StarFest 2018 – An MBCA event for the record books • May 15-22, Birmingham, Alabama
Members of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America gathered in Birmingham, Alabama, for a record-setting StarFest® 2018. This year’s StarFest was the largest club gathering held in at least two decades. Adopting a menu-style approach to the event, organizers Jim Roberts, Mason Beale and host Alabama Section offered the 300-plus participants who registered from sections and regions all over the country the opportunity to sign up for specific driving and show events, as well as evening gatherings during the eight-day event May 15-22.
Receptions
The event officially kicked off with a reception at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum Thursday, May 17, at which a panel consisting of members from the Alabama and Daimler teams that were part of the original decision to locate the first overseas Mercedes-Benz automobile production plant in Vance shared their memories. Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham, the local dealership, hosted the second reception in its brand-new autohaus on Friday, with the buffet served in the spotless and gleaming service center.
Founders’ Panel: Key members of the Alabama and Daimler teams that brought the Mercedes-Benz automobile production plant to Alabama recall the past.
Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham hosted a reception in its brand-new facility, serving a buffet in the gleaming service center.
Carol Ross from the San Diego Section chats with StarFest co-chairs Jim Roberts and Mason Beale at the M-B of Birmingham Reception on Friday.
Rallyes & tours
During those initial four days, participants could also drive one of the four rallyes of varying distances laid out by the organizers to take advantage of the marvelous scenic back roads, roadside attractions, museums and restaurants of northern Alabama. Questions that could only be answered during visits to the various sites along the routes provided a means for participants to prove that they had actually driven the rallyes and the basis for trophies presented to those who persevered. On Thursday, some members elected to see the area by taking a guided Southern Heritage bus tour organized by the host section.
StarFest offered attendees a wide range of driving experiences to choose from. Question and Answer Rallyes, like the "Old Mill and Covered Bridges Rallye" provided scenic tours of the backroads of Alabama
Vance plant tours
Every type of Mercedes-related event possible was available on the program, with the highlight being a tour of the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Vance production facilities – one of the five largest Mercedes-Benz factories in the world – during the first four days of the event, starting and ending in the Visitor Center, with its museum and gift shop. Tour participants could also attend technical classes on buying, servicing, inspecting and insuring their cars, as well as presentations on the heritage and racing history of the marque, in the training center on the day of their tour.
StarFest attendees toured the gigantic MBUSI manufacturing plant in Vance, Alabama.
Saturday MBCA Concours
StarFest organizers arranged for a traditional MBCA concours on the landscaped parking plazas of the MBUSI Visitor Center on Saturday, including Silver Star certification inspections, and participants could take a break from the sunny car displays to inspect the classic cars on display in the museum and have lunch in the cool meeting area. Concours winners were celebrated at the gala banquet Saturday night, with Jason Hoff, current president and CEO of MBUSI.
The MBCA Concours judging and display was held at the lovely MBUSA training center campus.
Laura Peters's 220 Coupe and Michael Hoegl's 1913 Benz were the centerpieces of the show winning Judges' Choice and Concours Best of Show respectively.
A number of new candidates for the MBCA Silver Star Preservation Certificate were inspected in conjunction with the Concours.
Packed and ready to go: Laura Peters’s 1955 220 Coupe, Judges Choice at Concours.
Beautiful interior of Laura Peters’s 1955 220 Coupe.
During the Concours, members had access to the Mercedes-Benz Experience museum at the training center.
Talladega Superspeedway
Sunday, the attention and excitement shifted to the first driving events of StarFest, held at the spectacular Talladega Superspeedway. Participants began by following pace vehicles in their own vehicles at autobahn speeds around the banked oval, the fastest course in America, and then separated to various venues within the huge course to practice off-road techniques, Safe Drivers/Safe Families instruction and vehicle-handling exercises, and compete in timed acceleration and autocross runs; trophies were awarded at the evening reception.
Running on Talladega’s high-speed oval.
Metallic Grey Mercedes-AMG GT C slumbers in the paddock shade at Talladega Superspeedway.
Michael Hoegel’s 1913 W5 Benz at speed on the gigantic oval Talladega track.
Threading through the cones during Safe Drivers/Safe Families instruction and vehicle-handling exercises at Talladega Superspeedway.
Autocross competition at Talladega was excellent preparation for hot laps at Barber. Alabama Region of the SCCA set up the challenging StarFest autocross course..
Barber Motorsports Park
On Monday morning, StarFest driving events moved over to the impressive and beautiful Barber Motorsports Park for driving-skills practice employing the full Barber road racing course. Driving skills programs designed for both novice and experienced drivers encouraged the application of techniques learned on Sunday in the various classes and driving exercises. All drivers got a taste of the thrills and abilities engineered into their Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Pit scene at Barber Motorsports Park’s road course.
