The Cal-look Lounge

Now that 2006 is over I’ve started to think about what I can get to next year show wise. Looking at the calendar there’s now a bunch of places to visit if your looking for ‘distilled’ action and it’s about time too! The last time I went to one of the so-called ‘new wave’ events over here in the UK I left somewhat disappointed and that is as nicely as I can put it. For a few years prior to that whether or not to go to such events had been a borderline decision as there were some good things about them but at the end of the day the negatives always outweighed these. Then along came DAS Drag Day 3 in 2005. I had tried to make 2 but it didn’t happen. What a difference, it totally rejuvenated my enthusiasm and was a little like that first visit to a VW show way back when where everything you see is worth a second look and you remember it all.

The Scandinavian Cal-Look Classic is the same in terms of atmosphere though it is slightly different to DAS Drag Day in that it is part of another event. I loved the way the VW’s had colonised one end of the pits and had their own thing going on. I guess this is similar to the way the Outlaw Flat Four meets have been done over here though we don’t quite have the same scenery.

I still haven’t made Bug Run but it’s now on the list as is the first Bug-In. As far as I can tell f you’re the kind of person that frequents this place and the VW Skynet Blogs then the European Scene is looking pretty good these days.

Anyone doing all four in 2007?

Bug Run
Bug-In
Das Drag Day
Scandinavian Cal-Look Classic

I know Europe has many other good events, in the UK we have stuff like VolksWorld, Stonor, Stanford Hall, Bug Boogie and so on and then there’s stuff like Bad Camberg but I’m thinking off stuff that’s more directly related to this side of the scene.

Maybe there’ll be more of the same in the near future? It would be good if the VW scene had something like this in the UK again, something along the lines of the NSRA Nostalgia Drags but with the focus on VW’s. Less show, more go than what we have now. For the time being though the Outlaw meets and the continent are calling…

 :)

Bugrun - check
Bug-in  - check
Das Drag Day - maybe
Scandinavian Cal-Look Classic - check

We have a show dedicated to  VW drag racing its called Big Bang.

I went 2 years ago and is was brilliant with the Swedish cars and the great showing of British VW drag racers.

Thats all splintered now due to petty arguements which is a shame.
I know the Outlaws are doing their own thing and want to bring the roadshow to the greater public mixing with a variety of marques,
thats fair enough. The only thing I can't understand is why at a drop of a hat they are mixing with VWs at DAS and probably Bug In and not supporting events in the UK.

I not trying to create an argument its just an observation from the outside looking in. The outlaw cars are spot on, it would be nice to see more of them more often. :)

We have a race calender on the website [ www.outlawflatfour.com ]showing which events we will be at,everybody is welcome to come watch,or you can read about it in the various magazines,also I think you will find the cars that were at DAS this year attended this event before there was OFF,same as some of them were at non OFF English events,some of us like race events, rather than parties with racing taking 2nd place,
cheers richie,uk

I would never return to Big Bang....Sorry!!!

We were treaded like Sh... Last Time......

Frank

I would never return to Big Bang....Sorry!!!

We were treaded like Sh... Last Time......

Frank

Sorry to hear that.

I understand what Ritchie is saying as far as going to a race meet than a party.
I'm that way inclined as well. I have just finished the re-incarnation of the ghia so hopefully I will see an a 11 at the strip next year.

I totally agree, after going to ALOT of shows this year - I did nearly 5000 miles in the Manx! I think I'm going to be a little more selective about which shows I attend in 2007 I too got very tied of seeing the same old cars, As Mat said the continent is calling, I myself hope to attend my first Bad Camberg meet this year along with visting Kobus and the DAS boys for MUD DAY (I know these are not race events  ;)) and then its on to EBI. But as for UK shows - I missed Stanford hall and Peppercorn again this year  :( so I will make an effort to get to these as I have always been told that these are High Quality shows. But for me 2007 is going to be about quality not quantity

Roll on European Bug In  :) :) :)

i agree totally......it has to be the European shows in 2007,  the 'new wave' show scene in the UK to me seems really outdated.

the only VW shows i attend here are the Volksworld show and vanfest.....(and i dont even have a van)

What about Stonner park dude  ;) Thats always a nice chilled out day  :)

oh yeah... :D   forgot about that one.....that is a nice show.

shows: Volskworld, bug-in, stonor, wedding, wedding, vanfest :)

Mat you are thinking the same way I am...  BugRun (I always goes there, don't plan on stopping just yet)
And then there is the new "Air-cooled Challenge" in Sweden, hope to get there to.
Then there is BugIn Europe, it feels almost mandatory... and if the significant other permits DDD,  And if everything else should let me down... there is always "down-to-earth-tough-it-out-die-hard-cal-look-soul-pleasing-SCC" in Norway... yea I like it....

Ohh and a trip to Finland is on the cards as-well...   

The 'less is more' type of events could become the basis of some kind of European Cal-Look 'Blue Riband'? You mentioned the 'Air-Cooled Challenge' in Sweden and maybe something in Finland? What other shows could make the list?

You are on to something there Mat, the event I'm thinking of in Finland is VW-open in may. http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php?topic=415.0
And the Aircooled is a new event that will be held the weekend after BugRun next year... I guess it's going to be something along SCC DDD lines... any VW event with moving cars rock... after 16 years on the scene I'm done with the "stand still" shows...