Highlands Motoring Festival

06/18/2026

Highlands Motoring Festival was fortunate to have our photographer friend, David K. Witty, attend our 2026 Festival. This is the second year David has generously shared his beautiful photos. For a closer look and opportunity to purchase high quality prints, see the link below each album. David’s images have appeared in many motor sports magazines, books, and websites and in numerous boating and aviation publications.

NOTE: The shopping cart is set up for you to buy prints. You are welcome to download copies of your favorite photo for free.

Thank you David and we look forward to seeing you again in 2027.

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06/17/2026

The organizers of the Highlands Motoring Festival would like to thank our 2026 Grand Marshall, Wayne Carini, and all of you who participated or volunteered in four days packed with events for your support. There are too many of you to thank each one individually. We'd also like to thank the people who live in the Town of Highlands for your hospitality. It takes all of us to make this wonderful festival a success. Our charities depend on the generosity of each of you to meet the needs of their clients. See you next year.

06/15/2026

The HMF2026 Best of Show. 1934 SS Cars Ltd.- SS1 Open Sports Tourer from Scott Bluefield. Congratulations.
The SS1 could be called Sir William Lyons’ prototype Jaguar. Delivered new to India in 1934, it was taxed as a “Racing Car – Light bodied.” Equipped with the 2.5-litre 20 HP engine and optional bonnet louvers used by SS factory cars to race in the Alpine Trials, it matches photographs of Open Sports Tourers racing in Calcutta in the 1930’s. As there were only 14 SS1's imported new into India, odds are the India tax records are correct.

202 Open Sports Tourers were built in 1934; less than 30 are known to exist today. This car was exported out of India and into England in the 1980's by a former Director of Cadbury’s Chocolates. When he became unable to drive 40 years later, this was the last car he sold – to us. It has been restored twice by the same English restorer and still has the original horsehair seats. The car has been driven in numerous events in the English Country Side and in the US. SS Cars Ltd. became Jaguar Cars Ltd.

06/09/2026

SILENT AUCTION for 2026 has many great items including a $2,000 gift certificate from Michelin and two Porsche Experience tickets. Other items include meals from Highlands finest restaurants, a curated case of wine, and other items from Highlands merchants. Details at: www.HighlandsMotoringFestival.com

06/08/2026

Our Platinum Sponsor, Luxury Garage storage facility The Toy Barn of Dillard is hosting an open house with lunch catered by Food Network award-winning Blue Hound barbecue from 12 PM to 1:30 on Friday. RSVP is appreciated by either text or phone call to 404-626-0903.
Please visit our webpage Thetoybarnofdillard.com for directions and more information.

06/07/2026

Coming to Highlands NC on June 13, 2026, is a very special 1977 Porsche 934.5.
1977: Porsche AG built only ten 934.5s Turbos for USA racing. #59 Brumos Porsche 934.5, 930 770 0952, is the original second 934.5 produced.

Zuffenhausen 2/22/1977: Peter Gregg and Jack Atkinson, Brumos Crew Chief, purchased the 934.5 and 930 770 0909, a single turbo 935, which was used for the 934.5 to race in various configurations. Disqualified by IMSA at April Road Atlanta race, Peter Gregg campaigns the 934.5 in the TransAm series.

Peter Gregg won the 1977 SCCA TransAm Championship series. 930 770 0952 had 8 First Place finishes in 10 starts—Westwood, Nelson Ledges, Hallet, Brainerd, Mosport, Mid Ohio, Road America, Saint Jovite.

Canadian Ludwig Heimrath protested the championship. The SCCA upheld Peter Gregg’s win. The FIA later overruled the series win to Peter Gregg. Undaunted, Porsche AG protested and produced a poster commemorating Peter Gregg’s 1977 SCCA TransAm Championship series win with 930 770 0952.

1978: Bruce Leven voted IMSA “Rookie of the Year” with 930 770 0952 in Bayside Disposal #85 livery.

930 770 0952 only raced in 1977 and 1978; then placed in storage unseen for 25+ years. Unaltered original numbers matching 934.5 as Peter Gregg raced it.

05/28/2026

Visit the Merchandise Tent during the Highlands Motoring Festival to purchase the 2026 commemorative poster, hats, Polo shirts, Denham shirts, T-shirts, hat pins, Tervis cups, magnets, license plates and our Highlands Motoring Festival One Lap of the Mountains and Second Lap of the Mountains publications. Merchandise sold in Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park during most Highlands Motoring Festival events.

05/27/2026

Do you enjoy mountain driving? Two Highlands Motoring Festival publications, “One Lap of the Mountains, Exciting Drives for Car Enthusiasts” and “Second Lap of the Mountains, More Exciting Drives for Car Enthusiasts,” are available for purchase at Highlands Hiker located at 601 Main Street in Highlands. Call 828-526-8673 to order. Also find both books at the merchandise tent during our June event.

All One Lap of the Mountains routes begin and end in Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, located on Pine Street in Highlands, North Carolina. The books include mileage and directions for a driving adventure to a lunch stop and back.

Profit from the sale of the books benefits the charities of the Highlands Motoring Foundation.

05/22/2026

Coming to Highlands NC on June 13, 2026- 1953 Corvette. The first year Corvette was a market experiment when the first 300 were virtually hand built to test the market for returning American veterans who sought the cars they had seen in Europe. It was also GM's first test of a fiberglass body. Powered by the ohv straight six cylinder "Blue Flame" engine mated to a two speed Powerglide automatic transmission. This example comes from the Savoy Museum for our featured theme- "America verses England, Corvette verses Jaguar".

05/08/2026

Coming to Highlands NC on June 13, 2026, is this spectacular Jaguar D-Type. Dispatched on November 11, 1955, 541 was sold to co-owners Charles E. Brown and Dr. Harold A. Fenner who owned the car until the late 1960s. This was one of the only 53 D-types produced as customer cars. It sat in storage for about 10 years until the late 1960s and was then donated to a museum in Texas. After a short time it went back into private ownership in 1970 and has remained as such ever since with no break in ownership history. Since acquisition by the current owner in the late 90’s it has only been displayed twice. XKD 541 is a matching numbers car showing just over 9,000 original miles with much of the car original as it left the factory in 1955.