Bimmerfest 2008

There are a handful of shows we look forward to every year, and the Fests always top our list of "must see" events - that's Waterfest and Bimmerfest for the VW and BMW crowd, respectively.

Bimmerfest takes place every May in Santa Barbara, CA and although the show has grown exponentially every year, organizer Jon Shafer and his team have managed to keep the same relaxed, family atmosphere it's always had.

Bursting at the seams of its location at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, we're told to expect a new venue for '09 to accommodate the growing numbers of visitors and vendors. We understand that the organizers are considering a larger location in Santa Barbara, or may move the show to Vegas!

Obviously we like the sound of the latter since a growing number of Vegas car shows and caravans have highlighted the benefits of cruising to and enjoying the facilities of Sin City. With a larger showground, the possibility of a track day to be added, plenty of accommodation and the city's famous distractions, Vegas seems like an obvious choice. Visit www.bimmerfest.com to share your thoughts about the show's future on its forums.

Returning to this year's event, the parking lot was full of sensational BMWs, as always. The organizers claimed almost 2000 cars on display, and up to 7000 visitors enjoying the sights and sounds on the day.

A tradition of Bimmerfest is the charity raffle, with vendors donating prizes and all the money going to the Unity Shoppe in Santa Barbara - an organization that supports low-income families.

In case you missed the fun, move your mouse over to www.bimmerfest.com where you can check out the galleries and forums and purchase the exclusive $15.99 DVD.

The laidback car show isn't judged on the usual points system, so everybody has a chance to win. This year we were delighted to discover Dennis Wang's twincharged E90 325i was awarded Best Of Show, and you can read the full feature elsewhere in this issue.

Other awards were handed out for the highest mileage - won by Kirin Thurman's '87 325es with a staggering 326251 miles on the odo. That kind of mileage was racked up by some of the visitors who traveled from across the country. The farthest traveler was adjudged to have been an E21 320i that made a 5000 mile round trip from Washington DC!

Having traveled so far, visitors were treated to many of the BMW scene's top tuners selling new parts and offering advice. These included luminaries such as Active Autowerke, Turner Motorsport, evosport and Horsepower Freaks. Then there were old friends from Brembo, CEC, DPE, Groma, iForged, Supreme Power Parts, VF and many more. We were also pleased to see Yokohama, Nitto and Falken tires in attendance, showing the importance of Bimmerfest on the national level.

Wherever the organizers choose to hold Bimmerfest '09, we hope to see you there for a great show and a good time.

Best Of Show
2006 E90 325i - Dennis Wang

Best Stock
1.1974 2002 Turbo - Chris Provo
2. 1989 750iL - Carlos Cardenas
3. E34 M5 Touring - Greg Schultz

Best Classic
1. E28 M5 - Ron Perry
2. 1976 2002 - Jerry Boydston
3. 1974 1802 Touring - Steve Padrick

Best Modified
1. E46 M3 - Jeff Hsieh
2. 1995 840ci - Fern Mora
3. 996 Z3 - Raymond Lieu

Highest Mileage
1987 325es - Kirin Thurman - 326251 miles

Farthest Traveled
E21 320i - Joel Greenfield - Washington DC
1986 325es - Saad El-Ahmad - Atlanta, GA
E46 M3 - Van Baucum - Alabama