Annually more than 500,000 guests trek to the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds for automotive events.  The car shows at Carlisle as they are known by many, draw people from around the world and are some of the largest events of their type anywhere.

While the facility is now jointly owned by the Miller families, that wasn't always the case.  In fact, between 1974 and 1981, Bill and Chip Miller (no relation), rented the grounds.  So, what happened at Carlisle prior to Post War '74 and the birth of what we now know as Carlisle Events?


(Carlisle Fairgrounds circa 1953. Image courtesy of the Cumberland County Historical Society)

Our latest All About Cars takes us back to the early 20th century and showcases the history of the grounds, the fairs that were once held here, and how the property has evolved over the years.

Carlisle PA Fairgrounds History - Learn More

There's a lot of great automotive content on the web.  Some of that content is informative, some is entertaining.  This piece we noticed on Jalopnik might just be both.  Author Owen Bellwood shares his take on the worst cars of the 80s.  While some of these may be "the worst" according to Owen, it's a safe bet that if you have one and you show it, it draws LOTS of attention.

Without further adieu, let's took a look at Owen's story and you can decide for yourself if they truly are just the worst!

The Worst Cars of the 1980s - Read the FULL Story and Check Out the Gallery

Being first is always kind of cool.  You get noticed.  People talk about you.  They appreciate your accomplishments a little bit more.  With that in mind, showgoers planning to come to the 2022 Carlisle Ford Nationals presented by Meguiar’s (June 3-5) have a chance to meet a trailblazer in her field; designer Emeline King.

King is more than a designer, she notched a quarter century of work with Ford and most important, became the first black woman ever within Ford to be tapped as Transportation Designer.  In that position, she became the primary designer on the fourth-gen SN-95 Mustang’s dual-cockpit interior.  In addition, her talents can be associated with a variety of components on other Fords, including the iconic Thunderbird.

Being a trailblazer means that her voice matters and that people respect and listen to what she brings to the table.  Those experiences are outlined in her book, “What Do You Mean a Black Girl Can’t Design Cars? Emeline King, She Did It!”  That book, along with Ms. King will be at Carlisle to meet fans, sign autographs, and host seminars/Q&A sessions regarding her background and career.

The seminars and book signing will be hosted in Building R.  There are two seminars planned per day (June 3 and June 4) and the interactions are free once on-site at the event.  Books will be available for sale for a fee, but much like meeting Ms. King, the autograph will be free.

Gates open at 7 a.m. daily and kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.  Spectator admission tickets are just $15 at the door, or cheaper online in advance or in person with a valid military ID.  Finally, registration for the National Parts Depot Showfield is available in person through the end of the event or online from now through event week.  Learn more about Emeline King and the Ford Nationals online at CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.    

A summit means many things, including conference, meeting, peak, and top just to name a few.  It’s fair to say that since its re-launch, the Ford Bronco has been the top (or summit) of SUV options for consumers.  That reality will play out in Carlisle, Pennsylvania June 3-5 as part of the 2022 Carlisle Ford National presented by Meguiar’s.

Flanked by a National Parts Depot Showfield with decades of Ford branded vehicles, the 6^th Generation of the Ford Bronco takes center station.  Not only will the 6^th Gen Bronco be turning heads, the Bronco Sport will too.  Of course the 6^th Gen is the latest offering and it will be the one showcased within this display, but with Bronco history dating back to the 1966 model year, there will many represented throughout the grounds, plus vendors selling Bronco parts within the automotive flea market and midway too.

The featured vehicle display tent is the perfect complement to Ford’s corporate display tent, located not too far away.  With Ford at Carlisle, their representatives will not only have a handful of 6^th Gens within their display, but will have walkarounds at the stage focused on them and be able to offer first-hand feedback for showgoers.

Broncos aren’t the only ride getting featured display treatment.  Additional features include a 60^th Anniversary of the Shelby, 40 years of the SSP, a Lightweight Reunion, EVs, and the Ford Nationals Select display in Building Y. 

Not showing but still want to attend?  Spectator admission tickets are discounted online in advance of the event and kids 12 and under are admitted free.  The gates open at 7 a.m. daily and though the fun concludes on Sunday, June 5 with an on-site awards parade, the crescendo is Saturday night as the Fords cruise into the streets of downtown Carlisle for the annual Ford Parade and Street party.

Details on the Bronco Summit as well as all other special displays, ticket information, and more are available at CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.

Since 1982 Corvettes at Carlisle has been THE destination for Corvette lovers from around the world.  This year’s event will be no different and will offer new displays, special guests and partners to the mix.  For 2022, Corvettes at Carlisle is not only celebrating its 40^th anniversary, it is being presented by eBay Motors.  The event (August 25-27) at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds will bring together ONE iconic Corvette Racing Crew Chief and nearly a dozen amazing Pratt Miller Factory Corvette Race cars.

The man (Dan Binks) and the display (Chip’s Choice) will greet Corvette enthusiasts of all ages within Building T and for Binks, this will be the first time in many years that he’s seen some of these cars.  Chip’s Choice always showcases cars that embody the best-of-the-best within the Corvette hobby and this first-of-its-kind display does just that and then some.

As mentioned, the display welcomes Pratt Miller Factory Corvette Race Cars.  These cars span decades of Corvette Racing and were conceived, designed, constructed, developed, and campaigned by Pratt Miller Engineering.  Per the Pratt Miller web page, they’ve helped Corvette Racing dominate Ground Touring (GT) racing around the world for more than 30 years.  Some of their most iconic Corvette works of art will be part of this display, including the legendary #3 Corvette racer that was co-piloted by Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Dale Earnhardt, Sr.  In fact, the aforementioned #3 is, unfortunately, the last car in which Dale Sr. ever finished a race, having passed just weeks later in the 2001 Daytona 500. 

The display will also host a C5.R (Chassis #001) which achieved its biggest accomplishment by racing the 2000 24 hours of Le Mans where it marked the first Le Mans race for a factory-backed Corvette team, a 2013 ALMS winning C6.R GT2 (Chassis #005), and a C7.R (Chassis #004) which won both the 2016 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

With the Kings of GT Racing converging on Carlisle, it just made sense to also welcome the man who helped guide Corvette Racing during its dominance.  In addition to the Pratt Miller cars in Building T, Corvettes at Carlisle welcomes retired Corvette Racing Crew Chief Dan Binks to the event.  Binks career spans more than 40 years including his time with Corvette Racing from 2002 until his 2020 retirement.  Binks will be part of Q&A sessions, photo ops, and more, all while enjoying the event just like the 50,000+ Corvette enthusiasts who call Carlisle home during the final days of August.

“We’ve all heard and seen these amazing vehicles throughout the many racetracks they’ve competed on and continue to compete at year in and year out,” noted Carlisle Events co-owner Lance Miller.  “One evening I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about how amazing it would be to have some of these incredible cars hosted together in one location - better yet, imagine hearing these monsters all at one time,” continued Miller.  “We’ve reached out to a few owners and already have some amazing cars that will be on display for 2022 Chip’s Choice.”

Complete event information, links to register for the Fun Field, register to be a vendor, or purchase discounted spectator admission tickets in advance can all be found at CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.  Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE and gates open at 7 a.m. daily for the grandest Corvette show of them all!