Grand Canyon in an Aston
I’ve always wanted to drive an Aston Martin but just could never justify the luxury of owning one. When we were planning a trip to the Grand Canyon I heard about Van Horssen Group and knew this was the answer. I could get the car I’ve always wanted, take it on an incredible road trip and not lose sleep over it when I was not using it.
After a couple of days driving it, it’s obvious why James Bond prefers his Aston Martin to other performance cars.
What a great way to travel to, and see the Grand Canyon. Tooling about in the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster (with our 60’s tunes on XM) made the trip way too much fun.
A great car to drive, and what an eye catcher. Everywhere we went people took pictures (not of us) and had lots of questions about the car.
We can’t say enough good things about the Vantage and the service from Van Horssen Group. It made for a great trip, thanks so much!
Tom
Van Horssen Group Member ‘08
Monterey Classic Car Week & Pacific Highway Tour
Experience America’s greatest gathering of automobiles and enthusiasts and drive a car fit for the occasion!
Van Horssen Group has special packages available for members wanting to attend the events in Monterey. Whether it is driving the spectacular roads from Santa Barbara to Monterey or just having a cool ride for the events, we’ve got an assortment of packages that include cars, driving tours, VIP access and tickets to Concorso Italiano, Monterey Historics and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
To learn more please call 888.287.6149 or send an email.
World Class Driving
For a car guy, it’s pretty hard to beat a day where you get to drive five of the world’s best cars.
World Class Driving has been providing this rare opportunity for several years now. Not only do they give you the chance to drive incredible cars, but you do so on great roads that really allow you to experience and compare all the cars. They are the original company to offer this program and their experience shows; they run very professionally and are able to provide a very smooth, safe and extremely fun day for all participants.
I had the incredible chance to participate in one of their events in Las Vegas where I was able to drive a Ferrari 599 Fiorano and a Bentley Continental GT Speed, among other great cars. I knew the 599 is one of the best cars out there, this just confirmed that opinion. The Speed however was a very pleasant surprise offering a significant performance boost to an already very fast and elegant car. Perhaps the best thing about all of the WCD cars was that they are in excellent condition and the whole program is run by staff that really know what they are doing.
Van Horssen Group is looking forward to working with World Class Driving in the future and being able to provide WCD drivers a chance to use the world’s best cars in the Van Horssen Group collection and give existing Van Horssen Group members opportunities to participate in WCD events.
Scott Harrington
VP Southwest
Nascar Weekend
Here are a few of the pictures from our first stay out at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) last weekend for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Checker Auto Parts 500 here in Phoenix. If some of you don’t already know my wife has turned into a race fan. A serious race fan. Thanks to Derek Dixon, Ed Miller and of course Mick Williamson. Last spring they invited us out to our first race. Ever since then Dawnie can’t stop talking about who her driver should be, the race for the chase, how they change the cars set up at different tracks be it a road course or oval etc etc etc. Her driver is Jeff Gordon, because he won the race here in the spring for his first time and it was Dawnie’s first race.
PIR’s Octane Club Opening
El Presidente and I had a chance to go out to Phoenix International Raceway a couple of weeks ago and participate in a Richard Petty Driving experience. As some of you know I have come out of the closet and fully admitted that I am a full blown NASCAR fan. Actually it all started just last spring when I went to my first race at PIR. I had no idea that this excitement had been out there all my life. I am addicted. So, when I had a chance to go out to the Racetrack AND meet Richard Petty, I was ecstatic!
Van Horssen Group kindly set us up with passes to the exclusive opening PIR’s luxury lounge, the Octane Club. It was beautifully appointed. Prestigious NASCAR fans will be able to enjoy America’s #1 sport in the lap of luxury. Helicopter service will be available to and from the race, you will be able to sip the finest wines during the festivities, and party with celebrities in the aftermath of the event! Sounds good to me! If you would like to check out the club you can go to Phoenix International Raceway.
The most exciting part of the Experience for me was getting to ride in the NASCAR around the track at over 130 mph. OK to some of you “track guys” this wasn’t so fast, but to us novice car enthusiast it was a rush! To top it off, as we were leaving the track, the King himself was exiting his limo to check things out. He asked me if I was having a good time. I asked him had he noticed the smile on my face. He was genuinely glad to see that everyone in attendance was happy to be there! It was great fun!
