Competition Corner: Be Thankful for Can-Am World Finals, 2019 Daytona Turkey Run, Auto Club NHRA Finals and Auto Show Season’s Kick-Off

From dirt-racing at the Can-Am World Finals and dragsters at the Auto Club NHRA Finals to Thanksgiving fun at the 2019 Daytona Turkey Run and an official kick-off to auto show season with the LA Auto Show, car culture is doing anything but slowing down with the cold weather.

Welcome to November, friends. While it’s nice to be sitting inside enjoying the warmth of the fire and your pumpkin-scented candle, let’s all just agree that life is better with the roar of an engine and the stench of fuel polluting the air. Besides, just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean the machine stops! November 2019 has PLENTY of high-octane excitement to get you up and out of the house doing something you won’t have to lie to your friends about…

Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix

Formula 1 lands stateside November 1-3 for the U.S. Grand Prix. Held at the glamorous Circuit of The Americas just outside downtown Austin, Texas, the event is sure to deliver fast-paced excitement over the venue’s 20-turn, 3.41-mile racetrack full of twists, turns, and a 133-foot hill at Turn 1 that you have to see to believe.

Three-day flex passes are already sold out (bummer) but you can still get single-day passes here. Check out practice and an Imagine Dragons concert on Friday, qualifying rounds and P!nk’s performance on Saturday, or witness history when the race goes down on Sunday. Why not enjoy the premium RV and camping options on-site and make it a family affair?

Operation: Offroad to the Rescue

If you’re otherwise not familiar, Rausch Creek is something of a proving ground for Pennsylvanian Jeeple. With a 2-Jeep minimum on 3,000 acres of PA wilderness, it’s the perfect place to get out with a buddy and explore your capabilities on intermediate to difficult trails. And, if you need a more compelling reason, the second annual Operation: Offroad to the Rescue wheeling event might just be it.

With a fundraising mission to purchase supplies for the homeless in order to get them back on their feet, the event runs Saturday, November 2 to Sunday November 3 and promises riding, crawling, raffles, giveaways, burgers, and dogs. Find more info here.

SEMA 2019

Does this really need an introduction? The trade show of all trade shows in the industry, SEMA 2019 runs Tuesday, November 5 – Friday, November 8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Whatever gets your gears in motion—hot rod, truck, off-road, daily driver, fleet, or just whacky doo-dads for the weirdos—SEMA has it all and more. Unfortunately, this is a trade-only event so you’ll need some proof that you’re in the industry, but weren’t you just saying something about picking up a side gig part-time job…? Learn more about this incredible event here.

Can-Am World Finals

Bringing together the top series in dirt racing—World of Outlaws Sprint Car, World of Outlaws Late Model, and Big-Block Modifieds of the Super DIRTcar Series— the Can-Am World Finals promises three full days of exhilarating, clay-flinging action in the fight for supremacy at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Running Thursday, November 7 – Saturday, November 9, this is grassroots racing at its finest, paying homage to one of the oldest and most popular forms of vehicular entertainment.

Goodguys 30th Autumn Get-Together

Goodguys Rod and Custom Association is back with cool cars and cool people for the 30th Autumn Get-Together at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA. Running November 9-10, the event promises over 2,500 American-made or powered hot rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trucks of all years.

Veterans Day celebrations will be held all weekend long, as well as a 16-car “Fall Shootout,” a burnout competition, Smash-4-Cash Demolition Derby, swap meet, vendor show, and much, MUCH more. Get the deets, here.

Auto Club NHRA Finals

If screeching tires on the quarter-mile is more your jam, we got you. The 2019 Mello Yello drag racing season wraps up where it all began with the Auto Club NHRA Finals at the Pomona Raceway.

The dramatic event runs November 14-17 and promises to be an exciting battle for the championship title. Get the full schedule of events here, as well as ticketing and lodging information.

LA Auto Show

Detroit? Chicago? New York? All freezing cold right now—and who wants to deal with that? Not you. You want to check out the latest and greatest models and technology in the automakers’ market right now without freezing your you-know-what off.

The LA Auto Show comes early this year, running November 22 – December 1, 2019. And, while OEs are being suspiciously mute about what kind of debuts are on the docket, there should be plenty in attendance. Especially with January’s Detroit Auto Show moving to June for 2020. In addition to the exciting reveals, there will be new products, cool consumer experiences, and of course plenty of warm sunshine. Get your tickets here.

Houston Exotic Auto Festival

In an effort to expand our horizons and offer a little more variety in our Competition Corner—let’s talk about exotics. Even if they’re not your bag, you have to admit there’s something to admire in the prestigious appeal and craftsmanship that goes into these cars.

However, if exotics are your bag, then you may want to check out the fifth annual Houston Exotic Auto Festival on Sunday, November 24. The event is at the MSR Houston, a premier road course and karting facility in Texas. Bring your beauty just to show her off or hit the track for some fast-paced excitement. Get registration information here.

2019 Daytona Turkey Run

A 46-year Floridian tradition, the 2019 Daytona Turkey Run is the largest combined classic car show and swap meet in the United States. This year’s event will run Thanksgiving weekend, November 28 – December 1, and will feature thousands of unique automobiles and vendors at the legendary Daytona International Speedway.

Who wants to spent Thanksgiving bickering over the president’s last tweet and your cousin Jennifer’s decision to drop out of school and become an “influencer”? Send your apologies to the fam and book a ticket to sunny Daytona—you’ve got better things to do. More details here.

Thanksgiving Classic

If you can’t make it to Florida, consider hitting up the Southern Nationals Motorsports Park in Lucama, North Carolina for the 19th annual Thanksgiving Classic. Running November 29 – December 1, the event promises three full days of short track racing action. Make plans to stay the weekend and keep an eye on the schedule here, as more details will be announced closer to the big day.