The Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, now in its fourth year, has come to set the pace for fall events in the Chattanooga area. One estimate expects the gathering, which starts Friday, to draw 20,000 visitors over three days. The Chattanooga Tourism Co. says the festival's economic impact topped $9.4 million in 2022.
It's not just here that it shines. The festival's Concours d'Elegance, in which prestigious vehicles are displayed and judged, is considered among America's best by Hagerty, which provides specialty insurance for classic vehicles in the U.S., Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.
That's just one of many features that make it a world-class attraction. Here are 10 things to know about this year's festival.
(PHOTO GALLERY: Chattanooga Motorcar Festival gears up)
1. It's not just for gearheads. Car connoisseurs are a built-in audience, of course, but there are many activities on-site for children and adults to enjoy, including games, simulators, automobilia, car club gatherings, specialty displays, celebrity guests, a laser show and rock concert.
2. It supports a worthy cause. A Saturday evening cocktail party, Please Unlock My Brain, benefits the Neuroscience Center at CHI Memorial and the Neuroscience Foundation of Chattanooga. Funds will go toward equipment and infrastructure to aid research. Admission is a separate ticket.
3. You might see some of the festival cars on the road early. The Canossa Fall Rally, a scenic road trip, will take place Wednesday and Thursday. Participants will travel from Chattanooga along the Blue Ridge Mountains to Asheville, North Carolina, for an overnight stay at the Omni Grove Park Inn. Specialty cars are not required, but they are customary for many drivers.
4. The Pace Grand Prix at the Bend circuit has been reconfigured. This year's circuit will feature 25-minute, high-speed race-car exhibition runs on Friday and Saturday. According to a news release, certain sections of the approximately 2-mile course have been modified, but it "continues to maintain its integrity as a circuit reminiscent of the iconic European tracks of the past, and present, and the historic road and newer street courses of the United States." Owners of vintage, modern high-performance and collector cars who like to drive at high speeds under controlled conditions in the company of others with similar interests will participate — for a fee of $2,000.
Staff file photo by Olivia Ross / The Chattanooga Motorcar Festival features prestigious cars from every generation. These were among those on display at the 2022 festival.5. Sunday's big event is the Concours d'Elegance. Translating to "competition of elegance," the contest boasts "hundreds of significant cars from all generations and from around the world," according to organizers. Thirteen classes, plus six for special awards, will be judged, and all winners will receive their awards on the Concours stage in front of the Westin Chattanooga Hotel in West Village.
6. Impressive cars for show will be on display. The Luftgekühlt celebration of Brian Redman will gather the racing legend's cars of choice, air-cooled Porsches, at 4 p.m. Friday, followed by a Q&A with Redman at 5:30 p.m. led by motorsports broadcaster Bob Varsha. Elsewhere, the J. Willard Marriott Club will feature curated Ferraris, and Ray Evernham, an analyst for ESPN's NASCAR coverage and a former crew chief, will host a NASCAR exhibition. Car clubs will add other beauties.
7. Impressive cars for sale will roll through the Mecum Auctions. Billed as the world's largest collector car auction, the Mecum Auctions will feature an estimated 600 American muscle cars, classics, Corvettes, trucks, exotics, hot rods, customs and other vehicles at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Last year, the auction saw sales of $21.2 million (up from $18.7 million in 2021). Highest bids were for two four-speed convertibles: a 1968 Shelby GT500KR, which sold for $302,500, and a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette, which sold for $220,000.
(READ MORE: Mecum auction becomes the beating heart of the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival)
Mecum has reinvented its bidder registration process, so that car enthusiasts may bid on their dream car from home or at the auction. Options for in-person, telephone and internet bidding start at $100. Bidders also receive a three-day festival ticket. The latest cars on the auction block may be viewed at Mecum.com
8. The festival's "big wheels" aren't necessarily attached to cars. Luigi Chinetti Jr., who grew up tagging along with his parents to races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which his father Luigi Sr. won three times, is the grand marshal of the 2023 Chattanooga Motorcar Festival. Luigi Jr. made his own mark on the sport and business as a racing driver and designer. Nine-time racing champion Brian Redman returns as the festival's grand ambassador, while Corky Coker, a local businessman and car collector, and Lyn St. James, the 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, will be recognized as grand marshal emeriti.
9. Friday's concert is one of the last times to see the B-52s on their farewell tour. Attending here, for as little as $65, will save you a trip to their remaining concerts in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
10. There are several ticket options. Tickets allow access to all events, including the Mecum Auctions on Friday and Saturday at the Chattanooga Convention Center, high-speed race-car exhibitions at the Pace Grand Prix at the Bend, the Concours d'Elegance and the awards ceremony on Sunday and other events in West Village and nearby locations. Here's the breakdown:
— Three-day ticket: $120.
— Friday, all day: $89.
— Friday daytime (until 3 p.m.): $44.
— Friday evening (5-9 p.m.): $65.
— Saturday: $65.
— Sunday: $65.
— Saturday fundraiser: $500 per person, $5,000 table for 10.
Children under age 12 are admitted for free with an adult.
For more information, go to chattanoogamotorcar.com.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.