Thousands Turn Out For Evernham's AmeriCarna LIVE Car Show

Dale Jr.'s 1977 Olds Cutlass 442

Thousands of car enthusiasts came out to celebrate the inaugural AmeriCarna LIVE charity car show Saturday on the Ingersoll Rand corporate campus in Davidson, NC, presented by Ingersoll Rand and MSC Industrial Supply Co. 

Celebrity cars from the collections of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., Rusty Wallace, Rick Hendrick, Bobby Allison and Ray Evernham highlighted the one-day event along with show-ready cars entered by more than 300 area enthusiasts and car clubs. 

A dozen car owners took home the top awards for their cars, including:

 

·         Mayor of Davidson Choice – John Wosham 1950 Ford
·         Tony Stewart Choice – James Carswell 1948 Chevy Truck
·         Furthest Drive Award – Joseph Mason from Connecticut
·         Most Entries from a Car Club – 5th Generation Camaros of the Carolinas
·         Hendrick Northlake Choice – Tim Edwards 1955 Chevy Belair
·         Ryan Newman Choice – Butch & Bradley Zadlo Fishing Truck
·         IGNITE Choice – Jimmie Johnson 1967 Chevy Camaro
·         Rusty Wallace Choice – Billy Moose 1962 Chevy Belair
·         AmeriCarna Choice – Keith Sultana Ford Roadster
·         MSC Choice – Ronnie Grimes 1941 Chevy 350
·         Ingersoll Rand Choice – Michael Waters 1969 Chevy Camaro 228
·         Ray Evernham Choice – Kevin Neild 1935 Dodge

The event raised more than $40,000 for IGNITE, a new community center in Davidson for young adults with high functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger's Syndrome (AS).  IGNITE offers activities, skills training, and educational workshops that foster social, financial, educational, and employment independence for its members.   IGNITE was founded by Ray Evernham, former NASCAR championship crew chief and current ESPN broadcaster, in honor of his son Ray J., who has Asperger’s.  

“Car people are the greatest people in the world, and this was an incredible gathering of beautiful cars and their passionate owners to celebrate America’s car culture and raise money for IGNITE,” said Ray Evernham, CEO of Ray Evernham Enterprises.  “It is unbelievably heartwarming to see the turnout for the event and the support for young people with Autism and Asperger’s.  I really enjoyed getting to talk with car owners from around the Carolinas and as far away as Connecticut about their passion for cars.  And, I heard a number of personal stories from families who have a member with Autism or Asperger’s who came out to support the work we are doing at IGNITE.”

“All of us at Ingersoll Rand were proud to host the inaugural AmeriCarna LIVE Car Show benefitting IGNITE,” said Scott Krull, President – HVAC Parts North America/Export, Ingersoll Rand.  “The AmeriCarna car show was a great opportunity for us to advance the quality of life in our own community while collaborating with MSC Industrial Supply, Co., and one of our long-time racing partners, Ray Evernham.” 

AmeriCarna LIVE derives its name from a new Ray Evernham-hosted television show that is in production and set to premiere on the Velocity channel in early 2014.  The “AmeriCarna” TV show will tell behind-the-scenes stories of lost race cars, barn finds, speed secrets, Hollywood films, historical racetracks and other unique places. 

For event photos, check out http://www.facebook.com/AmeriCarnaTV and follow @AmeriCarna_tv on twitter.

IGNITE is a program of the Autism Society of North Carolina.  For more information on IGNITE visit http://www.ignite-davidson.org.