Going Places 2013—Come Along for the Drive!
No matter where you live, or which of our 67 chapters is your home base, the BMW Car Club of America has a wealth of activities planned for enthusiasts coast-to-coast. From the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix to Oktoberfest in Monterey, our members have a lot of great destinations to visit this year!
February 14–16: Romantic Valentine's Day Weekend Trip
During this weekend, you will have the chance to improve your car-control skills at the BMW Performance Center, drive the latest offerings from BMW, and experience the beauty of the surrounding mountains of North and South Carolina.
When you arrive in Greenville, SC, with that special someone, you will be treated to a romantic weekend of elegant meals—and given the opportunity to drive select models from BMW's private fleet. On the first day, you will be transported to the BMW Performance Center to pick up your BMW and escape to the beautiful nearby mountains. Once you arrive in the mountains you'll enjoy lunch with your loved one, all while soaking in the breathtaking vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. On the second day, you will drive a wide variety of stylish BMWs at the Performance Center and receive car control instruction from their professional drivers.
The car control skills portion of the trip is designed for all skill levels of drivers. It is not a racing experience, but rather a skills enhancing curriculum. The purpose of this instruction is to give you more confidence in your everyday driving. Couples will share vehicles, and the inevitable laughter, during the driving portions of this trip.
The package cost of $2,495 per couple includes:
- Two nights at the elegant downtown Hyatt Greenville
- A romantic dinner for two at Greenville’s newest bistro “Roost”
- A tour of the BMW Plant—driven in an elegant BMW
- Driving instruction at the BMW Performance Center
- Opportunity to experience the Off-road course
- Car control skill lessons in late model BMWs
- A delightful lunch in the mountains
- A festive group dinner after your day in the mountains
- Complimentary breakfasts at the Hyatt Greenville
- Free shuttle ride back to GSP (Greenville-Spartanburg) airport
These exclusive Club trips sell out very quickly! To reserve your spot for this special Valentine’s Day Getaway vacation, please call BMW Registration at (888) 345-4BMW. For additional information please contact Jackie Bechek, Director of National Events, at jbechek@bmwcca.org, or (864) 438-3403.
March 2-3: Members Only Two Day M School (additional dates below)
This program encompasses the full Two Day M School offered by BMW through its own professional instructors at the Performance Center. You will drive the Center’s own M cars including the competition package M3, F10 M5, and the brand-new M6.
On the first day, professional driving instructors emphasize elementary high-performance driving capabilities by exacting precision and refining your skills. The slalom, handling track, wet skid pad, open roads, and timed-run course will challenge even the best driver to master the power of the various M cars. But don’t worry if this is your first time; Performance Center instruction is geared to drivers of all skill levels, from beginner to professional. Day two raises the stakes with advanced driving techniques, like trail-braking and smooth, demanding cornering transitions. It’s helmets on as you take to the full length of the Performance Center’s test track and handling course.
This unique weekend provides the perfect opportunity to meet other members from around the country who share your passion for the BMW marque, and who appreciate the exhilaration of mastering high-performance driving skills.
The cost is $3,055 per person (single occupancy) with the CCA 15% discount, and includes:
- Two nights at the luxurious Marriott Greenville, including breakfast and evening cocktail
- Two CCA member-only dinners and lunches at the center
- Driving instruction from the BMW professional drivers of the Center
- All ground transportation to the BMW Performance Center, and the Greenville airport
- A BMW Hand-painted M helmet, M Jacket, and M polo shirt for your enjoyment
If you share a room at the Marriott (double occupancy), your rate drops to $2,855 per person. Even if you share your room with a non-driving participant, their weekend cost is only $500, and yours is $2,855. The Marriott offers the amenities of a spa and pools for a non-driving participant.
To register for one of these 15 spaces, please call BMW Registration at (888) 345-4BMW. You must have a valid BMW CCA membership to participate in this program. For additional information please contact Jackie Bechek, Director of National Events, at jbechek@bmwcca.org, or (864) 438-3403.
