Carlisle Events isn’t just taking baby steps into the tech world for 2017, its sprinting into an all-new world of opportunities. One such opportunity is partnering with a mobile app called MotorCrush. MotorCrush is built for modern performance car enthusiasts, providing an insider view of trending mods, enhancements, restorations and tuning. It’s all happening LIVE, in real-time and offering all the car content you love, sourced from real drivers (not editors).

Downloading MotorCrush for Android or iOS devices offers nothing but the best for its users. Once downloaded, users can show the car community their stuff. Spare no detail because there’s room for it all! The app allows users to check-in to identify where their car is and share it with others nearby, again, doing this is possible live and in real time.

Car owners, lovers and those that are proud of the work they’ve done on cars will love MotorCrush. MotorCrush also allows users to list every modification, tune and part associated with their ride so they can build up some clout and credibility within the community. Better yet, if the MotorCrush user loves showing at car shows or showing off at car meets, the app allows users to connect and spontaneously create a get together. Finally, since gear is gold when it comes to cars, MotorCrush lets users share their wares and find others who are looking for exactly what powers the rides of fellow app users.

“Coming from a tech background, I’d create websites and consult companies about search engine optimization all the time,” said Carlisle Events co-owner Lance Miller. “I was always intrigued by the unique ways to combine my technology passion with my automotive passion,” continued Miller. “MotorCrush is such an amazing app. I believe it'll revolutionize the automotive way of life. It helps connect like-minded individuals within a wonderful hobby. More so, it's a fun way to showcase cars, look at cars, learn what modifications are neat for your car and meet new people! Do yourself a favor, download the MotorCrush app on your mobile phone and play with it. Tell your friends and family, it'll be neat once it becomes a known automotive go-to app. Carlisle Events is proud to be on the leading edge and feel this is a nice start. There's more to come, much more,” concluded Miller.

Download the app today and see what MotorCrush is all about and get involved with Carlisle Events for an event this year too. Register for the showfield or buy a single day ticket by visiting www.CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855. Either way, get involved today!

Carlisle Events and Carlisle Auctions host two massive events in April and October; Spring Carlisle and Fall Carlisle respectively. These two events draw a combined 200,000+ guests from around the world and each event hosts a three-day collector car auction, swap meet and car corral. In addition, events like Spring and Fall Carlisle often serve as a fund raiser of sorts for those in need, be it from the sale of items or merchandise on the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds or from a consigned/donated vehicle with Carlisle Auctions. For 2017, both Carlisle Auctions and Carlisle Events are teaming to help a central Pennsylvania woman named Kathy Hawkins.

Kathy is a mom and a cancer survivor but prior to January 30, 2008, she was just a mom. On that date, she was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia and her life has changed ever since. While she’s still a mom to two teenage boys, she’s much more than that. Upon diagnosis, Kathy was given medicines specific to her case, including an oral chemotherapy pill. That oral chemo pill has helped suppress her cancer.

Though she will always have Leukemia, advances in medicine, including the aforementioned oral treatment are what’s keeping Kathy alive today. To further advancements for others, Kathy has been nominated to run as a candidate in the 2017 Man & Woman of the Year Campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The campaign spans 10 weeks (March 9-May 19) and for every dollar raised, Kathy gets a vote and all money raised goes directly to the LLS. In addition, Kathy has set a goal for $50,000 to establish a grant to be given in honor or memory of someone with leukemia.

So where does Carlisle Events and Carlisle Auctions fit in? As part of Spring Carlisle 2017, vehicles have been donated for sale via a silent auction style bidding process. This will take place over three days, Wednesday at 7 a.m. through Saturday at 5 p.m. At that point, the top write-in bids will be verified and winners contacted. Their donation is tax deductible and Kathy’s cause is furthered by those who live all things automotive at Spring Carlisle.

While Carlisle Events and Carlisle Auctions supported this venture, it would not have been made possible without the generous donations of a few locals. William H. Wessel’s Used Cars of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania donated a 2002 Mazda MPV Van, Liberator Performance of Carlisle, Pennsylvania donated a 1977 Porsche 924, while Red Circle Performance Pre-Owned donated a 1995 Honda Accord. All vehicles will be bid on and sold as is, with 100% of the money going to Team Kathy.

Kathy will be on hand Thursday and Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Carlisle Expo Center and auction to tell her story, thank the dealer donors, accept campaign donations while at the auction and encourage people to bid on the cars at Spring Carlisle positioned on the fairgrounds.

For details on Spring Carlisle, visit www.CarlisleEvents.com, call 717-243-7855 or to learn more about Kathy Hawkins’ campaign, check out www.teamkathyforthecure.com.

What began as a mid-size replacement for Buick’s Century and Regal sedans in 2004 (for the 2005 model year), the 2017 LaCrosse begins its third generation as the Tri-Shield badge’s flagship vehicle.

