The American Speed Festival is the name of a new event promised to be “unlike any other in North America” and planned for September 30 to October 3, 2021, at the M1 Concours north of Detroit in Pontiac, Michigan.
“The all-new event will showcase excellence in automotive engineering and design, as well as celebrate driving at speed, including the thrill of motorsport competition,” according to the announcement by the Pontiac Motorsport Exhibition, the festival promoter. “With more than 200 distinguished automobiles drawn from OEMs and collections around the world, ASF will combine world-class auto exposition with live racing action on M1 Concourse’s 1.5-mile road course, Champion Motor Speedway.”
“The advantage we have of doing this event here at M1 Concourse is that people will be able to see, and hear and be up close to some of the greatest performance and race cars in the world,” said Tim Hartge, chief marketing officer for the event. “This is not a static car show. This is an all-encompassing event that will delight all the senses of any car enthusiast.”
The featured class for the inaugural festival is Can-Am cars from the 1960s and ’70s, and the first “Master of Motorsports” award will go to Jim Hall, whose Chaparral cars raced in the Can-Am and at Indianapolis.
Two weeks before the festival, M1 Concourse will host the inaugural 2021 Motor Bella, an event organized to replace the North American International Auto Show usually staged in downtown Detroit.
‘2 Wheels’ seminar scheduled
Organizers of the Audrian Newport Concours and Motor Week will host an online seminar, “The Best on 2 Wheels: Motorcycles and Bicycles 1885-1995” beginning at 7 p.m. (Eastern) on January 28.
Joining Audrian chief executive Donald Osborne in the presentation will be Somer Hooker, chief judge for The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, as well as Buzz Kanter and Paul Hageman, discussing “the journey mankind has made from bicycles to superbikes in the space of a century.”
The seminar will help to set the stage for the Audrain Automobile Museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Balance & Power: The World on Two Wheels, 1885-1995.” scheduled to run from February 20 through May 16.
Here’s the link to join the seminar.
Beaulieu sets 2021 show calendar
Beaulieu, home of the Britain’s National Motor Museum, has announced its 2021 car show schedule:
April 25 – Simply Aston Martin
May 9 – Simply Vauhall, 16 – Simply Audi, 23 – Simply Electric
June 6 – Simply Porsche, 13 – Mini Cooper Day, 19 – Simply VW, 20 – Hot Rod & Custom cars, 27 – Simply Jaguar
July 3-4 – Austin 7 Rally, 11 – Simply Land Rover, 18 – Simply Ford, 25 – Simply Japanese
August 7-8 – Supercar weekend, 14-15 – VW T(ransport) Chill, 15 – Graham Walker Run (vintage motorcycles), 22 – Simply Mercedes
September 4-5 – International Autojumble (swap meet), 12 – Simply French, 19 – Simply BMW, 26 – Simply British Classics
November 7 – Simply Smart, 28 – VW Santa Run
Updated 2021 concours, car show calendar
In addition to the Beaulieu car show schedule above, the following are dates currently set (but subject to change) for a variety of concours d’elegance, car shows and driving tours scheduled during 2021:
March
10-12, AACA Western Spring Nationals, Las Vegas.
April
8-11, Charlotte AutoFair, North Carolina; 9-11, Goodguys at Scottsdale, Arizona; 19-22, AACA Southeastern Division Chain of Lakes Tour, Florida; 30-May 1, Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Show, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
May
15-16, Goodwood Members’ Meeting, UK: 20-23; Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida.
June
2-6, Retromobile, Paris, France; 5-6, Friends of Steve McQueen, Chino Hills, California; 6, Albuquerque Lowrider Super Show, New Mexico; 17-19, AACA Eastern Spring Nationals, Saratoga, New York.
July
8-10, Iola Car Show, Wisconsin; 8-11, Goodwood Festival of Speed, UK; 18, Forest Grove Concours, Oregon.
August
15, Pebble Beach Concours, Monterey, California.
September
17-19, Goodwood Revival, UK; 21-26, Motor Bella, Pontiac, Michigan.
30-October 3, American Speed Festival, Pontiac, Michigan
October
11-15, AACA Southeastern Fall Tour, North Carolina; 15-17, Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Have an event to add? Email details to journal@classiccars.com.
