Written by: Seth Haynes (Dr.quattro) and FRRG

As the Incubus song so eloquently depicts (with a few minor changes to adapt to our story); “It’s 5 a.m., and the garbage truck beeps as it backs up, and I start my day thinking about what I’ve thrown away.” Like a child on Christmas morning, I couldn’t help but deprive myself of sleep the night before. Would I love to press rewind and get to bed hours earlier? Obviously, but when I have something amazing about to unfold in front of me, I choose to press forward and forge into the wild Las Vegas scene, a city that never sleeps.


Wustefest 2009 being the prize that lay ahead, I attack the day like a starving college student, home on a holiday, attacks a deli-platter. No lack of sleep would make me or any of my fellow Four Rings Racers Group members turn our back on all the planning and preparation for the event, especially when we’ve received the support of excellent and reputable companies like STaSIS, Pure Motorsport, Genesis Engineering, Vorsteiner, Brembo, Custom Car Alarms and notably Quattroworld, the forum which has brought so many of us fellow enthusiasts together.

The first image embedded in my mind of Wustefest 2009 is not of the event itself. It is of a parking lot in Barstow, California, our convergence point for the Southern Ring and Northern Ring of Four Rings Racing Group.

After having been lost and split up from the caravan, we all managed to find our way to Barstow, where a dozen more FRRG members welcomed us. Running on no food and little sleep, the image of a parking lot full of nice cars in the middle of nowhere seemed surreal. After ignoring my hunger pangs and refusing to eat what the town had to offer, I eventually found myself surrendering to hunger, and in line at a reputable sandwich place with several $5 foot-longs on the menu. Maybe the smell of food aroused my consciousness, but suddenly I realized about our perfectly timed convergence and the upcoming event, “Wow, this is really happening isn’t it?” In came the rest of the group, and out came the personalities. With old friends and new faces, and with positive values at its core, Four Rings Racers Group (FRRG) has become a tight knit group. In that moment I was overcome with excitement and appreciation for our young and growing group and how we would experience Las Vegas, and more importantly Wustefest together.

The feeling climaxed as we headed into Las Vegas (as a massive, glorious caravan united by four rings) where the Strip welcomed us with flattering acoustics and sidewalks packed with humanity. How surreal, from out of the lonely, desolate California basin, in comes the thundering sound of V8’s, massive turbos spooling, and pad-squealing big brakes. This absolutely reminded me of the epic score Ennio Morricone wrote to enhance Sergio Leone’s “A Fistful of Dollars”. We spurred our horses for endless hours and strolled into a high Nevada desert town on tired horses in need of a watering hole. That watering hole would keep us going, until the next sunrise, and a car show that would make even the late, great and gone Morricone reincarnate and write a new, epic score.

For those unfamiliar with Wustefest, it is a three day gathering and appreciation of German made cars. Though mainly attended by cars on the West coast, groups as far north as Canada and East as North Carolina made the drive for the event. What makes it more special is the excuse it gives one to spend three days in Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world. After participating in the meet and greet on Friday night, what else could we do but endure another sleepless night? Although our club President “endured” staring at the back of his eyelids at dinner (and his soft bed shortly thereafter), this time most of us justified enduring sleeplessness for fun’s sake. I’d like to say we spent the entire night living it up, but a phone call from one member, about to be detained, cut our Blackjack game short. Our co-founder was arguing with a hotel security guard, who had whipped out the cuffs and was claiming he was a “threat to security” and about to be arrested. What heinous act was being committed in Vegas at 2 a.m.? He was detailing the group’s cars in the parking garage! This was going to be a tough one to get this guy bailed out of. Before I knew it, we were on the 6th floor of the parking structure. After pleading with the friendly “Paul Blart” like security professional, we explained that we would assist the “threat to security” in finishing the detail jobs. As security disappeared into the shadows, moments later it was dawn, and the morning sun was beating on our necks and it was time to get ready for the Show and Shine.

By 11 a.m., the desert sun glared brightly on the vast array of German cars. With 11 participating cars and 13 total present, FRRG was an Audi group in a sea of VW’s (since we were in the desert, one could employ the word “Mirages”). We had A3’s, A4’s, A6’s, S4’s, RS4’s, B5’s, B6’s and B7’s. Among the minority of cars were many fine modern and vintage Porsches and BMW’s. This event was a fine show of enthusiasm for what various eras of German engineering has to offer. The friendly and diverse crowd appreciated what was being shared regardless of make or model. < Wustefiesta 138>In essence this is what Wustefest is all about, a rare and refreshing take among the bravado that accompanies many car enthusiasts and organizations. It was a beautiful scene to be highlighted with a ride into the sunset, with designated drives to Mt. Charleston, where you would understand why Morricone could have scored this event.

The day culminated with the awards ceremony where we were pleasantly surprised to have FRRG members take the 4th and 5th place prizes for People’s Choice in the Audi category. The biggest surprise was when FRRG received the trophy for “Best Club Representation”. Being a group that is more about the experience and not the glory, it was an honor and an affirmation of the cohesiveness that we have created among dozens of loyal members after barely a year of existence.

I’m sure, as a reader, you can imagine and wonder: FRRG spent the remaining time in Las Vegas at the tables, or in clubs, right? However, the time was spent growing as an enthusiast group and as friends. We reflected on the hospitality which Wustefest organizers extended to not only FRRG, but every person in attendance. There were more nights of sleep deprivation, but nobody seemed to mind, as the level of participation inspired positive reflection and gratitude for such a great event hosted by great people. Many of us spent our last night planning routes home (including driving through Death Valley, Mono Lake and Yosemite), text messaging new members and fighting off that ever present and looming monolith which Las Vegas fears the most; sleep.

As we motored through the high California desert, clawing our ways home, we hadn’t quite internalized something. Thinking back, at one point during the event, I remember standing back and looking at the cars perfectly parked and spaced apart and realizing this was more than a car show; it was living the core principle of the Four Rings Racers Group: To come together, bond, meet new people, and share in the unilateral joy that driving brings. What better way to end it, than to enjoy that last tired and amazing drive home, trying to keep up with a fellow co-founder, and laughing at what we had just survived…… Wustefest, 2009.

To view the entire FRRG Vegas Gallery CLICK HERE.

To view more information on Wustefest CLICK HERE.