You’ve probably never heard of the IMPA, and chances are, you also have no clue where Monticello is. Predictably, I’m about to tell you.
IMPA stands for International Motor Press Association, which groups automotive journalists and manufacturer representatives together. This year, the IMPA is celebrating its 50th anniversary, being founded back in 1961.
Journalists from all types of media – print, broadcast and online – can become members, just like the manufacturers’ public relations representatives and suppliers. I estimate the total count to around 2,000 members.
As for Monticello, it’s the biggest town of the Sullivan County Catskills. Actually, it’s a village, not a town, with a population of about 7,000 people. In this tranquil community, you’ll find the Monticello Casino and Raceway, a horse race track.
However, there is also the Monticello Motor Club, a racecourse facility that opened in 2008 with a brilliant, technical track you exploit with horsepower, not a horse. It’s a private club for wealthy people; members can hit the track 80% of the club’s business days (April through November). The rest of the time, the MMC is reserved for corporate events.
So you can basically leave your high-end sports car at the club and go play with it anytime you feel like it. MMC also offers advanced driving courses (aboard 556-hp, Cadillac CTS-V Coupes, no less), and even “Nanny training days”. That’s right; rich people who hire nannies to take care of their children and drive them to school in the morning need lessons, as several of these women have never driven in snow, or have never driven at all.
Anyway, every year, the IMPA organizes an event they call Test Days, which rounds up both journos and manufacturers for a two-day extravaganza of car and truck testing, and schmoozing in between. For the first time, Test Days is held at the Monticello Motor Club.
My colleagues Matt, Kevin and I are members of the IMPA. Kevin’s now a veteran member, while Matt and I are rookies in the association, participating in our first Test Days event. Much to our surprise, there are some cars we weren’t expecting that showed up, while some cars we were sure to be able to test-drive were missing in action.
Basically, the first day, you pick any car you want that’s free, and go for a ride on the multiple twisty country roads of the county. Among others, we drove the new 2012 Audi A6, the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, the 2012 BMW Z4 (with a turbo 4-cylinder) and a bunch of other cool machines, including a badass, 100-anniversary 2012 Corvette. We could also try out an extremely challenging off-road course, which we tackled aboard a bunch of Land Rovers.
Today, it’s track day. Except that it’s raining. Letting over 100 journalists loose on a drenched race track will be quite interesting.
IMPA stands for International Motor Press Association, which groups automotive journalists and manufacturer representatives together. This year, the IMPA is celebrating its 50th anniversary, being founded back in 1961.
Journalists from all types of media – print, broadcast and online – can become members, just like the manufacturers’ public relations representatives and suppliers. I estimate the total count to around 2,000 members.
As for Monticello, it’s the biggest town of the Sullivan County Catskills. Actually, it’s a village, not a town, with a population of about 7,000 people. In this tranquil community, you’ll find the Monticello Casino and Raceway, a horse race track.
However, there is also the Monticello Motor Club, a racecourse facility that opened in 2008 with a brilliant, technical track you exploit with horsepower, not a horse. It’s a private club for wealthy people; members can hit the track 80% of the club’s business days (April through November). The rest of the time, the MMC is reserved for corporate events.
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| Photo: Michel Deslauriers/Auto123.com |
So you can basically leave your high-end sports car at the club and go play with it anytime you feel like it. MMC also offers advanced driving courses (aboard 556-hp, Cadillac CTS-V Coupes, no less), and even “Nanny training days”. That’s right; rich people who hire nannies to take care of their children and drive them to school in the morning need lessons, as several of these women have never driven in snow, or have never driven at all.
Anyway, every year, the IMPA organizes an event they call Test Days, which rounds up both journos and manufacturers for a two-day extravaganza of car and truck testing, and schmoozing in between. For the first time, Test Days is held at the Monticello Motor Club.
My colleagues Matt, Kevin and I are members of the IMPA. Kevin’s now a veteran member, while Matt and I are rookies in the association, participating in our first Test Days event. Much to our surprise, there are some cars we weren’t expecting that showed up, while some cars we were sure to be able to test-drive were missing in action.
Basically, the first day, you pick any car you want that’s free, and go for a ride on the multiple twisty country roads of the county. Among others, we drove the new 2012 Audi A6, the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, the 2012 BMW Z4 (with a turbo 4-cylinder) and a bunch of other cool machines, including a badass, 100-anniversary 2012 Corvette. We could also try out an extremely challenging off-road course, which we tackled aboard a bunch of Land Rovers.
Today, it’s track day. Except that it’s raining. Letting over 100 journalists loose on a drenched race track will be quite interesting.