As the festival grew, the cars changed too.
For 2026, the featured theme is America versus England, Corvette versus Jaguar, timed to the 250th anniversary of Amer- ican independence. The pairing is intentionally imperfect. Corvette represents a focused Ameri - can sports car story that began in 1953. Jaguar brings a wider English history, with pre-war roots, sedans, competition cars, and design language that carries its own mythology. The result is less a contest than a conversation. It also brings Wayne Carini to Highlands as the 2026 Grand Marshal. Carini is known to many through Chasing Classic Cars, but Steve and Ricky spoke more about his credentials than his celebrity. He grew up around restoration work through his father, built deep collector relationships, and has spent a lifetime around cars whose value depends as much on history and condition as on shape.
One major turning point came through Bob Ingram, the late collector known for an extraordinary Porsche collection. His connection to Highlands Motoring Festival began through Judy Michaud. Ingram was looking at property in High- lands, and Judy, already a supporter of the festival, learned of his interest in cars. She mentioned the event. Soon after, Ingram drove up on Main Street in a Porsche, joined the local car crowd, and wanted to know more. “He helped us recruit cars” Steve said. That kind of relationship changed what was possible. In 2019, Classic Motor- sports Magazine voted Highlands Mo- toring Festival “Best Concours,” a rec- ognition that confirmed what the show field had already begun to suggest.
A 1959 Porsche 356 A Convertible D Photo by David Witty
14
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online