Hello Everyone,
This issue of The VCO Times newsletter wraps up 2022…and our club’s 25th Anniversary Celebration! It’s been an amazing year, start to finish. Here’s some of the highlights…
52-Car Viper Show, Exotic C&C, and VCO lunch Meeting at Hagerty (photo below)
VCO 25th Anniversary Club Apparel produced
50+ VCO Social and Track Events offered, the most ever, anywhere!
Impressive club Viper Exhibit at Drive Festival 2022
Our 2nd Annual Signature Ontario Viper Event, ONVE2022 Niagara Falls
Held multiple local End of Season events
Event Participation & Outstanding Contribution Awards presented
We welcomed many, many new VCO members
Held 2 events with the Ontario Ferrari Club
Became the 2nd largest Viper Club in the world!
Created our successful and high-value $125 VCO Direct Membership
2023 Events Calendar already features 40 days of fun...see below!
Our club's success is owed to the enthusiasm and support of all of you, and our club sponsors and leadership team. We thank you all for your friendship, and appreciation and encouragement, as expressed in this recent note from Ralph Nelles in Picton…
“Bruce, You do an awesome job of keeping all of Ontario involved in Viper events and managing everything. I have been a member of several auto clubs including 26 years with the Shelby American Auto club, both the Canadian and American, and membership in the early Viper clubs in both Canada and U.S. You and your team are running this the best I have ever seen a car club run. Keep up the good work and membership will soar. Ralph”
Thank you very much Ralph, and you’re so right about membership soaring!
Your VCO Leadership Team
We recognize and thank your club directors who volunteer their time, energy and enthusiasm to take care of the countless aspects of running a large and active club, including their roles as Area Directors planning many events across Southern Ontario.
Bruce Hadfield, President, GTA East
Garrett Nalepka, VP, GTA Central
Nick Sawrantschuk, Treasurer, GTA N-W
Jay Tanti, Membership
Dan Frankian, GTA S-W
Enio Parete, Windsor
Jay Leslie, Eastern Ontario
Jackie Simpson, Niagara
Dennis Harding, Cambridge
Jamie Herrington, London
We also thank our past Board members who have all greatly contributed to our club over the last 25 years, and who still do! https://www.viperclubofontario.com/boardofdirectors
Your Club Sponsors
The club fun we share is also made possible by the generosity of our club sponsors. We’re extremely fortunate that a number of them are also integral partners in helping us maintain our Vipers... support that many Viper clubs just don’t have.
This year we set the bar for membership value with over $20,000 in member, sponsor and apparel revenue. As a registered non-profit, we spend all revenue for member benefits, including in 2022 5 events with member’s meals paid, 2 for their partner’s and guest’s meals, free Sunset Boat Cruise tickets and Niagara Parks attraction passes, our Track Program Rebate incentive, and lots of free draw prizes and giveaways! Wow!
We thank these special club sponsors for their generous support of many 2022 events…
Raceway Chrysler, Reg Nimeck
Islington Chrysler, Kris Rams
Ontario Chrysler, Dave Pozzobon
Wellington Chrysler, Sam Fairhall
Johnston Research & Performance (JRP), Derek Johnston
Gold Motor Garage, Greg Oldham
Dettmer Tire, Mike Adams
RSP Motorsports
Windsor Premier Cruises
Motiv Performance, Ryan Ceshan
Steve Gawadzyn
Please support our ‘22 sponsors, see https://www.viperclubofontario.com/sponsors
VCO Members Who Planned Events
In addition to our directors who plan most of our events, we recognize and thank these members who also planned 2022 events for all to enjoy!
Randy Swain, Kingston, Napanee Lunch
Charlie Winter, Chatham, Chatham-Belle River Cruise & Lunch
Stan Bigford, Trenton, Trenton-Belleville Cruise & Lunch
Ben Melenhorst, Wasaga Beach, The Canadian Brewhouse Dinner, Barrie
Dave Gorelle, Belfountain, Belfountain Cruise
Marvin Godelewicz, Maple, Yo Amo Taco Dinner, Woodbridge
Shane Bennett, Napean & Rob Saikaley, Ottawa, Cars & Coffee
Kevin Woods, Port Lambton Car Show & Cruise
Steve Gawadzyn, Windsor, Leamington Beach Cruise
Isif Ibrahima, London, 2 Grand Bend Motorplex Track Events
John Wach, Welland, ONVE2022-Niagara Falls (photo above & below)
Kevin Woods, Port Lambton, Chatham End of Season Cruise & Meal
Derek Johnston, 8 JRP “Speed Therapy” HPDE Track Events
Thank you all for your incredible support! If you have an interesting ’23 event suggestion, please contact your Area Director. https://www.viperclubofontario.com/boardofdirectors
New Member Introduction
We’re very pleased to welcome our most recent new VCO member, Richard Clarke from Niagara Falls, New York! Richard owns a 2014 SRT Race Yellow GTS.
We look forward to meeting Richard at one of our events early in the New Year!
2023 Event Calendar
We currently have 23 Event Calendar listings covering 40 days of events, starting with those where the dates were set by VCO event partners like Hagerty Garage + Social, Ian Law Racing, JRP “Speed Therapy” and Drive Festival. Our calendar will soon be filled out with local events from Windsor to Ottawa. https://www.viperclubofontario.com/events
Winter ‘22/23 starts this weekend!
Sun. Dec 4th, Lunch in Jordan Station (between Stoney Creek and St. Catharines)
Sat. Jan 21st, Tour of Legendary Motorcars, near Milton (photo below) https://legendarymotorcar.com/
February, Lunch in Caledon, date TBD
March, Lunch in Woodbridge, date TBD
Spring/Summer 2023 Events
Return to Hagerty Garage + Social Sunday June 11th for our 2nd Annual Viper Show & Lunch Meeting
Attend Hagerty's huge monthly Cars & Caffeine events
Hold local lunches after each Cars & Caffeine
Enjoy new social cruises, destinations and special attractions
Exercise our passion for performance with full season of track schools and lapping
Exhibit in our 2nd Drive Festival event
Hold our 3rd Annual Signature Ontario Viper Event, ONVE2023
And much more!
We thank all who enjoyed our 2022 events with us, and we hope to see everyone in 2023!
VCO Member’s Facebook
The latest club news and event notices are often posted on our Facebook Group in-between publishing of our monthly VCO Times newsletter. If you haven’t joined our Facebook group yet, please do at https://www.facebook.com/groups/646530975516107
2023 Membership Renewals
Please renew your membership for 2023 asap and plan to enjoy our up-coming events!
VCO Direct membership is now required, dues are $125, and can be remitted by either….
E-transfer to vcotracks@gmail.com (preferred), or
Cheque to “Viper Club of Ontario”, c/o B. Hadfield, PO Box 282, Cannington, On, L0E1E0.
Please note that processing of cheques delivered after Dec 23rd will be significantly delayed, so kindly remit early or contact Bruce so as not to miss any 2023 events!
Holiday Decoration Photos
We know some of you love decorating your homes for the holidays. Let’s help get everyone into the holiday spirit by sharing photos on our club Facebook, or to Bruce by email, and maybe we can include a few of them in our next newsletter!
December will be a very busy month for many. We’re wishing you well with all of your plans… and hopefully any sunny vacation plans!
We’re looking forward to kicking off 2023 with you…and the next 25 years of VCO fun!
More members, Vipers, events, and fun…thank you all for your incredible club support!
On behalf of your leadership team,
Bruce Hadfield
VCO President
705-341-8320 any time