The 47th Annual CARQUEST World of Wheels, presented by South Oak Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep, will take place Jan. 23-25 at Chicago's McCormick Place – Lakeside.
CARQUEST World of Wheels will be exhibiting more than 400 of the country's most spectacular customized cars, as well as more than 100 of the nation's best custom built motorcycles in the "Cyclerama" exhibit. Nearly 345,000 square feet of exhibition space within McCormick Place Convention Center will be used to its fullest, as thousands of car enthusiasts will visit the convention center over the course of its three-day run.
CARQUEST World of Wheels is a three-day experience, full of displays and events, including a live charity auction featuring auto and music memorabilia, vendors, demonstrations and showcases.
"There will be a wide variety of automobiles and motorcycles," says show co-manager Bob Ashton, "ranging from local hobbyists bringing in their "pride and joy" to national magazine cover cars, street rods and muscle cars to race cars."
Friday hours are 3-10:30 p.m., Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. There is a $16 admission cost per person ($5 for children under 12 years of age).
What will be seen at CARQUEST World of Wheels
From the "Rod 'N Custom 62" showcase featuring a well-chosen mix of traditional hot rods and customs, to educational displays aimed towards the young generation of car enthusiasts, CARQUEST World of Wheels will be a weekend to remember.
One of the highlights of the weekend will be the Legends of Motorsports Guild "Lifetime Achievement Award" Induction Ceremony on Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. This ceremony will be celebrated with a brunch, and will honor exceptional individuals who have made an unforgettable impression, both locally and nationally, in the world of Motorsports. The awards are organized within three categories: Design/Manufacturing, Racing and Media. This year, the Legends of Motorsports Guild will honor George Barris, the "King of the Kustomizers"; Ron Colson, NHRA Hall of Fame Drag Racer; and Paul Brian, WLS Radio Motorsports announcer.
After celebrating Barris' "Lifetime Achievement" induction, patrons can see his famous pop culture cars on display. Check out TV's Batmobile from the original "Batman" series starring Adam West; the original 1980's K.I.T.T. Firebird from TV's "Knight Rider"; the Monkee Mobile from TV's "The Monkees" (with an appearance by original Monkee, Mickey Dolenz); and the Drag-U-La from TV's "The Munsters." Pop culture stars, Wolf and Venom of TV's "American Gladiators," will also be present to rile up the crowds.
Throughout the weekend, cars will compete for the prestigious Legend Cup, sponsored by CleanTools. This award will be given to the winning vehicle which best represents a combination of style, quality and craftsmanship during the CARQUEST World of Wheels weekend. An advisory board will choose the "Top Twenty" vehicles that best represent the CARQUEST World of Wheels, from which a select six vehicles will be chosen to advance in the competition for the esteemed Legend Cup. The introduction of the "Select Six" will be announced during the "Legends of Motorsports" brunch. The winner of the CleanTools Legend Cup will be awarded a beautiful perennial cup and presented with a check for $5,000.
CARQUEST World of Wheels patrons can expect to see much more than automobiles-the "Cyclerama" exhibit, presented by Oak Lawn Harley-Davidson, will fill the ballroom area of McCormick Place - Lakeside with customized motorcycles, motorcycle-specific vendors, star cycle-customizers, and celebrities.
Committed to educating future generations about the automotive industry, the 4th Annual CARQUEST World of Wheels Student Career Day will be Jan. 23 starting at 9 a.m. at McCormick Place - Lakeside. Participating students will have the chance to visit the CARQUEST World of Wheels show floor to see the vehicles and speak with sponsors and exhibitors before the event opens to the public. They will also be able to register for prizes like welders from Student Career Day sponsor, Miller Welding, participate in interactive exhibits and meet with human resource representatives from automotive related companies looking to hire interested young men and women.
CARQUEST World of Wheels is hoping to combine the worlds of auto and art with the Chicago Brush Masters Pinstripers Art Auction. This live auction will feature more than 300 professionally decorated pieces from artists from around the country. "All of the items offered are one-of-a-kind works painted by volunteer artists," explains Ashton. Not only will their work be available for bidding, but artists will be on site all weekend, painting during open show hours.
For more information, visit www.worldofwheels.com.
