Yellow Swarm at the Coronado Speed Festival
The morning of Saturday, September 27th was both early and foggy. The Swarm met in Balboa Park at 7 AM before driving together across the Coronado Bay Bridge. At the meeting spot we were able to get the newly created Yellow Swarm caps or visors. I wore mine all weekend. As always we had a diverse blend of yellow. Some people making their first Swarm Gathering made the event even more fun.
About half of those that attended were going to their first Speed Festival at Coronado, so every step of the way was a first step. Before entering the base we stopped at a local café for coffee and pastries. The sixteen yellow cars, or so, then paraded onto the North Island Naval Air Station, “the birthplace of naval aviation”. It always surprises me as to how large the base is.
As we got closer to the Car Club Corral area we could see more and more of what was set up. The static displays that the navy had set up were evident on both sides as we approached the corral entrance. We started to hear the engines of the vintage race cars that had already begun their practice laps. My heart beat was beginning to increase. We were steered towards the area reserved for the Yellow Swarm, and we all parked and began to try and figure out what to do first.
We did not try to stay together. I had my own agenda which was to walk quickly through the vendor area to see if there was anything that “I just had to have”…then on to the pit area. I wanted to see the cars that would be racing throughout the weekend “up close and personal”. I would see some Yellow Swarmers throughout the morning doing some of the same things I was doing.
Several things seem to happen all at once as we get to mid-day. The lunch break begins for the racers…the awards are given out for the car show winners (Laurie Waid’s 1992 Sunburst Yellow Miata won first place in class)…the drifting demonstration takes place on the track…and of course we ate lunch.
For me, the afternoon is all about the racing. 9 groups of vintage cars race for 12 laps. The purpose on Saturday is to determine the starting order for Sunday’s finals. The sounds, the smells and the beautiful, and in some cases, extremely valuable race cars are just too much for this car guy.
Although not as many Swarmers came back on Sunday, the repeat of Saturday was enjoyed by those of us that did. I will certainly encourage the Yellow Swarm to attend the 12th Annual Coronado Speed Festival next year, because it will be my 12th as well.
Thank you to all who came, it always makes my day to see a bunch of yellow cars all together.
Steve Waid
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