American Speed Festival on tap this year
A “Master of Motorsports” honor will also be awarded to Jim Hall, a renowned and retired American race car driver who is scheduled to attend the event. He’ll be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame at the concourse.
A second large auto show is coming to Pontiac in 2021 at the M1 Concourse motorsports club and racetrack.
The first American Speed Festival will take place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, directly following Motor Bella, this year’s replacement for the North American International Auto Show, which will also be held at the concourse. Motor Bella will run from Sept. 21 to Sept. 26.
The new event will feature over 200 vehicles sourced from OEMS and collectors around the world.
“The American Speed Festival will bring together the best elements of the automotive world into one place this September,” said Tim Hartge, chief marketing officer of Pontiac Motorsport Exhibition, promoter of the new event. “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.”
The festival will look to honor a different class of cars each year, starting in 2021 with the Can Am race cars from the 1960s and 1970s. A “Master of Motorsports” honor will also be awarded to Jim Hall, a renowned and retired American race car driver who is scheduled to attend the event. He’ll be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame at the concourse.
“What’s so important about having the Can Am cars here and honoring Jim Hall is that it fits right in with how we want to showcase innovation in racing and the automotive world,” Hartge said. “Jim Hall is truly legendary for the advancements he made to racing in terms of aerodynamics and engineering advancements.”
The American Speed Festival will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 30 with a behind the scenes “Dine and Drive” event followed by a Motor Grille reception. The weekend, Friday and Saturday, will see the featured automobiles take to the track for single-car time trials. Guest appearances, autograph sessions, seminars and special Q&A sessions are also planned. A Checkered Flag Ball will be held on Saturday evening to benefit Checkered Flag Challenge, a new nonprofit supporting organizations that are working to assist Pontiac citizens.
An American Speed Festival Exposition is planned for Sunday, Oct. 3. Guests will have the opportunity to view the featured cars up close while a judged competition takes place.
“This is the place to be at the end of September,” Hartge said. “You’ll find the best cars, the best food and spirits, and the best people in the industry, all gathering at M1 Concourse. It is the best of the best and you won’t want to miss it.”
For more information and to purchase tickets for the event, visit americanspeedfestival.com.