2006-02-26 : Festival of Speed
 

Lucy and I drove to St Pete to the Festival of Speed and if anyone's interested, here's a brief trip report and a bunch of pictures. A few of these cars were also at the Ferrari show a couple weeks ago. I love Florida in the winter!

What's this? Okay I'm slipping in a picture of my car for a couple reasons. First thing when we arrived, the traffic cop just waved us right into the paddock area for show participants. I had to back up and tell him we were just spectating. Should have kept my mouth shut, we'd have got parked a LOT closer. :)
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1514c.jpg

Seems like everywhere I go lately, there's an SLR. I think this is the first black one I've seen. I gotta figure out a way to score a ride in one of these.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1517c.jpg

This is one badass Jag. 200+ mph...
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1519c.jpg

Now what the hell is this? It's like somebody said "ya know, I like that Lotus Elise but it's just too bloated" and trimmed it down. There were a bunch of Elise's at this show, all bunched up together like a school of minnows in an ocean of sharks.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1524c.jpg

There was some serious racing muscle at this show. This is a Mercedes CLK GTR.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1530c.jpg

More serious muscle. Enzo.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1532c.jpg

I believe this is a 911 GT1, yet more serious muscle.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1534c.jpg

Stepping back in time, a Ferrari that kind of looks like a normal sports car.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1535c.jpg

Maserati MC12 - There were two of these monsters present.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1536c.jpg

Poor F-40 (or is this an F-50?), sitting all by itself and no one paying a bit of attention to it! :(
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1540c.jpg

Then we got to the Lambo section. There were bunches of 'em...
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1546c.jpg

Diablo!
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1548c.jpg

What's funny about this is we were walking along the sidewalk and this kid is right behind us in his little Enzo when we (and the kid) have to move off into the grass so a real Enzo could drive by!
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1557c.jpg

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, here comes a McLarren F1!
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1564c.jpg

Oh. My. God.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1565c.jpg

I don't know what this truck was doing at this show, but I imagine a conversation like this.

"Hey Billy-Bob, I saw me one of them Honda Civic cars downtown today and it had these doors that go up instead of out. I'm gonna do that to my truck!" ;)
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1569c.jpg

The next time someone says "all motor", compare it to this.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1576c.jpg

Drool...
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1582c.jpg

Beep beep! Hello! Move please, million dollar car coming through!
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1588c.jpg

I couldn't believe it, there were a half dozen Pantera's there! This is the car from the late 70's that gave me the lust for a mid-engine sports car. Wow.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1594c.jpg

No surprise there were several Ford GT's, but this one was different. Turned into a targa roof and other mods. For sale for a cool quarter million.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1597c.jpg

Here's the mystery for today. What the hell is that shifter all about?
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1599c.jpg

It was in this car:
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1600c.jpg

That 911 GT1 looks nice from the ass end.
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1603c.jpg

This was cool. As we were walking back to our car, I spotted this parked along the street!
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m.../IMG_1613c.jpg

I'm glad my car wasn't the only exotic out by the curb (not like I'm in the same league as a Carrera GT but still...). Oh, and the reason I put my picture first - I'd been assured there would be a couple NSX's at this show but we didn't see a single one. Still and all, a great show with a lot of quality muscle.

That's it for now. All these pictures, plus a bunch more, plus larger resolutions are at:

http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m...eed/?g2_page=1

...later!...

Cool pics. :)

Were you asking what that first car was because you weren't sure? :confused: It is an Acura NSX.




EDIT - Oh wait....don't mind me. :lol: I was reading too fast. OBVIOUSLY you know what the first car is, since it's your car. :p

LOL - it fucking pisses me off. I know there are a couple PERFECT garage queen NSX's in Tampa/St Pete that should have been in this show. I am going to rag on those guys when I see them - we should have been represented!

Mmmm...money. Must be nice. Nice pics, though.

the lotus is a 340R... don't think they make it anymore.

as for the shifter, it's just a cool thing that Spyker does (the only company i know of) it's pretty much just for looks, but instead of the shifter going down underneath the interior and back (being rear engine) it just goes straight back into the transmission. it really has a truely unique interior, as i'm sure you noticed.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-st...p-1024x768.jpg

i just saw a top gear episode featuring the spyker. what an awesome car!

Oh my lord...what a show!! Great pics. The Pantera was also the one that got me into cars. I was maybe 9 or 10 in the mid 70's and I saw one on the 401 near Toronto.

I would be happy to have anyone of those cars in my garage. (I love the orange and grey paint on the Ford GT by the way.)

Thanks for the pics and report, that looks like an awesome car show except for the lack of NSX's on display ;) I'd choose the McLarren F1. Some of you may already know, but I just recently read that Ralph Lauren the fashion designer owns a few F1's in his extensive car collection.