For the past several years, LeMay – America’s Car Museum and Hemmings have staged The Drive Home, a road trip to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, at least part of the purpose showing that vintage vehicles still can weather winter weather.
With the auto show changing dates, the plan this year was to use station wagons for the trip in June as a sort of replay of 1950s family vacations. But with the show canceled by the coronavirus pandemic, The Drive Home has been switched to late August under the revised title of The Drive Forward.
According to Hemmings Daily, plans call for a group of vintage vehicles to leave the NB Center for American Automotive Heritage in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in late August and to arrive 14 days later at the LeMay in Tacoma, Washington. In between, the route will visit a variety of car museums.
“None of us wanted to give up on The Drive Home this year,” David Madeira of America’s Automotive Trust, told Hemmings. “To a person, each of the drivers saw the importance, more than ever, of inspiring and celebrating the resilience of the American spirit.”
Copshahlom, Radnor Hunt canceled for 2020
Two more concours d’elegance have been canceled for 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Concours d’Elegance at Copshahlom in South Bend, Indiana, has been reset for July 10, 2021, and the Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance in Malvern, Pennsylvania, won’t take place until September 10-12, 2021.
Salon Prive sets limits
For its 15th year, Britain’s Salon Prive again will stage a concours d’elegance on the lawns at Blenheim Palace, with organizers confirming the September 23-26 dates but adding that under government coronavirus restrictions, the numbers of guests will be limited each day so social distancing can be practiced.
Organizers add that with so many other events canceled, more luxury brands are looking to the Salon Prive to provide a setting for their latest vehicles.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 initially brought everything to a crashing halt,” said David Bagley, sales director, “but now, as manufacturing slowly recommences, brands need to identify ways of effectively getting back in front of their customers.”
Fall car-show calendar
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the fall car-show and concours calendar continues to evolve. Here’s the updated schedule, based on official announcements, as of May 19, 2020:
August 9-16 — Concours at Pasadera, Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals, Woodward Dream Cruise (Detroit), Street Rod Nationals Southeast (Kentucky), Goodguys Great American Nationals (Pennsylvania), Indy 500 Corvette pace car homecoming
August 19-20 — London Concours
August 21-23 — Morgan Adams Concours d’Elegance (Colorado), Geneva (Illinois) Concours d’Elegance, Street Rod Route 66 Nationals (New Mexico), Goodguys West Coast Nationals (California), AACA Southeastern Fall Natioanls (Indiana) (plus the Indianapolis 500)
August 27-30 — Corvettes at Carlisle, Fountain Valley (California), Artmobilia Weekend (Carmel, Indiana), Goodguys Nashville Nationals (plus the rescheduled New York International Auto Show)
September 4-7 (Labor Day weekend) — Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival, Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance, Lime Rock Historic Festival, Groesbeck Grand Prix Festival of Motoring (Texas), Crescent Beach Concours d’Elegance, Sonoma Speed Festival, Foothills Motoring Festival (Pinehurst, North Carolina), Royal Concours of Elegance (England)
September 11-13 — Goodwood Revival, AAA Glidden Tour (Sarasota Springs, New York), Vail Classic, Goodguys Colorado Nationals, Wisconsin Dells Automotion
September 18-20 — New York City Concours, Dayton Concours d’Elegance, Oregon Festival of Cars, LaJolla Concours d’Elegance, Street Rod Nationals Northeast (Vermont), Arizona FuelFest (plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans)
September 25-27 — Salon Prive (England), Telluride Festival, Ironstone Concours d’Elegance (California), St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance (Maryland), Goodguys Lone Star Nationals (Texas), Catskill Congest Rally (New York)
October 2-4 — Fall Carlisle, Street Rod Nationals South (Knoxville, Tennessee), Goodguys Del Mar Nationals (California)
October 9-11 — AACA Eastern Fall Meet, Chico Concours d’Elegance (California)
October 16-18 — Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, Keels & Wheels, Lake Mirror Concours d’Elegance (Florida)
October 23-25 — Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, Charlotte Auto Fair, (plus the Mille Miglia race/rally)
October 30-November 1 — Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance, Copperstate 1000 vintage rally car show, Western Street Rod Nationals (Bakersfield, California), Luftgekuhlt 7 (Durham, North Carolina)
