Jacksonville Car Culture events calendar:
The next Caffeine & Octane is set for 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, at The Avenues mall at 10300 Southside Blvd.
It’s the annual toy drive for Wolfson Children’s Hospital – they will be collecting new, unwrapped toys to benefit Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Bring the toy to the checkered C&O tent.
The Mercedes-Benz Club of America Southern Stars is the First Coast Car Council Car Club of the Month for December – all Mercedes-Benz owners (club members or not) can join them in their Car Club Feature Area.
Gentle reminders – All vehicles parked in the Central Lot must remain in place until the show concludes. If you cannot stay until then, please park in the exhibit lot. Those parking in the Exotics Lot and the Porsche Corner are free to arrive and leave at any time. And FYI – some spots have been taken up by a holiday child’s entertainment zone, so C&O moves a bit down the lot for the duration.
Recent events:
U.S.S. Orleck Car Show: last Saturday, at the U.S.S. Orleck ship museum at 610 E. Bay St. Presented by NAPA Auto Care and Jacksonville Corvette Club, and honored the Pearl Harbor attack of 83 years ago.
North Florida Domestic Car Club’s cruise-in’s new home – first Saturday of the month at Culhane’s Irish Pub.
Upcoming events:
Kingsland Cars and Coffee/Toys for Tots: 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, at Harbor Freight, 1601 Georgia Highway 40. Donate an unwrapped toy and get entered in the Culture Driven giveaway raffle.
Mandarin Athletic Association Car Show: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, at 3750 Burnett Park Road. Free for spectators and $20 day of show for entrants.
Cruise-in Down Heavenly Lane Car Show: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, at Hilliard Branch Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 3741 Heavenly Lane. Free for spectators and $20 per show vehicle – fundraiser for the church youth program.
Trucks for Tots/Toys for Tots: noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday at 136 W. Lowder Street, MacClenny. Free for spectators and an unwrapped new toy as registration for show vehicles.
Rescheduled: Fort Clinch Vintage Cars and Cannons: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, at the historic fort state park at 2601 Atlantic Ave. Pre-register at fortclinch.org for $50 per show vehicle. You must pay for admission to the fort to see the show – $6 per visitor vehicle.
Third annual Revved Up! Car, Truck and Bike Show: 4 to7 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, at GW Truck at 4930 Spring Park Road.
9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam and Car Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds at 5840 Florida 207 in Elkton. Spectators are $10 per person, with free parking – www.jimmyjambbqslam.com.
Eurofest St. Augustine: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine. Free for spectators and any European vehicle on display.
Down at the Bay Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 25, at Cedar Bay Baptist Church, 11553 N. Main St. Free for spectators and $20 per show vehicle.
Kruisin’ 4 Kidz: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Dinsmore Baptist Church, 10500 Old Kings Road. Spectators are free, and pre-registration is $20 per show vehicle.
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…
Clay County Cruzers, Callahan Cruisers and Amelia Cruizers all hold regular weekend cruise-ins, so check their Facebook pages.
Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. every second Saturday at The Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. Information: https://bit.ly/3gPRvVQ.
Mod Talk Tuesdays: 5 p.m. every first Tuesday at Tequila’s Mexican Restaurant at 10915 Baymeadows Road. For car, truck and bike enthusiasts.
Sunshine State Chevelles: 4 to 7 p.m. every third Monday of each month at 1937 Spirits and Eatery, 1842 Kings Ave in the San Marco area.
Players Grille Mandarin at 10140 San Jose Blvd., 4 to 7 p.m. every third Wednesday.
New – Fernandina Beach Car Meet: 6 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month at Famous Quick Lube, 1707 8th St. Fernandina Beach.
Amelia Cruizers: 3 to 5 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month, now at Townies Pizza, 819 T.J. Courson Road.
Jax Beach Classic Car Cruise: Postponed in December – resumes in the New Year – 4 to 7 p.m. each fourth Tuesday at the Seawalk Pavilion at 75 1st Street N. in Jacksonville Beach.
Classic Car Cruise-in at Orange Blossoms Beach Boulevard: 8 a.m. to noon each third Saturday of the month at Orange Blossoms, 14329 Beach Blvd.
