So, yesterday, I go down to Cumberland, RI to the all Ford show at TASCA Ford. The flier I had said that John Force and Carrol Shelby would be there. At first I thought they were cool because the admission was 2 non-perishable good to donate to a food bank.
So, after about an hour and a half drive, I get down there. I start walking around the show, take some pictures, and then I see the line to get in for autographs. It was pretty damn long, but I figured, how often do you get a chance like this (about 11:30am). John Force was late, so they didn't start autographs until noon (they were supposed to start at 11:00am).
Guys were pulling the decklids off of their brand new GT500's and having him sign them (that was pretty cool), but to have a car part signed, it was a $250 mandatory donation that also bumped you to the front of the line.
It is now almost 2:00pm. I am about 30-40 people away from meeting Carrol Shelby. I'm ready to get a picture of myself shaking Carrol's hand. Then they start up the TASCA sponsered alcohol funny car. A few minutes after that, they make an announcement that the autograph session was over. Now I'm completely pissed off.
I walk towards the showroom and see a guy with a TASCA polo on with a big cigar. I asked him if he was one of the owners, he said that yes, he was Carl Tasca. So I tell him that they didn't do a very good job handling the autographs. He agrees and then asks me "how do you suggest we should have done it?" (His tone of voice implied he wasn't looking for a suggestion.) But I continued and told him that they could have had a set number of autographs with a "take a number" or a raffle or two sessions, one for people standing in line and a later one for car part signing. I follow up by saying that all I wanted was a picture of me shaking Carrol's hand. He then tells me that they are on a 20min break and to walk back down to the autograph booth and tell them that Carl Tasca sent me so I could get a quick picture. Well guess who was seated at the autograph booth. Nobody. Carl was just trying to get me out of his face.
So after a decently long drive, 2.5 hours standing in line, and a long drive back, I am empty handed and didn't get to walk around the whole show.
Boo TASCA Ford!!!
So, after about an hour and a half drive, I get down there. I start walking around the show, take some pictures, and then I see the line to get in for autographs. It was pretty damn long, but I figured, how often do you get a chance like this (about 11:30am). John Force was late, so they didn't start autographs until noon (they were supposed to start at 11:00am).
Guys were pulling the decklids off of their brand new GT500's and having him sign them (that was pretty cool), but to have a car part signed, it was a $250 mandatory donation that also bumped you to the front of the line.
It is now almost 2:00pm. I am about 30-40 people away from meeting Carrol Shelby. I'm ready to get a picture of myself shaking Carrol's hand. Then they start up the TASCA sponsered alcohol funny car. A few minutes after that, they make an announcement that the autograph session was over. Now I'm completely pissed off.
I walk towards the showroom and see a guy with a TASCA polo on with a big cigar. I asked him if he was one of the owners, he said that yes, he was Carl Tasca. So I tell him that they didn't do a very good job handling the autographs. He agrees and then asks me "how do you suggest we should have done it?" (His tone of voice implied he wasn't looking for a suggestion.) But I continued and told him that they could have had a set number of autographs with a "take a number" or a raffle or two sessions, one for people standing in line and a later one for car part signing. I follow up by saying that all I wanted was a picture of me shaking Carrol's hand. He then tells me that they are on a 20min break and to walk back down to the autograph booth and tell them that Carl Tasca sent me so I could get a quick picture. Well guess who was seated at the autograph booth. Nobody. Carl was just trying to get me out of his face.
So after a decently long drive, 2.5 hours standing in line, and a long drive back, I am empty handed and didn't get to walk around the whole show.
Boo TASCA Ford!!!