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Skip to main contentHerb McCandless, known during his racing days as “Mr. 4-Speed,” is returning to the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals this weekend (where he has been a f …
Herb McCandless, known during his racing days as “Mr. 4-Speed,” is returning to the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals this weekend (where he has been a frequent guest), along with an exciting assortment of his race-winning cars that are now in the McCandless Collection. Additionally, the long-anticipated documentary on McCandless’ life and career is complete, and its world premiere will take place at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds event. The full four-part series will play on a loop throughout the event, and it will be possible to watch the entire documentary or just segments, as it pleases the viewer. The film, to be shown on a large screen in a huge tent will be accompanied by the McCandless Collection display, making it possible to see the cars in action on screen and up close in person. Additionally, the man about whom the documentary was produced will be at his display, and available for autographs and conversation.

A true Mopar living legend, the man in the documentary, Herb McCandless, was an American Pro Stock drag racer. With a long career in racing, McCandless won NHRA's Modified Eliminator title at the 1970 Gatornats in a Plymouth Barracuda. He also won the 1970 NHRA U.S. Nationals in Pro Stock driving a 426 ci. 1970 Plymouth Duster for the Sox & Martin team, and was on top of the drag racing world from 1970 through 1974. After retiring from driving, McCandless became a respected engine builder.
McCandless was a hired gun for some of the biggest Chrysler-backed drag racing teams. Billy Stepp recruited him to drive Strepp’s 1968 Hemi Barracuda in the Street Eliminator class at the NHRA Winternationals, and with the urging of Chrysler race boss Dick Maxwell, McCandless and Stepp joined forces. McCandless said, “Maxwell came to me and asked if I’d put my motor in Stepp’s Barracuda and drive it. We ran A/Modified Production, were 200-pounds too heavy and got killed in the class. I asked Billy if I could take the car back to Memphis with me and set it up to run B/Modified Production. After thrashing for a few weeks on both cars, I headed to Gainesville for the Gatornationals. I had a spare Hemi engine so I threw it in my ’68 Dart and entered it in Pro Stock, and entered Stepp’s ’68 Barracuda in B/Modified Production.” That is one driver with two different cars in two different classes.

