Jul 18, 2018, 00:00 AM by Paul Immediato

The weather - it was amazing! The people - some of the best on the planet. The parts shopping - unmatched and the cars - hands down were the cream of the crop! The 2018 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals raised the bar and set the standard for future Chrysler events at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds. Held July 13-15, the event really got started on July 12 with guests rolling in from around the world. Most states in the U.S. were represented, nearly every Province of Canada can claim at least one attendee and Australia had at least 6 guys who made the day-long airplane ride to America’s Automotive Hometown!

So what was the draw? How about a record setting 2,752 (common not period) show cars spanning Mopar production history. There was also the star studded cast of guests that included not only celebrity cars like the famed Hemi Under Glass, but in the flesh personalities like driver Bob Riggle, the Ram Chargers and Golden Commandos race teams, Herb McCandless, Dave Rea of Velocity TV fame, Miss Hurst Golden Shifter Linda Vaughn and many more.

Special car displays also offered a “wow factor” to the show. Building T featured some of the best of the best via the general invitational display, while also hosting 50 Years of the Super Bee and Road Runner. Next door, Building Y boasted some of the best 340 engine based cars anyone has ever seen and just two blocks west of the fairgrounds, the Carlisle Expo Center hosted the 2nd Hurst Nationals. This show within the show offered 100 or so Hurst Prepared and Hurst Equipped rides plus memorabilia, displays, guests and more.

Along with the guests and cool cars, there were seminars-a-plenty. Free once on-site were more than a half a dozen sessions focused on everything from how to get your ride featured in a magazine to value trends of the Super Bee and Road Runner, restoration techniques and some great first-hand stories from the Ram Chargers, Golden Commandos, Herb McCandless and more!

The sights and sounds of the event were palpable too, with engine revs, horn honks and tires squealing all weekend. Some of the best sensory moments came from Dodge via their wildly popular thrill ride program, while the Saturday afternoon burnout offered what’s believed to be a first at Carlisle (for any show); a female enthusiast was the winner! If the ears and nose didn’t get enough, the eyes were treated Saturday too with a special parade lap with Linda Vaughn atop the famed Hurst Shifter car! Crowds gathered to watch this living legend parade by before stopping at Building R for the annual celebrity lunch. It truly was amazing!