Chattanooga Car Festival | FerrariChat

Chattanooga Car Festival

Discussion in 'South Central - USA (TN, MS, AL, GA)' started by LMPDesigner, Aug 12, 2021.

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  1. LMPDesigner

    LMPDesigner F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 5, 2003
    3,187
    Atlanta Georgia
  2. LBBP

    LBBP Formula Junior

    Tentatively entered in the Pace Grand Prix race. Lot's of things to see and do for automobile fanatics.
     
  3. DefunctNeurons

    DefunctNeurons Formula Junior

    May 15, 2018
    412
    Alpharetta, GA
    Full Name:
    Trevor
    I’ve heard great things about the last few years but couldn’t go. I want to go but unless COVID cases start to taper back off I’ll probably miss another year.


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  4. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 10, 2003
    21,649
    Atlanta
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    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    has anyone been to previous events? worth a trip?
     
  5. LBBP

    LBBP Formula Junior

    It's my understanding that this event is patterning itself after the Monterey events, perhaps even better.
    Besides the brand new dedicated race track downtown, the Mecum auction, nightly entertainment, Concourse D'elegance, car rally this will be a very family friendly event. I'm looking forward to it myself.
     
  6. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 10, 2003
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    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    outside of the westin, what are they other "nice" hotels ?
     
  7. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
    15,924
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    Jim Pernikoff
    I stayed at the Marriott next to the convention center, and it was pretty good.
     
  8. LBBP

    LBBP Formula Junior

    FYI, hotels are filling very quickly. I wouldn't delay making reservations, another hotel option is the Bode Hotel.
     
  9. VAF84

    VAF84 Formula 3

    This event seems really cool! Might be an excuse to drive my F430 down. Best part is, I've been checking out properties in the Chattanooga, this will give me another chance to check out the area.
     
  10. Grigio 308

    Grigio 308 Formula Junior

    Apr 8, 2004
    647
    Charlotte, NC
    Full Name:
    Kevin Fielden
    We're having a dinner event that Saturday night (the 16th) where Steve Matchett will be reading his short story "Breaking Bread with Ayrton Senna" in three parts between courses. Steve was a mechanic for the Benetton F1 team including Michael Schumacher's firt two world championship seasons. He later went on to broadcast F1 for SPEED and NBC Sports. If you'd like more info on the dinner, please email Kevin at [email protected].
     
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  11. Grigio 308

    Grigio 308 Formula Junior

    Apr 8, 2004
    647
    Charlotte, NC
    Full Name:
    Kevin Fielden
    One week until our Saturday night dinner event in Chattanooga featuring Formula 1 personality Steve Matchett. This will be an intimate setting, so seating is very limited. Let us know if you'd like to reserve your spots for an enjoyable evening of food and Steve's wonderful reading of "Breaking Bread with Ayrton Senna" from his book "These Desired Things".
     
  12. LBBP

    LBBP Formula Junior

  13. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    Still available? If so: where? when (time)? how much?
     
  14. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
    15,924
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Jim Pernikoff
  15. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    I finally decided to go today, just for one day. It rained enroute but was clearing by the time I got to Chattanooga. A highlight, and the main reason I went, was a collection of 14 premium Ferraris parked on the grass in front of the host Westin hotel. Called "The Gathering of the Greats", the collection was considered to be worth around $100 million.

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  16. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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  17. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    Here is the listing of the cars, taken from the event program. Maybe someone can figure out which car is missing from the photos above:

    '48 166 Spider Corsa
    '51 212 Export
    '51 340 America Touring Barchetta
    '52 342 America Speciale by Vignale
    '54 250 Monza
    '54 250 Europa
    '57 500 TRC
    '57 250 GT Tour de France
    '58 250 GT Tour de France
    '59 400 Superamerica
    '60 250 GT SWB
    '63 250 California Spider
    '67 275 GTB/4 NART Spider
    '85 288 GTO
     
  18. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    I got autographs from the likes of Justin Bell, Alain de Cadenet, Wayne Carini, Ray Evernham, David Hobbs, Lyn St. James and Linda Vaughn; Derek Hill and Brian Redman were there as well, but I didn't manage to get their signatures.

    I reminded Hobbs of the last time I had spoken with him; it was 30 years ago, in July 1991, on the shoreline in Seattle where we were both waiting for the end of the annual Great Race for antique cars. Hobbs was there to report on the event for ESPN, and since the cars hadn't arrived yet, we had a chance for a nice conversation. When I mentioned that today, he seemed surprised that both he and I remembered the event from that long ago!

    I also got to see our old friends Steve and Alex Ahlgrim. Apparently they're both going to be judges in tomorrow's Concours d'Elegance. I'm not going back tomorrow; I hope someone else goes and takes and posts photos.
     
  19. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Perhaps the other highlight of my day took place later, in the infield of the temporary race circuit that they had set up along the waterfront. I photographed the ageless Linda Vaughn recalling her days as Miss Hurst Golden Shifter, with an appropriate Oldsmobile. (Note: it was a very windy day.)

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  20. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    A few more photos of some of the featured Ferraris. The 166 Corsa was an interesting car because it could run as either a sports car (as it appeared here) or as a formula car (with fenders and headlights removed). Does anyone know what its color is? In the shade it looked like Rosso Barchetta (what I would have expected) but in the sun it looked as much brown as red!

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  21. Llenroc

    Llenroc F1 Rookie
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    Jun 9, 2004
    4,770
    Colorado
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    Vern
    I have never seen one of these before, the Ferraris were great to see as always but this was cool. Family owned since it was 9 months owned even had the window sticker.
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  22. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 10, 2003
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    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    i'll look thru my photos and post up ones that jim did not.

    not a bad event for its 2nd year.

    i love sleept little Chattanooga

    they need more of everything....
     
  23. Lanikai

    Lanikai Formula Junior

    Dec 18, 2003
    751
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Will Campbell
    Jim, the car you missed was a 340 America recently restored and seen only three times since the car was "corrected" to it's original state. A very interesting car with a neat story.
     
  24. LBBP

    LBBP Formula Junior

    Had a great time participating in the Grand Prix at the Bend in Chattanooga, didn't get to do much else due to the race schedule. Won race one (Group 8) Friday, finished second in the morning session Saturday and won race three Saturday pm although it was red flagged early on. Chattanooga was very lively on Eight Street into the night with live music, plus the Mecum Auction and car displays.
    I might do it again next year, if some major improvements are made to the track surface, layout and rig parking.
     

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