Fully redesigned in 2010 and upmarketed as a full-size premium sedan, LaCrosse has been redesigned again for 2017 with a striking, all-new demeanor, sophisticated technologies and more-responsive performance. Longer, lower and wider than the previous model, the 2017 LaCrosse is built on a stronger, yet lighter structure. It is about 300 pounds lighter than Gen-Two, thanks largely to the use of press-hardened, high-strength steels, which contributes to greater efficiency and more responsive handling. There is also the introduction of “the new face of Buick,” which is influenced by new grille design with a large opening distinguished by the return of a three-color -- red, silver and blue -- Buick Tri-Shield insignia, accented by wing-shaped elements set against darkened waterfall grille bars.

But the new LaCrosse is more than just looks and added tech. The luxury sedan is now powered by a new 3.6-liter V-6 engine paired to a new eight-speed automatic transmission, featuring Stop/Start and Active Fuel Management. This set-up allows the V-6 to operate as a four-cylinder in many conditions.

Once marketed to the 65-70-year-old audience, Buick’s average customer age has dropped to 59, and LaCrosse hits that target by providing all the quietness and luxury that more experienced drivers require, while trending well with younger purchasers who demand high-tech, connectivity, safety, comfort and power to spare in a luxury package.

Vehicle highlights over four trim ranges include IntelliLink® with a frameless 8-inch-diagonal color touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay; Android Auto and OnStar 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot integration (standard on all trims); a remote vehicle starter system and keyless open and start (standard on all trims); high-intensity discharge headlamps and LED signature lighting; LED taillamps, and the Teen Driver feature (standard on all trims) that allows parents to set controls, review driving habits and encourage safe driving habits even when they are not in the vehicle.

The dark finish version of the Buick waterfall grille bisected by a chrome bar with the three-color version of the Buick logo comes boldly at you in an elegant, forward-motion vehicle design that measures 197.5 inches in length, 73.5 inches in width and 57.5 inches in height on a 114.4-inch wheelbase. The La Crosse weighs in at 3840 lbs. curbweight for AWD.

Inside, the exterior elegance is paid off with interior lavishness, comforts, tech and quietness. With available leather, upgraded sound systems, connectivity, wireless charging and climate system, as well as the new lumbar massaging feature on certain trims, LaCrosse delivers what most buyers want in their luxury sedans.

Interior measurements are a bit tight for taller drivers at 38.4 inches of front headroom without sunroof and 37.2 inches in the rear; legroom is comfortable at 42 inches in row one and 40 inches for rear passengers; and shoulder room affords 57.7 inches up front and 55.1 in row two.

Safety is attended to with 10 standard air bags – including two knee air bags for front passengers; standard rear-vision camera; Forward Collision Alert, Following Distance Indicator and Safety Alert Seat, as well as several additional available safety packages.

From a power perspective, Buick LaCrosse muscles up with a 3.6-liter V-6 DOHC VVT engine with direct injection that delivers 310 hp and 282 lbs.-ft. of torque. Rated at 20mpg/city and 29mpg/highway for AWD, my test LaCrosse Premium averaged 23.3mpg in mixed-use driving.

On the highway, LaCrosse accelerated smoothly and predictably, handled well, showed minimal torque steer, cornered with aplomb and leveled road imperfections as expected from a luxury sedan.

On the track, the 3.6-liter showed a broad torque curve and finished off a zero-to-60mph sprint in 6.2 seconds during a brisk 14.7-second quarter-mile –that’s a half-second faster than my last test ride in a Gen-Two LaCrosse.

Available in four trims, the base LaCrosse starts at $32,990; the LaCrosse Preferred trim adds a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, SiriusXM radio and a cargo net and starts at $36,990; the LaCrosse Essence adds leather-appointed seating, heated front seats, memory settings for two drivers, auto-dimming rearview mirror and articulating headlamps and starts at $38,590; and the top-of-the-line LaCrosse Premium trim adds a heated steering wheel, 4-way lumbar with massage front seats, head-up display, Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Safety Alert Seat, and starts at $41,990.

My test Buick LaCrosse Premium added AWD for $2,200; Quicksilver Metallic exterior paint added $395 and was matched to Ebony perforated leather inside; Driver Confidence Package #2 added adaptive cruise control, automatic park assist, front automatic braking and front pedestrian detection for $1690; the Sights and Sounds Package added Buick IntelliLink® Radio with Navigation and Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound for $1145; a rear lip spoiler added $415; cool chrome air vents on the front quarter panels added $495; custom molded splash guards added $300; premium carpeted floor mats added $190 and Destination Freight Charges of $925 put the sticker-as-tested at $48,820.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

Dodge knows the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals is a big deal. Nearly 3,000 car owners and 52,000+ guests know the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals is a big deal. So, based on that data alone, it’s unanimous; the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals is a big deal! This 2017 edition of the event runs July 14-16 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and not only celebrates all things Mopar, it offers up the world’s largest all-Mopar themed swap meet. Oh, and in case three days of this event isn’t enough, there’s another show happening just across the street at the Carlisle Expo Center too (more on that to come).

