The Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance moving from a golf course setting to a new minor league baseball stadium for its event brings to mind the annual Copperstate 1000 vintage rally car show and kick off, which takes place in and around Tempe Diablo Stadium, spring training home of the California Angels.
On March 29, the 80 or so vehicles participating in one of the country’s leading vintage sports car rallies will be on display inside the stadium beginning at 7:30 a.m., and they will start their departure for the rally route at 10:30 a.m. There’s also a car corral in the stadium parking lot for local car club members displaying a variety of makes and models.
The 2020 Copperstate marks the 30th year for the rally that benefits the Phoenix Art Museum, where the “Legends of Speed” exhibit of historic racing cars has been extended through March 22.
Honda links tuner tour with Hot Wheels
The Honda Super Tuner Legends Series has linked for the third year with the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, and this year the Honda series will expand to be present at all 18 venues, starting this past weekend at Miami, Florida.
The Honda series is open to all Honda owners who have customized their vehicles. In addition to other benefits, Honda owners will be eligible for the Honda Super Tuner title and a vehicle display at the 2020 SEMA Show in early November in Las Vegas.
The Honda and Hot Wheels tour stops take place in selected Walmart parking lots, with one exception. The May 16 event in the Los Angeles area will be staged at Mattel’s headquarters in El Segundo.
The next stop is scheduled for March 21 in the Tampa, Florida, area at the Walmart Gibsonton. Visit the Hot Wheels tour website for a complete schedule.
Coffee, Cakes & Classic Cars makes 2020 debut
On March 14, E-Type UK and DM Historics host the first “Coffee, Cakes & Classic Cars” event of the season in Kent, England, where a variety of cars, including several vintage racing vehicles, will be displayed from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event also raises funds for the MS Society UK.
Buffalo Motorama celebrates 10th anniversary
The Buffalo Motorama celebrates its 10th anniversary April 9-11 at the Buffalo (New York) Convention Center. Among the more than 200 vehicles expected are several TV/movie vehicles as well as such celebrities as Catherine “Daisy Duke” Bach.
Beaulieu hosts ‘Simply Porsche’
Britain’s National Motor Museum at Beaulieu expects as many as 1,000 cars to take part in the “Simply Porsche” car show planned for the museum grounds on June 7. The event is one of 13 such single-marque car shows planned for 2020 at the museum.
Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival reaches 10th anniversary
More than 25,000 people and more than 2,500 Jeeps are expected to turn out for the 10th annual Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, scheduled for June 12-14 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Organizers note that Butler is the birthplace of the Jeep. The festival is organized by the Bantam Jeep Association.
Events planned for June include a 10th anniversary parade, a visit to the historic Bantam Building where the American Bantam Car Company built the first Jeep in 1940, drives on on-site trails and a Jeep Playground, an Easy Riders Trail Ride on a new off-site route, and even a Barbie Jeep Race.
For event details, visit the Bantam Jeep Festival website.
Concorso Italiano celebrates Lancia Aurelia
During Monterey Auction week in August, one of the featured classes at Concorso Italiano will be one that celebrates the 70th anniversary of the introduction of the Lancia Aurelia “saloon,” an event that took place at the 1950 Turin Auto Show in Italy.
Concorso officials note that the Aurelia, penned by Pinin Farina (and engineered by Vittorio Jano), has become among “the most influential car designs in history.” It also was the first production car with a V6 engine (developed by Francesco de Virgilio).
Concours in the Hills sets records
Organizers of the recent Concours in the Hills in Fountain Hills, Arizona, report that the event’s 7th year was a record setter, with 1,052 registered vehicles, more than 30,000 spectators and more than $250,000 raised for the Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Mark your calendar
Interested in a complete calendar of collector car events? Toggle over to the ClassicCars.com Marketplace, click on Events and you can search events by date, distance from a zip code, by type of event or by other search terms.
