Jacksonville Car Culture events calendar:
The next Caffeine & Octane is set for 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, at The Avenues mall at 10300 Southside Blvd.
And it’s the annual toy drive for Wolfson Children’s Hospital – they will be collecting new, unwrapped toys to benefit Wolfson Children’s Hospital! Bring the toy to the checkered C&O tent.
Gentle reminders – All vehicles parked in the Central Lot must remain in place until the show concludes. If you cannot stay until then, please park in the exhibit lot. Those parking in the Exotics Lot and the Porsche Corner are free to arrive and leave at any time. And FYI – some spots have been taken up by a holiday child’s entertainment zone, so C&O moves a bit down the lot for the duration.
Recent events:
Annual Frank H. Peterson Career Academy Car Show: last Saturday, at the school:
27th annual O.C.O.D. VW Turkey Run Car Show: last Sunday at St. Augustine’s Elks Lodge:
This red Bug expertly hides a Porsche drivetrain, dashboard, seats and more
Upcoming events:
U.S.S. Orleck Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the U.S.S. Orleck ship museum at 610 E. Bay St. Presented by NAPA Auto Care and Jacksonville Corvette Club, it is free for spectators (ship admission excluded) and $25 show vehicle pre -registration, or $30 day of show. Questions – email events@Jaxnavalmuseume.org.
Inaugural Jacksonville Toys for Tots Rally: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. Hit the roads of central Florida for charity in support of underprivileged children – not open to spectators, and advanced registration is required. Hosted by AutoLyfeStyle, WheelHouse and Porsche Jacksonville, and sponsored by Hagerty and WolvesDen Customs, advance Registration is $125 per car (Driver and One Passenger), and $50 of unwrapped, unopened toys are required per car.
Hotwheelz3K Car Show: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Conviva Care center, 11240 Beach Blvd. Spectators free, and $40 per show vehicle.
Joseph Avram Bryan Memorial Scholarship Fund Car Show: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.
Kingsland Cars and Coffee/Toys for Tots: 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Harbor Freight, 1601 Georgia Highway 40. Donate an unwrapped toy and get entered in the Culture Driven giveaway raffle.
Mandarin Athletic Association Benefit Car Show: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3750 Burnett Park Road. Free for spectators and $20 day of show for entrants.
Cruise-in Down Heavenly Lane Car Show: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, at Hilliard Branch Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 3741 Heavenly Lane. Free for spectators and $20 per show vehicle – fundraiser for the church youth program.
Rescheduled: Fort Clinch Vintage Cars and Cannons: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, at the historic fort state park at 2601 Atlantic Ave. Pre-register at fortclinch.org for $50 per show vehicle. You must pay for admission to the fort to see the show – $6 per visitor vehicle.
Third annual Revved Up! Car, Truck and Bike Show: 4 to7 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, at GW Truck at 4930 Spring Park Road.
9th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam and Car Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds at 5840 Florida 207 in Elkton. Spectators are $10 per person, with free parking – www.jimmyjambbqslam.com.
Eurofest St. Augustine: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine. Free for spectators and any European vehicle on display.
Down at the Bay Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 25, at Cedar Bay Baptist Church, 11553 N. Main St. Free for spectators and $20 per show vehicle.
The FIRM (Florida International Rally and Moto Park): Open Track Days held most weekends at the road course and rally course at 7266 Airport Road in Starke.
All the Cruise-ins…
Clay County Cruzers, Callahan Cruisers and Amelia Cruizers all hold regular weekend cruise-ins, so check their Facebook pages.
Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. every second Saturday at The Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. Information: https://bit.ly/3gPRvVQ.
Pharaohs St. Johns cruise-in: 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 30, at Trout Creek Memorial Park, 6550 Florida 13 North in Northwest St. Johns County, just past the Shands Bridge.
Mod Talk Tuesdays: 5 p.m. every first Tuesday at Tequila’s Mexican Restaurant at 10915 Baymeadows Road. For car, truck and bike enthusiasts.
Sunshine State Chevelles: 4 to 7 p.m. every third Monday of each month at 1937 Spirits and Eatery, 1842 Kings Ave in the San Marco area.
Players Grille Mandarin at 10140 San Jose Blvd., 4 to 7 p.m. every third Wednesday.
