One of the country’s biggest (and arguably most unique) automotive festivals will make its way to the Valley this December, with FuelFest set to take place at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park on Saturday, Dec. 4 in Chandler.
FuelFest—an immersive automotive festival created by Cody Walker (brother to the late Fast & Furious star, Paul Walker) and Chris Lee—combines the power of music, cars and community into a singularly special experience which features everything from a precision driving skills showcase and drift exhibition, to drag racing, art displays and a collection of over 600 exotic and rare cars.
While the festival is now in its third year, Walker is particularly excited to bring the showcase out to to the Valley’s car community.
“The western United States is just so rich in car culture. In the Valley, you have household names like Barrett Jackson and there’s just such an eclectic collection of cars out here. All genres are so well represented,” Walker told Fabulous Arizona via a phone interview. “And FuelFest is special because it’s more than just a car show. It’s accessible by anybody [and] it’s an experience. You have drifting, you have drag racing, you have a lot of really cool exhibitions that are going on. So, you’re getting to see the sights, while also getting to smell the smells and feel the rumble of an engine up-close.”
While Walker grew up around cars, he admits that he was granted a unique exposure to the automotive world through his brother’s work in the Fast & Furious franchise.
It’s through FuelFest that Walker has been able to bring his appreciation for cars to life in a whole new way—all while continuing to honor Paul’s legacy, in the process.
“Paul was a huge influence to so many people around the world—so many people that never even had the chance to meet him. Me being the youngest of three brothers, his legacy is something that I take extremely seriously—it’s a huge responsibility. I’m honored to be entrusted to carry it on and to do it through this,” says Walker.
Over the last few years, Walker has played host to a number of world-class car shows all over the world—with many aiming to support Reach Out WorldWide (ROWW), the nonprofit charity founded by Paul (and continued by Cody) that works to fill the gap between the availability of skilled resources in post-disaster situations.
Beyond live music, great food, a can’t-miss car exhibition and appearances by Walker and actor Tyrese Gibson (among many others), a portion of the proceeds from Chandler’s FuelFest automotive festival will be donated to ROWW.
As for other surprises that attendees can get excited for, Walker only teased so much.
“I have a lot of awesome friends that are well known in car culture and that come out to these shows, so people might see their favorite personalities or celebrities at one of these FuelFest events. They’re also going to experience drag racing, drifting and just a lot of really cool stuff that you’re just not going to see at a typical car show. Because again, this isn’t just a car show–it’s a festival that celebrates all things automotive.”
The FuelFest automotive festival will take place at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park on Saturday, Dec. 4 in Chandler. Gates open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 4.
Event information, car registration and tickets can be found at www.FuelFest.com, as well as on social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.