Team Speed‘s Best Auto Shows & Events Not to Miss in 2020
From the biggest car shows, to the wildest race weekends, Team Speed has the deets on all you need to see in the new year.
It’s crazy, isn’t it. A couple of weeks from now, you’ll be with the family to celebrate the holidays. One week later, you’ll be with your friends popping bottles of champagne to ring in the new year, followed by the hangover the following day as U2 plays on the radio. But, it’s not just a new year you’ll be in. Oh no. You’ll be in a whole new decade!
That’s right! The 2020s are right on our doorstep, and that means a whole new world of car shows, race weekends, new cars, and more to experience. We at Team Speed have you covered for 2020 with our guide to what you should check out during the first year of the new decade.
Detroit Auto Show – June 7 through 20
Let’s start with one of the biggest auto shows in North America, the Detroit Auto Show. Before you rush out to book your flights and hotel room, though, know that you won’t need to pack any winter clothes for the show. The new year will be the first year the Detroit Auto Show will be held in the first month of summer. Thus, instead of checking out the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings between all of the latest and greatest, you can catch some baseball (literally, if you’re lucky) at a Detroit Tigers game.
SEMA 2020 – November 3 through 6
November is always a big month for us at Team Speed, and it kicks off with the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Under the desert sun of Sin City, it’s all about the wildest creations the aftermarket can dream of, then bring to life. Not to mention the many vendors attending, and the fun activities to enjoy in and out of the Las Vegas Convention Center. As always, we’ll be there to bring you the goods.
Los Angeles Auto Show – November 20 through 29
The other big event we’ll be attending is practically in our backyard: the Los Angeles Auto Show. The big happening at the Los Angeles Convention Center always surprises us year after year, not to mention the celebrities who come out to check out the new and yet-to-come models when they’re not courtside at Lakers and Clippers games inside the nearby Staples Center. We certainly can’t to share what we find with you here, as well.
Chicago Auto Show – February 8 through 17
Meet the new start to the North American major auto show calendar, the Chicago Auto Show. The biggest, longest-running auto show around, the Chicago Auto Show has held court inside McCormick Place continuously since 1971, where automakers make creative use of the 1-million square feet within. The show also has a charity gala, so be sure to bring your formal finest should you want to see the new cars and trucks in the house before the public does.
New York Auto Show – April 10 through 19
Springtime in New York usually means one thing. No, not the Yankees returning to action at Yankee Stadium, but the New York Auto Show! New York is all about money and power, and the ability to show it off through the finest luxury goods around. Thus, it makes sense for the automakers to come to the Big Apple to show off their best luxury cars and SUVs, along with the newest ones waiting to make it big in the city that never sleeps.
King of the Hammers – January 31 through February 9
Two and a half hours from our Los Angeles HQ is an insane event where the gnarliest machines tear it up on the big rocks and sandy washes. The place: Johnson Valley, California. The event: the King of the Hammers. What once was a one-day happening between 12 teams gunning for a case of beer, is now a 10-day extravaganza with 300 teams, and thousands of spectators watching it all. From motorcycles and UTVs, to big ‘n’ burly trucks, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in the middle of the California winter.
Rolex 24 at Daytona – January 25 through 26
Over on the other side of the country in Daytona Beach, Florida, you’ll need a lot of Red Bull to catch all of the action at the famed Rolex 24 at Daytona, held upon the asphalt of Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 24 is one of the jewels of the Triple Crown of Endurance Racing, which also includes the Sebring 12, and the Le Mans 24. Porsche has the most wins of any manufacturer at the event, with 18 between 1968 and 2003, and 11 consecutive wins between 1977 through 1987.
Indianapolis 500 – May 24
The Sunday before Memorial Day brings 33 drivers, all gunning for the the Borg-Warner Trophy at the most famous open-wheel event around: the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in — where else — Indianapolis, Indiana. The open-wheel extravaganza, which has included the likes of Rick Mears, Mario Andretti, and Simon Pagenaud, is one half of the informal Memorial Day 1100, which includes NASCAR’s longest race of the year, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina.
United States Grand Prix – October 25
Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes being a part of the biggest open-wheel series in the world, Formula One. For nearly the entire past decade, F1 has brought their circus of speed to Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, the home of the United States Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas established the overall single-lap record while qualifying for the 2019 race, knocking out a time of 1:32.029 around the 3.4-mile circuit (which also has a soccer-specific stadium inside for Austin’s USL team, Austin Bold FC).
Mint 400 – March 3 through 8
In the sands of Las Vegas is another big happening, one known as the Mint 400. Originally created in 1968 to promote the Mint Hotel’s annual deer hunt, the long-running off-road race brought the big names out to play in the desert, including James Garner, Mickey Thompson, and Ivan Stewart. The big race was brought back after a two-decade absence in 2008, rolling as strong as ever in the years since.
Corvettes at Carlisle – August 27 through 30
The Carlisle PA Fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pennsylvania hosts tons of gatherings every year, all put on by Carlisle Events. One of their biggest is Corvettes at Carlisle, which is the largest Corvette gathering in the world, with over 5,000 examples of America’s sports car attending annually. The C8-era ‘Vette made one of its first post-reveal appearances at Corvettes at Carlisle, and more than a few will likely participate in the big parade in downtown Carlisle come 2020.
Monterey Car Week – August 7 through 16
If you can only do one event this year, you can’t go wrong with a visit to Monterey, California, the home of Monterey Car Week. For 12 days, Monterey becomes a 24-hour automotive paradise, with highlights such as The Quail, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion offering one and all an experience not to be forgotten. And with highs averaging in the 70s, you won’t break a sweat losing yourself within the motorhead’s oasis of Monterey.
Goodwood Festival of Speed – July 9 through 12
Most of the year, the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England is a placid thing of English countryside beauty. Every July, though, it wakes up with the sound of thundering horsepower during the four-day Goodwood Festival of Speed. The “largest motoring garden party in the world” brings everyone to witness the finest machines take on the beloved hill climb, ranging from classic sports cars, to one-offs and modern-day race cars.
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale – January 11 through 19
If there’s only one big auction you can attend in 2020, it’s the big show put on by auction house Barrett-Jackson in their native Scottsdale, Arizona. The annual gathering brings hundreds of the most amazing cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more down the black carpet, with a handful of unique offerings pulling in the biggest bucks for charity. Last year, the first-ever fifth-gen Toyota GR Supra raked in $2.1 million for the American Heart Association, and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
Photos: Detroit Auto Show; SEMA; Los Angeles Auto Show; Chicago Auto Show; New York Auto Show; Ultra4 Racing/Facebook; Daytona International Speedway; Indianapolis Motor Speedway; Circuit of the Americas; Mint 400; Corvettes at Carlisle/Facebook; What’s Up Monterey; Goodwood; Barrett-Jackson/Facebook
