Dear Manufacturer Representative,
The Midwest Automotive Media Association invites you to join us for our annual Fall Rally presented by Subaru.
- When: Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019
- Where: The Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, Illinois
Are you Ready to Rally? Check out our video here.
The following driving opportunities will provide excellent exposure for your vehicles to more than 75 automotive journalists:
- Performance Driving: Appropriate vehicles can be driven on the track in a lead-follow arrangement, managed by a high-performance driving school and including certified SCCA corner workers and track control staff.
- On-Road Drive Routes: A 15-minute drive route on the roads around the Autobahn Country Club.
- Off-Road Course: An off-road course will be offered to suit a range of 4WD vehicles. (Off-Road sponsored by Jeep)
- Family Vehicle and Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year: Vehicles eligible for the FVOTY and LFVOTY awards will be available for testing on the roads surrounding the Autobahn Country Club.
The entry fee is $650 for an unlimited number of vehicles. This covers the cost of the facilities, meals, etc. If you would like a credit card invoice payable through PayPal (no account needed), email Treasurer Larry Nutson at treasurer@mamaonline.org. Otherwise, Larry will be distributing invoices. Please advise of any special invoicing requirements. If you need a usage change at the event or your vehicle is not in the correct venue, call or text Andy Mikonis at 773-991-7324.
PLEASE NOTE: If you need attendees to sign a vehicle waiver, email it to Paul Strauss at paul@theawesomer.com by Friday, Sept. 6. We will digitally distribute waivers to all attendees digitally prior to the event.
Schedule of Events:
7:15 – 8:45 a.m. – Registration, Breakfast and New Product Presentation by Toyota
8:45 a.m. – Track Safety Talk by CGI Motorsports
9 a.m. – Noon – Track, Street Driving and Off-road
Noon – 1 p.m. – Lunch and New Product Presentation by Honda
1-3:30 p.m. – Track, Street Driving and Off-road
3:30 p.m. – Farewell
*Immediately following the event, the Autobahn is extending the opportunity to MAMA Fall Rally participants to sample the facility's all-new go-kart track via a few quick laps in one of the track's new go-karts. Helmets will be provided.
Lodging & Meals:
Manufacturers are asked to make their own hotel reservations. MAMA has reserved room blocks at a discounted rate at Harrah's Casino Joliet. For reservations visit the website or call 815-740-7800. The group code for phone reservations is S1001MA. All room reservations must be made before the deadline of Sept. 13. Please book early to ensure availability.
You are invited to join us Tuesday evening (Oct. 1) at The Reserve Steakhouse in Harrah’s Casino for our MAMA Welcome Dinner, sponsored by the Chicago Automobile Trade Association. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided during the event (at the track), and the snack oasis sponsored by Mercedes-Benz will be available from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Kia will sponsor free WiFi for guests.
Family Vehicle of the Year:
MAMA will continue to use digital voting for the Family Vehicle of the Year Award and the Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year Award, and the finalists from the Fall Rally will be announced at the conclusion of the event. Final voting among the finalists from the Spring and Fall Rallies will take place in January 2020, and the winner will be announced at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show.
To be considered, a vehicle must have four doors, be new or significantly updated within the last 12 months, and be available for evaluation at the MAMA Spring or Fall Rallies. If you have any questions about FVOTY or LFVOTY eligibility, please contact Tim Healey at timothyehealey@gmail.com.
If you have a vehicle that is eligible for the FVOTY and/or LFVOTY awards, we ask you to consider bringing multiple examples of the vehicle, so as many journalists can drive them as possible. Additionally, if your vehicle was a finalist from the Spring Rally, we invite you to bring those vehicles to the Fall Rally as well, to give journalists another opportunity for evaluation before the final voting in January.
TO RSVP: Please click the "Register" button above and fill out the associated form by Friday, Sept. 6. Any questions regarding the vehicle form should be directed to Andy Mikonis at mikonis@sbcglobal.net. If you know your vehicle list but don’t have the names of representatives attending, no worries. Go ahead and fill out the vehicle list and you can always follow back up with the names of the attending representatives closer to the deadline.
If you have any questions, please contact Damon Bell, Harvey Briggs or Andy Mikonis at the numbers below. We look forward to another terrific MAMA Fall Rally.
Best Regards,
Damon Bell – MAMA President (773-817-5438)
Harvey Briggs – MAMA Senior Vice President (608-361-8092)
Andy Mikonis – Manufacturer Relations (773-523-3330)
