Every year, the Ponte Vedra Auto Show shines its spotlight on a specific brand or model of automobile or some related topic.
This year, the focus is on The Ferrari Club of America, Jacksonville Chapter. Show visitors will see an interesting assortment of Ferraris, most from this area, but some from the Orlando Chapter as well.
“There will be some cars that no one’s seen in Jacksonville,” said Jacksonville Chapter President George Cost.
There will be at least 25, though there could be as many as 50.
The chapter has been in existence for about eight years, started by champion Ferrari Challenge Driver Eileen Bildman. The chapter currently has 72 paid and active members, and Cost, who joined the club four years ago, is hoping to grow that number.
“We’re doing more fun things,” he said. He said members “get to be invited to all the cool parties and see cool cars!”
Monthly meetings are held at the WheelHouse San Pablo.
The membership fee is modest: $175 per year. And here’s an important point: You don’t have to own a Ferrari to be a member.
“If you’ve got any kind of exotic, you’re in the right area,” Cost said. “There’s no Aston Martin club locally. There’s no McLaren club locally. … I encourage everybody to join just because we’re all like-minded car enthusiasts, and that’s the only way we’re going to spread the culture, especially for the next generation, with the kids.”
In fact, Cost got his first taste of exotic automobiles as a young child when, at the age of 6 and living in Hawaii, his parents took him to see KITT, the artificially intelligent Mustang from the TV series “Knight Rider.”
Today, he laughs when he recalls sitting in the famous auto and, for reasons unknown, began to cry.
Later, he got to sit in the red Ferrari 308 GTS from the TV show “Magnum P.I.” He has a photo of himself sitting there, huge smile on his face.
Four years ago, Cost bought his first Ferrari: a grey 2015 Ferrari FF.
“I have 84,000 miles on it right now,” he said. “According to the powers that be, I have the second-highest mileage FF in the world.”
You’ll know him if you see him out and about adding to that 84K; his license plate reads: FERRARI DAD.
The local chapter does some good charitable work, including a toy drive for Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Health.
“I want to do both hospitals because they both do amazing work,” Cost explained.
The chapter does a lot of fun things, as well: F1 watch parties, a Christmas party and big picnic meeting, and, recently, a trunk-or-treat with 50 of the most exotic trunks about: Ferraris, Astons, McLarens!
And of course, members exhibit at car shows, including the Ponte Vedra Auto Show.
Cost said the chapter is always seeking young, enthusiastic, business-minded individuals for membership. People in their 30s and 40s who are today buying 430s, 599s and 575s because those are the cars they saw and admired when they were in high school.
The local chapter’s officers, in addition to Cost, are Bildman (secretary), David Torres (vice president) and Jeff Wheeler (treasurer).
To learn more about the The Ferrari Club of America, Jacksonville Chapter, go to fca-jax.com or any of the club’s social media sites.
