By: Sarah Wright | Troy Times | Published July 19, 2024
TROY — The automotive community will be celebrated through a wide variety of activities, events and vehicle displays during the 16th annual Troy Traffic Jam at the Columbia Center on Big Beaver Road Aug. 4.
The Troy Traffic Jam is free to spectators as funds raised through sponsorships, car registrations, and a 50/50 raffle fuel education at the Troy Historic Village.
Since the event’s inception 16 years ago, presenting sponsor KIRCO and the host venue Columbia Center have been dedicated supporters and key partners in raising thousands of dollars towards field trips and hands-on programs at the Troy Historic Village, organizers said.
“I’ve been with the show since 2019, and I think that year we had over 4,000 visitors,” Jen Peters, Troy Historic Village’s executive director, said in an email. “This year we anticipate hitting 6,000. As I’m getting out registrations and information about the event, I get a lot of ‘we come every year, it’s our favorite car show!’ so I think it’s both a beloved and anticipated annual community event,” as well as one of the best car shows in Michigan, she said.
“We truly couldn’t pull off such a blockbuster event without the support of our KIRCO and Columbia Center team,” Peters said in a press release. “The resources they provide enable us to create meaningful education programs at the Village through a fantastic community event on Big Beaver.”
Troy’s automotive festival 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 4 will feature a diverse array of over 300 classic autos, muscle cars, and concept vehicles from the garages of hobbyists and high-end collectors.
“We worked extra hard this year to bring you a unique assemblage of rare legacy vehicles,” Alan Kiriluk, the chairman of KIRCO and a member of the TTJ planning team, said in a press release. “You won’t see these cars together anyplace else this summer.”
Organizer Jeff Nowicki, the founder and owner of Nowicki Autosport & Design, said he is passionate about blending classics with high-end exotics that highlight innovative designs.
“Last year a Ferrari Monza became a fan favorite,” he said in a press release. “This year you’ll want to see the Daytona SP3. We continue to secure more vehicles for the show, so look for more announcements through the spring and summer.”
Additionally this year, the Troy Traffic Jam is celebrating the 60th anniversaries for the GTO and the Mustang. The GTO came from Pontiac engineers dropping a larger engine in the existing Tempest LeMans to skirt regulations and appeal to younger buyers looking for horsepower, and the Mustang first premiered at the New York World’s Fair in 1964 and was considered to be popular and affordable for young families.
In celebration of these milestones, the Troy Traffic Jam will have a special GTO Corral and Mustang Corral, each containing 30 carefully curated classics representing the various generations of each vehicle. This includes GTOs that have been featured on TV and in muscle car magazines, historic Mustang race cars, and a Mustang that may have once been owned by the Ford Family.
GTO and Mustang panels are also included in the planned panels for the Tech Talk Tent.
On top of this, attendees may enjoy robotic demonstrations and kids pedal car racing.
The award-winning robots from Troy area FIRST Robotics teams will be back to demonstrate innovations in programming as a way to inspire the next generation of engineers.
Pedal car races have occurred at multiple Troy events during the summer, and during Troy Traffic Jam, “Pedal Power 200” will occur at 1:30 p.m. Families can participate as racers or simply cheer on the competitors.
Last year, organizer Mark Lieberman, of Nostalgic Motoring Ltd., sponsored the inaugural kids pedal car race, exposing families to a popular European family tradition.
“There’s nothing like building something together as a family; a simple pedal car in your own garage could be a great place to start,” Lieberman said in a press release.
Individuals interested in exhibiting their vehicle(s) can pre-register at TroyTrafficJam.com. Pre-registration costs $25 per car and offers quick check-in and a swag bag, compliments of Traffic Jam sponsors. Registration on the day of the event will be $30. All registration fees for the Troy Traffic Jam are tax deductible and support the educational programs at the Troy Historic Village.