Should YOU go to Franklin ?

By now, all JCNA members and Jaguar enthusiasts at large have heard and read about the 2001 JCNA Championship Challenge. Many have already decided they will go to Franklin Tennessee this July and while unfortunately some can't make it,  there is also a group of Jaguar owners out there who's debating whether or not it's worth the trip. ... kind of like undecided voters before an election... If you're one of these undecided, you must have heard the hard core members of your club making plans to drive to Franklin for the week of July 23rd, and you're probably asking yourself ... Should I go? Is it worth it?

To help you decide, we're going to put things into perspective so that you can see for yourself why the 2001 JCNA Championship Challenge will be worth the trip and every mile of the trip.

First, let's go back a year and a half ago, to Colorado Springs, end of September 1999 for the JCNA International Festival. Over five days, the team of JCNA volunteers in charge of the festival managed to put together a program of activities with something for everyone.

The entry list and the quality of the cars brought to Colorado Springs were extremely impressive as in addition to many JCNA national champions, some very rare cars were present . How rare ? how  about an XKSS, 1 of 17 built, unrestored and fully original, participant and winner in many prestigious international events...  or one of very few XJ220 imported in the United States, how often do you get to see one of these supercars on the road ?  ... or an original unrestored SS 100 roadster, climbing up Pikes Peak even ! ... or...  the list goes on, this was not your average local Sunday show !

All the events were very well organized and all of the participants had a lot of fun... ask any of those who drove up 14 100' Pikes Peak if that's not a drive they'll remember for a long time... or the rally driven on empty high plains country roads, at the foot of the Rockies... or the giant slalom held at Pikes Peak Speedway... Then of course came the Concours held on a golf course overlooking the plains on one side,  the mountains and Pikes Peak towering above on the other side : the perfect showcase for 120 gems...

But beyond the events and the great cars, it was also a terrific opportunity to meet other JCNA members from all over the country, people sharing the same hobby and the same passion for these cars by exchanging ideas, experiences and stories.

Getting back to 2001 and reading the details, it's easy to see that the Franklin Championship challenge will be even more successful. The location might not sound as majestic and grandiose as the Colorado mountains but Franklin is a charming town full of history, surrounded by plenty of rolling hills and nice roads. Located just south of Nashville, this part of Tennessee has a lot to offer and is a great vacation /   getaway location with plenty to do for the entire family.  And speaking of family, the July dates should make it easier to attend.

The schedule of this Championship Challenge is another reason why it will be a success as the various events, spread out over 5 days, can be attended separately allowing participants more flexibility, sort of an  a la carte menu, with entry fees varying depending on what you will attend.  If your spouse is reluctant to let you sign up, this could actually work out pretty well as you can offer some concessions by not selecting everything... It also means that you can also include some other things in your schedule such as hiking, horseback riding, visiting nearby Nashville, shopping, and more. For those who can't attend the entire week, it also makes registering easier.

Then of course, you have the significance of the anniversaries being celebrated in 2001 starting with the E-type's 40th birthday; this alone will prompt many E-type owners to come to Franklin and it could very well turn out to be the largest gathering of E-type in North America. 2001 will also mark the 30th anniversary of the Jaguar V12 engine, the 50th anniversary of the first Jaguar win at Le Mans, the 70th anniversary of the SS car and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jaguar's founder, Sir  William Lyons. That's a lot to celebrate isn't it ? You can read about these in details in our Road to Franklin series available from the home page where we cover each anniversary in detail every month ahead of Franklin.

To help in the celebrating, a number of noteworthy Jaguar people will be there as well, including the recently retired president of Jaguar North America, Mike Dale, and someone whose name is closely tied with Jaguar's history, Norman Dewis. As chief test engineer until 1985 Norman Dewis, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, was closely associated with the development and the testing of many Jaguars including the E-Type and the single XJ-13 prototype.

Getting to Franklin is part of the fun as well but if you prefer you can arrange to have your car shipped and JCNA has worked out a deal with a transportation company (see the registration form). Of course,  for many of us driving our Jaguars cross country is part of the fun and these long drives become great memories.  This doesn't have to be done 1000 miles a day marathon style ( although it's fun too ), it can be done as a group at a leisurely pace, using mostly back roads. Many clubs are trying to put together group drives to Franklin, a great way to go for those who are reluctant to take their older cars on a long road trip on their own.

Finally, let's not forget that any Jaguar is more than welcome in Franklin, you do not have to own a near 100 points national champion to attend, daily drivers will be there too along with late models Jaguars. These modern era Jaguars are more then the results and the fruits of  70 years of heritage and passion, they are also the proof of the very existence of Jaguar today.

So whether you prefer tours, rallies, slaloms or concours,.... there is something for you in Franklin this July, see you there !

---

About the author - Pascal Gademer is the webmaster and newsletter editor of the South Florida Jaguar Club. Owner of a restored and upgraded (for reliability and performance) 1972 series 3 E-type 2+2, he doesn't miss an opportunity to drive his E-type to various events (concours, rallies,..) often regardless of distances. His daily driver his another Silver Coupe, a 2000 XKR.

Posted: 4/2001