Big names, excellent racing and impressive cars delighted attendees at the 2022 Chattanooga Motorcar Festival.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The third annual Chattanooga Motorcar Festival sponsored by Millennium Bank excelled in The Scenic City this weekend as it celebrated Oktoberfest with dynamic and exciting events for families and racing and car aficionados alike.
With a backdrop of pumpkins and hay bales on the drive-up podium in front of the Westin Hotel Chattanooga, the 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton, owned by Laura and Jack Boyd Smith Jr., won Best of Show in Sunday’s Concours d’Elegance. Approximately 125 judged (21 classes) and exhibition cars were on display in West Village, including a number of the world’s most significant cars.
Chattanooga Motorcar Festival
Full Concours results may be found HERE.
At the second annual Pace Grand Prix at The Bend on Friday and Saturday, approximately 89 cars in seven groups of vintage, historic and some contemporary race cars competed on a purpose-built 2.75-mile race track that stretches along the Tennessee River. This year’s Grand Prix, named for Jim Pace, the former COO of the Festival who died in 2019, debuted the Alley of the Greats, a loop through a skeleton of an old manufacturing building draped with banners commemorating racing legends.
Race results for the two sprint feature races per class held on Saturday may be found at: RACE 1 and RACE 2
Other events over the three-day weekend which boasted near-perfect weather included V8s in the Village, Gathering of the Greats–Ferrari Edition, Mecum Auction Chattanooga, RADwood, Concours d’Lemons, light shows, evening street parties, panel discussions, the winged cars of NASCAR, plus an array of racing and car collector celebrities that may never be seen together again in one place.
Car Clubs were strongly represented, including some uniquely named ones such as Choo Choo Bimmers, Choo Choo Corvairs, Cruisin to End Alzheimer’s, Drive Electric Scenic City and the Soddy Daisy Mustang Club.
Familiar names from auto racing and car collecting, such as Donnie Allison, Justin Bell, Wayne Carini, Corky Coker, Tom Cotter, Ray Evernham, Chip Foose, Ken Gross, Jeff Hammond, Tommy Kendall, Keith Martin, Brian Redman, Bill Rothermel, Lyn St. James, Mike Tillson and Linda Vaughn participated in panel discussions, interviews and presentations.
Lyn St. James, the 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year served as Grand Marshal, racing champion Brian Redman was the Grand Ambassador, and local hero Corky Coker was Grand Marshal Emeritus.
Former NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham curated a collection of NASCAR winged cars, and hosted a panel discussion with famed NASCAR racer Donnie Allison and another former crew chief and TV commentator, Jeff Hammond.
NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek competed at the Pace Grand Prix in a NASCAR 2006 Toyota Camry, winning each of his group’s two feature races on Saturday.
The Torque Show live-streamed more than 30 hours of coverage during the three-day weekend, which included the Canossa Rally Chattanooga, the racing action at the Grand Prix, the Concours d’Elegance awards presentation, and the Torque Show each day with Justin Bell and Tommy Kendall.
WATCH DAY ONE COVERAGE
WATCH DAY TWO COVERAGE
WATCH DAY THREE COVERAGE
About Chattanooga Motorcar Festival: Proceeds from the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival support neuroscience research through Fifty Plus Foundation, Inc. Approaching 12 years of supporting Alzheimer’s and neuroscience research, Fifty Plus Foundation created the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival to bring both local and global support to back research that is already making a difference in saving lives. Learn more at chattanoogamotorcar.com.
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