Texas ItalianCarFest to Feature Designer Tom Tjaarda During 2006 Concours Weekend

GRAPEVINE, Texas--May 30, 2006--The largest celebration of Italian cars in the Southwest will honor the genius of designer Tom Tjaarda, feature the marque of Alfa Romeo and highlight the 35th anniversary of the DeTomaso Pantera. ItalianCarFest Weekend '06 will be held from September 8-10, 2006 in Grapevine, Texas, including a Concours portion at a stunning new location on the shores of Lake Grapevine.

"ItalianCarFest salutes the artistry and brio of Italian cars," said chair Bob Dezzany. "The show attracts vintage and contemporary masterpieces from marques such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, DeTomaso, Alfa and FIAT. Visitors are drawn to Texas to enjoy these irresistible pieces of machinery."

Tom Tjaarda, one of the industry's most respected designers, will travel from his home in Italy, for the event. This will be his first trip to the Lone Star State and one of three appearances in the U.S. this year.

"We're pleased to have Mr. Tjaarda, best known as the designer of the Pantera, since we're honoring the 35th anniversary of that exotic," noted Italian Car Club of the Southwest president Jerry Lee Phillips. "He also designed the iconic Ferrari 365 GT California Spider, the classic Fiat 124 Spider and many other wonderful cars."

ItalianCarFest Weekend '06 will kick off with a Friday evening reception in Mission Plaza at the magnificent Gaylord Texan Resort. The Saturday Italian car Concours will be held at Oak Grove Park on Lake Grapevine from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The public can attend the show for free.

That evening, the ItalianCarFest will host a cocktail hour followed by dinner in the Gaylord Texan Resort. Then, Mr. Tjaarda will conduct a presentation on automobile design. Sunday morning, the Italian cars will enjoy a scenic cruise followed by brunch at Texas Motor Speedway. Racing enthusiasts can register for a driving event on the TMS LeMans Road Course.

About the ItalianCarFest

Founded by the Italian Car Club of the Southwest, ItalianCarFest is becoming one of the most prestigious automotive events in North America. Attracting rare contemporary and vintage Italian collector cars, ICF annually attracts thousands of spectators. From Ferraris to DeTomasos, it celebrates a rich automotive culture and passion for sports cars. Information is available at http://italiancarfest.com.