Cars ‘R’ Stars Brings Vintage Iron to Historic Detroit Site
Ninth annual event celebrates 90 years of the Packard Proving Grounds with a very historic racer.
Now in its ninth year, Michigan’s Cars ‘R’ Stars auto show brings hundreds of amazing vintage vehicles to the historic Packard Proving Grounds in Shelby Township. And the 2018 event, taking place on June 10, promises to be extra-special because this year marks the 90th anniversary of the legendary Detroit-area Packard testing site.
Over 300 classic cars are scheduled to appear at this year’s Cars ‘R’ Stars. But few have the prominence of Leon Duray‘s Miller Special race car. Often referred to as the “holy grail of American racing machinery,” the racer first set records at Packard’s proving grounds. And then, it went on to do the same at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Today, this particular car is only one of two Miller racers that still exists in 100% original form.
It all started at the Packard Proving Grounds, however. It was there that Duray clocked a blazing 148 mph on the 2.5-mile concrete test track on its very first day of operation on June 14, 1928. The corresponding closed-track record stood all the way until 1954. Currently owned by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, the Miller car is on loan for this special event.
Aside from the rare opportunity to see this important piece of racing history, there are many other reasons to check out Cars ‘R’ Stars. A host of the most significant Packard vehicles will be on display, for starters. But the show also welcomes virtually anything else, from hot rods to supercars.
The 2018 Cars ‘R’ Stars takes place Sunday June 10 from 8 am to 3 pm. There’s also a special gala taking place June 14 from 6-9 pm offering up dinner, drinks, a fashion show, and tours of the historic Packard facility. For more information on the show, head over here. To purchase gala tickets, visit the official proving grounds site.