“I swear I didn’t take my helmet off all day,” said McCandless, “and lived on a pit bike bouncing around from car to car. I won Modified Production and set the record in the class. I need to give personal thanks here to Billy Stepp, through the grace of him and his family, we have the ‘Wally’ from that race.” (The Wally is a prestigious trophy named in honor of late NHRA founder Wally Parks.) “It means a lot to me,’ said McCandless, “and I’ll always be thankful for that.”
Many fans misremember or believe that McCandless became known as “Mr. 4-Speed” following his NHRA Modified Eliminator title at the 1970 Gatornats or his 1970 NHRA U.S. Nationals Pro Stock championship. Others believe it was for his prowess in his 4-speed 1968 Dodge Dart or his 1972 Dodge Demon. But that wasn’t the case.
In his early days, McCandless drove in NHRA events for such teams as Sox & Martin and Dick Landy, and he was stellar on the AHRA circuit, which had a more liberal rules package. He also ran Super Stocks and he raced in 52 events in 1968, winning money in more than 40 of them – already racing with the nickname. McCandless said, “My 1965 Plymouth was what got me started, but that ’68 car was the first car I really traveled with and we won just about everywhere with it. I didn’t have any bad days with that car.”
But about the nickname, "That ‘Mr. Four-Speed’ nickname was not my idea," McCandless said, "John Moore, from Chrysler's zone office in Memphis, wanted it painted on the car. They only built 10 factory four-speed Super Stock cars in 1965, and after three or four weeks, there were only a handful of those still racing around the country, so Mr. Moore wanted it painted on there on my ’65 car, and it just stuck.” He ran four-speeds to victory for several teams at many venues, and never looked back.
Mike McCandless, the son of legendary drag racer has accumulated one of the world's most prestigious collections of Chrysler corporation cars. The McCandless Collection is a comprehensive showcase of cars from the “Forward Look” Era (1955-1961), cars from the 1970s driven by McCandless, or tributes to his rides, as well, as other vintage cars and memorabilia from the time period. Among the vehicles scheduled to appear are: McCandless’ 1968 Dodge Dart L023 Mr. 4-Speed, 1965 Plymouth Belvedere A990 Mr. 4-Speed Tribute, 1970 Sox & Martin Plymouth Hemi Barracuda GT1, 1970 Sox & Martin Stock Plymouth Duster Tribute and the 1972 Sox & Martin Pro Stock Dodge Demon.
McCandless and his cars are scheduled to appear at The Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, July 9 – 11 at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds. The event is the largest Mopar event in the world featuring more than 2,800 vehicles from all eras of the Chrysler brand. Classic, muscle cars and high performance new models are all showcased at this Mopar-lover's paradise. Cars, parts, tools, memorabilia, collectibles and more will be for sale in the Mopar Automotive Flea Market, as well as the latest and greatest products within the Manufacturers Midway.
> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.
Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>
The iconic baseball movie Field of Dreams hosts an equally iconic phrase; “if you build it, they will come.” For Carlisle Events in …
The iconic baseball movie Field of Dreams hosts an equally iconic phrase; “if you build it, they will come.” For Carlisle Events in 2021, it’s more like “if you host it, they will come.” The Carlisle PA Fairgrounds might not be the Kinsella farm in Dyersville, Iowa, but the Miller’s field of dreams has been that and so much more for car lovers in 2021. That passion was once again on display June 25-26 as part of a near record setting Carlisle GM Nationals; one that would turn out to be a top-5 all-time result for a car show that dates back to 2001.
Two amazing days of weather fueled over 20,000 guests and 1,026 show cars, the best car count at the GM Nationals since 2014. Mix that in with passionate owners coming together to show off their rides, sell their products or go fast on the track and by the time the final awards were handed out on Saturday night, those leaving were wishing they could stay for more.
Special displays and activities went a long way to giving showgoers the kind of fix they needed. This included open autocross runs and ride, the Solid Lifter Showroom in Building Y, GM Engine Swaps, the H-Platform and Vega feature, plus Comic-Car Con in Building T, the Novas under the pavilion, Corvettes for Chip (charity car show within the show) and even more amazing pieces of GM history on the National Parts Depot Showfield. In fact, one of the biggest surprises of the weekend was the turnout of Fieros at the show. There were so many in one place that Aaron Kaufman (Gas Monkey Garage, Aaron Needs a Job, Shifting Gears with Aaron Kaufman) remarked that he’d never seen so many together in one place…and he’s been to a lot of car shows.
Speaking of Kaufman, he made it to Carlisle by way of Denver where he was helping wrench a Pikes Peak Hill Climb car. His Carlisle GM Nationals layover included two autograph sessions, a few concessions stand stops, a private tour of Lance Miller’s car collection and over 500 autographs signed. Guests lined up non-stop for each of the two sessions to meet him, talk shop, snap a photo or get an autograph. Kaufman even found time to peruse the Showfield, where he picked a 1959 Chevy Biscayne as his “celebrity choice” award winner.
In addition to Kaufman’s pick, many more event guests went home with awards, either via celebrity choice, Carlisle Elite, judging and more. There were other awards too, as the UMI Performance autocross track hosted a real street shootout, plus the east side of the grounds welcomed more than a dozen drivers as part of the rolling exhaust contest.
As the sun sets on the 2021 event, plans are already underway for 2022. The event dates are June 24-25 and registration for the National Parts Depot Showfield is now open, including a 10% savings. Learn more about the 2022 Carlisle GM Nationals and all other events on the Carlisle Events schedule online at CarlisleEvents.com.
A young boy saw a Corvette spotlighted on the cover of a magazine, immediately fell in love with America’s sportscar and devoted his focus toward o …
A young boy saw a Corvette spotlighted on the cover of a magazine, immediately fell in love with America’s sportscar and devoted his focus toward owning one – even before he could drive. That love for the automotive icon culminated in his creation of an event that became the largest Corvette show in the world, Corvettes at Carlisle, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary August 26-28 at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds.
Corvettes at Carlisle has attracted attendees worldwide and has earned praise from Chevrolet, car engineers, race drivers and auto enthusiasts for its diversity, excitement, attention to history and its sheer grandness, even gaining a name-drop on the Jimmy Kimmel Live TV show in December, 2018. The event started as a dream by Chip Miller, and it has been a family affair ever since, from attracting families who shared Miller’s love for Corvette, to his passing the baton to his son, Lance, after Chip Miller passed away in 2004.
Lance Miller shared his father’s history and the evolution of the event. He said his father discovered the Corvette while relaxing. Miller said, “My father was a young child sitting on the curb, and right near him was a Popular Mechanics magazine. The magazine had a Corvette on the cover. He fell in love with the artwork/car right then and there.”
Moving forward, Chip Miller became a dedicated “car guy” and he and his “car guy” friend, Bill Miller (no relation) founded Carlisle Events in 1974, to produce events for “car guys and girls just like them.” The enterprise began with a swap meet and car show called “Post War ’74”, on the Carlisle Fairgrounds. The runaway success of what became known as Fall Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meet & Car Corral led to a similar Spring event in 1977. In short order, they became complete sellouts for vendor and car sale (or “car corral”) spaces.
By 1982, Chip Miller brought his dedication to Corvettes to the mix and started Corvettes at Carlisle as a stand-alone event. According to Lance Miller, “My father’s passion and love for Corvettes wasn’t just about the car, it was truly about the people. He loved his friends and most were involved in the Corvette hobby. When he decided to host Corvettes at Carlisle, his list of friends grew exponentially due to the size of the event. The show started off with just a few rows of Corvettes, with some vendors sprinkled in, and the event quickly became one of the largest Corvette-only events in the world.”
Chip Miller was enthralled by devotees and their interaction with the car. Lance Miller said, “My father enjoyed the people behind the wheel of their Corvettes more than anything. Bringing people together to enjoy what he loved so much wasn’t a job for him; it was something he really wanted to do because it allowed others to experience exactly what he loved so much – friendships. Many friendships were formed over the years because of each of our events, and Bill Miller and my father were all about those friendships and those people.”
According to Lance Miller, Chip Miller’s proudest moment each year was seeing all of his friends come to “his” Corvette party, as it became a true tradition for many. “My father’s goal of bringing like-minded individuals together became more and more of a success as years went on, and this success brought my father sincere joy each year,” said Lance Miller. “Today, Corvettes at Carlisle still generates new friendships each year, thanks largely to my father and Bill Miller, his partner and friend. That exemplifies true Corvette Camaraderie.”

After that first show in 1982, the event grew larger, more diversified and more sophisticated each year. In the beginning, the event focused on a showfield area where Corvettes were on display, a Corvette Corral where Corvettes were for sale, and as was true for all Carlisle Events, a large vendor area -- something that Chip Miller took great pride in, as “the heartbeat of the Carlisle Events organization.”
In the 1980s and ’90s, OEM Corvette parts were tough to come by, but during Corvettes at Carlisle, Chip Miller took great effort to make sure he had all the right vendors at the event. As the event continued to grow in each sector, so did the visitors’ excitement of owning and driving a Corvette. Chevrolet saw the advantages of this Corvette enthusiasts’ Mecca and Chip Miller succeeded in having Team Chevrolet attend Corvettes at Carlisle for the first time. Lance Miller recalled, “I’ll never forget how grateful my father was for having them come to the event. We’re fortunate to continue this tradition today”.
The vendors and parts have changed quite a bit in 40 years of the show. Many of the older cars have been restored -- some restored multiple times -- so original parts aren’t in as high demand as they were back in the day, and many have been remanufactured making them cheaper due to mass production. Lance Miller said, “We’ve seen a transformation of our attendees wanting to enhance and personalize their newer Corvettes. Sometimes they need an exhaust, sometimes it’s paint protection film, sometimes it’s different wheels and sometimes it’s an entire engine makeover.”
 
It seems apparent that Corvette passion is alive and well, and there is a current push towards Vette-Rods, as enthusiasts are converting older Corvettes with newer technology – brakes, transmission, AC, engine and suspension components. The vendors at Corvettes at Carlisle adapt to the times and trends, and supply what the audience and attendees demand. Lance Miller said, “I’m happy to say if you visit us at Carlisle, you’ll find what you need for your next project – whether you’d like to keep your restoration as close to factory as possible all the way to the Vette-Rod.”
When Chip Miller passed away in 2004 from amyloidosis, Carlisle Events management asked Lance Miller to manage Corvettes at Carlisle. “I accepted the challenge without hesitation,” he said. “In fact, my Mom needed help managing her ownership of the company so it ended up being a dual position. At the time I had my own web design and consulting business, which I sold quickly prior to accepting the job at hand.”
 
