SAAC-50 and West Coast Boss Reunion

Hold onto your Shelby hats, sports fans! SAAC’s 50th Anniversary convention is coming at you, and if ever there was a national convention you will want to attend – with or without your car, and no matter how far away you live – this would be the one. Fifty years is a giant milestone and we expect this convention will be the one everyone will be talking about for years to come. We’ve packed the schedule with enough activities to keep everyone busy. 

The track we picked is Sonoma Raceway (previously Sears Point, and then Infineon if you’re a little confused by the musical chairs name changing). We’ve been here before so we know what to expect. It’s a top drawer facility. SAAC’s NorCal Region will be running the track portion of the convention because when you’ve got tons of experience, why wouldn’t you want to use it? They run flawlessly smooth events where track time is maximized and Mickey Mouse rules and requirements are minimized. They know what they’re doing. We’ll also have parade laps for convention-goers who might not want to commit their cars to full-tilt laps but still want to get the feel of the track.

Thursday August 21st -  Early registration will be available from 7am to 11am at the Host Hotel, The Embassy Suites by Hilton San Rafael Marin County. At 9am our Thursday Morning Cobra Experience/Team Shelby Poker Run and Sight Seeing Tour will kick off. It's a Driving tour of Northern California and the Pacific Coast. Tour will begin at Host Hotel and end at DenBeste Motor Sports. Approx 3 hour tour. Tickets are required so be sure to add them to your reservation on MSR. In the afternoon you can head over to DenBeste Motorsports (about an hour away) to see their operation. They are the largest Shelby Cobra dealer in the country and they have, literally, a wall of Cobras. It’s also the home of the Carroll Shelby Engine Company where they build Shelby engines that will make your eyes water. Then top the evening off with a special showing of the 2019 movie “Ford vs. Ferrari.” We’re betting you’ve already seen this at least once before, but watching it again will allow you to pick out details you probably missed. Try to overlook the roughhousing between Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. Load-in at the track will start around 6pm and Registration will be available at the track until 9pm.

Friday August 22nd -  will be at the track. The morning will be taken up with open track sessions and parade laps. In the afternoon the track will be converted to a drag strip for bracket racing. If you’ve never driven your car on actual drag strip (don’t be embarrassed – most people haven’t) this is the perfect time to do it. If you have, you know what a blast it is!  Friday night is a night for celebration at The Cobra Experience with the 1965 World Champions Party.Come dressed as if it were 1965 and enjoy dinner, program and live auction.  Doors open at 5:00, dinner at 6:30. (Separate Ticket Required, event sold out!) We are pleased to announce a Friday Night SAAC-50 Social at the Embassy Suites by popular demand. An informal meet and greet to see old friends, get VIP autographs, tech talk with our Reps and SAAC Registrars and a very special event: Open Mike Night with former Shelby American employees from the Golden era. Hear stories you never heard before, ask questions and share in their memories and legacies. There is no fee for the Social, but we ask you to Register so that we can accommodate the crowd. Cash bar and open seating. 7:00pm - 10:00 pm.

Saturday August 23rd -  is back at the track. There’s a full day of open track run groups, more parade laps, and practice and qualifying sessions for vintage racing. You'll be able to see Cobras, Shelbys and GT40s out on track in just like the good old days. And do these guys put on a show! The Judged Concours will also be taking place, where cars are judged against a standard of perfection in accuracy and workmanship by teams of the most knowledgeable judges in the country. The cars are breathtaking. The vintage races will cap off the day and bring everyone to the edge of the fence. Then everyone will head back to the hotel for dinner and the SAAC evening program. We’re working on a special program of speakers that will include Peter Brock and Wayne Carini but we plan to add a couple of surprises. You’ll have to show up to find out.

Sunday August 24th -  More track time and parade laps all day with a Historic Trans Am Race in the afternoon. There will also be a popular vote car show where rows and rows of cars will be on display This is the stuff dreams are made of. If all of this doesn’t float your boat then we don’t know what will. Check your pulse – you may be on the way out.

SAAC-50 will be the best SAAC convention of all times and one you really don’t want to miss. We’ll see you there.