M1 CONCOURSE TO HOLD ‘AMERICAN FESTIVAL OF SPEED’ IN MICHIGAN

One of the best car events in the world is the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. It’s like a car show, but spectators can watch rare classics, racers, muscle cars, the latest exotics and more send it up a historic hill climb course. Over the years, it’s gained immense popularity because car enthusiasts can see their cars in action, not just parked. But for American car enthusiasts, it’s difficult to make the trip across the Atlantic for the show, despite the appeal. M1 Concourse, a car storage, racetrack and automotive event venue just outside Detroit in Pontiac, Michigan, has announced they will be holding an “American Festival of Speed” in 2021.

The announcement comes from the Detroit News, who interviewed Pontiac Motor Exhibition (PME) CEO Tim Hartge. PME is a new group founded by the owners of M1 Concourse. Their focus is on events at M1, and the American Festival of Speed is their biggest plan yet. Before that, M1 will host the Woodward Dream Show to kick off the (canceled) Woodward Dream Cruise this summer. Unfortunately, Coronavirus isn’t making that look too feasible, especially after Roadkill Nights was canceled at the same venue.

2021’s American Festival of Speed will face some stiff competition from the reimagined Detroit Auto Show, which also aims to be more interactive than the traditional auto show, and will be held in the summer. Hartge said it’ll be a friendly rivalry, but having a racetrack (Champion Motor Speedway) on site will give M1 Concourse an edge.

He’s hoping both manufacturers and owners of cool cars can get involved, just like the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’ll certainly be fun to see different manufacturers showing off what their cars can do on the track, on American soil. Hartge said he’s hoping supercar manufacturers find the upscale nature of M1 Concourse attractive, as those brands have all but abandoned the Detroit Auto Show.

We can’t wait for September 30-October 3 2021 to see what the American Festival of Speed is all about.