***The members only Two Day M School is being offered on four separate weekends throughout 2013 including March 2-3, April 13-14, June 1-2, and July 13-14.
April 11–15: Third Annual Ladies’ Only Driving & Spa Getaway
This trip consists of two parts: one day driving in a car skills program at the BMW Performance Center, and then two days relaxing at the luxurious Grove Park Inn & Spa in Asheville, North Carolina. This trip is perfect for the woman who enjoys driving stylish BMW’s and then relaxing to her heart’s contentment!
On Friday, members will participate in a premium full-day Car Control School, taught by the professional drivers at the BMW Performance Center. You will practice safe-driving skills, such as accident avoidance, proper use of ABS brakes, and inclement-weather handling conditions. You will have the opportunity to drive several BMW models.
After the school, members will drive in the, Performance Center provided, BMWs to the Grove Park Resort & Spa in Asheville, NC, and relax for two days enjoying massages, facials, wraps, and pedicures. While in Asheville, there will be a tour and elegant group dinner at a gourmet Asheville restaurant. On the return to Greenville you'll enjoy breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Parkway in “your” borrowed BMW!
The trip is priced at $2,695 per person with the Club's 15% discount and includes:
• Four nights single occupancy at the Marriott and Grove Park Resort hotels
• Two dinners in Asheville at the Grove Park Inn and at a gourmet restaurant
• Full-Day of Premium Car Control School at the Performance Center & Lunch
• One premium Spa service at Grove Park (80 min massage or your choice)
• Driving in BMWs to/from Grove Park Resort in Asheville, NC
• All ground transportation, including shuttles to airport
This exclusive and luxurious trip is limited to 16 Club members and sells our very quickly! To reserve your spot, call 888 345-4BMW. For additional information please contact Jackie Bechek, Director of National Events, at jbechek@bmwcca.org, or (864) 438-3403.
April 25–27: The BMW Couple's Driving Experience
This exclusive trip is offered to couples of the BMW Car Club who are interested in living the “ultimate” BMW driving experience. Members will enjoy a premium full-day driving program at the BMW Performance Center near Greenville, South Carolina, as well as a second day of beautiful mountain drives through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The BMW Performance Center's professional instructors will provide guidance on their challenging track, towards improving your skills in adverse situations such as accident avoidance and inclement weather conditions. You will sharpen your driving skills with several BMW models.
On the second day of the Program, you will put your skills to the test driving through the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just outside of Greenville, and enjoy the vistas and beauty of the Carolinas. Nothing is as rewarding as putting your new-found driving skills to the test on the twisted mountain roads surrounded by the natural beauty of springtime in the Carolinas.
Spring is an ideal time for enjoying an outdoor spring concert while relaxing with friends by the waterfalls of the Reedy River in downtown Greenville. You will have the opportunity to socialize with the other BMW car members at our group dinners in Greenville’s finest downtown restaurants which showcase the delicious Southern cuisine of the region.
This trip is priced at $1,495 per person for double occupancy and $1,695 per person for single occupancy and includes:
• Two nights at the historic Westin Poinsett in downtown Greenville
• A group dinner at a fashionable Greenville restaurant
• Two lunches at the Performance Center and during the mountain driving experience
• Premium full-day BMW Driving School at the Performance Center
• Ground transportation to/from GSP Airport and to the Performance Center
This program is limited to 24 Club members. To reserve your spot, call 888 345-4BMW. For additional information please contact Jackie Bechek, Director of National Events, at jbechek@bmwcca.org, or (864) 438-3403.
May 18: Saratoga Springs Invitational
The Saratoga Automobile Museum will be the center of all things BMW for the summer of 2013. From May 6 to November 3, the museum will focus on “BMW, the Ultimate Driving Machine.” They will present a seven-month major exhibition of significant BMW cars and motorcycles from the 1930s to the present. To mark the opening of this display the museum has chosen BMW to be the marque of the year for its Invitational. The reflecting pool on the grounds of the Saratoga State Park will be the setting for a show of some exquisite historic cars. Alongside the Invitational, BMW CCA members are welcome to display their cars in the Spring Auto Show. Registration for the show includes admittance for two to the museum exhibits.
