It isn’t often an event brings together such a seemingly disparate group of car enthusiasts. But then, an advance screening of the Furious 7 isn’t an everyday occurrence. The BMW CCA National Capital Chapter was pleased to be part of an exclusive benefit held at ArcLight Cinemas in Bethesda, Maryland, on Thursday, April 2.
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Co-hosted by KU Connection and Timeless Motor Group, the event raised over $17,000 for ROWW, Reach Out World Wide, a charity organization founded by late actor and car enthusiast Paul Walker, one of the stars’ of the Fast and Furious films. ROWW is a network of first responder professionals who pitch in when and wherever natural disasters strike in order to provide humanitarian relief. Paul Walker died tragically in a car accident part way through filming of this latest installment in the Fast and Furious film series.
The evening kicked off with a vehicle exhibit, showcasing a number of exotics and modified performance cars by area car owners. Many of the cars on display have been featured in car magazines and were celebrities in their own right. Corner Bakery provided sandwiches and desserts on the top level of ArcLight’s parking deck.
Some of the cars in the lineup included Aston Martins, a Bentley, and a BMW i8 owned by a club member. Club member Harold Atkins’ bright yellow number nine of only ten existing Callaway C16s, was a show stopper. Mark Aquino brought his 2010 Mitsubishi Evo X with racing mods. Rico Clark’s silver 2008 BMW 535i was another beautiful car that had been extensively modified.
Two great looking BMWs from Timeless Motor Group included Chase Donnelly’s RRT 328Ci E46 show vehicle, with the world’s only SRS-Tec rear bumper with quad outlet and carbon fiber diffuser, and Edison Hwang’s Rolloface M3 Red Dragon featured at SEMA 2014. Both have been winners of best in show at various notable car events.
In the movie theater lobby, the red carpet had been rolled out with a step and repeat backdrop for professional photo-ops. A reception with open-bar was in full swing. Attendees were treated to a complimentary ticket for unlimited popcorn and movie snacks.
Sponsors of the invite-only event included the Four Seasons Hotel of Washington DC, RRT, Exclusive Automotive (Rolls Royce, McLaren, and Bentley), and BMW ExcluService. Nearly 600 people attended, of which 280 were National Capital Chapter members.
Raffle prize winners were announced prior to the film screening. Ryan Lackey won a Four Seasons weekend hotel stay with club member/CCA Street Survival ‘hero of the year’ Rafael Garces bagging a BMW ExcluService gift certificate.
The film paid a fitting homage to Paul Walker. As Chase Donnelly of Timeless Motor Group so eloquently put it, ‘at day’s end, as said in Furious 7, we’re not friends, we’re family’ and ‘our bonds stretch far beyond the metal, carbon, and leather in the vehicles’.—Anna Maripuu
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