What to Know About event Coverage: Road America Concours and Parade in Elkhart Lake
Event Coverage:
We thought it’d be hard to match last year for the sheer thrill of being around thousands of fellow fans and hundreds of great cars at one of the most festive automotive events in the USA, but 2026 managed to deliver.
Despite unseasonable heat (and just take a moment to imagine what that means in July, in Wisconsin) and haze from Canadian wildfires, the population of picturesque Elkhart Lake blossomed from around 1,000 people to over 20,000 for the annual Friday night race car parade. Families and friends came from all over the Midwest to witness the spectacle of vintage racers descending from nearby Road America to growl, bark, and grunt their way through the town’s streets.
The monsters took their places in a giant horseshoe centered around Siebkens Resort, a place where every storied race car driver, crew member, and team boss of yore had good times and a couple too many at some point in their career.
Our crew, once again, was set up right across the street at the scenic overlook of the lake itself, armed with good cheer, free swag, and the answers to all the questions the crowd could ask about BaT.
A mere two hours after their thunderous arrival, the racers were fired up and guided back out of town in even more dramatic fashion; there are no burnouts allowed in town, but earplugs are a Very Good Idea as a host of unmuffled, high-strung engines are prevented from stalling via enthusiastic application of the loud pedal.
Saturday evening’s concours was a less raucous, if no less crowded, affair. The weather took pity on all with clear air and a significant temperature drop, turning the dial from “damp inferno” to “pleasant summer evening.” The crowds flowed back to see a truly diverse and interesting array of cars on display, including 10 from BaT Local Partners who were gracious enough to join us at the tent: Colin’s Classic Auto, Geneva Motorcars, Reserve Motorworks, The Autobarn Collection, and Throttlestop.
Standouts from both nights included a bevy of beastly Fords, a perfectly weathered 300SL roadster, and perhaps the ultimate highlight for us: a finless short-nose Jag D-type (no offense to the modern Predator version also in attendance). There was something for everyone: Porschephiles, Italian car nuts, even fans of oddball JDM Kei trucks.
There are TWO galleries below, one from each night, and they’re well worth spending some time with. We can’t wait to go back to Road America and Elkhart Lake, and we hope to see you there next year!
Gallery: Road America Concours d’Elegance Vintage Race Car Parade
Photo Gallery
Gallery: Road America Concours d’Elegance
Photo Gallery
7/16 Update: As part of our display at Saturday’s Concours d’Elegance in downtown Elkhart Lake, we’ll be featuring a compelling array of special cars courtesy of our Local Partners: Colin’s Classic Auto, Geneva Motorcars, Reserve Motorworks, The Autobarn Collection, and Throttlestop! We hope to see you there!
For the second straight year, we’re heading back to the WeatherTech Vintage Weekend with Brian Redman in Wisconsin as part of our summer 2026 events blitz! The festivities, held at Road America and in the historic resort town of Elkhart Lake, combine into one of the largest vintage racing events in the United States, bringing over 400 historic racers spanning the last century into one jam-packed event. It’s shaping up to be another great weekend, and we had a blast last year so we can’t wait to get back!
This year, we’ll be the Title Sponsor for the Road America Concours d’Elegance in downtown Elkhart Lake on Friday and Saturday, July 17-18, along with Friday’s Race Car Parade from Road America into town.
The population of tiny, scenic Elkhart Lake swells by an order of magnitude for both of these evenings, so join thousands of fans in the streets and visit our tent from 6:00pm to 8:00pm each night to enjoy giveaways, great company, and a compelling array of special cars on display thanks to our Local Partners. The parade and concours are both open to the public and free to attend!
If you plan on attending the races, then be sure to visit our big tent nestled on the outside of Turn 5, right on the main drag leading into the paddock—BaT staffers will be flying the flag there Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18 with smiling faces, answers to your questions, and more giveaways.
We hope you’ll stop by and say hello, both downtown or where the action is at America’s National Park of Speed. We look forward to seeing you!