New – Fernandina Beach Car Meet: 6 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month at Famous Quick Lube, 1707 8th St. Fernandina Beach.
New –1 to 4 p.m. on Sun. Dec. 8, at the Elks Lodge # 221 at 1855 West Road near Beach Boulevard – burgers and hot dogs for sale.
Amelia Cruizers: 3 to 5 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month, now at Townies Pizza, 819 T.J. Courson Road.
Jax Beach Classic Car Cruise: Postponed in November and December – resumes in the New Year – 4 to 7 p.m. each fourth Tuesday at the Seawalk Pavilion at 75 1st Street N. in Jacksonville Beach.
Classic Car Cruise-in at Orange Blossoms Beach Boulevard: 8 a.m. to noon each third Saturday of the month at Orange Blossoms, 14329 Beach Blvd.
Caffeine and Gasoline: 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, and each first Saturday of the month at J-Tech Institute at 8813 Western Way in Jacksonville. House rules – “respect the property.” And J-Tech will be holding events to coincide with C & G with staff on site to give tours of the campus.
New location – North Florida Domestic Car Club’s cruise-in 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on each first Saturday of the month at Culhane’s Irish Pub, 9720 Deer Lake Court off Southside Boulevard.
Wings & Wheels Cruise-in: 2 to 6 pm. each first Saturday at Dicks Wings & Grill at 6055 Youngerman Circle.
Rides and Coffee: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every fourth Sunday at Detail Garage, 9390 Arlington Expressway.
First Coast Car Council: All cruise-ins postponed.
Callahan Cruisers: 4 to 7 p.m. every second Saturday at Hardee’s at 542309 U.S. 1 in Callahan. The next cruise-in – Sat. Aug. 10 – is the event’s 10th anniversary.
Downtown Kingsland Cars & Coffee: New summer hours – 8 to 11 a.m. each second Saturday at the Historic Downtown Kingsland Homegrown Market at U.S. 17 and Georgia 40.
Cruise Fruit Cove: The Sunshine State Chevelles’ cruise-in hours are 1 to 5 p.m. every third Saturday at the PDQ at 194 Florida 13 in Saint Johns, just south of Julington Creek.
New cruise-in: 1 p.m. every third Saturday at Hardee’s at 6852 Wilson Blvd.
Yulee Cars and Coffee: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every third Sunday at the Sonic Drive-In at 463939 Florida 200 in Yulee.
Brunch with Cars: noon to 3 p.m. this and every third Sunday at Pink Salt Restaurant and Wine Bar, 1567 University Blvd. W.
Clay County Cruzers’ Events: 3 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday at Big Dawg Sports Restaurant, 1330 Blanding Blvd.; 3 to 6 p.m. every second Saturday at Tom & Bettys in Orange Park; 5 p.m. every third Friday at Hooter’s/Miller’s Ale House at 1756 Well’s Road ; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.
Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine monthly cruise-ins: St. Augustine Cruiser’s “Cruise In” from 5 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday, and Cars and Coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. every fourth Saturday. Both cruise-ins are at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.
Cars and Coffee Fleming Island: 8 a.m. every fourth Sunday of the month at 2310 Village Square Parkway, Fleming Island.
New cruise-in: 6 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Mission BBQ, 8440 Blanding Blvd. in Jacksonville, hosted by Modern Mustangs of Jacksonville.
New cruise-in: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every fourth Saturday at the Rockin’ 50’s Eatery at 3501 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd. in St. Augustine.
Show and Tell: 6 to 9 p.m. every fourth Thursday at Advance Auto Parts at 10014 Atlantic Blvd.
Azalea City Cruisers: Monthly cruise-in from 5 to 8 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Velchoffs Corner, 105 N. 2nd St. in Palatka.
Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise: 4 p.m. every fourth Saturday between 8th and 17th streets at Main Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield community.
Wait, there’s more…
Courtesy Cadillac
General Motors and TWG Global have reached an agreement in principle with Formula 1 to bring a Cadillac team to the series in 2026. GM is also launching an F1 power unit that will put the Cadillac Formula 1 Team on the path to being a “full works” team — building its own F1 vehicles and power units — by the end of the decade.
Cadillac would be the first new team to join F1 since 2016 and the eleventh team on the grid. And Mario Andretti, the last American F1 Champion, will serve as a director on the team’s board.
