Ten years ago, a few guys with modern Mopars decided to get together and show off their cars. Word of the exclusive LX-platform show for Dodge Magnum, Challenger, and Charger, and Chrysler 300 spread like wildfire over the decade that followed, and before you knew it this event – the Festival of LXs – has become the show of all shows on the west coast for modern Mopar fanatics.
Called SpringFest 10 this year, the SoCal LX club has put together another killer show and brought in more than 1,200 cars to the Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine, California. New for 2015 was a first time registration fee of $10 that benefits three children’s charities, a welcome sign that makes the show both affordable and helps children in Southern California.
With a huge backing from Chrysler (who chose one of the charities) the show began with a cruise on Thursday at a local Fuddruckers, and then ends up like it always does at a hotel in Irvine where hundreds of enthusiasts gathered a couple of days early to party it up before the event. The parking lot was full for about four days, with every modification imaginable, and plenty to keep everyone not only entertained but busy catching up with friends and family in the Mopar community from all over the world.
Our first day for the event was Friday, when we were invited by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to join them on a test drive of the new Dodge Scat Pack Chargers and Challengers, and the new Chrysler 300C. We began the day with a drive out to enjoy lunch and a presentation from Chrysler representatives, and then on to Ortega Highway – a long winding road that allowed us to get a true feel of what these cars are capable of on the open road.
We enjoyed the Scat Pack cars so much that we decided to bring you a little more information about them with an upcoming “Muscle Cars You Should Know” feature. The Scat Pack is Chrysler’s way to letting their loyal fans know that they have listened and although not everyone can buy a Hellcat, there are great alternatives from Dodge.
The party at the hotel continued through Friday night, and into the late hours you could still find people playing beer pong in the parking lot, and having a blast barbecuing with friends. On Saturday morning, the enthusiasts got an early start, and for some it was just a bit too early after a night of partying it up. Before long, the hotel parking lot emptied of all the modern Mopars and on to the Verizon Amphitheater they went.
As we mentioned, the Festival of LXs is pretty big, and it’s easy to see that there were more than 1,000 cars there as they quickly filled up the parking lot and spread out a little further than they did last year. Just like last year, FCA had a huge display of all the current models from Dodge, Chrysler, and Fiat, as well as some cool RAM trucks and Jeeps. At the South end of the lot, Dodge had their ride-along program going where enthusiasts could take a ride in a Hellcat or Viper as it slalomed through a course and hauled ass.
One of the main attractions for just about everyone there was a the King himself, Richard Petty, signing autographs for fans and enthusiasts. He signed hats, jackets, shirts, air cleaner boxes, you name it, he was there with paint pens to do the deed and fulfill his two hour appearance before he headed back to the race track at Fontana (California Speedway). We were one of those fans who got to spend a few minutes with the King, as he posed next to our Project Track Attack Belvedere – a car that doesn’t quite fit in with the LX crowd. But when Richard Petty is there, you can’t pass up the opportunity to get a picture.
At center stage, Springfest founder and Chrysler aficionado John Fortuno was on hand as Fat Chance 3 was presented. This is Fortuno’s third Chrysler 300, this time a brand new 2015 model that was put together in record time with all the latest custom touches. The car remained under wraps until the presentation, leaving the rest of us to wonder what was under that silver tarp.
As usual, the cars in attendance are much like the proverbial snowflake: no two are alike. Though there were factory stock representatives and complete custom builds on display, it was not an easy task to find any two that were exactly alike. We’d have to say, this is probably the most diverse group of limited entries we’ve ever seen. When you consider that the show basically consists of essentially one platform and four models (Charger, Magnum, Challenger, 300C), it’s hard to imagine that this wild group of enthusiasts can still come up with mind-blowing builds that have you leaving the show wondering what car you’re going to sell so you can participate next time.