On Friday night, May 17, members of the museum are invited to a cocktail reception. Nationally recognized author Ken Gross and renowned motorcycle collector Peter Nettesheim will narrate this evening event.
The rain date for the Invitational and Auto Show is Sunday, May 19.
You may register at http://saratogaautomuseum.org/autoshow/. For more information contact Frank Greppo at fgreppo@nycap.rr.com.
May 24–26: Vintage at Westbend Vineyards
The Vintage will celebrate its 10th anniversary on the weekend of May 24-26, 2013 by returning to the Westbend Vineyards & Brewhouse in Lewisville, NC, the place where it all began! With several rows of grape vines cleared out recently, they have room for us once again.
The festivities will begin on Friday, May 24, with an autocross/rally during the day, and the meet-and-greet in the evening. Saturday will be the big gathering at Westbend Vineyards & Brewhouse with nearly 300 vintage BMWs on display as well as vendors, Butt Bros. BBQ, and the Spaten tent. All activities are for vintage BMWs only. Spectators are welcome on Saturday at the vineyards.
For more information—or to register—please visit www.atthevintage.com or send inquiries directly to Festmeister Scott Sturdy, scottsturdy@yahoo.com.
July 18–21: Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Don’t miss the Allegheny Chapter’s annual BMW gathering at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix! The PVGP is sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Spaten, BMW of Pittsburgh, and the BMW CCA. The Allegheny Chapter has laid out a host of activities across the Schenley Park weekend and is extending a special welcome to all Z-car owners. This year’s corral will feature Z Series cars including the Z1, Z3, Z4, and Z8 with hopes to see over 150 Zs in the Park!
The festivities will begin on Thursday, July 18, with an afternoon visit to the 9/11 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania followed by an evening dinner at Pittsburgh’s Haufbrauhaus. More road time is in store for Friday, July 19, as the Z-Bimmers lead a scenic covered bridge tour which will include a lunch along one of Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers. Friday concludes with a welcome dinner at the Pittsburgh Golf Club featuring Roundel Editor, Satch Carlson, as keynote speaker.
The 31st Anniversary of the Vintage Races at Schenley Park July 20–21, will feature a BMW Corral at exciting turn 13 of the circuit. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be vintage racing, over 2000 cars in an international car show, plus a catered lunch and all-day hospitality tent courtesy of BMW CCA’s Social Partner Spaten beer.
For online registration—or more information—visit www.pvgp.org/bmw or www.alleghenybmwcca.org.
August 16–18: BMW CCA Monterey Weekend
Legends of the Autobahn
Legends of the Autobahn plays host to beautiful BMWs of all ages, as well as entrants from the Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi clubs. With separate club concours judging sites and club corral parking areas, the concours will be a fantastic start to the BMW CCA Monterey Experience and Oktoberfest 2013. Legends of the Autobahn is sponsored by BMW NA, the BMW Performance Center, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Spaten and BMW CCA.
This event is limited to marque-club members only, and will include a parking corral area for those registered but not participating in the judging activity. It is also a perfect location for a picnic lunch, but food and beverages will also be available on-site. Additional attractions may include guest speakers and specialty vendors.
For additional information, please visit www.legendsoftheautobahn.org.
The BMW CCA Corral at Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca
Also sponsored by BMW NA, the BMW Performance Center, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Spaten, BBS Wheels, and the BMW CCA, the annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion celebrates the mystique of BMW and our appreciation for the marque. Set for August 17–18, the weekend features a two-day parking corral with hospitality tents overlooking Laguna Seca’s Turn Five. Packages include the opportunity to buy corral tickets, lunch tickets, and event tickets to the Reunion races themselves—all from one convenient source!
Make sure to join us for the BBS Wheels Festorics Kickoff Dinner at the Pasadera Country Club Friday night, August 16 following Legends of the Autobahn.
Please visit www.festorics.org for additional information.
