Travel Ideas

Great Vacation Destinations for Hot Rodders:

JANUARY:

Any of the World of Wheels/Autorama Custom car shows that happen across the US. From Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, from Chicago to Cleveland, go to Championship Auto Shows for info on all their locations and dates.
Winter Driving Schools. Go to Beaverun for info and dates on their driving schools.
If you have young drivers in your family, you owe it to them to provide the tools to be a good driver, especially in the winter. It’s fun too!
There are lots of cool car events and cruises that happen in the warmth of southern California, Las Vegas and Florida this time of year.
The Barrett Jackson Auction looks like fun but I would just end up breaking my own heart because I can’t afford the cars I want.
Daytona, Florida is the place to be for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. This historic race leads to lots of car and bike-related events in February.
The Grand National Roadster show in Pomona, California which fills 9 buildings at the Fairplex grounds. “Americas Most Beautiful Roadster” will be announced. The winner’s name is etched on a 9 ft. Trophy.

FEBRUARY:

The Daytona 500 is the Big Dog when it comes to Nascar. If you win at Daytona, you are a star. This is always a special week to be in Florida and the show that Nascar puts on has to be seen in person.
Bike Week is one of the craziest and fun events you can find if you are into bikes. All the best builders, both well-known and grassroots, bring out their creations. The quality of the bikes is astounding and the factory support and displays are equally impressive.
Speaking of bikes, The Motorcycle Museum is located in Columbus, Ohio and the Harley Davidson Museum is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

MARCH:

March 17-19: Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. A trade show that is the mini-SEMA show for the Midwest.
Myrtle Beach Car Show at the Old Mall is a chance for hot rodders from the mid-Atlantic coastal states to beat the winter blues with horsepower and chrome. This is the time of the year when those of us that love cars can see light at the end of the tunnel. That light is from the Flashlight Drags, which return in May.
The 2012 Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance. Hahn & Woodward will show the HRG by invitation.
All of the local circle tracks open up. Lernerville, Pennsylvania, Motor Speedway, Mercer and more. Check out DJ Johnson’s column in the Post-Gazette for all the info through the season. The drag racing season opens, too. Pittsburgh Raceway Park, Quaker City, Sunset Dragstrip and the Flashlight Drags are the places to be.
The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
The shows in Carlisle, Pennsylvania are great any weekend during the summer. They feature a different theme each week and it is always busy and fun. Cars for sale, swap meets and vendors galore.

MAY:

Here come the Flashlight Drags. The first event for 2012 is May 20th at The Greene County Airport in Waynesburg.
The Indy 500. This is the granddaddy of auto racing in the US and this is the 100th anniversary of the 500. What a year this will be at Indy. Special displays and activities are planned and don’t be surprised to see demonstration runs by previous winners. Dario Franchitti drove Jim Clarks ’65 Lotus for a special article in Road & Track recently.
More Nascar.

JUNE:

Take a trip to Europe and tour the automotive manufactures like BMW, Porsche, VW, Fiat and more. Go to Greater Pittsburgh Travel agency for special packages. Tell them Hersch sent you.
Drive the Nurburgring in Germany.
The 24 Hours of LeMans. Truly a historic race through the French countryside.
Nascar.

JULY:

Here comes what I feel is the most important automotive event for both Pittsburgh and the whole east coast in the month of July: the 30th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, featuring MG as their Marque of the year. talkhotrods.com will be there with Dan Delbianco, Ted Sohier and the 1,000 volunteers that make this 2-week long event a destination for car lovers from all over the US, Canada and the world!

AUGUST:

The Mopar Nationals occur in Columbus, Ohio. It is a must-see if you are into Mopars. Everyone and everything is there.
Pebble Beach Concours.
Check out the Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hill, Michigan. The famous drag car “Color Me Gone” is there.

SEPTEMBER:

Racing Schools like the one at Rockingham and Talladega. You can go 130 mph at the Rock and 180 mph at Talladega!

OCTOBER:

Goodwood Festival in England. A true one of a kind experience that includes automotive history, racing and aircraft.

NOVEMBER:

SEMA. The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association. This is the coolest of all car shows because everything is there. All the new products and trends are represented. The size of the show is enormous. It takes two convention halls just to show all the wheels and you need credentials to get in. Get in touch with us at talkhotrods.com and we will try to get you in.
Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky…

DECEMBER: