The Demo Site

Social event for car aficionados
Arizona has become quite the mecca for automotive enthusiasts in January as a long line of incredible events begins, with this weekends Wheels of Wellness kicking it off.

This 2nd Annual event will feature an amazing collection of race cars with a history spanning more than 70 years. It's a rare and valuable group of American and European race cars valued at nearly $80 million.

The unique fundraising event is designed to help raise awareness of The Wellness Community, a national organization that provides more than 100 free programs monthly to anyone whose life is touched by cancer. Wheels of Wellness will be held on the grounds of The Wellness Community's 1908 home and one-acre campus in downtown Phoenix.

Using cars to raise awareness
The list of cars set to appear at this years fund raiser is incredible:

•'63 Ferrari 250 GTO; GT-class winner, Paris Grand Prix
•'63 Corvette Grand Sport (chassis 002), one of five factory-built racers by Zora Arkus Duntov
•'53 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM, raced by Jo Bonnier
•'62 Ferrari 250 GTO; 2nd overall, 1st in GT class at Sebring 1962
•'68 Ford GT40 Mk II (#1074); Monza 1000K winner, Gulf team car
•'54 Jaguar D-Type; factory Le Mans entry driven by Stirling Moss
•'66 Holman/Moody Ford Galaxie stock car raced by Fred Lorenzen
•'60 Camoradi Team Corvette; raced at Le Mans
•'65 Shelby GT 350; AZ hillclimb period history
•'58 Factory team Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite, Sebring class winner history
•'90 Chevrolet Lumina Winston Cup car raced by Davey Allison
•'57 Townsend Typhoon; AZ-built special, period racing history
•'58 Lister-Jaguar "Knobbly", Briggs Cunningham Team car raced by Ed Crawford
•'64 Brabham BT-8, raced in period by Denis Hulme
•'58 Echidna Special, one of three built by Minnesota homebuilt fabricators
•'01 Riley & Scott Mk IIIc; ex-Dyson team car raced by James Weaver
•'58 Joe Hunt Magneto Spl.; 2nd in USAC championship 1958
•'69 Mustang Boss 302; Peter Revson's Shelby factory Trans-Am car
•'49 Fiat Topolino; finished 4th in class @ Mille Miglia in Italy
•'37 Maserati 6CM Monoposto Voiturette, pre-war Grand Prix racer
•'81 Porsche 935; IMSA championship with John Paul Jr.
•'35 Miller-Ford Novi Winfield V8, finished 3rd at 1939 Indy 500

The two 250 GTOs listed above are part of the original 36 Ferrari's ever built. Chassis No. 3387 was entered in the 1962 Sebring 12 Hours by Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team for Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien, where it finished second overall and won the GT class. Chassis No. 3607 was owned by Count Volpi's Scuderia Serenissima and later Jacques Swaters' Ecurie Francorchamps. In the hands of Annie Soisbault, the Marquess de Montaigu, 3607 was first in the GT class at the 1965 Paris Grand Prix at Montlhery.

What's nice about events such as these is the opportunity for true car enthusiasts to get up close and personal to some incredible cars and raise money for a worthwhile cause. It's certainly a feel good event for all.