For those of you that don’t know, the Checker Auto Parts 500 will be run at Phoenix International Raceway November 9-12. Get your tickets! See you there!
The First Lady
Van Horssen Group Member
Coronado Speed Festival
About 50 miles southwest of Phoenix, cruising along highway 238 or dead cow highway as it is known because of the cows’ losing battle between a free range cattle area and big trucks, the speedo in the Ford GT starts acting up. At first it seemed like a minor glitch and popped back to what might have been our actual speed. Then it lost all hope of being called a gauge and danced erratically from 0 - 230mph, not even in time with the music as we were really hoping.
So started the road trip to California to attend the Coronado Speed Festival which took place October 5th - 8th, 2007. This event is an incredibly fun car weekend, featuring vintage car races with some seriously cool and expensive vintage cars and almost as cool and famous drivers. A whole lot of other car people come from all over making the parking lot and vendor area an impressive display of all types of cars and car stuff.
The OC in the GTC
I think in order to be a true “blogger” you have to write about something that you are passionate about. I would have to say the Van Horssen Group has captured my passion.
A couple of weekends ago, Justin and I took the Bentley GTC over to Orange County. We had planned to have dinner with friends on Saturday, but took the opportunity to make it a long weekend and enjoy a great car! We drove over from Phoenix. What an experience. Our biggest decision was to turn on the seat massage and listen to Kenny G, or to put the top down and chill to the new release from Kanye West. All other cares were left behind. I have to admit part of the fun was the “thumbs up” we got from fellow travelers. It seems the Bentley draws attention from everyone; man, women, and child! It sure puts a smile on your face!
One of the highlights of the trip was an impromptu breakfast we had down on Highway One in Newport Beach. We went to a place called Pacific Whey. It is a local hangout for car enthusiasts! The parking lot looked like a car show, although it was simply filled with patrons of this little coffee shop. People literally were driving up and down the parking rows checking out the cars. Including us. There were Jaguars, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, and oh yes, one great looking Bentley. We have attached a picture of the car that was attracting the most attention of the day. And rightfully so!
We would highly recommend this stop for anyone making a trip over to the OC! Just let us know when you are going………………..we would love to tag along!
The First Lady
Van Horssen Group Member
Day Drive to Payson
An array of British, German, Italian, and American metal were lined up, shining and idling in front of Van Horssen Group, ready for their drivers. The Aston Martin DB9 Volante, BMW M Roadster, Porsche 997 Turbo, Lamborghini Gallardo and Corvette Z06 couldn’t have been more different from each other, yet all seemed like the perfect car for a leisurely drive to Payson, Arizona.
Supercar Stupidity
To be honest, I think that this is best read (or written for that matter) after a couple glasses of wine (or whatever else helps to numb you).
So let me set the premise to this story for all of those that haven’t already had a chance to laugh at my ignorance.
It was about a year ago, which puts me at 23, and I am in Las Vegas to photograph the brand new Koenigeggagesseeggageeggg@$#%Ggg CCX, the only one in the US to be exact (but that’s just a technicality) for CI6 Autostyle Magazine. In negotiations with the photoshoot coordinator I had set up to shoot it at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Everything was going well until she uttered the words, ”so would you like to drive it?” Read more »
Fly Fishing & Supercars
Or The Worthy Union of Simplicity and Modernity
Fly fishing for some is akin to a religion. It’s an experience that is so simple yet inspiring, challenging and fulfilling that people will devote their lives to it, or at least a week or two every year.
Much of the problem in squeezing in an incredible fly fishing experience in one week is the long hours spent driving in a crappy pickup truck to get from one fishing spot to the next. I have a profound respect for nature and the waters in which we fish, but does that mean speeding down a swooping mountain highway in some of the finest Italian metal is incongruous to the tranquility of fly fishing? Perhaps to some, but not to me. We’ve been doing our annual Fish & Drive Tour for three years now and I am convinced this is one of the greatest combinations since the rod and reel.