Coming in off the track at Barber Motorsports Park.
In its element: Pristine silver, black and red 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution at speed on the racecourse at Barber Motorsports Park.
At Sunday’s evening reception, Kristen and Nicole Jebeles of Birmingham proudly display their “Sports Fahrer Verein” (Sports Driver Club) certificates, earned by driving at both Talladega and Barber in Safe Drivers and car handling courses.
Fond farewells
The complicated and ambitious program that was StarFest 2018 finally came to a close, marked by a breakfast gathering held at the event’s Birmingham headquarters hotel on Tuesday morning. Then happy members packed up all the gleaming new trophies, certificates of participation and shiny Star gear into their luggage for the journey home; with them also went fresh memories of new friends, new driving skills and renewed pride in their chosen marque.
STARFEST 2018 AWARDS
CONCOURS SHOW CLASS WINNERS
BEST OF SHOW
Special Interest Class
Michael Hoegel • 1913 W5 Benz
JUDGES’ CHOICE
Pre-1962 Class
Laura Peters • 1955 220 Coupe
CLASS 1 – PAGODAS
1. Thomas Zarrella • 1969 280SL
2. Randy Bibb • 1969 280SL
3. Tommy Couch • 1970 280SL
CLASS 2 – MODERN SEDANS
1. Nancy Kuhn • 1991 190E
2. Mario Puente • 1990 190E
CLASS 3 – VINTAGE SEDANS
1. Joan Couch • 1971 250
CLASS 4 – COUPES
1. Stephen Sherrod • 1978 280C
2. Randy Darden • 1967 250SE
3. Martin Trey • 1991 560SEC
CLASS 5 – PRE-1962
1. Bruce Webster • 1960 190SL
SILVER STAR CERTIFICATIONS
1991 300SL • Brandon Berry • Peachtree Section
1993 300D • Alan Kypson • Triangle Section
1984 300SD Turbodiesel • Ken Brasfield • Central Virginia Section
1985 280SE • Mike Dougherty • Fort Worth Section
1988 560SL • Sam Ferlisi • Alabama Section
1989 560SL • Robert J. Sanders Jr. • Northern New England Star Section
1983 240D • Jonathan Sones • Tampa Bay Section
1976 280C • Stephen Sherrod • Eastern Oklahoma Section
1987 260E • Ron St. John • Mississippi Section
1980 280SL • Dr. Robert Stelfox • Lone Star Section
1990 420SEL • Dave Thomason • Peachtree Section
1978 280E • Wesley Wormser • Southern Stars Section
1969 280SL • Thomas Zarrella • Minuteman Section
CONCOURS STREET CLASS WINNERS
— CLASS 7 • VINTAGE SEDANS —
1. Keith Morgan 1967 300SEL
— CLASS 8 • W113 —
1. Ralph Nealy 1969 280SL
2. Janine Porretto 1970 280SL
— CLASS 9 • R107 —
1. Jerry Chenault 1986 560SL
2. Robert Sanders Jr. 1989 560SL
3. Ted Love 1979 450SL
— CLASS 10 • W126 —
1. Chris Gregoriou 1990 560 SEC
2. James Seastrom 1983 540SE AMG
— CLASS 11 • R129 —
1. Christie Prince 1997 SL500
2. Jim Hinsdale 2000 SL500
3. Kurt Leyser 1998 SL600
— CLASS 12 • R230 —
1. Ron Swenson 2003 SL500
2. Ernie Fancy 2007 SL550
3. John Allison 2007 SL550
— CLASS 13 • R231 —
1. Rick Hamilton 2014 SL63
2. Paul Bailey 2015 SL550
— CLASS 14 • SLK —
1. John Fair 2001 SLK320
2. Dan Marcin 2007 SLK55
3. James Harbold 1999 SLK230
— CLASS 15 • CLK —
1. Dale Parker 2007 CLK63
2. Zachery Johnson 2002 CLK55
— CLASS 16 • W124 —
1. Alen Kypsn 1993 300D
2. Randy Bibb 1992 500E
3. Ed Owen 1986 190E
— CLASS 17 • MIDDLE-AGE AMG —
1. Michael Mariotti 2002 E55
2. Brad Gollihue 1999 C43
3. Tim Fead 2000 E55
— CLASS 19 • MODERN E-CLASS —
1. Jim Wallace 2012 E350
2. John Stone 2012 E63
3. Joe Neurauter 2012 E350
