OPEL IN THE ROUGH

The International Route 66 Mother Road Festival and Car Show is one of Springfi eld’s biggest attractions, bringing more than 1,000 show cars and an estimated 80,000 spectators downtown each September for the last 12 years. This year, the car show will feature a special treat: The Opel Motorsports Club, based in California, is holding its 2013 National Meet in Springfi eld in conjunction with the Mother Road Festival, bringing this rare (in America) sporty German brand to downtown. Opel started out making sewing machines in 1862, then branched out to bicycles and eventually to cars and trucks. Now owned by America’s General Motors, Opel-branded cars haven’t been sold in the U.S. since about 1975, though some Opel designs are adapted and released here under GM-owned domestic brands like the Buick Regal, Saturn Vue and Cadillac Catera. The OMC National Meet will bring at least 35 members of the club to Springfi eld, along with their cars like the Opel Manta, Senator and GT. OMC last held its national meet here in 2007. The International Route 66 Mother Road Festival and Car Show runs Sept. 27-29 in Springfi eld’s downtown. For more information, visit www.route66fest.com.