Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photos by Adrenaline Lifestyles
Excitement had been running high, anticipating the 2nd Annual ATL SSTakeover weekend in Atlanta Georgia. The weather was forecasted to be a wash out, but outside of a few scattered showers, the sun shined down on Atlanta, GA the entire weekend. In typical SSTakeover fashion, this event shut the city down with every stop the group made this past weekend. The excitement of the past SSTakeover events sent shockwaves throughout the industry as well as peaking interest of the slingshot community, dealerships, sponsors, vendors and Polaris. This year Polaris reached out to the SSTakeover team, eager and ready to make this event bigger and better than before. The SSTakeover team graciously accepted and the planning went into motion.
Slingshot gatherings are taking place throughout the country, with the East Coast showcasing some of the sharpest custom slingshots around. The SSTakeover movement is the brainchild of entertainment pioneer and Slingshot owner James McRae. The purpose of the SSTakeover movement is to bring enthusiasts of this three-wheeled sensation together so that they can network and join in the camaraderie, fun and appreciation for their love of Slingshots. It is no doubt that the attention of these events, garner excitement from onlookers that are interested in the Polaris Slingshot, some becoming owners themselves.
Arrival day in Atlanta had a cloudy and damp backdrop but the ATL Slingshot Takeover group welcomed Polaris Industries Slingshot owners and enthusiast to The Varsity restaurant for a meet and greet, giving all a chance to commune before the busy weekend ensued. Saturday morning kicked off with Morning Jo with Slingshots fueled by Freedom Powersports of McDonough and Polaris. Breakfast and coffee was served to all that attended with gifts given to all that attended. This was a great opportunity for the early risers to get out for a good ride and then showcase their rides in a “cars and coffee” style setting. After a pit stop at the gas station, the group went on to their second stop at Indian of Marietta for the BBQ party. Picking up more riders along the way, the parking lot was packed from end to end for this event. After the dealer events, the group headed out for a trip into downtown Atlanta. Making their way over to Atlanta’s new tourist attraction, The Trap House, the group pulled up on this house that was renovated by Grammy Award winning artist 2Chainz. Onlookers turned around from the house and ran into the streets to take pictures and talk with the Slingshot riders. The vibe and energy is always electric as the bevy of Slingshots and bikers shut down every block they enter by lining the streets with custom Slingshots as far as the eyes can see.
Sunday “Funday” was up next and coined as the main event of the weekend. Have you ever dreamt of experiencing a world-renowned circuit? Well, this was that opportunity with free track time to demo the latest motorized sensations taking the powersports industry by storm, but to also put in a few hot laps with your personal Slingshot. The day kicked off at various Freedom Powersports locations with an open house including refreshments and deals on all Slingshot apparel and helmets. Each location hosted a separate from their site to Atlanta Motorsport Speedway for the main event. The track day was hosted by TV and V103 personality as well as motorsports enthusiast Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan, the event rolled on triumphantly with several hundred in attendance.
At the track there were a good number of vendors on site such as Welter Performance, Metricks, Slingshot Only, 1800-HURT-911, Mean Sling, and many more. Enthusiasts took this time to take advantage of some great deals and get parts installed on their Slingshots. A lot of members from the SlingShotInfo forum showed up as well, from near and far. The ride and drive list was filled to capacity as onlookers wanted to test out the Polaris Slingshot to see what the hype was all about. The Polaris team went above and beyond to make sure that all had a great time at the track event. Riders were offered the chance to take multiple runs on the circle track, as well as participate in an autocross course. Food and beverages were also catered by the Polaris team to make sure everyone’s stomachs were not empty and the bodies were hydrated. Adrenaline pumped high as many attendees raved about the experience taking place that day. Big Tigger and DJ PNut kept the crowd entertained as great tunes were spun throughout the afternoon.
The SSTakeover ATL Custom Show was nothing short of spectacular and judged in four different classes. Peoples Choice, Most Creativity, Best Audio and Best in Show. Each winner received a custom trophy and cash prizes. It was a phenomenal experience to participate in such a historical event. All attendees received gift bags filled with gifts from Polaris. Whether on 2s or 3s, the love shared amongst riders and enthusiast is what fuels the industry and community.
Events such as the ATL Slingshot Takeover absolutely enrich this experience and sub-culture. SSTakeover, Polaris, Throttle Life, BikeLifeATL, Freedom Powersports, Indian of Marietta, Mall of Georgia and Adrenaline Lifestyles did a great job in curating and seeing this event through. Hype is already buzzing for when the DC SSTakeover will take place. Stay tuned as details for the Nation’s capital SSTakeover will be released soon. In the meantime, enjoy the photo gallery from the 2nd Annual ATL SSTakeover.