Caffeine and Gasoline: 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, and each first Saturday of the month at J-Tech Institute at 8813 Western Way in Jacksonville. House rules – “respect the property.” And J-Tech will be holding events to coincide with C & G with staff on site to give tours of the campus.
New location – North Florida Domestic Car Club’s cruise-in 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on each first Saturday of the month at Culhane’s Irish Pub, 9720 Deer Lake Court off Southside Boulevard.
Wings & Wheels Cruise-in: 2 to 6 pm. each first Saturday at Dicks Wings & Grill at 6055 Youngerman Circle.
Rides and Coffee: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every fourth Sunday at Detail Garage, 9390 Arlington Expressway.
First Coast Car Council: All cruise-ins postponed.
Callahan Cruisers: 4 to 7 p.m. every second Saturday at Hardee’s at 542309 U.S. 1 in Callahan. The next cruise-in – Sat. Aug. 10 – is the event’s 10th anniversary.
Downtown Kingsland Cars & Coffee: New summer hours – 8 to 11 a.m. each second Saturday at the Historic Downtown Kingsland Homegrown Market at U.S. 17 and Georgia 40.
Cruise Fruit Cove: The Sunshine State Chevelles’ cruise-in hours are 1 to 5 p.m. every third Saturday at the PDQ at 194 Florida 13 in Saint Johns, just south of Julington Creek.
New cruise-in: 1 p.m. every third Saturday at Hardee’s at 6852 Wilson Blvd.
Yulee Cars and Coffee: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every third Sunday at the Sonic Drive-In at 463939 Florida 200 in Yulee.
Brunch with Cars: noon to 3 p.m. this and every third Sunday at Pink Salt Restaurant and Wine Bar, 1567 University Blvd. W.
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 Tom & Betty’s in Orange Park. 5 p.m. every third Friday at Hooter’s/Miller’s Ale House at 1756 Well’s Road – replaces Freddy’s; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.
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. Both cruise-ins are at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.
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 Mission 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.
Azalea City Cruisers: Monthly cruise-in from 5 to 8 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Velchoffs Corner, 105 N. 2nd St. in Palatka.
Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise: 4 p.m. every fourth Saturday between 8th and 17th streets at Main Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield community.
Wait, there’s more…
The Ford Mustang GTD fulfilled a sub-7-minute Nürburgring promise, completing a lap of the 12.9-mile, 73-turn “Green Hell” in 6:57.685 – only the sixth stock, production sports car to complete an officially certified sub-seven-minute lap and the fifth fastest in the production sports car class according to the Nürburgring’s records
The run is featured in The Road to the Ring, a 13-minute documentary film airing now, showing the first car from an American brand to complete a lap in under seven minutes.
Driven by Multimatic Motorsports driver Dirk Müller, the 815-hp Mustang GTD ‘s time delivers on the goal laid out by CEO Jim Farley at the Mustang GTD’s debut in August 2023.
“The team behind Mustang GTD took what we’ve learned from decades on the track and engineered a Mustang that can compete with the world’s best supercars,” said Farley in a news release. “We’re proud to be the first American automaker with a car that can lap the Nürburgring in under seven minutes, but we aren’t satisfied. We know there’s much more time to find with Mustang GTD. We’ll be back.”
Mustang GTD’s Nürburgring success is due to the work of a small, dedicated team of engineers and designers who worked tirelessly over the course of two years to turn the Mustang GT3 race car into the first-ever Mustang supercar. However, Mustang GTD isn’t subject to the rules and regulations of GT3 racing, which prohibit much of the technology that allow a sub-seven-minute Nürburgring lap.
That includes carbon-ceramic brakes, active aerodynamics, a supercharger, and semi-active suspension. A carbon-fiber body is familiar from GT3 racing, and while the Mustang GTD that completed the sub-seven-minute lap was entirely stock, it did include motorsports-derived safety gear mandated by the Nürburgring. That includes a competition seat with a five-point harness and a roll cage.
Hagerty announced its 2025 U.S. Bull Market list, enthusiast vehicles the company expects to increase in value over the next year. Hagerty Automotive Intelligence analyzed data from public and private sales, along with historic trends and insurance valuations to narrow down the list to 11 special vehicles.
