos scroll down now.


Having been to a few Regional Meetings with the Massif I knew just how friendly people are and how great the cars looked. Therefore a National meeting beckoned. I broached the subject with the missus and she said yes. Because of a busy year Trax was the only weekend we could make so I stuck us down in the list of attendees and then looked at last years pics.

Firstly where to stay? AJA soon posted up a link to a hotel in Banbury so I booked online that night. Stage one complete.

Then I followed the various threads for tickets and the location of the stand. Having opened a pay pal account solely to buy stuff off the site I logged in and dispatched the money to admin. Tickets duly arrived. Stage two complete.

On the Friday before the start of the weekend I was in Norfolk looking at some stuff for work. A nightmarish journey back up the A1 meant it was too late do any work on the car so Trax started in earnest at 8.00 a.m. on the Saturday morning.

A quick check of the motor revealed it needed more than just a wash. With an eye on the clock I reached for the clay and fired up the Karcsher.

Four hours later the motor was gleaming but I was knackered. Had a look on Vectra-C to see if anything had changed involving the weekend and noticed how everyone else attending had been detailing their cars too. Spirits lifted at this point seeing all the other cars gleaming on drives around the country so I uploaded a couple of pics headed for the shower.

So with the bags packed and half of Halfords cleaning supplies in the boot I set the Sat Nav for Banbury and we headed south.

As we joined the M40 it was clear that something was going on. Scoobys, Evos and Irmschered Astra G’s kept us company as we convoyed down the motorway.

As we arrived at the hotel it was clear that AJA’s local knowledge had paid off. A lovely spot with great views across the hills. So we coasted into the car park and spotted Sharon’s new Coupe. The argument we’ve been having for the past month immediately resumed along the lines of why the hell are we selling ours?

So after a quick unpack we joined Alex, Sharon and the kids in the bar. Ian C soon joined us and a night of chat, discussion and sorting the world out ensued. With great stories of previous meetings I was enthralled. The missus was however ****ed. Happy days.

With all the other residents long gone the staff eventually persuaded us it was time to leave which given the early start the following day was not a bad thing.

7.00 am saw us all in the car park warming up the engines. I was starting to feel quite excited now. Silverstone was 40 mins away. The last time I was there was 5 years ago as a guest of the Jordan F1 team. Could today match that experience.? Ian pointed the nose of what must be one of the most gorgeous Vectras in the UK towards the exit and we set off…… For Trax.

There is something about being in a Vectra-C convoy I guess it’s like driving with your mates. Our discussion from the night before resumed as we watched Alex guide the Coupe through the country roads ahead of us. Soon various other cars started to appear. I watched in awe as we passed an Escort Cosworth. Still my favourite car and then we were in the queue at the gates. I’d left the car pass in the boot so had to stop to grab it and shove it on the dashboard. The pass unlocked the doors of Silverstone as we were waved through to the centre of the circuit.

Then we arrived at the Vectra- C stand. It was huge and if you’d been given a map and told you could have anywhere you wanted, you would have put the pin right here.

We parked up and had a look around. Some people we had met already. Some people we knew only from pictures on the forum. As people came over to introduce themselves it was clear that the attendance was big with over 30 cars on the stand.

So with Collette renewing acquaintances from regional meets and meeting some new people I set to work on the car or to be completely accurate I read the instructions on the Meg. Quik detailer bottle I’d bought the week before.

After a long chat with Soulman and then with Duncan, neither whom I had met before we left our stand to see what Trax is all about.

It was better than my day with Jordan by about 2 million percent.

We are going to them all next year and as I lifted the cases out of the boot when we arrived back home I pondered on how much the little white sticker on the back window had added to our year. That would be this one………….

Vectra-C.com.
Vectra C/Signum owners club


Sorry we did not get to meet everyone but will try harder next time. If you have never been to a meeting I can say in all honesty you don’t know what you are missing.

A few pics.

[ion]

Great pics mate, glad you enjoyed it.

Shame I couldn't make it, It would've been a pleasure to meet you.

[AJA]

What a great write up Steve. I really enjoyed yours and Colletee's company on Saturday.

Do you remember this? -

Collette: Do you want to go and see the pole dancers?
Stevel: Ermmm, no thanks.
Collette: Correct answer!

[pricey]

Great write up Steve!

Nice to see show bug has bitten.

[Spikey©]

Great write up and pics Steve, don't think i've met you yet so let's say hello at the next one

[ditchp]

another great write up and pic's, well done mate and hello from me too as i don't think we met either

[spoons]

Enjoyed reading that... good pics but not enough of them

[Ian T]

Great write up & photos

[Mrs GSi]

Great write-up Steve and some fab pictures, still want a Lotus Carlton

Lovely to meet you again and hope to see you and Collette again soon

[soulman]

was great meeting you at last steve,glad you enjoyed the occassion,you must do the camp at pvs next year.