Pate Swap Meet @ Texas Motor Speedway

[Ironhorse]

Anyone here planning on going next weekend - April 25th thru 27th? Haven't been able to make it for the last two years and am having withdrawls, bigtime . If one enjoys a good swap meet, this is the one for the Mid-west region. It is just flat out HUGE. Several years ago my BIL and I attended and that year there were over 2,300 vendors, not vendor spots, vendors. My BIL can't make it this year so will be going with another buddy who also retired from my company. Quite often while walking the meet one can hear the race cars doing time trials and practice runs. Adds a bit to the experience, Getting more mature now and have taken to renting a scooter, my knees enjoy that more.

[TxGary]

Goodguys car show will be going on at the speedway at the same time. Expecting big turn out.

[D.B]

I go every year, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Some friends of mine get 10 or 12 spots, and they camp out for the whole event. I help put up tents, get the cooker going and enjoy a few days of chaos. It is a huge event and lots of fun.

[Ironhorse]

Well, it looks like the weather is not wanting to co-operate for the upcoming Pate swap meet. Weather turns crappy here late Wednesday and all the way thru the weekend and that extends down in to Oklahoma on in to Texas. Wx guesser is calling for thunder storms, rain , wind, possible hail. Plan is to leave here early dark:30 Friday morning and arrive at the Texas Motor Speedway around 7:30 - 8:00 am. About 6 1/2 to 7 hour drive from here. Wavering now, I really want to go but hate the thought of driving that distance and then the meet be a total wash out because of the storms. Sitting in a car watching it pour is not my idea of a fun time.

Anyone here local to Denton Texas and DFW area want to chime in with what the local weather guessers are saying for this weekend? Get a more local perspective on the forecast?

[TxGary]

I live 45 minutes from the speedway. Forecast for Friday is 60%, Saturday 45% with t storms, Sunday 4o% t storms. Not looking good at all.

[weq92f]

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There's a group of us that go every year to pate and to goodguys at TMS. This year, the two events are combined.

Our plan was Thursday=PATE, Friday-n-Saturday=goodguys + a little more PATE.

I usually enter my truck and a buddy enters his chevelle and we park in the show together, setup shade and refreshment station and have good times.

However the weather this year may prevent some or all of this. Only time will tell because we all know the "weather guessers" don't always get it right!

-Kevin

[Ironhorse]

Just got off the phone with my swap meet Buddy and guess we're going to wuss out. Had planned for quite some time on going but weather forecast all the way south from South Central Kansas where we are to DFW/Denton area pretty much sucks big time for end of the week into the weekend. Wind, rain, hail all in the forecast. Decided did not want to sit in the truck and watch it rain / hail. Now since we're not going I would guess the weather will take a turn for the better and be cloudy with a breeze and upper 70's.

Anyone who does attend please post as to just how nice it was since we won't be there.

[weq92f]

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Went Friday and Saturday to the show + pate. The number of entrants to the car show was less than half what it should have been (normal) and it seemed even the patrons were far less than what we've seen in the past. PATE was absolutely enormous as expected. It's not possible to see all of it unless you're there each full day and have a scooter to haul your @ss around.

The car show was a major disappointment due to the above but the weather was beautiful and we had good times anyway!

-Kevin

EDIT: I suspect the organizers will think long and hard about combining these two major events again in the future. The weather played a role this time around but I believe PATE put a damper on the car show attendance. One positive note here is that because PATE was there and GoodGuys patrons were allowed to venture into the swap meet from inside the car show and vice versa, race track activities were not a factor this year. That is, patrons had to walk out onto the race track to go between the two events. This meant that the NASCAR rides attraction was not functional Friday and Saturday, which means all the folks inside the infield of the race track (where goodguys car show happens) DO NOT have to endure the sounds of the race cars at speed all day!