Experiencing QDM: quattro de Mayo 2026
By Trent Whicker
May 4th— affectionately known as “quattro de Mayo”, or QDM by those who celebrate —marks 20 years since the inaugural planning of the first-ever QDM event. It is the largest-attended event hosted by the Georgia Chapter and certainly one of Audi Club North America’s most anticipated events of the year.
So it happens, this QDM celebrated a six-month anniversary for me as both an Audi Club member and a proud employee of Audi Club North America. While I am extremely fortunate in many ways to have a job where I have the privilege to not only write about these fantastic cars and the community which surrounds them, I live close to one of the Club’s highest attended open-road events. Not only did I feel accepted as an Audi Club member, I felt local!
For me, it was a weekend of firsts. It was the first time meeting Club members I have only connected with via Zoom, first time as a passenger in a ‘true quattro’, and my first-time meeting Executive Director, Chris May, and Board President, Melissa Wilcox, in person.
My childhood was consumed by car events, attending national events for Porsche Club and other gatherings in East Tennessee. Having an outsider’s perspective lends some expectations of a typical drive and dine event. This event, however, felt different.
When our Georgia Chapter leadership invited us to attend the 20th Anniversary of ‘QDM’, I wanted to keep an open mind. Paying homage to the first annual event in 2006, this year’s festivities were also held in Asheville, contrary to the annual recurring reservation at Brasstown Bald resort in Georgia. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I knew the environment would play a vital role in the success of the event. Despite rain forecasts for the weekend, the rain was short lived, and relief was granted to the many who took advantage of the hotel’s access for car-washing.
The DoubleTree hotel near Biltmore Estates was very accommodable to major interstate, I-40, and close to the local transit roads we all needed to get our tires warm for the weekend’s 16 distinct driving tours.
This year’s QDM hosted over 112 registrants, with Georgia Chapter hosting the most participants (51) and North Carolina bringing in 15 participants. 15 participants made the journey from Florida, 10 from South Carolina, five cars from Tennessee, four participants from Alabama, three from Maryland, three from Ohio, two from Texas and Indiana, and one participant each from Delaware and Colorado.
With no surprise there were over 63 Audi cars, ranging from a classic 1992 quattro coupe driven by Paul Gazella from Ohio Valley to a brand new 2026 RS 6 piloted by David and Anna Tockman from Atlanta. The TT models were eager to capitalize on the windy routes for the weekend. Matt Guerera and Carson Heter made their long trip from Florida to stretch out a couple of TT roadsters on our drive through Little Switzerland.
Non-Audi participants found each other in good company as well. The winner of ‘Furthest Distance Traveled’, John Konakci, drove his 2007 Honda S2000 all the way from Austin, TX. Despite being lone wolves in a sea of Audis, non-Audi participants were seemingly well-equipped to handle the technical driving required for the planned routes.
On welcoming night, we shared a meal at the Stoney Knob Café. Quickly reminded that the weekend’s namesake needed celebrating, my tablemates and I clinked margarita glasses, and we shared our backstories on what brought us to be car-people. My favorite part of the night was learning more about QDM’s origins before it was a sanctioned event, as told by one of the co-founders – Paul Gazella.
As we navigated the schedule of events, I tried to seek guidance on logistics from past attendees. Is it best to eat before the driver’s meeting? Gotta check the walkie-talkies. What about off-line maps in case the signal is lost? Also, did I hydrate enough (or too much)? Are four water bottles enough? Did everyone check their tire pressure?
Lars Finderup, a lead tour driver and QDM Event Chair, hosted the morning Driver’s Meeting – compulsory for all participants. A mantra for the weekend was adapted from Ross Bentley’s “The Lost Art of High-Performance Driving”. These included:
• I am not here to race or compete
• I am ready and prepared
• I am calm and relaxed
• I am safe and courteous
• I am measured and decisive
• I am focused and attentive
• I am smooth and efficient
• I am controlled and thoughtful
• I am predictable and adaptive
• I have had my coffee and been to therestroom (Not to be overlooked!)
