FIAT CLUB AMERICA – DFW CHAPTER: SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER
These are the last few days to order a club polo.
I will place the order on September 5th, so you need to submit your order and pay by midnight September 4th. Expect shirts to arrive 2-3 weeks later.
Cost: $30/shirt. Please specify number wanted, size, and male or female.
You can pay by:
Venmo: @Michael-Brenner-70
Last 4 of phone number: 4418
Zelle: tazilon2003@yahoo.com
NEXT CLUB ACTIVITY:
September 6th: Italian CarFest
Nash Farm
626 Ball St. Grapevine, tX
Join us at the largest Italian car show in north Texas! There will be music, food and beverage on site.
9:00AM: Enter the show field
10:00AM – 2:30PM – Car show
2:30PM-3:00PM - Awards presentation
REGISTRATION CLOSES midnight September 2nd!
Registration is required. Register here:
https://tickets.grapevineticketline.com/tickets/italiancarfest-registration-2025
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THE WINNER’S CIRCLE:
If you place in a car show, autocross, track event, etc, (or get put on a calendar!) email me at dfwfiatclubfca@gmail.com and let me know so we can include you in The Winner’s Circle!
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STELLANTIS NEWS:
1. Stellantis announced it is building a 420,000 square foot MOPAR parts distribution center in Forsyth, GA. The center will use robots to get parts and humans to package and ship them.
2. How many of you know what “MOPAR” means? According to the same Stellantis press release announcing the Forsyth parts distribution center, “MOPAR” is a combination of the words “motor parts”. MOtor PARts = MOPAR.
3. New Stellantis CEO, Antonio Filosa, is expected to announce his plans for Stellantis moving forward in early 2026. With Stellantis stock down 40% on Wall Street over just the last 12 months, expect some major changes.
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BRAND NEWS:
Alfa Romeo:
1. Chris Feuell, head of Alfa in the US, says the 2026 Tonale will offer a new trim level called the Sport Speciale. The Sport Speciale trim will add to the Veloce package and include special paint and trim. According to Feuell, if the Sport Speciale proves popular, it will be offered on the upcoming Giulia and Stelvio, as well.
2. Complete first half figures are in. Compared to the first half of 2024, Alfa Romeo sales grew by 20% globally, led by increases of over 50% in both the UK and France. Sales declined in North America.
Fiat:
The Granda Panda officially hit the market in the UK September 1st. The 2025 Auto Express Supermini of the Year winner comes with both EV and hybrid power trains. The base hybrid will cost ~$24,000(US) while the EV version sells for as low as ~$26,000(US). Both price points are quite aggressive, with the Grande Panda E being the least expensive EV in its group of competition.
Lancia:
A Ypsilon Rally4 HF, driven by Craigh Rahill just won the Barum Rally in Czechoslovakia. This marks the first rally victory for the car in a European Championship. Rumors persist that Lancia is developing a Rally2 version of the vehicle and will return to World Rally Championship in 2027. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirms Lancia is one of the companies he has been talking to about joining WRC when their new technical rules go into effect in 2027.
Maserati:
Other than a Maserati owner being busted for having 86 cans of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) in his car yesterday in southern California, news on the Maserati front was remarkably quiet in August.
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NATIONAL FIAT CLUB AMERICA NEWS:
The club’s national election cycle is underway. Nominations for Officers and Board of Directors are open until September 14th. If you would like to run for President, Secretary, or Board of Director (3 seats are open), or you would like to nominate someone to one of those positions, email your nomination to Tim Beeble at: secretary@fiatclubamerica.com
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DFW CHAPTER NEWS:
Our October event is karting at the Dallas Karting Complex in Caddo Mills. Unlike most of our events, you need to RSVP to dfwfiatclubfca@gmail.com and let me know you will attend. If we have 10 people or more commit to going, we can get a discount rate. If we get 10+ commits, I will have you pay via Zelle or Venmo. Under 10, we will pay as we go at the track.
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Italian CarFest next weekend is one the biggest events we go to every year. I hope to see a lot of you there. If you don’t plan on showing a vehicle, you can come, hang out, and spectate for free. We managed to squeeze into the latter stages of summer without Texas punishing us too badly and it looks like a lot of great driving weather ahead for our vintage and modern owners alike. I hope to see you all on the road over the next several weeks when you
GET OUT AND DRIVE!
