Event Coverage Ventura County Fair Grounds, California USA Oct 3-4th 2009 - The 12th annual edition of The Ventura Show / European Autofest, now owned and produced by World Class Motoring, enjoyed an exciting rebirth this year 2009 for Porsche lovers with two days of great cars, exhibitors, venders, live musical entertainment and seminars. The energy and dedication infused back into the Show by the Classic Motoring staff, all hard-core car enthusiasts, allowed the Show to return this year to its former glory this year as one of the premier Porsche events in America. Close to a thousand enthusiasts attended the Show each day to celebrate Germany's premier sports car name.
This year's Autofest title sponsor was Rusnak Porsche from Westlake, CA, who went all out to support the weekend and the Porsche community with a complete display of Porsche's latest sports car lineup, apparel and accessories. Plus their experienced management staff was on hand to assist with sales and answer any questions from attendees. Enthusiasts attending either day of the Autofest were treaded to many exciting activities and displays. All Porsche owners arriving in their cars were allowed to park inside the Show for free, beginning in the early mornings by lining up along both sides of Main Street were their was also a live band performing. Then as Main Street filled up, parking moved over into the adjoining grass or pavement lot areas. There were also separate grass display areas for parking classic Porsche 356s, Porsche RS models, plus Outdoor and Indoor Cars For Sale areas for new and used cars. No one was ever far from their prized possession which they could share and admire with everyone. There were some some 30 Manufacturers, Venders, Porsche Clubs and Performance & Restoration Shop displays housed in and around 3 separate buildings at the Autofest, selling everything form new Porsche cars and parts, to apparel, artwork and posters, car care products, literature and memorabilia. Plus a food dining court and beer garden between two of the builders where you could eat and relax between visiting with fellow enthusiast and venders, and checking out all the great cars! Certainly the star among the exhibitors was KundenSport, a Porsche repair and restoration shop in nearby Camarillo, CA, who brought a beautiful display of legendary, exotic factory Porsche race cars including a GT-1 Le Mans racer, a 935 GT-2 Turbo and a 917 rolling chassis.
Daily activities included the Saturday's People's Choice Car Show, the Sunday Concourse for rare and exotic production and race cars, plus the Show's traditional and very popular Sunday Morning Porsche Swap Meet which drew another 30 venders of its own. Additional activities added this year included non stop action at World Class Motoring's U-inmotion Race Car Simulator where you could strap into an exotic race car and take on the world's top race tracks and rally courses with all the accompanying bumps, slides and crashes! While enthusiasts more concerned with keeping their cars off the tire barriers and looking good, Chuck Bennett, founder and inventor of Zymol Care Care Products gave detailed,very interesting Seminars both days about caring for your Porsche.
Show winner! Patrick Racing came over from Phoenix Arizona with a big rig full of cool project cars. This Mean Green 914/8 featured a ground-up GT-1 style race car build with a blown Chevy 355 ci V8 wedged into the back, taking 1st Place in Sunday's Concourse. See a complete pictorial of the car and its build on the PatrickMotorsports.com website.
The reborn 2009 European Autofest was a profound success for both World Class Motoring and the West Coast Porsche community. For next year 2010 and coming years, always the 1st weekend of October, the show will continue to be improved and grow. More exciting activities are in the planning stages including a timed Solo 2 Autocross competition added on Saturday. Plus a movie theatre setup for watching some of the legendary racing movies like Steve Mc Queen's "Le Mans". We want the show to evolve into a full weekend of excitement in beautiful Ventura, California for all European sports car enthusiasts. And we hope you will join us!
1997 - 2008 Ventura Autofest Event Coverage
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