Easy Ira. I'm the Florida guy.
Rick
Rick,
I understand what you are saying and the farthest I have had to travel to a Shootout is 10 Hours to OK City. It looks to be about 18 or so hours for you depending on driving habits and such. Clay City is going to be your best location really.
All I can say is that just about everyone on this site knows when the shootouts are going to be held generally speaking. Late Sept. or early Oct. I am not sure what you do for a living or anything about you, or vacation situation etc; so this is just in general terms for anyone reading this.
Learn to plan ahead, set back a little money each month for the registration fees, gas money, food, hotel etc; Try not to make it so painful to come up with it all at one time. I have a shootout fund just to make sure I can go every year and fortunately for me I get 6 weeks of vacation a year so that is generally not an issue.
All I am saying is we have had folks from Canada come for several years. Yes it is difficult, and can be a little pricey for some, but I can assure you it will be the most fun you can have a car event you can think of. If you have a family bring them along and get them involved, it doesn't cost much more for them to come.
Start planning now and see how you can make things work to have a great time for a weekend. It has been said a bunch of times before, but don't worry about how your car looks or races, as long as it is reliable enough to make the trip if you drive it, then don't race that's cool. If you trailer it, even better in my opinion, but it can be done if you plan ahead now.
Hope to see you there this year and make sure you find me if you come. ( I am form FL originally too)
Regards,
Smitty