Checkered Flag

Are you all ready for our Super Quadruple Doppler Chopper Checkered Flag Hurricane Earl Update???  Well, I've got good news, and good news.
 
The best news, for me anyway, is that we Hampton Roadsians panic like champs, so I have no classes at ODU tomorrow!!!! Yay!  TCC, Va Wesleyan, and Thomas Nelson are closed tomorrow as well!  There are plenty of local school s and businesses already announcing shorter hours tonight, delays for the mornings, or complete closings.  For a complete, updated list, just follow the following link to WTKR.com's closing and delay list:  Checkered Flag Hurricane Earl Update Closings and Delays.

The second good news is that it doesn't look like we're going to catch half of the wrath of the Hurricane Earl beast that we thought we might.  Now, I'm not saying we're completely out of the red yet, but I don't expect to see the Wicked Witch flying past my window like she did during Isabel.  Still, we are preparing for the worst here all over Tidewater.  For instance, take a look at this fool out in Portsmouth.

  

Yep.  That's a life jacket, complete with whistle.  And, yes..that's an oar..just in case.  And, a third yes..this goof just happens to be married to me.  I swear this is no joke.  I actually came home to this Hurricane Earl Preparedness police in my driveway.  Earlier, he blew his whistle at one of the neighbors for not having his lawn furniture prepared for sustained winds of up to 40mph.

We've got some preparations in action here at Checkered Flag as well.  Richard Hutsko, manager over at our Checkered Flag Jaguar Porsche and Audi location sent over the following picture a little while ago.  The precious Checkered Flag Porsches had to be brought inside for the night to avoid wind-blown debris.  That's right; we make sure our Checkered Flag Winners take home perfectly smooth rides!


 
When asked how they packed all of those Porsches inside the showroom Richard responded, "Carefully," of course.

Now, this is the worst!!  Tragedy is befalling Currituck County as I write!  We have gotten official word that Currituck County has suspended the sale of all alcohol due to the State of Emergency issued earlier for the county.  Sorry Currituck!  I guess you'll have to drive up here to Virginia to buy your booze for the hurricane parties I know are going on down there!!
 
Now, don't forget, it is still Labor Day Weekend.  And after this little squall blows through, you're going to want to head out to your nearest Checkered Flag location for some of the best deals of the year!!  Checkered Flag Honda in Norfolk is wrapping up the Honda Clearance Event, while Checkered Flag Toyota has insane specials on Camry and Corolla.  All of our 11 Checkered Flag brands are going to need to make up for the hours missed for nasty weather, so I can guarantee we will be cutting awesome deals for everyone!

Seriously, I hope everyone out there stays safe this evening and tomorrow.  I will be checking in with any other breaking hurricane news throughout. 

 

Article posted today on WTKR.com, News Channel 3:

NEW ORLEANS, La. (AP) - Another oil rig exploded and caught fire Thursday off the Louisiana coast, spreading a mile-long oil sheen in the Gulf of Mexico west of the site of BP's massive spill. All 13 crew members were rescued.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Coklough said the sheen, about 100 feet wide, was spotted near the platform. Firefighting vessels were battling the flames.

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So, your travel plans for Labor Day Weekend have been thwarted by nasty ol' Hurricane Earl?well, I have some great news for you!!  Of course Checkered Flag Toyota was already planning on having a totally terrific Labor Day Sale, but now, we're thinking the yucky weather might put a dent in this week's business, so we are upping the ante to make up the difference.  That means great savings for anyone coming out to Checkered Flag Toyota this weekend!
 
This week, until September 7 ONLY, Checkered Flag Toyota is offering the 2011 Camry for an unbelievable $17,990 and financing as low as 0% for 60 months!!!  What?!?  I know?that's crazy talk.  But it's true.  And if you're looking to lease instead, we can offer payments of $199 per month with only $199 down.  Right now we have 20 to choose from, but I'm betting they won't make it through the weekend.

Disclaimer- Purchase price includes $750 customer cash from Toyota-plus TT&L and $499 processing fee. Lease includes TT&L and processing fee 35 mo. $199 total due at signing. 0% for 60 months with approved credit. Expires 9/7/2010



And if you've been waiting for the perfect time to purchase or lease a Toyota Corolla, here it is!!  Checkered Flag Toyota has 20 in-stock Corollas that we can offer for the extremely low price of $14,790!  With finance rates as low as 0% for 60 months, you'll get one of the best deals ever on the 2010 Corolla.  Leasing more your speed?  How about $189 down and $189 per month?  Good?  We thought so!

Disclaimer-Purchase price includes $750 customer cash from Toyota-plus TT&L and $499 processing fee. Lease includes TT&L and processing fee-35 mo. $189 total due at signing. 0% for 60 months with approved credit Expires 9/7/2010

So put on those galoshes and head on down to Checkered Flag Toyota at 5301 Virginia Beach Blvd.  If you need any more information or would like to schedule a test drive, just give us a call at (757)490-1111 or fill out the form at the following link:  Checkered Flag Toyota Labor Day.