“It’s a common misconception that fun cars have to be expensive,” said Hagerty senior editor Larry Webster said in a news release. “Our Bull Market list provides options for enthusiasts of all interests that will cost little to own. Yet it’s not the cost, but the machines that get us excited. No one looks back at their bank account with fond memories – they look back at those weekend drives, family road trips and evenings in the garage.”
Full 2025 Bull Market list details are here, with a YouTube review here. The top 10 are:
- 1978-1983 Datsun 280ZX
- 1981-1983 DeLorean DMC-12
- 1961-1964 Jaguar E-Type SI 3.8 Coupe
- 2003-2013 Lamborghini Gallardo 6-speed
- 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum SRT-8
- 1961-1972 Volvo P1800
- 1976-1989 Ferrari 400 / 412
- 2002-2006 Mini Cooper S)
- 1997-2001 Honda Prelude
- 2002-2008 Mercedes-Benz G500
- 1984-1990 Ford Bronco II
In July, Hagerty released the “Future of Driving” survey which showed that nearly 60% of Gen Z respondents would like to own a collector car, compared to 31% of Baby Boomers. Several cars on the list have seen a rise in both insurance policies and quotes among Millennial and Gen Z enthusiasts.
Polestar, the Swedish electric performance car brand, has announced the winner of its 2024 Design Contest, held in collaboration with Hot Wheels. And the 1:64 scale winner, echoing Polestar’s distinctive design language, is Shashank Shekhar, a professional designer from India. He won first prize for his rugged off-roader, ‘Polestar TRX,’ with its exaggerated proportions and sleek surfaces. The design becomes the first Polestar to be included in Hot Wheels toy car series, with the die-cast collectable available for consumers in the summer of 2025.
“I’m thrilled to win,” Shekhar said in a news release. “This will be the first design in my career to be produced, so it’s a big deal for me. I never thought that someday, something I have created would end up as a Hot Wheels car. It has been a great journey, and I’ve had an amazing time so far. Something like this gives you a lot of confidence as a young designer.”
Courtesy of The Amelia/Hagerty
The Amelia by Hagerty celebrates 30 years of global motoring excellence as it returns to Golf Club of Amelia Island and The Ritz-Carlton Resort from March 6 – March 9, tickets at AmeliaConcours.com.
And The Amelia announced that Hélio Castroneves will be the honoree for 2025, continuing the event’s longstanding tradition as “the racer’s concours.”
Castroneves’ wide-ranging racing and competition experience includes:
- 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021 Indianapolis 500 wins
- 2020 IMSA championship with 4 victories and 4 pole positions with Acura Team Penske
- Minority partner and co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing
- Season 5 winner of ABC television series Dancing with the Stars in 2007
He was chosen as honoree for The Amelia in 2025 based on his dedication to excellence in racing as well as his unwavering competitive spirit that has made him one of the most successful drivers in IndyCar history.
The concours’ featured classes include:
- Corvette at Sebring.
- Alfa Romeos of the 1930s.
- Formula 1 Cars 1950-Present.
And don’t forget – register your bucket of bolts for the Florida Concours d’Lemons on Friday, March 7, as part of the Classic Motorsports Magazine Amelia Kick Off Party at Main Beach Park in Fernandina Beach. Awful cars, great view of the ocean and our signature janky trophies.
And returning to The Amelia – the Broad Arrow Group’s annual auction.
Since its inception in 1996, The Amelia has donated more than $4 million to deserving non-profit and charitable organizations. In keeping with past tradition, The Amelia will continue to support Spina Bifida of Jacksonville, local Shop with Cops programs, and Community Hospice and Palliative Care.
Courtesy: David Green/Grassroots Motorsports
A lot can happen when building a race car for less than $2000–so Grassroots Motorsports is making it easier than ever to plan your entry into our annual low-buck motorsports festival, the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge Presented by Tire Rack, set for March 29-30 at Gainesville Raceway. Now when you register for the $2000 Challenge, your payment information will be saved, but you won’t be charged until a few days before the event – you can cancel up until three days before the start of the $2000 Challenge to get a full refund.
For more information about the $2000 Challenge, visit 2000challenge.com.