Where to begin...
I guess that would have to be the day I saw the new 350z at the Atlanta Auto show for the first time. I had been throughout the entire show before I got to the Nissan display. I had looked at the BMW M3, Honda S2000, and the Porsche Boxster trying to find something that I might want to buy in the next couple years to replace my Dakota R/T. I had not come to any firm decisions until I saw the new Z. The Z car at the show was the Japanese Fairlady Z. The car had an awesome chrome silver paint job and I was floored. I was not able to get closer than 10 feet to the car due to the platform and rail that Nissan had up. I remember watching the car go around forever on the turntable as I tried to remember every detail.
I went home very excited about the idea of owning the new Z car and I drooled over the brochure all night. I talked my wife into the idea of us owning the new Nissan 350z the next morning and I had my car pre-ordered by 1:00 that afternoon. Remember that I had not even expected to purchase another car for quite a while, but I tell you what, the first time I saw the new 350z I could not wait to drive it. The rest is history.
My first 350z was totaled just a few weeks after we picked it up from the dealer when someone pulled out in front of me. Fortunately I found a replacement car in Ogden, Utah and flew out to pick the car up a few weeks later. We had a great drive cross country in the car and loved every minute of the trip. I highly modified the second car with a Vortech supercharger, stereo, body kit, etc. over a period of five years. I made the cover of Nissan Sport magazine for the January issue 2007. Unfortunately the car was once again totaled when someone pulled out in front of me just days before the magazine was released.
I decided this time to build a convertible show car, so I purchased a Black 07 350z convertible. In a period of just four months we totally tore down and rebuilt the car into the green wide body car in the picture to the left. This car was an animal and featured full audio/video/computer along with every performance mod you could think of such as twin turbos, engine management, exhaust, brakes, wheels, etc. We spent the better part of three years showing the car around the Southeast US and won every major award. We had several magazine writeups on the car.
After a total of about five years of not driving a Z every day I decided to sell the green Z and purchase a 2010 Nismo 370z. I thoroughly enjoy getting out and tearing up the roads on daily basis and attend the occasional track day.
My wife and I attended the first ZDayZ in 2004 in my second 03 LeMans Sunset 350z. After that first year, we were hooked! We have attended each year in various cars (my wife's 03 G35 coupe, our 07 tahoe, our green widebody 350z, my wife's 05 350z convertible, and now my 10 Nismo 370z). We look forward to the event each year to see our Z family. What is so great is that you can do as much or as little over the weekend and no matter what you still have a blast.
In 2009 I took over running the car show event and for 2011 I took over Webmaster responsibilities.