Montreal-based drag racing proponent John Scotti may very well be Canada’s most prominent “gear head”….
The auto dealership magnate has for sure had both impact and influence within the Canadian drag racing scene. While maybe being best known within our quarter-mile community as founder of the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame and also for a series of high payout Stock/Super Stock Shootout events — there is much more to this story and much more to come.
Without question – Montreal’s John Scotti continues to play a pacemaker role within Canada’s drag racing scene.
Scotti will be upping the anti yet again this coming spring when his John Scotti Classic Cars facility, which is presently undergoing a very major expansion and upgrade is completed. In conjunction with that, John’s company plans to host an exciting and creative opening, which will also fully embrace the Canadian drag racing community.
Back in 2013, John Scotti did host his first ever Canadian version Drag Racing Reunion and that idea is going to be exemplified for 2019.
“We are making plans to host a Drag Racing Reunion II event,” John confirmed. “We are going to present that with the grand opening of our new John Scotti Classic Cars facility — this coming spring. The exact date is still TBA — because we don’t want to schedule it in conflict with any major races. We are going to invite Linda Vaughn back and as well as all the members of the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame.”
The event will also be open to the general public as potential John Scotti Classic Cars customers will be able to view the truly amazing facility (located at 4475 Metropolitan E Montreal) for the first time. And trust me, that opportunity is something you should pencil in some time for.
The planned 100,000 square foot facility will house approximately 300 cars at any given time. That inventory, which is nothing but rare, speciality built and muscle cars, will migrate as all cars on display are for sale. It might be fair to compare the John Scotti Classic Cars facility to say a Barrett Jackson — albeit will be a six days a week operation and not an auction.
This state of the art facility will have an incredible inventory to choose from and it also includes a full service centre designed for after sales support. With a big emphasis on classic and modern day North American muscle cars, prices will range (depending on the year/model/rarity involved) starting around $50,000 and potentially into the $ millions.
The John Scotti Classic Cars facility is for sure the crown jewel of John Scotti’s amazing career path in automotive sales, which dates back to 1975. Without going into a multitude of details on the many and vast dimensions of that — we did find one aspect pretty intriguing. That would be John’s personal touch – for each and every car involved.
“At this point for me – the thrill is in the hunt,” John explained. “I don’t sell any cars — my company does that. I just buy them. For John Scotti Classic Cars — it is I that searches out and buys 100% of the cars involved — individual cars and also collections. My job is to travel all around the world doing this. If I get a lead —I go — and I’m always on call searching for cars. For me I guess it’s kind of like being a big game hunter (he grinned).”
The dimensions to John’s group of companies is vast — including owning the world’s oldest Lambourgini and Lotus brand dealerships, to name just a couple of sidelights. Within all that involvement, John Scotti has an amazing personal car collection (models that are not for sale). And for drag racing fans, it there that I think comes the real jaw dropper — it includes a complete trifecta for factory released drag racing only models from each and every year’s production of the Chevrolet COPO, Ford Cobra Jet and Dodge Drag Pak — from inception and without exception (!)
Last August John Scotti hosted his 3rd edition Stock/Super Stock Shootout event during NHRA’s National Open event at Toronto Motorsports Park. Here he helps Saturday’s event winner Wally Clark celebrate.
DragRaceCanada will post more information on the upcoming John Scotti Classic Cars Grand Re-opening & Drag Reunion II event as that migrates and develops.
….Just a peek at some of the machines coagulating prior to the grand opening of the new John Scotti Classic Cars facility in Montreal this coming spring….
Post and photos by Bruce Biegler