Wow!  I've been concentrating so hard on this Hurricane Earl situation that I almost completely forgot this is Labor Day Weekend!  And everyone knows holiday weekends bring the best deals around.  Well, Checkered Flag Honda is no exception!

Okay, Checkered Flag Winners,  I know you have all been waiting on the edge of your desk chairs for me to get back to you today, well, here I am, but unfortunately, I don't have any better news than yesterday. 

I've got an official Checkered Flag Hurricane Watch 2010 update for you, and it does not look great.  I thought for sure the track for Hurricane Earl would have changed today, but it has not at all, or very little, depending on the weather source.  Horrible Hurricane Earl is still headed our way, and now, behind him is his lil sis Fiona. The particular track above is from weather.com.  The latest update available is from 2:00pm today, Tuesday.

Here again are the links to two of our local weather news update sites.  I thought I'd go ahead and put them both up here again just so we can easily get more than one opinion on when exactly our houses are going to blow away. 

The first link is for the weather tracker on WVEC.com.  To see the tracker, click on the following link:  Checkered Flag 13 Weather Hurricane Tracker

The following is a link to Wavy.com for the latest Hurricane Earl update:  Checkered Flag Wavy 10 Weather Link Hurricane Earl 

I've been looking all over for helpful information for us Hampton Roadsians, and I've come up with a great link that wraps up a whole bunch of info into a neat easy-to-navigate package.  Just click on the following link to view the interactive guide from VDOT:  Checkered Flag Hurricane Earl Interactive Hurricane Guide. 

Another helpful tool I located on our Virginia.gov website was this video explaining our Hampton Roads Evacuation Routes.  It is a bit lengthy for our blog, I admit, but it is interesting to see the explanation of how exactly our Checkered Flag Winners are supposed to all head for the hills (literally) at the same time.  If you have difficulty viewing the video below, simply click on the following link and scroll down to this update article:  Checkered Flag Va Beach Evacuation Route.

 

Oh oh oh?ooooooo?that was a smart!?!  Anyone who watched the Emmys on Sunday couldn't have missed the hottie leading off the show.  No, I'm not talking about Jimmy Fallon.  I'm talking about the smart fortwo he drove up in!!  Well we here at Checkered Flag sure didn't miss it.
 
Check out the video below of Jimmy's intro to the show.  After arriving in his smart fortwo, Jimmy meets up with a handful of the Glee kids then picks up a slew of other primetime stars including Tina Fey, Kate Gosselin in her Dancing with the Stars gear, Jon Hamm from Mad Men, and my personal favorite, Joel McHale from the Soup and Community.  The crew makes it to the stage where they perform an unforgettable rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run."  Even if you don't care for the Emmys, or know who any of these people are, you can still appreciate the fantastic showmanship.
 
If you have difficulty viewing the video on this page, simply follow this link and scroll down to this article:  Checkered Flag smart Emmy with Jimmy Fallon.



Seriously cool, huh?  And to think it all started with the smart!  If you are unfamiliar with smart cars and would like more information, just contact us here at (757)490-1111 or come visit us here at Checkered Flag smart, your ONLY Virginia Beach or Hampton Roads smart dealer and test one out for yourself.  Smart fortwos are available in any color you could imagine, and with a starting price under $14,000, they fit anyone's budget.  We have plenty of smarts in stock, so stop by for yours today!    Smart Va Beach is located on Va Beach Blvd one door down from Checkered Flag MINI and BMW. 

  
Photo source:  [weather.com]

Batten down the hatches!!  A great squall is a brewin'!

Seriously folks, it's time to head out to the grocery store and stock up on the staples.  I've just gotten word that there is a good chance we're going to be in for some terrible weather this week.  This nasty fellow, Hurricane Earl is tearing through the Atlantic as we speak, and some weather reports are putting the bulls eye right on Hampton Roads for Earl's landing spot.
 
The following is a link to Wavy.com for the latest Hurricane Earl update:  Checkered Flag Wavy 10 Weather Link Hurricane Earl





I found a nice tracking map over at WVEC.com as well.  To see the tracker, click on the following link:  Checkered Flag 13 Weather Hurricane Tracker

At the very least it looks like we are in for quite a drenching.  Remember your Summer Safety Series article about Flooding:  Checkered Flag did not sell you a boat!  Do not attempt to drive through water unless you are absolutely sure that it is safe.  Most of Hampton Roads is prone to flash flooding, but what many people forget in times of hurricanes is that wind direction, in combination with tides, can send water into places that may not have flooded in the past.  So be on extra alert.  You may even want to park your Checkered Flag vehicles on higher ground just for extra insurance.  Don't forget about the trees!!  More vehicles are damaged by fallen tree branches than any other aspect of all that the hurricane fury brings.
 
I don't think I have to tell you all what to stock up on, we have all been through Hurricanes before.  After all, it's just another part of living in wonderful Tidewater.  But, I will say, if I get anything done over the next few days, it will be gathering enough water for a small army.  I learned my lesson during Isabel, that you can never have enough water around, and it will get used up eventually.
 
