PALM BEACH CAR WEEK
Looking at the nine days of SuperCar Week and their Grand Finale, SuperCar SuperShow Sunday on the new $30 Million Dollar West Palm Beach Flagler Drive Waterfront that drew over 50,000 spectators, over 600 vehicles and a thousand VIPs, it is no wonder why Palm Beach County and the City of West Palm Beach issue official Proclamations, proclaiming the second week of January as SuperCar Week. SuperCar Week producers, Neil London, Tim Byrd, Thomas Clarke and Gina Palmer’s mission is to define Palm Beach as a significant auto enthusiast’s travel destination each January.
“It’s significant, and has tremendous economic impact” says Neil London, President and Executive Producer. “Our team is community and South Florida minded.” Presenting Sponsors, Palm Beach International Raceway the City of West Palm Beach and the TIDELINE Ocean Resort & Spa support the series of events and although 85% of the vehicles are registered by individual owners, enthusiasts, collectors and car clubs, all the world’s greatest luxury brands, both new and vintage are all there; Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Tesla, Jaguar, Land Rover, McLaren and Ferrari.
The SuperCar Week series of public and VIP invite events includes: Cars & Coffee event at Lamborghini Palm Beach, a VIP Kick Off Party at the TIDELINE Ocean Resort & Spa, the annual SuperCar HorsePower Show, opening day of the high goal polo season at the International Polo Club in Wellington, boutique events at Excell Auto Group in Boca Raton, Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens, SALT7 in Delray Beach, where this year SuperCar Week and charity beneficiary “Wheels from the Heart”, gave away a car to a deserving single mom. SuperCar Week team VP Gina Palmer produced this year’s track event at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter and brought in driving professionals to give ride and drive thrill rides to spectators and the VIP Pavilion was turned into a dining/ entertainment “Carbaret” while B-Side Jones entertained the public on the paddock stage with DJ Mr. Palm Beach. “It was our most exciting track event ever.” Said Gina Palmer, VP of SuperCar Week. “We developed this year’s track event with Palm Beach International Raceway’s President Darren Thompson and track Sponsorship Director, Jackie Rae.
On Saturday Night, before the West Palm Beach Waterfront Grand Finale, a special VIP Cocktail party was held to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new McLaren Palm Beach showroom opening.
Sunday’s SuperCar SuperShow was built-out as a cityscape of vehicles; SuperCar Street Muscle Beach, Memory Lane, Corvette Court, Viper Blvd, Porsche Place, ArtCar Avenue, Green Street for electric vehicles, BIZSPEED Blvd and a Marine Village of Off
Shore Powerboats (with matching supercars), courtesy of Gino Gargiulo, Larry Goldman of Extreme Powerboats and Bill Mazzoni of BTM Marine. “It’s a terrific show’ said Thomas Clarke, Executive Vice President of SuperCar Week, in charge of getting all the vehicles into place. “It’s an incredible challenge to position more than 500 vehicles in less than 3 hours, but from sunrise till 10 am we get it done. Powerboats included.”
McLaren and Lamborghini and all the world’s luxury brands showcased their latest and greatest, but supercar means more to the folks at SuperCar Week than just those great cars from Italy. “For us, it’s about significance” said London. The Black Pearl, noted as the fastest 0-60mph car on the planet at 1.2 seconds highlighted the Green Street area along with the latest from Tesla. The RENNtech Mercedes SL 65 V12 Laurence Gartel ArtCar that was unveiled during Art Basel and the ArtCar of the Grammy’s at a private Fisher Island VIP event was also featured along with the specially designed Lamborghini’s and McLarens from Team Salamone and HapiHipi, who featured their new green carbon fiber McLaren P1.
SuperCar Week is making tracks in a big way this year. Palm Beach International Raceway has been a Presenting Sponsor for the past 6 years, and Sebring International Raceway has also been a sponsor for the past 5 years. This year, Miami Homestead Speedway has joined the show and due to the show’s growth and success and it reaching both national and international audiences, one of the most exciting and newsworthy highlights of this year’s
Supercar Week was that Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) was a featured sponsor and display on the WPB Waterfront. “Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) is excited and welcoming to the growth of Motorsport venues as additional sponsors to SuperCar Week including COTA, Miami Homestead Speedway, and Sebring International Raceway. PBIR welcomes SuperCar Week enthusiasts to Palm Beach International Raceway for Supercar Week’s annual festivities for a celebration of PBIR and SuperCar Week’s Partnership.” Said
Daren Thompson, President of Palm Beach International Raceway. “COTA is proud to be a sponsor of SuperCar Week and values the South Florida, Palm Beach market and it’s many motorsports and auto enthusiast residents and vacationers. We hope to see many of them here at COTA this season.” Said AJ Rizzo, COTA, Director of Sales.
Celebrating it’s 7th Anniversary, Supercar Week continues to produce fun-filled family events that are free to the public. “We’ve grown 500% over the last 6 years” said Tim Byrd, SuperCar Week, Sr. Vice President. “Every year, more industry and individual auto enthusiasts join us. We look at ourselves as curators, facilitators and collaborators, where the individuals and companies involved help us make each of the nine days bigger and better each year.
Mark your calendar for next year’s SuperCar Week January 6nd through to the 14th, 2018. In the meantime become a friend of SuperCar Week.