Caffeine and Octane
Big news: the gang at HSR – Historic Sportscar Racing – is bringing something very special to Saturday’s Caffeine and Octane, which runs from 8 to 11 a.m. at The Avenues mall’s Southside Boulevard parking lots.
It’s the new 2023 Nissan Z in HSR Pace Car configuration.
Shown here as it worked at the recent Walter Mitty Challenge at Road Atlanta, the new 400-hp twin-turbocharged V-6 coupe has track safety equipment like a safety strobe on top as a Jägermeister-liveried BMW 3.0 CSL, some Corvettes, a Porsche 911 and a Chevron B8 follow.
An estimated 1,000-plus cars, trucks and more usually come to Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville, an all makes, all models free show, with all parking spots first come/first serve. Cars should start arriving by 7 a.m. to the Southside Boulevard side of the shopping mall, the best way in through Malabar Boulevard.
Saturday’s featured special display vehicles will be Toyota Supra’s and Chevrolet SS’s at the mall’s south side at 10300 Southside Blvd.
As always, there is a Porsche section, and an exotics area. And look for literally hundreds of vintage and classic cars, muscle cars and so much more.
Official Caffeine and Octane merchandise is on sale at all Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville events.
Now the Car Shows:
12th Annual Rev It Up! Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at Moosehaven, 1701 Park Ave. in Orange Park. Show vehicles are $25 at the gate.
Rev Out Cancer For Baby Jerrod Car Show and Fundraiser: 2 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, at Mission BBQ at 8440 Blanding Blvd. Show vehicle registration is $20, all proceeds going to the 7-month-old child who is dealing with cancer.
Waldo Community Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, at Waldo City Square at 14450 NE 148th St. Free to spectators and $25 per show vehicle.
Different Dimensions Car Show: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, at 1302 11th Street in Live Oak. Spectators are free; show vehicle registration is $20 per, proceeds to Crosses For Our Community.
Third annual Hot Rodz 4 Kids Car and Bike Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday May 28, at First United Methodist Church of Callahan, 449648 U.S. 301. Proceeds go to children’s medical, educational and nutritional needs.
Lorenzo’s Memorial Car Show: 3 to 8 p.m. onSaturday, June 4, at South Point Community Church, 7556 Salisbury Road, in collaboration with Kindred Impulse. Spectator admission is $5 per person, and $10 for show vehicle display. Proceeds will benefit his family.
Third annual Duval Car Club Cancer Awareness Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, at BJ’s Steakhouse at 15022 Max Leggett Parkway. Show vehicles are $20 day of event.
The FIRM (Florida International Rally and Moto Park): Open Track Days held most weekends at the road course and rally course at 7266 Airport Road in Starke.
All the Cruise-ins
First Coast Car Council, Clay County Cruzers, Callahan Cruisers and Amelia Cruizers all hold regular weekend cruise-ins, so check their Facebook pages.
Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: 8 to 11 a.m. every second Saturday at The Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. Information: https://bit.ly/3gPRvVQ.
First Coast Car Council: Beaver Street Farmers Market first Saturday cruise-in suspended. The second Saturdaycruise-incontinues from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Medical & Merchants Center of Mandarin, 11701 San Jose Blvd.
North Florida Domestic Car Club’s new cruise-in: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each first Saturday of the month beginning June 4 at the PDQ at 4816 Gate Parkway.
Jacksonville Caffeine and Gasoline: Cancelled
Yulee Cars and Coffee: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 24, at the Sonic Drive-In at 463939 Florida 200 in Yulee.
The Part’s House/The Brothers Banter Podcast Cruise-in: The renamed White Brothers Auto Parts Cruise-in at the same time – 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at 405 Lane Ave. N.
Auto Legends Amelia Cars and Coffee: 9 a.m. to noon every second Saturday at Mocama Beer Company, 629 S. 8th St. in Fernandina Beach.
Clay County Cruzers’ events: 3 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday at Big Dawg Sports Restaurant, 1330 Blanding Blvd. The Cruzers’ other events: At 3 to 6 p.m. on the second Saturday, the cruise-in returns to Dick’s Wings Fleming Island at 1803 E. West Parkway; 5 p.m. every third Friday at Freddy’s Steakburgers at 386 Blanding Blvd.; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday back at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.
Johnny Angels: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every third Friday at Johnny Angels diner at 3546 St. Johns Bluff Road S.
Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine monthly cruise-ins: St. Augustine Cruiser’s “Cruise In” from 5 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday, and Cars and Coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. this and every fourth Saturday, both at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.
Cruise Fruit Cove: 3 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday at the PDQ at 194 Florida 13 in Saint Johns, just south of Julington Creek.
Amelia Cruizers: 4 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday at Cold Stone Creamery, 808 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach.
Cars and Coffee Fleming Island: 8 a.m. every fourth Sunday of the month at 2310 Village Square Parkway, Fleming Island.
New cruise-in: 6 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Missions BBQ, 8440 Blanding Blvd. in Jacksonville, hosted by Modern Mustangs of Jacksonville.
New cruise-in: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every fourth Saturday at the Rockin’ 50’s Eatery at 3501 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd. in St. Augustine.
Show and Tell, 6 to 9 p.m. every fourth Thursday at Advance Auto Parts at 10014 Atlantic Blvd.
Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise: 4 p.m. every fourth Saturday between 8th and 17th streets at Main Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield community.
And finally…
Photos courtesy ABB Robotics
The artwork of 8-year-old child prodigy Advait Kolarkar’s has been applied to a Volkswagen by ABB Robotics, creating what the company called the first robot-painted art car.
Kolarkar’s exhibition of his collected works is being held now in London’s Gagliardi Gallery. But ABB Robotics collaborated with him and Dubai-based digital design collective Illusorr to create the art car using its PixelPaint technology that recreated the boy’s swirling, monochromatic design as well as Illusorr’s tri-color geometrical patterns. The IRB 5500 paint robots, with 1,000 nozzles in the printer head, were able to complete the highly complex artworks in less than 30 minutes.
Automotive designer Ian Callum, former Ford, Jaguar and Aston Martin designer, said there’s something very special about a car.
“People get emotionally attached to them and the importance of personalization is becoming stronger and stronger,” he said. “In fact, I’m working with customers who actually want the whole car designed in a bespoke way. So this paint offering – with all sorts of new levels of individual design for a motor car – is incredible.”
To create the art car, ABB refurbished a Volkswagen SUV that was damaged in 2021 floods in Germany.