After three show-stopping days filled with incredible rides and a true display of automotive excellence, North Carolina native Donnie Freeman earned the coveted Walt Holified Best of Show award. Showcasing his original frosted green 1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28, Freeman drove away with top honors at this year's AutoFair presented by Camping World on Saturday, April 5.
“Me and my grandpa used to travel around to dealerships and look at cars, so he really sparked my love for old cars,” said Freeman. “I started coming to AutoFair twice a year back in 2006, so I’ve been coming right at 20 years, so to finally get an award like this means a lot.”
After dreaming of owning a Z/28 for years, Freeman finally found one about a year ago with an original engine, paint and parts, only refreshing the interior to preserve the car’s vintage glory. While not his daily driver, Freeman was thrilled to showcase his dream ride at an event that’s meant so much to him over the years.
AutoFair’s Best of Show award is named in recognition of longtime Charlotte-area car expert Walt Holified, who has been an integral part of AutoFair for more than 40 years. Holified presented his prestigious award to Freeman Saturday afternoon alongside AutoFair’s Honorary Chairman, longtime WCNC meteorologist Larry Sprinkle.
In addition to the Walt Holified Best of Show award, the elite panel of judges also recognized standout vehicles in other categories, including:
- Best of Show Runner-up: Faith Boes, 1969 Pontiac GTO
- Best of Show 1996 & Later Winner: Sean Lavook, 2006 Pontiac GTO
- Best of Show 1996 & Later Runner-up: Eric Ross, 2016 Chevy Corvette
- RADwood’s Raddest in Show: Brian Mann, 1996 Nissan GTR Nismo 400R
- Best of Foreign Car: Brandon Ennett, 2015 Scion FR-S
- Hagerty Youth Best of Show: Ed Slepsky, 2021 Black Dodge Challenger 1320
- Best Restoration: Mike Vanderberg, 1955 Ford Victoria
- Sam Bass Award (Best Paint Job): Terri Blackburn, 1967 Chevy Camaro
- Best Truck: Scott Rayfield, 1952 Chevy 310-C
- Lenny Batycki Most Original: Eddie Wise/Image 803 Customs, 1930 Ford Tudor Sedan
ULTIMATE ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST COMPETITION
This weekend, the stage lit up for an electrifying three-round showdown as 11 Elvis tribute artists shook, rattled and rolled for the title of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist champion. After performing seven of The King’s iconic hits across two days, Texas native Moses Snow stole the show and the crown with what the judges described as his exceptional stage presence and natural magnetism to ignite the crowd.
“This honor means a lot to me, especially being able to represent Elvis again on the big stage,” said Snow. “I grew up in Texas, so I grew up around NASCAR. It’s like two worlds colliding right now and I’m very blessed to represent Charlotte Motor Speedway.”
With his win, Snow received a $3,500 grand prize and will now head to Graceland in Memphis for Elvis Week, Aug. 8-16, where he’ll compete for the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist title among the best tribute artists in the world.
In addition to custom rides and classic cars, fans enjoyed three days of family-friendly fun across Charlotte’s legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway. Attractions included appearances from industry legends, an all-new Camping World exhibit and iconic vehicles like Elvis Presley’s personal 1975 Ferrari Dino 308GT4 Coupe and the screen-used 1984 Jeep J-10 Honch pickup truck from the hit 1996 movie Twister.
MORE INFO:
Fans can purchase tickets to upcoming events, including the April 25-27 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals and the Coca-Cola 600 action May 23-25, online at CharlotteMotorSpeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267).
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