Lance Miller didn’t come in cold; he was involved with each of the company’s events at a very young age, from putting out paper plates on the field with vendor ID numbers, to selling tickets and driving the company tram. “My father was a true mentor for me,” he said, “and he would put me through the paces. I recall mowing the lawn, putting in the vendor ID disks and taking them out, emptying the trashcans, scrubbing the floors in the buildings, and everything my father wanted me to learn. As I got older, I learned quickly why he did what he did. It made me truly appreciate each position at Carlisle Events. I know how hard every team member works, and if it weren’t for my father forcing these jobs on me, I wouldn’t appreciate how hard each person works, nearly as much. To say I’m grateful is an understatement, he did well at his parenting and I’m thankful for it now I can pass that down to my daughter (I bet she’ll love it!).”
When Lance Miller took over the reins of the event, he quickly learned about the Corvette community. “They are amazing,” he said. “Everyone that was involved with helping my father reached out and said they’d handle different themes for the event. They were amazing and I quickly realized our events are ALL about the people – the passion behind the car is driven hard, but the people drive it home for our events. Whenever we have incredible displays there’s always a couple of people that really drive it home – typically one car owner of a specific theme will go out of their way to ensure it’s a great display. This spills over to the general public and makes for a great event.”

Lance Miller reflected, “Corvettes at Carlisle was my father’s baby, it meant the world to him. The event keeps him alive, and after I had taken over, a Corvette community friend mentioned to me at one of our events that he felt that we should conduct an Engine Rev tribute to my father. As feedback is essential to making any event better, we listen and we apply. I did just that… I broadened the scope a bit, and we do an Engine Rev for our loved ones at noon on Saturday each year during Corvettes at Carlisle. I typically have my Mom by my side, I say a few words and then following a moment of silence, everyone on the grounds revs their engines for our loved ones that can no longer join us. Each year I have tears in my eyes and I can feel my father’s presence with my Mom and me in the car. To me, this is something my father would be proud of and it is something I’m proud of.”
Lance Miller has seen the show grow, but the fans remain constant. He said, “The fans are still the same; some have aged, but their love and passion haven’t diminished. We also see that there are a LOT of new Corvette enthusiasts entering the market. We’re seeing a drastic increase in people enjoying their newer Corvettes -- C6-C8 cars -- due to the luxury of driving it compared to the early years. The vendor base is the heartbeat to our organization and I often tell people they can build a Corvette out of the parts that are available within our vendor area. If you’re looking for that hard to find part, you’ll most likely find it at Carlisle. We’re also seeing a spike in our Manufacturers Midway, where many of the exhaust manufactures and others do installs transforming your Corvette right before your eyes. It’s a lot of fun to watch and hear.”
Lance Miller added, “My father would often say… LIFE IS GOOD! For three words, it’s quite powerful. I do my best to live by these words and we do our best to apply this to each event we host. If you’ve never attended one of our events I’d encourage you to come out, in fact I’d love to hear your feedback as we put them on solely for you! Feedback is crucial for us to improve and the only way we can improve is by hearing how we can make it a better experience for you.”

Corvettes at Carlisle at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds, August 26-28, is the largest and most diverse Corvette car show in the world.  The annual Corvettes at Carlisle event features thousands of Corvettes representing all generations of America’s classic sports car. Corvettes at Carlisle spotlights all aspects of the Corvette hobby, including different styles, packages and every generation of production, from year one in 1953 to the modern day C8.  

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.
Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
Car guys love car shows, and when a car guy who stars on a televised car show guests at a live car show (event), it is the best of times in the car …
Car guys love car shows, and when a car guy who stars on a televised car show guests at a live car show (event), it is the best of times in the car show world. Aaron Kaufman, TV host and car builder, is the former lead mechanic at Gas Monkey Garage and co-host of Fast N’ Loud filmed at the Gas Monkey Garage. Kaufman is the owner of Arclight Fabrication in Dallas, TX and he will be a guest celebrity for a meet-and-greet at the Carlisle GM Nationals, June 25 - 26, at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds.
The Texas-based Kaufman, who also starred in a one-season television show entitled Shifting Gears with Aaron Kaufman, is coming to Carlisle, fresh from his newest TV venture, Aaron Needs a Job, in which he toured America while featuring people doing jobs he found interesting and challenging. Of course, most of the jobs on the show relate in some way to the automotive industry, but he isn’t tied into that without the flexibility to investigate other exciting jobs and the people who work them.

