Every year across the country car shows take place, with many benefiting worthwhile charities. Most of them are usually scripted to follow a proven formula. Those that bring something different to the table are few and far between – the EMP Charity Car Show falls into that rarefied category. Started five years ago by Ed Matos of EMPerformance, it mixes a traditional car show with a track day.
His show takes place once a year, usually in October at Palmer Motorsports Club in Palmer, Massachusetts. As a private members-only facility, getting track time is primarily reserved for club members with memberships starting in the thousands of dollars, so having a day when anyone can show and pay 20 bucks and experience a few laps around the 2.3 miles of twisty asphalt is a definite draw, and that is the backbone of his show. The idea to hold this event came to fruition when a friend invited him to a gathering named Porsche On The Mountain at the track. “He explains, “I had such an amazing time that I knew at that point that I had to share this amazing track with other enthusiasts!” The folks running the facility have supported a variety of veteran’s charities over the years, like the Wounded Warrior Project, and having family members that are veterans, Ed felt that was the logical choice for him.
All entrants had a $20 gate fee to enter the show with over 500 registered for the day. For those that only wanted to indulge in the car show side of the event, there was ample space to park and enjoy the day. Individuals that opted to take their car for a few laps had two options. The $20 charity laps were good for three laps with guests in the car running behind a pace car, while the 100-dollar charity accelerated laps allowed folks to go all-out solo without a pace car for 20 minutes with mandatory helmet usage. The majority of those that opted to do some laps did so several times, and there was a steady stream of cars continuously lined up during the day. Every year, this aspect of the show has raised a substantial amount of money with thousands of dollars gathered. Also enhancing the overall experience during the day were several food vendors, a DJ, and a raffle.
No date has been set yet for the 2024 edition; however it usually takes place during the beginning of October and will follow the same routine as previous editions.
You can follow EMPerformance on Instagram.
Brett Parker drove his 1963 Ford Falcon Futura to the track to test out the latest changes he’s made to the engine. The 347 cu.in. stroker under the hood just received a Holley 650 carburetor as a replacement for the Weber setup he had previously, and this was its first run on a proper track. Everything on the car, except the engine, was built by him and a friend in a two-bay garage over the course of ten years. While it looks stock, it wears 1967 Camaro front and rear bumpers, and features a number of fiberglass body parts, like the hood, front fenders, and front valance. He said that it was the best $20 he’s spent on a Sunday.Photo: John Machaqueiro
The Springfield, Massachusetts police department took delivery of this 1979 Ford LTD that year. It was originally used by a supervisor for one year until it was damaged in an accident. After repairs were made, it was sent to their traffic department for another two years, until it was retired. It was eventually sold and ended up in a field for several years until it was rescued by one of the officers in the department. It has been restored to original condition and is now owned by the Makenzie family.Photo: John Machaqueiro
Emma Binette has been coming to the show for several years with her 1991 Mazda Miata. She is absolutely in love with the idea of being able to take her car around the Palmer track. For individuals like her, having the opportunity to do a few laps at a private facility like this is made possible at this car show.Photo: John Machaqueiro
Luis Tirado’s 1989 Mustang was another multi-year project that showed up at the show. Under the hood lies a 5.0-liter small-block Ford that has been treated to some performance parts. It was a home brewed project that covered all aspects, like bodywork, paint, and interior, which he claims was all done by himself. Photo: John Machaqueiro
This 1948 DeSoto Custom sedan owned by Phil Gott is a survivor. It has been in the Gott family since new and still wears its original paint. The car has always been serviced and kept running, without any down time. Phil’s grandfather was a car salesman and actually sold the car off the showroom floor to his son Gordon Gott, Phil’s father. Photo: John Machaqueiro
Richard Greene has owned this 1970 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler since 1971. Purchased from a friend that went into the military at that time, it has been well cared for since new. It is numbers-matching, still wears all its original sheetmetal, and has only a tick over 42,000 miles on the odometer. The car has lived its entire life in Massachusetts. Photo: Jon Machaqueiro
This 1977 Porsche 911 owned by Ken Uracius has undergone an LS7 swap. He is well versed in dropping LS engines into a variety of different cars as part of his daily routine at NextGen Performance. Porsche purists might not fully embrace the LS engine swap, but it is actually lighter than the flat-six and produces a significant amount of cost-effective power. Photo: John Machaqueiro
Engine-swapped Fox Body Mustangs have become quite popular within the Ford community. Eric Houle has been wrenching in his home garage on his 1991 Fox for six years and has fitted a 4.6L Mustang SVT Cobra Terminator engine mated to a 6-speed in his car. In current form, the 4.6 cranks out 700 horses at the rear wheels. Photo: John Machaqueiro
Robert Rendanos’ 1971 Plymouth Road Runner was purchased three years ago out of a private Mopar collection in Maine. It is a numbers-matching car with a 383 big block, 4-speed, and 3.91:1 posi rear. Originally, on his wish list was a 1970 Road Runner, or a 1970 Challenger T/A. He’s a firm believer in driving his car and gets real enjoyment from taking it to local shows, and also makes the annual pilgrimage to the Chryslers at Carlisle show.Photo: John Machaqueiro
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