So, pull out the Honda Pilot, the Toyota Sequoia, and the VW Routans and head out to Sam's and BJ's to load up on all those canned goodies and bulk batteries!  Make sure to get out soon to avoid the crowds of panicking looney tunes.
 
If you don't fair so well during the storm, and your neighbor's 100 year-old oak falls on your BMW, just give us a ring at (757)490-1111 to schedule a visit to the Checkered Flag body shop, Hampton Roads premier repair shop in Va Beach.  Unfortunately, I bet we will see a few of you there next week, but we will get you back on the road as soon as possible!

I will try to keep you all updated as best as possible throughout the week.  For now, I'm running out for some Spaghetti-Os and Dasani bottles!

Only 3 days left to take advantage of some incredible deals on top-selling Toyotas!  From now until 9p.m. this Tuesday , August 31st, Checkered Flag Toyota, your premier  VA Beach Toyota dealer, is offering an additional $500 bonus rebate on top of already great prices for 2010 Corolla and 2011 Camry.
 
That's right.  This bonus rebate is on top of any existing Toyota Rebates or Specials, including finance specials.  Add that to the fact that prices are usually lower near the end of the month, and you could wind up with the deal of the year on your new Toyota Camry or Corolla.  This also means that if you stopped by earlier this month and got a price quote from Checkered Flag Toyota, they can now lower it by another $500!


 
This deal is absolutely limited to August 31st, so drop everything, and get in quick to our Checkered Flag Toyota store at 5301 Virginia Beach Blvd.  For more information, call (757)490-1111 or click on the following link to contact us:  Checkered Flag Toyota inquiry form.

Hello again Checkered Flag Winners!!  Well, I am definitely glad to be back home here in the 757.  I made a quick pop up to D.C. this weekend that turned into a little bit of a nightmare.  First, I forgot to pack my laptop's power cord so I was not able to get my Hampton Roads Happenings up on Friday, then my tire went completely flat and I had to head straight home instead of stopping anywhere fun on the way back (thank goodness for the full-size spare on my Toyota RAV4).  But, you can all breathe easy again.  I am finally back online!
 
Okay, enough about me.  Let's get back to business.  We do have a couple of great things going on this last week of summer, and my first pick is a doozy.
 
Tonight, yes, TONIGHT, get your tweens in there jeggings and head on down to the Virginia Beach Amphitheater for the Jonas Brothers World Tour featuring Demi Lovato and the rest of the crew from Camp Rock 2.  Pause for teen screams.  That's right, if you want to get a first-hand look at these dream boats that your daughters, granddaughters and nieces go on about, pack up the family in your Checkered Flag minivan or SUV make it to the gates by 7 p.m.  Lawn tickets for the show start at $10, a steal for the amphitheater, so invite the neighbors' kids and make their week.  year?  life?!

My second pick for the week is the Why Not Wednesdays? Free Concert and Farmer's Market at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach.  This concert series is down to its last two weeks.  This Wednesday, September 1st, amazing local artist, Jesse Chong will be gracing the stage to share a mix of alternative, folk rock, and reggae while you and your family enjoy tasty treats, drinks, and shop for fresh veggies and fruits.  This is a seriously cool way to get you over that mid-week slump and it's completely free and open to the public.  Follow this link for more information:  Va Beach Sandler Center Wednesdays.



Don't forget to head out to Checkered Flag this week to catch the tail end of the August pricing and specials.  Checkered Flag MINI is down to its last few days of the 1,2,3 sale.  Click here for more info:  MINI Va Beach Sale Prices.  Checkered Flag Toyota is offering a special additional $500 rebate on Toyota Camry and Corolla through Tuesday, August 31st.  Follow this link for more information:  Checkered Flag Toyota Corolla and Camry Specials. 

Back on August 14th, Checkered Flag had the honor of hosting the national Cars and Coffee event here in Virginia Beach.  Car and Coffee lovers gathered together to enjoy a few cups of joe while admiring each other's classics, hot rods, and even plain old rides.

The event was a hit!  Dozens of car enthusiasts came together at an early 8 a.m.  and had quite a blast spreading the auto-love.  Here are a few photos from Checkered Flag's Cars and Coffee event.


A rainbow of MINIs all in a row.  Checkered Flag MINI



Checkered Flag Jaguar, Porsche, and Audi making their Cars and Coffee debut.  Checkered Flag Porsche Jaguar Audi



Porsche Family Reunion



The hit of the day, Checkered Flag Porsche's GT3 RS.  It even looks fast.
 
Thanks to all of you who came out to enjoy this great day of cars and community, we look forward to seeing you when Cars and Coffee comes through again.  Until then, feel free to stop by any Checkered Flag location and kick a few tires.  There's free coffee here too!!

For more information on any Checkered Flag vehicle, click on the following link:  Checkered Flag Contact Form.