Michael “Tazilon” Brenner, President
Fiat Club America – DFW Chapter
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SPONSORS:
Park Cities Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat – We are still getting a 15% discount on parts, labor, and service. Unlike before (where you had to ask for a specific service advisor), you can now let any service advisor know you are in the club to receive the discount.
Drop Top Tees - An online Spreadshirt shop with T-shirts, and V-necks for 124 Spiders, Abarth 124s, Classic 124s, Fiat 500s, X1/9s, Giulias, and some especially for the DFW Fiat Club! https://droptoptees.myspreadshop.com/
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----2025 CALENDAR----
AUGUST
23RD: Breakfast Meet Up at Norma’s Café
17721 Dallas Pkwy, Dallas, TX
Beat the Texas Heat with this morning meet up.
8:30AM: Meet up in the parking lot
9:00AM: Move inside for some scrumptious breakfast.
Norma's Cafe: https://www.normascafe.com/
SEPTEMBER
6TH: Italian CarFest
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN HERE: https://tickets.grapevineticketline.com/.../italiancarfes...
NOTE: Scammers are posting on Facebook claiming you should register through them. The ONLY place you can register is at the above link.
Italian CarFest (ICF) is the largest all Italian car show in north Texas. Held at the historic Nash Farm, it is one of the kickoff events for the City of Grapevine’s annual GrapeFest. From Ferraris to Fiats, Lamborghinis to DeLorean, Alfa Romeos, Lancias, Maseratis, Moto Guzzis, Vespas and marques you may have never heard of, the ICF has something for every Italian motor enthusiast.
There will be music, food, drink, and security on site.
The Italian Car Club of North Texas and the City of Grapevine combine to host the event.
Stay abreast of this event here: https://www.italiancarfest.org/
The show field opens for early birds at 8AM, although most people arrive between 9AM and 10AM.
The car show will run from 10AM to 2:30PM with awards handed out shortly after 2:30PM.
OCTOBER
25TH: Go Kart Racing at the Dallas Karting Complex
5025 FM 1565, North Caddo Mills, TX
We will meet at 1PM at the track.
Cost :
$5.00 Maintenance fee (good for all race sessions that day)
$4.00 head sock if you use their helmets
$30 per 10 minute race session
NOTE:
If we have 10+ people commit, we can get a package deal that includes the extra fees for $30/person. We could also bump up to 2 races for $50/person.
Axe throwing sessions are also available to purchase on site.
Please RSVP to dfwfiatclubfca@gmail.com if interested. Unlike most of our events, we need a hard number of attendees to get the package deals.
NOVEMBER
15TH: Fort Richardson Living History Day
Join us and take a step back in history to life on the Texas frontier.
Ft Richardson State Park will have re-enactors giving visitors a glimpse of live in a north Texas fort during the Civil War and Indian War Periods.
We will start the day off meeting up at the Buc-ees near Texas Motor Speedway, then caravan to Yesterday's 50s Diner in Bridgeport, TX for lunch.
Lunch menu: https://yesterdays50sdiner.com/menu
After lunch, we will cruise to Ft Richardson.
9:30AM: Meet up at Buc-ees. 15901 N Freeway, Ft Worth, TX
10:00AM: Short driver's meeting.
10:10AM: Depart for Yesterday's. (38.2 miles, ~ 40 minutes)
10:50AM: Arrive Yesterday's 50s Diner 305 US-380 Bridgeport, TX
11:00AM: Move inside for lunch.
12:00PM: Depart for Ft Richardson (25.8 miles, ~ 28 minutes)
12:30PM: Arrive Ft Richardson
NOTE: Some of you coming from north of the metroplex may wish to meet us at Yesterday's. Try to be there before 11AM. Our goal is to move inside and eat as soon as Yesterday's opens.
Ft Richardson Day Use Pass:
$4.00 per adult (13 y/o and up)
Free - under 13 y/o
If you already have a season pass for Texas state parks, admission is free.
The Living History Day events are FREE with a paid Day Use Pass.
DECEMBER
13TH?: Annual Toy Run With Ferrari Club America – DFW Chapter
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Tazilon Brenner
DFW Chapter Leader
FCA Board of Directors