Bright colors and shiny motors attracted the attention of Lawrence shoppers when the Kansas City chapter of the Ferrari Club of America rolled into town on Sunday June 15. . To many members in the club, cars are not just a way to get around; they are a way of life.
Jerry Shapiro has been a member of the Kansas City chapter since 1988. He owns two Ferraris and still drives both of them. Maria Martin invited Shapiro to the show. He showed off his 328 Ferrari, which is listed as $59,455, on Sunday. Shapiro has been interested in cars since he was three-years-old. He folded doughnut boxes for 10 years so he could buy his first car, a 1955 Chevy Bellaire Convertible.
“I had the Chevy picked out, but my dad said he would pay the difference and get me a Corvette, which was about $1,700 more expensive,” Shapiro said. Shapiro declined his father’s offer because he claimed he couldn’t pick up girls with his friend in a Corvette, which only seats two people.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. around 20 cars were shown on Seventh St. between Vermont and Massachusetts Street. The street was closed for the event. Spectators were able to talk with club members and pose for pictures in front of the sports cars, which were mostly red Ferraris. Southwest and More, 727 Massachusetts, along with The Eldridge Hotel, 701 Massachusetts, sponsored the event. Club members had brunch at the Eldridge Hotel before presenting their cars. The group wanted to show off the cars, raise awareness for the club and bring people downtown to enjoy Lawrence.
“This chapter loves to travel,” said Maria Martin, member of the Kansas City chapter and co-owner of Southwest and More, who also helped organized the event. The group drove to Lawrence Sunday morning. Around 25 of the 50 members of the Kansas City chapter of the Ferrari Club of America traveled to the Lawrence for the car showcase. Some of the cars in the club are newer models, while some of them are from the 1960s. The majority of cars in the chapter are Ferraris, but some members have Lamborghinis or Dodge Vipers. Martin said Ferraris always draw a lot of attention
Tom Pestinger, Salina, showed his 1986 Ferrari. He is considering joining the Kansas City chapter. Pestinger has owned his car for three years and it is one of two Ferraris in Salina.
Mike Nelson, Topeka Senior, happened to be walking downtown during the car show. “I thought a lot of them were really red, which to me is how Ferraris should be,” said Nelson. While Nelson drives and supports Volvo, he likes the idea of a Ferrari car show. “It’s nice to see a car show on a Sunday afternoon. It draws people and probably helps business.”
“The show reminded me of old shows like Miami Vice and Magnum P.I.,” said Lon Amick, 2006 alumna. Amick would like to see bigger car shows in Lawrence. He remembers being downtown for a Funky Car Show. “They had an accordion car, which was really cool,” said Amick.
While the showcase let Lawrence shoppers glance into the world of Ferraris, it also illustrated a lesson.
“If you work hard, you can reach any goal,” Shapiro said. “If you want a Ferrari, start saving up and eventually you will get there. It’s not impossible.”
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