Tentatively entered in the Pace Grand Prix race. Lot's of things to see and do for automobile fanatics.
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. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
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.
FYI, hotels are filling very quickly. I wouldn't delay making reservations, another hotel option is the Bode Hotel.
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.
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].
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".
Just one of the specific Ferrari events at the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival. https://racer.com/2021/09/08/outstanding-collection-of-rare-ferraris-set-for-chattanooga-motorcar-festival/
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. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is the rest of this "mini Cavallino" collection, or at least the 13 cars that I photographed. I'm not sure which one I missed. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
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
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.
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.) Image Unavailable, Please Login
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! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
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. Image Unavailable, Please Login
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....
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.
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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