As Carlisle Events gears up for its annual Winter Florida AutoFest event at the SUN ‘n FUN Campus in Lakeland, the focus has been on Corvettes, Mustangs and all things automotive. Known for its mantra of “The Cars, The People and The Excitement,” the minds behind this great event (February 22-24) are pleased to announce that Mr. Wesley Wong will attend!

Who is Wesley Wong? Quite simply an amazing man with impeccable credentials and a lifetime of stories, many of which tie back to his involvement with rescue and recovery on September 11, 2001. Mr. Wong was one of the first on-scene during the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 and was famously photographed along with NYFD members carrying NYFD Chaplin Mychal Judge from the rubble. Judge is recognized as the first known victim of the attacks.

A decorated FBI agent, Mr. Wong serves on the board of the National Corvette Museum (NCM) and the NCM Motorsports Park and is a car lover himself. Retired in 2006, Mr. Wong now works in the private sector and is currently a Senior Advisor to the Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base (AFB), Tampa, Florida and the Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Mr. Wong also remains involved with his former organization at the FBI Academy and is a Senior Fellow of Advanced Antiterrorism Studies at the Air Force Special Operations School, Hurlburt AFB, Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Mr. Wong holds a Top Secret, SCI clearance.

No stranger to the Corvette world, Mr. Wong first worked with Carlisle Events as part of Corvettes at Carlisle in August of 2018. His candid stories about that fateful day in September left many with goosebumps and an even greater appreciation for our freedoms! 

As part of Winter AutoFest, Mr. Wong will appear not only at private VIP functions, but publicly at 9:45 a.m. on the front end of Carlisle Auctions second day of action, Saturday, February 23. Following a brief introduction, Mr. Wong will speak to the gathered audience, he’ll be presented with a special banner from his Corvettes at Carlisle appearance and staffers will “pass the hat,” accepting donations for his charity, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. 

This, plus so much more will be part of Winter Florida AutoFest. Learn more via www.CarlisleEvents.com and see it firsthand in Lakeland, Florida starting February 22, 2019. 

TV cameras and TV hosts have become the norm at Carlisle rather than the exception as of late and that trend continues in 2017 as part of the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals. This year’s Import & Performance weekend runs May 19-21 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and features Korean cars, while also showcasing some of the best vintage imports, tuners and performance sport compacts from around the world. While 20,000+ guests and nearly 2,000 cars are anticipated, what is confirmed is that joining them in May will be a production team representing Discovery’s Velocity Channel.
This is not the first time Carlisle has been seen via Velocity, but it’ll be the first time in quite some time that the Import & Performance event gets its turn in the spotlight. The new program, entitled Legends of the Design, will air later in the fall and be comprised of 10 episodes filmed at shows around the country. Of those 10, one, maybe two of them will be set in Carlisle.

Legends of the Design is co-hosted by author and car collector “GT Joey” Limongelli as well as Maria Prekeges and will give those showing and attending at Carlisle their chance for 15 minutes of fame and to be able to brag that their car is now “as seen on TV.” Joey, Maria and the crew will scour the Carlisle grounds looking for cars that highlight amazing designs of the import world. Not only will the cameras flock to these showfield gems, Joey and Maria will speak with owners and enthusiast to better educate viewers on overall design and features. In addition, Joey and Maria will go the extra step, breaking down the who, what, where and why of the car design and its features.

A show like this is a perfect fit for the mixed audience of people and cars that come to Carlisle. According to Joey himself, Carlisle was a must for this upcoming season.

“I’m excited because I’ve been coming to this event for 20 years and I could not think of a better launching point for this all-new TV series,” noted “GT Joey”.”
“The filming of this new show puts our weekend of international automotive excitement on display for the entire world to see…literally,” said event manager Ken Appell. “It is exciting to see this attention brought to such a diverse market and to work with such a professional host as “GT Joey.”

The Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals is currently accepting registrations for the 2017 event. Be it showfield, vendor inquiries or the purchase of single day or weekend tickets, complete details are available by calling 717-243-7855 or online at www.CarlisleEvents.com.

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Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of 12 annual collector car and truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA) and the SUN ‘n FUN Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes five automotive swap meets of varying size, four auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Hurst branded machines, Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Chryslers, trucks, imports, tuners and performance sport compacts. Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract more than a half a million enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available via www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.
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February in Florida is an amazing time of year. The weather is perfect, there’s an increase in population due to snow bird migration and maybe best of all, Carlisle Events arrives in Lakeland to offer its unique brand of automotive entertainment via Winter AutoFest. This year’s winter offering takes place February 23-26 at the SUN ‘n FUN campus and showcases a two-day collector car show, two-day classic car auction and overall, four days of automotive excellence.

The event is the second such automotive weekend for Carlisle Events, but the first car show spectacular for a company that historically promotes some of the largest automotive events of their type in the world. February 23, 2017 not only serves as day one of the four-day show, it’s the day where vendors, guests and special showcases load in, set up and prepare for a weekend like no other in the region. There are daily flyovers by classic aircraft, including during the national anthem, a salute and recognition of service members, family entertainment via the Wild Wheels Thrill Arena, helicopter and airplane rides, a motor pool showcase and free DNA kits for parents/kids via the Lakeland Police Department, awesome food and so much more.

What draws guests to Winter AutoFest though, is the ability to see, hear, smell and possibly own a piece of automotive history. With guests’ onsite, Friday and Saturday come to life on campus with the car show and the auction. The car show is open to all types of vehicles; from classic to current, all cars, trucks, motorcycles and really, anything with a wheel and engine are encouraged to participate. There is a car club element that welcomes enthusiasts to enjoy the show with their car club friends, “celebrity judging” with awards offered daily, unmatched camaraderie and some of the best rides the Sunshine State has to offer.

Another great anchor to the weekend is the auction, powered by Carlisle Auctions. The Carlisle Auctions’ FREE UNLESS SOLD guarantee continues to pack this two-day offering with high quality collectibles and sells out from a consignment stand point annually. Over 400 lots cross the auction block and each are priced to sell, allowing the vast bidder gallery the chance to add to a personal collection or start one with the simple nod of a head and the slamming of the gavel.

This is the ultimate event to experience for any gear head and it’s affordable to boot. A single day ticket is just $10, a weekend pass is $30, car show registration is $35 (good for the entire weekend plus it covers a guest/passenger too) and auction packages vary. Contact Carlisle Events today at 717-243-7855 or Carlisle Auctions at 717-960-6400. Finally, complete event information is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.