“We’re back, baby!” That seemed to be the mood at the annual gathering of the weird, the wonderful, and the wildly divergent. Otherwise known as the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals.

After a couple off years in the wake of the Covid pandemic, the crowds returned in full force to the Carlisle Fairgrounds in central Pennsylvania. According to the announcement we caught over the P.A. system on our way out, this year’s event saw record attendance.

The beauty of the Import Nationals, by comparison to other more singularity focused Carlisle events, is the diversity of cars and cultures. Where else can you see a range of classic and high-performance models from England, France, Italy, Sweden, Germany (East and West), Ireland, Yugoslavia, Australia, Japan, and Korea, along with some intermingled Americans?

The crowd is as equally diverse as the cars, with on-trend show cars mixing it up with period-correct ‘80s tuner rides and blue-chip classics. Cars with loud exhausts and popping wastegates roll past club tents with buffets, including the Rolls-Royce club with silver plates, champagne, and (presumably) Grey Poupon.

There were all the popular enthusiast cars you expect to see there: MGs and VWs, Hondas and Mazdas. But also a great many more lovable oddballs, mostly from France and Sweden. It’s always the sign of a good Carlisle Import event when the field is filled with Citroens, Renaults, Peugeots, Saabs and Volvos. And according to the Saab Club, more than 250 Saabs alone showed up, half of which appeared to be 900 Convertibles.

While European imports have typically dominated this event, it’s obvious Japanese classics are gaining acceptance across the board. From perfectly preserved early Civics and first-gen Miatas to high-end Japanese-market personal imports like the trio of V12 Toyota limousines on display, Japanese classic are a real thing.

As with all Carlisle events, there’s always so much else going on. Live bands, swap meet vendors, rolling exhaust contests. A true sign of the times is that the track time is now split between autocrossing (the old standby) and drifting.

It was honestly great to be back at Carlisle for an Import & Performance Nationals event that had the energy and vitality of its pre-Covid self. We’re hoping next year is even bigger and better.