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10 small but incredibly fun car events you shouldn’t miss this summer

Of course, events such as the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Monterey Car Week, and Goodwood Revival are marked on everyone’s calendars. But there are many smaller, lesser-known events that we think could be even more fun…

Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance, 6 May

Motorsport, military, and golf — they’re three things that we’ve not seen linked before, but that’s what the Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance in North Carolina aims to do. Aptly held where is considered to be the birthplace of American golf, the concours entrants will be exhibited on the rolling fairways of the Pinehurst Resort golf club. Classes for this year’s event include ‘Porsche Carrera Pre-1975’, ‘Japanese Classics’, and ‘Unique and Limited Production’.

Italiauto Concorso d’Eleganza, 7 May

For a truly Italian affair with stunning Swiss surroundings, this event, set in the St. Urban Convent, is bound to delight. Limited to only Italian classics of 30 years or older, and with a picnic and musical entertainment, this event is sure to be a stylish meeting of superb Italian cars.

Vintage Race Days, 1314 May

Fusing relaxed rural life with hot-blooded historic racing, Vintage Race Days takes place within the spectacular grounds of Schloss Rastede, near Oldenburg in Germany. So, prepare to pull up a wooden pew beside the dirt circuit, sip on a fine glass of wine, and watch the plethora of hotly contested races unfold.

Happy Few Racing 1000 KM GT, 14 June

From Versailles to Geneva — via Burgundy, the Alps, Dijon, and Megéve — this rally is open to both classic and modern cars, ensuring a heady cocktail of automotive delights as breathtaking as the scenery passed en route. Featuring seven stages, including an atmospheric night stage, this year is the third running of the event, and as the above video of last year’s event shows, this is definitely something special…

The International Bugatti Meeting, 511 June

Each year, a group of devout Bugatti enthusiasts descend on a picturesque part of Europe for the International Bugatti Meeting. This year’s affair takes place in Sardinia from 5 to 11 June. The location was no-doubt chosen for the weather — something that didn’t necessarily play ball at last year’s rally in Provence…

Schloss Bensberg Supersports Classics, 30 June2 July

Comprising a classic rally through the picturesque Bergisches Land, a concours d’elegance set against the regal castle grounds, and an exhibition of exotic modern machinery, the Schloss Bensberg Supersports Classics, located near Cologne, is reserved solely for two-door, high-powered sports cars built between 1945 and 1997.

Grand Prix de France Historique, 12 July

Taking place at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in the height of the French summer, the first-ever Grand Prix de France Historique will stage 14 races on a track that is steeped in racing history. Along with seeing cars from 40 years of Formula 1 battle it out on track, over 50 cars from the 1950s to the 1980s will also be gathered on the French asphalt. 

Heveningham Hall Concours d’Elegance, 89 July

Ferrari 250 GTO, McLaren F1 GTR, Jaguar D-type, and Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse — if the entry list (and weather, come to think of it) at this year’s Heveningham Hall Concours d’Elegance is anywhere near as spectacular as last year’s inaugural event, you’re certainly not going to want to miss it. 

The Colorado Grand, 1116 September

Driving through the spectacular Rocky Mountains and raising money for local charities is the superb opportunity offered by this 1,000-mile, non-competitive event for pre-1960 sports and race cars of distinction. Now in its 29th year, the Colorado Grand has raised over 5.5-million US dollars (so far) and attracts some of the finest cars in the world.

Zoute Grand Prix, 58 October

Comprising a concours competition, auction, rally, and tour, the Zoute Grand Prix caters to every type of enthusiast. The concours will feature both pre- and post-war classics, the rally includes vehicles from 1920 to 1965, and the tour will be reserved for exclusive modern cars fewer than 20 years old — this certainly won't be one to miss.

Photos: Rémi Dargegen, various events