August 19–24: Oktoberfest 2013 in Monterey, CA
It’s here at last. You’ve always wanted to attend Monterey historic-car week, drive at Laguna Seca, and participate in Oktoberfest—so this will be the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you’ve been waiting for! Oktoberfest 2013 will kick off in Monterey immediately following the historic-car races at Laguna Seca. Starting Monday, August 19, our host hotel will be the Hyatt Regency in Monterey, California—and the track, of course, is the world-famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Yes, finally you, too, will drive the Corkscrew!
But Oktoberfest 2013 is not just for track rats; we’ll truly have something for everyone! Monterey is known for incredible scenery, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the nearby vineyards in Carmel Valley.
As usual, there will be countless opportunities throughout the week for the socialites to mingle with fellow enthusiasts (many times over some delicious German beer—thanks to our sponsor, Spaten), the Q-Tip crowd can let their colors shine in Tuesday’s concours, you can flex your artistic muscle in the photo competition, and let’s not forget about the driving schools, car control clinic, autocross, rallies, and test drives.
You don’t want to miss this year’s Oktoberfest 2013. Plan now to be a part of the fun, friendship, and passion that can only be found at the “Ultimate BMW Owners” event—O’Fest!
To learn more about Oktoberfest, please visit www.bmwccaofest.org.
September 18–21: Buckeyes, Bourbon & Bluegrass
A three-day, four-night driving tour of southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. The event begins at Hocking Hills State Park on Wednesday (optional) or Thursday, visits the Kentucky Bourbon Trail on Friday and Lexington horse landmarks early Saturday, and concludes with a memorable evening in Cincinnati.
"Buckeyes, Bourbon and Bluegrass" is an early autumn driving tour which has been designated a regional BMW CCA event.
Festivities begin at The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls, outside Hocking Hills State Park. Participants who arrive on Wednesday will enjoy a backyard BBQ that evening and a choice of activities on Thursday—from an invigorating drive; to a zipline through the treetops, hiking or horseback riding; to a luxurious spa treatment at the inn. Thursday evening features a welcome dinner for everyone in nearby Nelsonville.
We will caravan Friday to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, where you can visit either the Makers Mark or Woodford Reserve distilleries. We then stay at Griffin Gate Marriott, just outside Lexington that evening.
Saturday features a behind-the-scenes tour of Keeneland Race Course, a local horse farm and more. Following lunch, we will "hoof it" to Cincinnati for a memorable evening of luxury: dinner at Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse and "sleeping with art" at the just-opened 21c Museum Hotel.
The event is limited to twenty-five participants (defined as individuals, couples or families traveling and rooming together). Registration opens on Wednesday, May 1, and closes on Friday, August 16. Group tours Friday afternoon and Saturday morning are included in the $60 event fee. Participants will be responsible for their lodging and meal expenses.
To learn more about Buckeyes, Bourbon & Bluegrass, please click here.
October 12–14: Vintage at Saratoga
Vintage at Saratoga for 2013 will be the closing event of the six-month long BMW exhibit. For this purpose we are moving the festivities from July to October 12-14 for 2013. As in the past we welcome all BMWs from 1999 and older to join us for a weekend to enjoy some great BMWs on the lawn outside the museum. In addition to the lawn, show activities will include:
- Group drives around the area
- A ”Meet and Greet” dinner
- Drives on the Lime Rock Park track followed by lunch
- A silent auction to benefit the BMW CCA Foundation
Vintage at Saratoga will also be a part of the opening weekend for the BMW Vintage and Classic CCAs Club Holiday. This will run from October 12 to the 19. This gathering will include trips around the Upstate New York area, including:
- A boat ride with lunch on beautiful Lake George
- Lake Placid with a ride down the Olympic bobsled run
- A visit to Cooperstown, NY home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Lunch is planned at the beautiful Otesaga Hotel
- A drive to Lime Rock Park for some laps on the track and lunch at the Chalet
As you can see Saratoga will be the place to be for BMW owners in 2013. Plan now to be a part of this celebration. For more information contact Frank Greppo at fgreppo@nycap.rr.com or visit the event website at vintageatsaratoga.com.
Oktoberfest Driving Schools
