CONCORD, N.C. (Aug. 11, 2023) – Forget the classic double take — it is a trio of high-profile vehicles from the silver screen that will turn spectators’ heads faster than you can say “Movie Cars” at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Sept. 7–9 Charlotte AutoFair.
Responsible for the triple takes are a 1964 Rolls-Royce seen in the original Cannonball Run movie, a 1969 Ford Mustang from John Wick, and a Wagon Queen Family Truckster made famous in the first Vacation film.
Where else have I seen this Rolls-Royce? The Silver Cloud III, one of only 50 built-in 1964 with a huge, canvas-covered moonroof, enjoyed screen time in the 1981 Burt Reynolds’ action-comedy Cannonball Run. The beautiful burgundy-and-silver saloon also made cameos in 1985’s Sylvester and 1989’s Bluegrass, among other films. Owned by the Schworer Beverly Hills Limousine company, the Silver Cloud has ferried an astonishing roster of Hollywood stars (Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Yul Brynner, Mickey Rooney), musicians (KISS, REO Speedwagon, The Moody Blues, and Alabama), and some other folks you might know (Muhammad Ali, Justin Timberlake, and Ozzy Osbourne).
Has that Mustang been wrecked? Keanu Reeves’ title character in the John Wick movie series does not have good luck when it comes to keeping a classic car show-ready. The 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 coming to the Charlotte AutoFair is one of the “surviving” stunt cars from 2017’s John Wick: Chapter 2, in which Wick uses the once-pristine pony car like a weapon of mass destruction against a gang of Russian mobsters.
Is that Metallic Pea Green? “You think you hate it now, but wait ’til you drive it” is how the salesman at Lou Glutz Motors convinced Clark Griswold to buy a Wagon Queen Family Truckster in the 1983 comedy classic National Lampoon’s Vacation. Based (in real life) on a heavily modified 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon, the original Truckster and four duplicates were reportedly destroyed during filming. The Pea Green wagon, liberally covered with 1970s-chic fake wood paneling, was vandalized, crashed in the desert, and further butchered by unscrupulous mechanics before delivering the Griswold family to the Walley World theme park. The Truckster coming to AutoFair is a 1984 Country Squire replica that was faithfully transformed by—no joke—Steve and Lisa Griswold’s family and has been autographed by Vacation star Chevy Chase.
The Movie Cars will be displayed in the Showcase Pavilion during the Sept. 7–9 Charlotte AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Other show highlights include the Best of the Best custom show vehicles, a Corvette 70th Anniversary exhibit, and a Sept. 11 Tribute Car.
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AutoFair will transform the famed 1.5-mile speedway throughout the weekend. The latest technology, trends, parts and products will fill the manufacturer’s midway. Guests can test drive the current line of Chevrolet vehicles and ride shotgun with professional Ford Performance Racing School drivers latest from the worlds of electric and off-road vehicles. Additionally, the reconfigured swap meet, hosted by the Hornet’s Nest Region AACA, will provide a wide array of hard-to-find parts and memorabilia.
TICKETS: Adult single-day tickets are $10 on Thursday and $15 on Friday and Saturday. Three-day passes are just $30 for adults. Children 12 and under get in FREE with an adult. Tickets are available online at CharlotteMotorSpeedway.com or at the gate.
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