Every business knows it's their customers who will make or break them, which is perhaps why Factory Five Racing has done so well in the 11 years it has been in business-their customers are fanatics about their cars!
Though the business itself has done very well, it's run by a group of people who are really into their cars. That enthusiasm translates into having fun. When Factory Five opens its doors for an open house in the middle of June, hundreds of people and cars show up for an event that lasts only a few hours.
Made up of loyal FFR customers, it's no real secret that legions of satisfied FFR owners help drive the success of the company. But it's a mutual respect. Factory Five Racing owner Dave Smith really enjoys racing, as well as talking with the car owners about their experiences, both on the street and on the track.
The FFR Open House, now in its ninth year, started as an impromptu get-together but soon drew over 100 cars. Factory Five responded with a weenie roast, and where there's food, there're people. Since the first gathering they've been coming to FFR's home base in Wareham, Massachusetts, to swap stories, chow down on a dog or two, and see what's new.
Attendees start showing up early to line their rides up in the back parking lot behind the 50,000-square-foot facility. The open house allows folks to see where their car was born or, if they don't own one yet, where it'll be made. Dave took groups of interested onlookers on a guided tour of the plant, where they could see nearly every aspect of assembly, from welding the chassis pieces to fabricating the bodies, from trimming the carpet to installing the aluminum trim pieces. About the only thing they don't do is paint the cars (they prefer to let customers choose their own hue).
Outside, FFR's Nate Johnson gave the crowd something to cheer about with an amazing tire burnout. His FFR roadster was equipped with special Kumho tires that emit colored smoke (in this case an orange/red) during the controlled burnout.
As lunchtime approached, hot dogs were served to the masses, and folks had the opportunity to get their cars up on Dyno-Go's mobile dynamometer to see just how much horsepower their vehicles produce at the rear wheel. Eleven entrants strapped their cars down, and the outcome ranged from 242hp on the low end to the eventual winner, John Stouck, who pulled 419hp. (After the event was well over, the FFR crew took bets on what their new red GTM would do on the machine. They then pulled the sleek car onto the rollers and pinned the needle at 430.67hp at the rear wheel!)
Soon it was time for some awards, such as Long Distance Champion John Kerekes, who showed up from Tucson, Arizona, a trip of 2,800 miles one way, and Most Innovative Improvement Award, given this year to Bob Peckham. Over 100 of the cars and owners also participated in the first-ever Plymouth Cruise, which took drivers down some of the picturesque back roads of Massachusetts to Plymouth, site of the famed Plymouth Rock (where the pilgrims landed centuries ago)
What is really surprising is that all this happens within a few hours; by 3 p.m., the parking lot is nearly empty and folks are already on their way back home. It's a lot of effort put forth by both the car owners and FFR, but neither mind, as it's a unique opportunity to get together with friends and have some fun-something that seems to come naturally when you own a Factory Five.