Mecum’s First Tennessee Auction at Nashville Superspeedway Brings Folks Together After Legislators Clear the Path

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet and speak with Dave Magers, CEO of Mecum Auctions, as the company brought its inaugural Nashville collector-car auction to Nashville Superspeedway.

Magers has led Mecum since 2013 and brings more than 40 years of experience to the role. I was proud to cosponsor the legislation that helped make this first Mecum auction in Tennessee possible. Senator Mark Pody and Iowa Rep. Jake McCalmon carried the bill that cleared the way for the event. They chose Nashville Superspeedway as the venue, and Mark called to share that the early numbers coming in from Mecum had already exceeded expectations.

The Sept. 22–26 auction featured an estimated 1,750 collector vehicles that crossed the block, including 17 distinctive collections spanning everything from early automobiles to muscle cars and modern supercars. While a formal county-by-county economic-impact study has not yet been released, the five-day event generated significant visitor spending across Middle Tennessee. Wilson County received the most direct benefit as host county, while Davidson and Rutherford counties saw additional activity in hotels, restaurants, entertainment, transportation, fuel, local labor, vehicle transport, and other services. The full impact is still being measured, but the auction presented a welcome opportunity for local businesses.

During my conversation with Dave I shared the story of selling my first car at 16. From ages 13 to 15 I worked for $1.50 an hour, walking to the Omni Hut Restaurant to earn the money to restore it. The paint job cost $300, the Cragar custom wheels cost $60, and reupholstering the front seats cost another $75. I later sold that car for a $1,000 profit—a pretty exciting business venture for a teenager.

I also told him about the legendary local historian Marty Luffman, who once ran me out of his State Farm office when I was 17 and looking for insurance on my red 1968 Camaro. Back then I swore I’d get revenge. Years later Marty walked into our former car business, and I thought my opportunity had finally arrived. I was ready to borrow a line from my late father, a World War II veteran: “Don’t let that door hit you in the @$$ on the way out!”

I paused and thought about what my Scotch-Irish Catholic mother would do. I chose to forgive him.

Forgiveness is often difficult—just sayin’. That’s part of what makes a collector-car event special. The cars bring back memories of our first jobs, youthful ambitions, and the lessons learned along the way.

I also shared with Dave about Eric Richey and his efforts on Route 66. These same threads of classic-car passion, personal history, and community impact connect to The Great American Road Rally: Celebrity Edition, a primetime television series premiering in September 2026 on The CW. The 12-episode series follows prominent television, film, and music personalities as they drive classic cars more than 2,000 miles along historic Route 66 to raise money for charity and celebrate the highway’s upcoming centennial.

Eric Richey, based in Tennessee, is the creator and executive producer. His classic-car restoration shop, Crusader Autoworks, teamed up with 7 Bridges Media Group and The CW to produce the cross-country rally. Erik Estrada, the iconic CHiPs star, returns to the asphalt as one of the featured celebrity drivers, raising money for Helping a Hero, which builds specially adapted homes for wounded veterans. John Schneider, best known as Bo Duke from The Dukes of Hazzard, is another headlining driver; an avid enthusiast who has traveled the Mother Road 11 times, he is driving alongside his wife, Dee Dee, to support local and national charities. The series is hosted by Ian Ziering and also features other pop-culture figures including John O’Hurley, Charlene Tilton, and Butch Patrick competing in distinct driving challenges.

It was a genuine pleasure to meet Dave Magers and to see Mecum’s first Tennessee auction take shape. The cars, the stories, and the economic activity they generated remind us why these events matter—both for the memories they revive and for the opportunities they create.