FuelFest 2019: Car Show, Celebrities, Music, Autocross and More

Fast and Furious-inspired auto fest benefitting Paul Walker’s charity is set for March 2 in Southern California.

On March 2, Chris Lee and Cody Walker, brother of late Fast and Furious star Paul Walker, will oversee the first ever FuelFest. This automotive festival was dreamed up by Lee and Walker as a way to raise money for Paul Walker’s organization Reach Out World Wide (ROWW) by essentially throwing a massive automotive party in the parking lot of Angel’s Stadium in Anaheim California.

Like the “Race Wars” event depicted in the original Fast and Furious movie, FuelFest will have hot cars on display including vehicles from the movie series, celebrity appearances, music, food, a beer garden and much more. There is even some racing, but rather than drag racing across the desert, the competitors will be participating in an autocross shootout in the area next to the show car area.

Automotive Activities

The two key aspects of FuelFest 2019 is the car show and the autocross area. The car show includes exotics, imports, classics, Euro and off-road, along with an area packed with cars from the Fast and Furious movie series. The show vehicle field will cover most of the grounds, but along the southern edge of the display area is a beer garden, a DJ stage and an area where spectators can watch the autocross action.

Show vehicle registration is $50 for basic entry and $100 for premium entry, which puts your car “close to the action”, each of which includes tickets for two people.

The autocross area covers a large portion of the parking lot furthest from Angel’s Stadium, giving those participants a chance to safely push their vehicles hard in a confined area. Racers are guaranteed at least three runs and winners will be announced on the event stage.

The autocross ticket is $100 and includes entry for two people.

Those registration prices should help to run off people who have cars that have no business being displayed at a premium event like this one, guaranteeing a field of vehicles that are so nice that the owners will pay to show them off.

Fun for Everyone

In addition to the car show, autocross area, DJ and beer garden, FuelFest 2019 will have vendors, interactive displays, food trucks and celebrity appearances. Of course, event co-founder Cody Walker will be on-hand, as will Fast and Furious actor Tyrese Gibson and YouTuber Supercar Blondie, with the promise of other big names aside from those listed above.

General admission is $15 and general parking is $10, but those FuelFest fans who want to meet Cody Walker, Tyrese Gibson and Supercar Blondie can opt for the VIP ticket. This cost $500, lunch with the celebrities mentioned, free drinks, access to the VIP lounge, a goodie bag and more.

If you want to display your car, race your car or buy a VIP ticket, you will want to act quickly, as sales end on March 1 and the event is held the next day at Angel’s Stadium, starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m.. Provided that the event goes well, Walker and Lee could look to host more events in other locations around the country, so if you are a member of the Southern California automotive scene, make sure to get to FuelFest this weekend.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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