Jacksonville Car Culture events calendar
Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: It’s coming up soon — 8 to 11 a.m. next Saturday, Dec. 11, at The Avenues mall’s south side at 10300 Southside Blvd. Cars should start arriving by 7 a.m., the best way in through Malabar Boulevard off Southside Boulevard.
In anticipation of the Christmas holiday, please bring a new unwrapped toy in support of Toys for Tots.
Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville is an all makes, all models show, and remember – parking spots are first come/first serve.
This month, we highlight Cadillacs, Lincoln Continentals and Chevrolet Corvairs in a special display within the Central Lot.
Submit your ride for consideration.
Submit your Cadillac here: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6037066/
Submit your Continental here: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6037076/
Submit your Corvair here: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6037078/
As always, there will be a Porsche section, and an exotics area, as well as 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.
Check out more at firstcoastcarculture.com.
Event news
For 63 years, barring last year’s COVID-19 postponement, the Volusia Region Antique Automobile Club of America, city of Ormond Beach and local merchants host the annual Gaslight Parade down East Granada Boulevard on the day after Thanksgiving. The parade features antique cars that date to 1996 and older, and have featured everything from Stanley Steamers and Meyers Manx dune buggies to Ford Model Ts and hulking hard rubber-tired REO trucks. This year’s gathering, aimed at mostly un-hot rodded rides, began with Model Ts and ended with an assortment of buggies both domestic and foreign, to the delight of hundreds lining the Boulevard from the historic Casements mansion to Atlantic Avenue and south to the city limit.
Here’s just a handful of combustion-driven cars that took off on the nighttime cruise:
Highlights included:
- An original Citroen 2CV
- Grassroots Motorsports/Classic Motorsports publisher Tim Suddard’s red and white 1959 Edsel Villager with classic boat on board
- An Amphicar Model 770, an amphibious car made from ’61 to ’68.
- A 1954 Chevrolet Corvette
- A Herbie the Love Bug recreation
Motorsports events:
Nitro Rallycross at The FIRM: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park at 7266 Airport Rd, Starke. NASCAR star Chase Elliott just announced he will compete in the rallycross finale against drivers like Tanner Foust, Scott Speed and Travis Pastrana on steep berms, banked turns and 100-ft gap jumps at the track.
“I’m really looking forward to racing in Nitro RX at the season finale in Florida,” Elliott said it a news release. “I enjoy the challenge of trying out other forms of racing and have recently taken up dirt racing, so getting in a rallycross car is really appealing. Nitro RX is thrilling to watch and from what Travis Pastrana and some of the other drivers have told me, it is just as thrilling to be behind the wheel. I can’t wait.”
Two-day standing room general admission – $36 each. Two-day grandstand seating – $50 each. Two-day VIP with cash bar – $139 each. Get information here, while tickets can be purchased at nitrorallycross.com/calendar. Fans can also watch live on Peacock.
Now all the Car Shows:
Pearl Harbor Commemoration: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at The Military Museum of North Florida at 1 Bunker Ave, Green Cove Springs, off Florida 16. The event begins with a ceremony, plus car show, re-enactors and a military collector show.
Christmas on Call Street Car Show: 2:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday Dec. 11, in the Call Street Historic District bordered by Jefferson, Cherry, Madison and Temple streets in Starke. Free to cars and spectators, all vehicles types and years are welcome. All vehicles that participate can take part in a 6 p.m. holiday parade.
Toys for Tots car show: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday Dec. 11, at Golden Isle Church of God, 20 Boswell Lane in Brunswick, Ga. Free for spectators and $20 per show vehicle, or a new unwrapped toy. Donations go to the area Toys for Tots program.
Toys 4 Tots Car and Truck Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at the WW Ranch Motorcross Park, 1439 Otis Road in Jacksonville. Spectators are asked to bring a canned good or donation for the needy, while show vehicle registration is $20. Live music from Beau and The Burners, sponsored by the Callahan Cruisers.
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.
Jacksonville Caffeine and Gasoline: 7 to 10 a.m. on every first Saturday at the Orange Park Mall at 1910 Wells Road in Orange Park.
Clay County Cruzers’ events: 3 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday at Big Dawg Sports Restaurant, 1330 Blanding Blvd.; 3 to 6 p.m. every second Saturday at Dick’s Wings, 1803 East-West Parkway in Fleming Island; 5 p.m. every third Friday at Freddy’s Steakburgers at 386 Blanding Blvd.; 9 to 11 a.m. every fourth Saturday at Nicole’s Café, 2216 S. Mimosa Ave. in Middleburg; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.
First Coast Car Council events: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every first Saturday at The Beaver Street Farmers Market, 1810 W. Beaver St.
UPDATE: The Car Council’s second Saturday cruise-in suspended through the end of the year.
NEW – Crossroad Cruise-in: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each first Saturday at Crossroad Church at 10005 Gate Parkway N.
NEW – 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.
Cruise Night at Beachwalk: 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at the Beachwalk Amenity Center, 1000 County Road 210 in St. Johns.
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.
Cruise Fruit Cove: 4 to 8 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.
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. every fourth Saturday resuming on Nov. 27 (see above), both at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.
Cars and Coffee Fleming Island: 7 to 10 a.m. every third Sunday of the month at the New Vision Theatre at 1820 Town Center Blvd., Fleming Island.
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.
Johnny Angels: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every third Friday at Johnny Angels diner at 3546 St. Johns Bluff Road S.
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….
The man who unveiled his 1,817-hp Venom F5 hypercar at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance earlier this year with its twin-turbo V-8 is showing off his next ground-bound rocket ship – a six-wheel-drive, fully electric Hyper-GT codenamed “Project Deep Space.” Texas-based John Hennessey revealed it as part of its 10-year product plan that will see three all-new ground-up models created over the next decade. Expected to start at $3 million. Hennessey calls it an ultra-luxurious grand tourer that can transport four along with four sets of golf clubs, plus luggage.
“Hennessey has spent more than 30 years building some of the fastest and most exciting vehicles in the world,” explains company CEO & founder, John Hennessey. “… We believe that ‘Deep Space,’ with six electric motors combined with six driven wheels, could be the world’s quickest accelerating four-seater from zero to 200 mph!”
The passenger cabin has diamond-shaped seating positions, with the driver centrally located. Hennessey Special Vehicles will construct the new electric hyper-GT at its production facility in Sealy, Texas, working with technology partners including Shell Pennzoil and Delta Cosworth to develop the electrified powertrain.
Full specifications are yet to be announced, but production will be capped at 105 units globally, planned to begin in 2026. HennesseySpecialVehicles.com.