2011 Featured Marque - Jaguar XKE

It's not often you get to couple a passion with a great cause. Such has been the case with me and my association with the Jaguar Club of Central Ohio and The Arthritis Foundation, Central Ohio Chapter. We, as a regional chapter of the Jaguar Clubs of North America, have been holding a Concours d' Elegance every July since 1973. In the early '80's, the Len Immke Classic car show was born, honoring Len Immke and benefitting the Arthritis Foundation of Central Ohio. Since we, as a club, were already participating in the Len Immke show, one of our club members, George Keller, approached the committee chair about letting us do our Concours at the show. George asked me to help and join the committee. Thus a relationship was formed which lasts until this day. I have been proud to be a part of the Arthritis Foundation Classic Car Show and Cruise in for some 25 years or more and still look forward to it every year. I have seen it grow from one Saturday afternoon to a 2 day event with 2500 cars. I still have a T-shirt from the first show. The people I have worked with, the friends I have made, while generating support for this devastating disease, has been a true source of joy for me.

Every other year the National club holds what they call the Challenge Championship. While attending the last one in 2009 in San Antonio, I looked around and decided that our venue, our cause and our mission, lent itself perfectly to an event of this magnitude. The national club requires 3 events be offered, a rally, a slalom and a concours. We already offered the Concours, all we had to do was expand for the other events. Also, after attending many other national events, what we had to offer entrants with our show here, could not be matched. The site, the cars, the entertainment could not be duplicated anywhere else. It was a natural. I applied, I pitched, I showed what a Midwest car show could offer and we were awarded the show. National representatives have attended the last two shows and have left very impressed and promoting our show. I feel we can show the country what Midwest hospitality is all about. Planning the event, to run from July 6-9, 2011 and presenting the largest assembly of early Jaguars this part of the country is likely to see, is in the works. A fantastic show, a great boost for the Arthritis Foundation and something, the likes of which, may not be seen again, is what is in store. Please plan on joining the Arthritis Foundation and the Jaguar Association of Central Ohio for this once in a lifetime chance. A classic marque , a fabulous venue and a worthy cause. What could be better.

Jim Baker

Jaguar Association of Central Ohio

Arthritis Foundation Cruise-In and Classic Car show

Committee member for Life.