— CLASS 20 • LATE-MODEL C-CLASS & CLA —
1. Mike Roth 2017 C300
2. Richard Murdock 2016 C450
3. Alexander Furla 2016 CLA250C
— CLASS 21 • MODERN SEDANS —
1. Diana Quinn 2007 CLS550
2. David Shepard 1999 S600
3. Stewart Doane 2003 S500
— CLASS 22 • SUV —
1. Rob Brown 2012 ML350
2. Ken Sidorowicz 2018 GLA45
— CLASS 23 • AMG GT —
1. Donald Birdwell 2018 GT R
2. Sak Reeves 2018 GT C
TALLADEGA DRIVING EVENT WINNERS
ACCELERATION RUNS BY CLASS (in seconds)
James Beck 2018 S63 8.89
Bobby Gammill 2014 CLS63 9.12
Reuel Hamilton 2007 CLK430 9.56
Neal Smith 2009 SL63 10.22
Doug Bloomberg 2005 SLK55 10.31
Richard Murdock 2016 C450 10.70
Cliff Hoffman 1983 540SE 11.26
John Fair 2001 SLK320 11.61
AUTOCROSS WINNERS BY CLASS (in seconds)
Walt Anderson 1997 SL500 38.264
John Stone 2012 E63 39.998
John Fair 2001 SLK320 40.563
Daniel Marcin 2007 SLK55 40.843
Tommy Sawyer 2012 CLS550 40.994
Ken Sidorowicz 2018 CLA45 41.459
Doug Fielder 1999 E300 45.771
Greg Greeson 2009 SL550 47.714
Dale Parker 2007 CLK63 49.714
Wesley Wormser 1978 280SE 50.669
Richard Murdock 2016 C450 73.016
RALLYE WINNERS
• Huntsville Space & Rocket Center & Bankhead National Forest • 250 miles •
1. Doug & Joan Bloomburg
• Talladega National Forest Scenic Drive “The Copperhead” & Cheaha State Park • 170 miles •
1. Gene & Joann Long
2. Doug & Joan Bloomburg
3. Dan Marcin
• Covered Bridges of Blount County & European-style Shrines • 130 miles •
1. Tom & Bernice Sawyer
2. Steve & Carol Ross
• Birmingham Area: Barber Museum, Southern Museum of Flight & Vulcan Park • 60 miles •
1. Ray Everett
SPECIAL AWARD
FIRST REGISTRATION: Alfred Abken • San Francisco Bay Area Section
STARFEST 2018 COMMITTEE & VOLUNTEERS
Event Co-Chairs: Mason Beale & Jim Roberts
Registration: Donna Kalinkiewicz, Ken Champlin, Forest Cook, Ralph Neeley, Wayne Novy, Dodie Roberts
Financial Management: Jim Sparacio • Event Guide: Diana Quinn • Signage: John & Deb Murray
Logistics: John Murray, Deb Murray, Ralph Neely, Ken Champlin
MBUSI Site Selection Panel: Don Erwin, Billy Joe Camp, Jim Folsom Jr., Elmer Harris, Heinz Neunzig, Linda Sewell
Evening Events & Technical Sessions: Danny Brewer, Ed Bolian, Pierre Hedary, David Kalinkiewicz, Graham Robson
Southern Heritage Tour: Nancy Jones
Concours Judging School: Pierre Hedary, Keith Morgan, Pete Lesler, Terry Kiwala
Concours Judges: Mason Beale, Jim Roberts, Jason Burton, Julie Bruggner, Ken Champlin, John Fair, Terry Kiwala, Ralph Neeley,
Wayne Novy, Andrew Opicka, Diana Quinn, Jim Quinn, Mike Regennitter, Steve Ross, Jim Sparacio, Elaine Spiller
Factory Tour Guides: Mason Beale, Jim Roberts, Dustin Raney
Off-Road Program: Heinz Neunzig, Burch Cameron, Jason Hoff, Andreas Ogger • Rallyes: Jim Roberts, Rhiannon Gage
Safe Drivers/Safe Families Driving Program, Talladega: Jason Burton, Ken Champlin, Ernie Fancy, David Abarr
Acceleration Runs and Autobahn Laps, Talladega: Mason Beale
Driving Skills Track Program, Barber: Mason Beale, Jim Roberts, Jason Burton, John Fair, Porter Fell, Gene Jurick, Steve Spector, Chad Steven & the Audi, Porsche & BMW driving coaches
Autocross: Alabama Region, SCCA
Special Assistance:
Jason Hoff, Felyicia Jerald, Subrina Champion, MBUSI • Mike Regennitter & Cindy Tumbleson, MBCA National Business Office • Gene Jurick, MBCA National President