“My first love was Formula 1 and now – 70 years later – the F1 paddock is still my happy place. I’m absolutely thrilled with Cadillac, Formula 1, Mark Walter, and Dan Towriss,” said Andretti in a news release. “To still be involved at this stage of my life — I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”
“As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world,” added GM President Mark Reuss. “This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.”
Alfa Romeo just completed an intense test session with the “00 prototype” of the new 33 Stradale at the Nardò circuit, to test driving dynamics and performance in extreme high-speed conditions. Specifically, the test team monitored and validated parameters such as aerodynamics, top speed, maximum temperatures, propulsive cooling systems and cabin soundproofing, all ahead of the first delivery in Italy in late December
The famous Nardò Ring stands out for high-speed tests of cars and motorcycles, with its diameter of 2.5 miles Alfa Romeo validated the target top speed of 207 mph, and acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in under three seconds. Advanced aerodynamics help raise the performance of the 3-liter twin-turbo V-6, which delivers more than 620 horsepower and is paired with an 8-speed DCT gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels with assistance from an electronic limited-slip differential. The new engine is an evolution of the existing V-6 currently in the Italian brand’s highest performance cars and is mounted longitudinally in the center for exceptional performance.
The car offers two drive modes, which can be activated from the switches on the central tunnel: Strada (Road) and Pista (Track). The former, engaged when the car is started, ensures comfort and driving pleasure: smooth power delivery, usual pedal sensitivity, soft suspension, fluid transmission and active exhaust valves open only above 4,000 rpm. Alternatively, in Pista mode, the driver chooses an adrenaline-fueled drive: the power is at its peak, the pedals are even more responsive and the suspension is rigid, as well as offering rapid gearshifts and active exhaust valves that are always open. One of the most exciting performance controls in this configuration is the Partenza Veloce (Quick Start) procedure: by pressing the Quadrifoglio button on the central tunnel, the gearbox, traction control and power delivery are optimized to avoid wheel slippage.
front and a four-piston system in the rear.
A lot can happen when building a race car for less than $2000–so Grassroots Motorsports is making it easier than ever to plan your entry into our annual low-buck motorsports festival, the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge Presented by Tire Rack, set for March 29-30 at Gainesville Raceway. Now when you register for the $2000 Challenge, your payment information will be saved, but you won’t be charged until a few days before the event – you can cancel up until three days before the start of the $2000 Challenge to get a full refund.
For more information about the $2000 Challenge, visit 2000challenge.com.
The Amelia by Hagerty celebrates 30 years of global motoring excellence as it returns to Golf Club of Amelia Island and The Ritz-Carlton Resort from March 6 – March 9, tickets at AmeliaConcours.com.
And The Amelia announced that Hélio Castroneves will be the honoree for 2025, continuing the event’s longstanding tradition as “the racer’s concours.”
Castroneves’ wide-ranging racing and competition experience includes:
- 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021 Indianapolis 500 wins
- 2020 IMSA championship with 4 victories and 4 pole positions with Acura Team Penske
- Minority partner and co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing
- Season 5 winner of ABC television series Dancing with the Stars in 2007
He was chosen as honoree for The Amelia in 2025 based on his dedication to excellence in racing as well as his unwavering competitive spirit that has made him one of the most successful drivers in IndyCar history.
The concours’ featured classes include:
- Corvette at Sebring.
- Alfa Romeos of the 1930s.
- Formula 1 Cars 1950-Present.
And returning to The Amelia – the Broad Arrow Group’s annual auction.
Since its inception in 1996, The Amelia has donated more than $4 million to deserving non-profit and charitable organizations. In keeping with past tradition, The Amelia will continue to support Spina Bifida of Jacksonville, local Shop with Cops programs, and Community Hospice and Palliative Care.
Supercar Xperiences – Dec. 13 to 15 – YOUR turn to get behind the wheel of a fleet of exotic cars at The FIRM’s 1.5-mile race track at 7266 Airport Road in Starke . Prices do not include Track Insurance (Starting at $39 per Car) which is required for drivers. SPECTATOR PIT PASS – $10.
Courtesy of The Amelia/Hagerty
Courtesy of The Amelia/Hagerty