More than a mechanic, fabricator, car builder, TV personality and “car guy,” Kaufman is also a competitive racer. In September 2015, Kaufman competed in the Speed Energy Formula Off-Road Stadium Super Trucks series, driving a Toyo Tires-sponsored truck at the Sand Sports Super Show in Costa Mesa, CA. He ran two rounds during the weekend, finishing fifth in both his heat races, followed by tenth- and eighth-place runs in the features. Things didn’t go Kaufman’s way during the event, including one incident in which his truck partially rode on a K-rail. After the race, fellow driver Robby Gordon joked that is was “some of the best, worst driving I have ever seen from the Toyo Tires driver.”
Kaufman got his automotive start working at a garage in Dallas, putting to use his talent for pulling things apart and putting them back together, a skill he recognized in himself as a child. Kaufman’s father was a passionate car guy and Kaufman helped his dad work on multiple projects.
 
Originally, Kaufman pictured himself becoming a park ranger, but when he found he had a skill and a thirst for disassembling cars and putting them back together with tweaks to make them better than ever, his focus went to all things automotive. As a young man, he ventured into hot rods as a self-taught fabricator, mechanic, and hot-rodder. At his garage, he met Richard Rawlings, the entrepreneur who was also a reality show (Fast N’ Loud) and media personality. Rawlings recognized Kaufman’s skill and hired him as a mechanic, eventually promoting him to lead mechanic at Gas Monkey Garage, both at the garage business and in the Fast N’ Loud TV show based on the enterprise.
As Kaufman became a media personality, he never lost focus of his passion for building, tweaking and creating automotive projects. After 14 years at the Gas Monkey Garage and four years with Fast N’ Loud, Kaufman felt boxed in as to the approach to what vehicles he could work on and how to fix them up, and left the relationship to allow him the flexibility to work on exciting projects of his own choosing.
This will be Kaufman’s first time at the Carlisle GM Nationals and he said he was “anxious to see the cars and meet the enthusiasts.”
The meet-and-greet and autograph sessions with Kaufman are free for Carlisle GM Nationals attendees, once through the gates. Following his Carlisle appearance, Kaufman is expected to compete in the Pikes Peak Hill Club the following day (Sunday). Kaufman will fly to Colorado after his Carlisle appearance and drive in the 99th offering of the “Race to the Clouds” at Pikes Peak in Cascade, Colorado. The peak is nearly three-miles high and Kaufman will be among those drivers to attack the climb. He has driven in the race multiple times, most often in a 1963 Ford Falcon race car he re-built on his show, until he sold it online.
The Carlisle GM Nationals is one of the largest GM featured event in the world, with more than 1000 vehicles on the field spanning more than a century and showcasing the many badges that have been under the General Motors badge (umbrella). The cars on-site will include vintage and classics to late-model automobiles and trucks, including the 6th Generation Camaro.
> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.
Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>
In less than one week the Carlisle GM Nationals take center stage at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds. The two-day gathering of a …
In less than one week the Carlisle GM Nationals take center stage at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds. The two-day gathering of all things GM takes place June 25-26 and includes competitions, special displays and even some cool automotive guests. Each guest is special for various reasons, but the one standing front and center on June 26 rose to fame in the eyes of the car community via a handful of popular car programs. For one day only, Carlisle Events is pleased to welcome Aaron Kaufman, direct from Texas to Carlisle!
Kaufman is a builder and TV personality who is known for his time alongside Richard Rawlings on Gas Monkey Garage. In addition, he’s also the owner of Dallas, Texas based Arclight Fabrication. Kaufman also ventured into solo TV projects, including Shifting Gears with Aaron Kaufman and Aaron Needs a Job.
While noted that Kaufman is coming direct from Texas, more accurately, he’s flying in from Denver, where he’s training and preparing for the internationally famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb, taking place just hours after his autograph sessions in Carlisle. The sessions are from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and again from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 26, while the 99th offering of the “Race to the Clouds” is June 27 at the famous nearly three miles high mountain known as Pikes Peak in Cascade, Colorado. By the way, an autograph and photo opportunity with Kaufman is FREE once on grounds at Carlisle.
*Please note, an earlier guest appearance announcement noted that Mike Finnegan, host of Roadkill on Motor Trend TV, would appear at the Carlisle GM Nationals. Due to circumstances beyond the control of all parties involved, he will not be appearing.
Carlisle Events is COVID-19 compliant and follows current guidelines suggested by state officials as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). A detailed Health/Safety Measures summary is available on CarlisleEvents.com. While on the web, be sure to learn more about the 2021 Carlisle GM Nationals, review photos of Featured Vehicle displays, register for the National Parts Depot Showfield or to be a vendor, purchase discounted spectator tickets in advance and more. Call 717-243-7855 to learn more today.
 Book online or call (800) 216-1876