Chrysler weekend has been an annual tradition for Mopar lovers since 1991 and the show and the enthusiasm that surrounds it grows annually. This year’s fun includes a handful of special displays, guests and a showcase from Dodge on its latest and greatest products.

For as much as guests come to mingle with each other and look at the cool cars, many come because of the swap meet. The massive layout is THE perfect outlet for enhancing or restoring any piece of Mopar history and the reality is, if it can’t be found within the Chrysler Nationals swap meet, it doesn’t exist. From original to aftermarket, rare to exotic and more, vendors within the swap area have every single guest covered with something specific to their Mopar passions.

Who can ignore the decades of beauty on-site too with the nearly 3,000 car showfield? This year honors 100 years of the Dodge/Ram truck brand as well as 50 years of the RO/WO Super Stocks, GTX and R/T. In addition, there is a unique and must-see Panther Pink/Moulin Rouge (FM3) display. This showcase brings the pinkest cars in the universe to Carlisle and guests of all ages will love it! To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Viper, as well as the end of production, there will be a special Viper display on the showfield.

Cars don’t just look good at Carlisle, they go fast too. Dodge is coming with some of its freshest, hottest rides like the all-new Demon, the Hellcat and more. By popular demand, Dodge brings its drag and drift rides to the track at Carlisle, while Carlisle Events supports the burnout contest.

There’s even a way for guests to better their rides, all while enjoying the show. As part of the manufacturers midway, on-site installations take place on exhaust systems, making the sweet sound of weekend that much sweeter, performance parts installs, tunes and more.

Finally, Chrysler weekend gives guests two shows for the price of one. All-new for 2017, the Carlisle Hurst Nationals takes place at the neighboring Carlisle Expo Center. Some of the guests from that event, such as Linda Vaughn and Bob Riggle will appear on the fairgrounds to meet guests, sign autographs and more.

It all starts July 14 and registration details as well as links to purchase tickets are available now at www.CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.

Carlisle Auctions’ star shines bright four times a year and in just a few days, April 20-22 at the Carlisle Expo Center, the glow will be very noticeable as the auction team prepares for its first ever three-day collector car auction. The auction itself runs in conjunction with Spring Carlisle and with 100,000 guests converging on central Pennsylvania from around the world, there will be no hotter spot over three days than the expo center for the auction.

By popular demand, Carlisle Auctions has expanded its offering from two days to three in 2017 for its Carlisle based auctions. The new three-day format allows for even more cars, more people and more excitement. Some 500+ consignments are planned, including classics spanning all eras of production, collectibles, memorabilia and even a few items that will see money go to local charities and/or those in need.

With so many cars crossing the block, it’s hard to call out every single one, but a few that stand out include a 1961 Chrysler New Yorker, 1969 Yenko Camaro and a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. In addition to those, one car draw a lot of attention. Consigned as part of this year’s Spring Carlisle Auction is a 1968 Dodge Charger that was used as part of the Fast and Furious movie franchise. Screen used as a stunt and green screen car for Fast 4 and Fast 5, this Charger saw movie stars Vin Diesel and the late Paul Walker filmed inside of it. With this pedigree and the new Fast 8 movie in theatres over auction weekend, it should be one of the top selling cars of the weekend.

The New Yorker is ultra-rare and in excellent condition. Finished in tuxedo black with a black and white interior, this car includes swivel front bucket seats, power steering, brakes and factory air. Best of all, it’s powered by a 413-cubic inch V-8. A car like this is a must have for any collection. Fast forward eight years and Carlisle Auctions offers two more gems, this time from 1969. First, one of the rarest Chevrolet Camaro’s built by Don Yenko. This Camaro is a factory Z/28 X77 car that retains all its original components, including those that Yenko installed in 1969. It is a factory Cortez Silver color with black rally stripes and was ordered with radio delete and no console. The final of three featured cars is another gem from ’69, a Ford Mustang “R Code” Mach 1. The Mach 1 has matching numbers and a 428-cubic inch Cobra Jet power plant under the hood. The quality of this restoration must be seen to be believed. Along with the aforementioned consignments, hundreds more will be available starting around 2 p.m. on April 20.

Complete details on Carlisle Auctions can be found at www.CarlisleAuctions.com or by calling 717-960-6400. On the web are links and information for consigning a vehicle, becoming a bidder, a link to buy spectator tickets and a photo gallery of most of the vehicles that are consigned to the auction.