2025 Hot Rod Power Tour

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12 hours from Day 1, 8 hours from Day 5, debating what to do.
Do people find/book rooms months ahead, or just drive ahead an hour each night and find a place to stay?
 
I book in advance, but I need the peace of mind. Even so, last year the Nashville area hotels bumped me once, I fixed that, then on the day of arrival they tried again. I gave them a piece of my mind, as I was already limping on a stuck wheel cylinder and ticked off, enough f bombs and magically my room was mine again.
 
I went in 09 and 10.
I see now that they even charge passengers in your car now as "spectators". They never used to. Charge for EVERYTHING now seperate....
This whole thing isn't far from home Monroe and Norwalk are the farthest, I camp the same weekend in August every year about 15 miles west of there, Joliet speedway is about 35 miles away from me.
 
I did 2023 and 2024 in my Duster. Here are my tips....

Book hotels "in between locations" but close to each days start. They are cheaper and a few guys usually do the same.
Leave when you want each day (early), drive some of the route if you can, but beware if it gets backed up (2023 was really bad between ATL and Colo)
Pre-locate the ethanol-free fuel stops. (optional, but I found it helpful)
Don't cheat and take the interstate unless you are way late.

Here are some pics... 2024 parked on turn one of the Nashville motor speedway...
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2023 parked after Day 1 outside ATL motor speedway (note same car before I painted it)
pic1.jpg



Didn't do the whole tour either year but it was fun to see all the ex-motortrend people (Shag, Derek Bieri, Lucky, Newbern, Cotton, some others but never Finnegan, Freiberger, or Dulcich anymore)

RGAZ
 
volaredon said:
I see now that they even charge passengers in your car now as "spectators".
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According to the website, registration gets 2 adults into the events.
Spectators are free.

Vehicle Registration
Vehicle registration includes window decal and credentials for two adults. Additional passengers are required to register spectator admission tickets.
How do I attend as a spectator?
Spectator entry is FREE.
 
matthon said:
12 hours from Day 1, 8 hours from Day 5, debating what to do.
Do people find/book rooms months ahead, or just drive ahead an hour each night and find a place to stay?
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I booked near the venues the day they were announced. FYI: there are a lot of sketchy areas around Rt66 Dragway-I and many others are booked at the Hollywood Casino nearby, which has secure parking.
67Baccaruda said:
Is anyone from Upstate New York going?
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Yes.
volaredon said:
I went in 09 and 10.
I see now that they even charge passengers in your car now as "spectators". They never used to. Charge for EVERYTHING now seperate....
This whole thing isn't far from home Monroe and Norwalk are the farthest, I camp the same weekend in August every year about 15 miles west of there, Joliet speedway is about 35 miles away from me.
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No charge for spectators/passengers, though I think extra passengers need to get spectator badges. (No charge, IIRC.)
matthon said:
Or driving through NY, or leaving from a location on the way from NY, or going at all?
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Yes. There's a whole group from Maine coming, I'm near Fall River, MA. Also several people from Long Island and Jersey. There's a Northeast Power Tour FB group for these; if you're on FB, I suggest joining. (Admin is Nathan Dube-private group due to bots.)
 
Rt66 is closest to me, I live around 30 miles south of there.
I was just right by Norwalk the last 2 days, headed home now, driven past that racetrack a bunch of times, never stopped in.
My son is signed up for this year trying to talk me into taking the week off for it to ride with.
I have a couple of people I could stay with around Norwalk
 
volaredon said:
Rt66 is closest to me, I live around 30 miles south of there.
I was just right by Norwalk the last 2 days, headed home now, driven past that racetrack a bunch of times, never stopped in.
My son is signed up for this year trying to talk me into taking the week off for it to ride with.
I have a couple of people I could stay with around Norwalk
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Minimum, there will be a great show that day at 66, and the hotels nearby will be full of cars.
 
