The Race and Performance Industry on Display at Winter AutoFest

ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. - Feb. 3, 2015 - PRLog -- Carlisle Events returns to the Tampa Bay area for Zephyrhills Winter AutoFest, February 19-22.  The annual February event takes place for the final time at Festival Park.  Beginning in November of 2015, all AutoFest-branded events will take place in Lakeland at the Sun N’ Fun Complex.  Before that, however; gates open for one final weekend in Zephyrhills beginning on the 19^th.  Once onsite, guests will be able to experience the past, present and future of the race and performance industry.  A quartet of features is in place designed to spotlight the racing side of the automotive world and each can be experienced for free during the Winter AutoFest event.  Details on those new attractions follow, in no particular order.

While AutoFest is just that, an automotive-based event, there are displays and activities in place that will entertain more than just the die-hard enthusiasts.  One of those activities is the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow engine challenge.  HROT is Illinois-based but hosts regional qualifying events around the country.  The competition sees local and/or regional high school students tear down and reassemble a Chevy small block engine.  The students compete against another team, but more so against the clock as they vie for the best possible completion time.  Regional winners as well as other “top time” finishers will advance to the national finals in either Las Vegas or Indianapolis.  Ultimately, students compete for the chance to win scholarship money, build camaraderie with classmates and further their automotive educations.

Another great activity will allow one guest to win a pair of tickets to the July NASCAR race at Daytona.  Onsite guests can, for free, get behind the wheel of a car that was ACTUALLY raced by Kevin Harvick during the 2008 NASCAR season. This Chevy Impala comes with all the bells and whistles of an actual NASCAR and best of all, inside the cockpit is a video game system unlike any you’ve ever seen before. Each day of Winter AutoFest, the simulator will be onsite for guests to test their skills with the Daytona Sega racing simulator that has been installed. There’s even a pit box right next to the car to help keep track of each race time! The fastest time over the course of the weekend will win the aforementioned Daytona tickets.  Again, this feature is FREE with gate admission.

A perfect complement to this simulator is another NASCAR that was once raced…and has even appeared in a movie.  The car in question bears the #3 on its side with a Wrangler sponsorship and is none other than the 1986 Chevy Monte Carlo car that Dale Earnhardt, Sr. drove.  Originally built as a Winston Cup short track car, it was repainted and modified for filming the famous “pass in the grass” racing scene between Dale Earnhardt, Sr. and rival Bill Elliott as part of the ESPN film "3, The Story of Dale Earnhardt.".  Not only can guests see a car driven by a legend, they will see a car that was part of an original ESPN film.

Finally, a true racing legend is booked for the event.  Everyone onsite can meet Tampa Bay resident Milo Coleman and see a few of his historic race cars.  Joining Coleman will be a replica of his 1964 Ford Thunderbolt as well as a 1963 slingshot dragster, which will have just undergone a complete restoration by the time it arrives at the event. Coleman has won multiple races and championships, including being named NHRA D/Stock class Champion.

All of this serves as a perfect complement to a four-day event that celebrates all things automotive.  Parking is FREE at Festival Park as are kids 12 and under.  Otherwise, adult tickets are just $10 a day, or a weekend pass can be purchased in advance for just $30.  Complete event details may be found at www.CarlisleEvents.com.