Over 2,200 of Dodge/Chrysler’s finest converge in Carlisle for the Chrysler Nationals

Carlisle, PA – TV hosts, TV cars, industry legends and throngs of cars/enthusiasts came to Carlisle, Pennsylvania for the annual Carlisle Chrysler Nationals car show. From July 10-12 the grounds featured decades of history, all in once place. In addition, there was parts shopping, special displays and more as Chrysler weekend became THE first big car show in the country for most attendees.

Things officially got up and running Thursday evening, July 9 as the MoPar Rebellion Car Club hosted its annual kick-off party at the neighboring Carlisle Expo Center. Here, over 400 cars cruised in and hundreds more mingled as music played in the background and the smell of barbeque on the grill provided the flavor of the evening. As the sun set on the night, it ushered in the event itself, Friday, Saturday and even Sunday at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds.

As Friday transitioned to Saturday, sunny skies and beautiful weather remained, as did the enthusiasm from everyone at Carlisle. There was no shortage of special guests either. Anchored by Garage Squad and All Girls Garage star Cristy Lee, the TV experts went from “as seen on TV” to “as seen at Carlisle.” Lee was joined by Dave Rea, Butch Leal, the Golden Commandos, Herb McCandless, Joe Pappas, Ted Spehar and more. Each spent time signing autographs, posing for photos and talking shop. While most car owners would say their cars are the stars, there were two cars that stood out; a pair of Superbirds in Building T. One was owned by NASCAR legend Richard Petty, the other was famously occupied by Jerry Seinfeld and Will Ferrell for the former’s program, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”

Another hot draw for guests, both spectator and show car owners alike, was the Hellcat thrill rides from Dodge. While the ride only lasts about 30 seconds, it’s the ride of a lifetime for many in a stock Hellcat Charger or Challenger. Piloted by professional drivers from Dodge, the track at Carlisle was going non-stop all weekend, leaving guests wanting more!

A few nice added touches were mixed in with all the fun on Saturday, including a mid-morning wedding and a ‘70s themed car and costume parade around the grounds. Finally, the fun of the parade culminated with the car community recognizing a guest battling cancer with a cash donation, autographed Richard Petty cowboy hat and a special message from Richard Petty himself.

While 2020 is a wrap, the 2021 event is already taking shape. Planned displays include 50 years of the Demon and Old Skool paint jobs just to name a few. If you can’t wait until July 9-11, 2021…Carlisle Events has an early MoPar option for you in sunny Lakeland, Florida as part of Winter AutoFest. This event runs February 19-21 and features a Mopar Fun Field, complete with club awards and participant voting for awards. Learn all about each event online and check out the 2020 winner’s list now at www.CarlisleEvents.com.

Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of over a dozen annual collector car/truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA), the Sunset Auction Facility (Sarasota, FL) and the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes four automotive flea markets of varying size, five auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Chryslers, trucks, imports, tuners and performance sport compacts. Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract more than half a million enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available via CarlisleEvents.com or CarlisleAuctions.com.

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