Jarlaxle said:
There's a Northeast Power Tour FB group for these; if you're on FB, I suggest joining.
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Joined, thank you, hopefully it's easy enough to join the line of cars going.

Is the group driving out and staying Sunday night 6/8 near Lucas Oil Raceway Park?
 
matthon said:
Joined, thank you, hopefully it's easy enough to join the line of cars going.

Is the group driving out and staying Sunday night 6/8 near Lucas Oil Raceway Park?
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I think so, though the exact schedule isn't finalized yet. The admin of the group is in Maine, he's leaving Friday and stopping the night at the Bloomsburg, PA Quality Inn.
 
I am so bummed I am going to miss it this year. With all the BS happening at Motortrend it may be on its last legs.

RGAZ
 
Had a great time on the tour, especially in Hamlet, IN where Street Freaks car club and the village rolled out the red carpet for power tour participants. Norwalk was spectacular, as usual. My first time down the track ever, went 14.9 at 93, not bad for my warmed up 318 + .030 and a stock chassis. Now for the 100 mph club!

image000003(1).jpg
 
wish I could have went... my son had paid to go and had to cancel at the last minute....
 

Did the long haul this year which was 1228 miles for me - I know I ran into Siksty7 Dart 270 at Indy, if I met anyone else I apologize for not remembering. Total blast. My exhaust rubbed the leaf springs the entire time due to the weight in the trunk which was annoying but nothing that made me have to turn a wrench.

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I hit a giant road building rock on I-80 between Minooka and Joliet on Wednesday Morning, scary for sure but it seems the crossmember for the T56 Magnum took the brunt of it.
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Small ding on the transmission but now the transmission and crossmember touch so I guess I get to remove it and try to straighten it.

I also had my A/C fail on me Wednesday but it looks like Classic Auto Air didn't really tighten the schrader valve on the high side as I got over a turn out of it today, noticed there was oil near the port so hopefully just recharge it and all will be good with that. Otherwise the car did great, given that I hadn't had it on a road trip. Got 21 mpg on the way to Indy and about 18 or so for the rest of the trip.

Otherwise so far I've only found that I need to adjust the front wheel bearings as they are slightly loose now.

Highly recommend it. We'll see if I do the long haul next year and what the route is but well worth it!!!
 
goldduster318 said:
Did the long haul this year which was 1228 miles for me - I know I ran into Siksty7 Dart 270 at Indy, if I met anyone else I apologize for not remembering. Total blast. My exhaust rubbed the leaf springs the entire time due to the weight in the trunk which was annoying but nothing that made me have to turn a wrench.

View attachment 1716418318
I hit a giant road building rock on I-80 between Minooka and Joliet on Wednesday Morning, scary for sure but it seems the crossmember for the T56 Magnum took the brunt of it.
View attachment 1716418320
Small ding on the transmission but now the transmission and crossmember touch so I guess I get to remove it and try to straighten it.

I also had my A/C fail on me Wednesday but it looks like Classic Auto Air didn't really tighten the schrader valve on the high side as I got over a turn out of it today, noticed there was oil near the port so hopefully just recharge it and all will be good with that. Otherwise the car did great, given that I hadn't had it on a road trip. Got 21 mpg on the way to Indy and about 18 or so for the rest of the trip.

Otherwise so far I've only found that I need to adjust the front wheel bearings as they are slightly loose now.

Highly recommend it. We'll see if I do the long haul next year and what the route is but well worth it!!
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It was a pleasure meeting you @goldduster318. Glad you were ok after the rock encounter.
 
Siksty7 Dart 270 said:
It was a pleasure meeting you @goldduster318. Glad you were ok after the rock encounter.
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Yes, a pleasure to meet you too. Saw you were in the staging lanes at Norwalk so I knew you made it.

My original plan was to make a pass at Norwalk but after the rock encounter I didn't really feel right about it, and it was raining even at 2:15 when I took off.
 
I was there for the Long Haul. Think I broke something in the front end on the way. :(
 
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