Lastly, “Performance Driving is fun, no matter what the speed is…”
My anxiety kicks in when I’m not a driver. I prefer to be in control. For the day, I entrusted ACNA Executive Director, Christopher May to be the pilot. He is undoubtably a skilled driver with HPDE and International Audi Driving program experience, so I knew I was in safe hands. Another other question was how capable was I as a co-pilot?
I would realize soon enough.
I have the responsibility of mic duty for the tail car for our drive. The ‘tail’ follows behind the group and ensures that all drivers in the group make it safely through intersections, stop signs, traffic lights, and communicates to the group leader of any mechanical or technical issues that may arise. It was an integral role, and I soon learned that attentive listening skills are very important. Fortunately, I was capable enough to not get anyone lost.
There were eight tours on Friday. We drove ‘Little Switzerland’. The route was prospected by Group Leader, Melisa Wilcox, and surveyed the day before to ensure safe travels without detours. Minor tweaks to the original route still lead us through a majority of the predetermined map.
Because we are the last group staged, it was much easier to keep count of the group. The 160-mile drive was ‘moderate’ and included some of the most pristine viewpoints from Burnsville, Bakerville and Black Mountain. Lunch was at the Switzerland Café in Marion, NC. After half a day of warming the tires and getting acclimated to the elevation change, it was a good opportunity to rehydrate and exchange pleasantries over some authentic Western Carolina BBQ.
After our nourishments, Chris encouraged me to take some footage of the decent down local highway 226A. I don’t think I’ve smiled so much as a passenger. My best interpretation was a loud train of RS 5s, TTs, and an S4 creating a harmony of exhaust crackling, rev matching, and an aroma of tires that pairs so well with the tunnel of trees this train moves through. It was a symphony of nature and machine, practically uninterrupted in that four-mile stretch.
More spirited drives were taking place nearby. A few miles to the east of us, QDM Chair, Lars, took a cohort of drivers through the Bald Mountains north of Asheville. Technical descents were common throughout the day. Roads in this region were apparently some of the first in the area, with the purpose of connecting the network of growing industry and population growth in the late 1800s. This weekend they used to prove the superior traction and performance of an Audi quattro.
Saturday included nine distinct tours, ranging from adrenaline fueled gear-shifting on the backroads, to a curated Asheville Gallery Crawl in the River Arts District. Asheville, as diverse as a city can be, provided a great backdrop for the weekend and offered plenty of entertainment outside of daytime driving.
Tara Johnson, an Asheville local, led the ‘Slay the Dragon, Tame the Sky’ tour from the cockpit of her 2018 TT RS. This tour was a full day of performance driving through the Smoky Mountains, cap-stoned by the legendary 318-curve ‘Tail of the Dragon’. What southeastern driving tour would be complete without at least a peak at Deals Gap?
Our Saturday was quite interesting as well. Despite our original plan being spoiled by a failing clutch slave cylinder on Chris’s S4, I had the opportunity to try my best to keep up with Melisa Wilcox in her RS 5. There was a great mixture of scenery on the Blue Ridge Parkway and an opportunity for me to exercise my 20-year-old Cayman S. We gave the Springdale Resort restaurant a shot for lunch and was not disappointed. Sharing a meal and meeting my colleagues in person was my favorite part of the whole weekend.
At the hotel, we shared stories of the days’ drives as well as other travel experiences. Matt and Mikelle Mulligan shared their own international travel stories, motivating me to get on an airplane and go someplace this summer.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bud Dannemiller, a regular attendee, who has collected key chains from nearly every QDM since 2006. Many folks know each other, but for me this really was the best way to get personal introductions to folks who have been so instrumental in the success of not only QDM but evangelizing Audi Club’s mission.
It was a great first experience and one of the greatest car memories I have had in a very long time. Thank you to all the leadership and volunteers in the Georgia Chapter that made the 2026 QDM a fun, successful event, and welcoming me as a newcomer.
If you are considering joining QDM, or any Audi club driving event for that matter, you’ll find the club espouses a very warm culture and welcoming environment!
To see this story and more, click here to access the Q3_2026 digital issue of quattro Magazine.
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