Car Fest speeding into Horizon West

Horizon West resident Eric Jacky, now 48, remembers wishing for a Corvette by the time he was 40 years old — a dream he documented in his high school memory book in Idaho. 

Only a year ago, Jacky was able to fulfill his dream. He purchased a gray, red and black 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray for him and his 16-year-old son, Alex, a professional race-car driver, to enjoy.

Now, the father and son duo is working to make other car enthusiasts’ dreams come true with the creation of the Horizon West Car Fest.

The second Car Fest will have a holiday theme and take place on Saturday, Dec. 17, in Hamlin.

FESTIVAL FORMATION

Eric Jacky’s earliest memory of a car show was one he said he would never forget. 

At only 12 years old, he remembers seeing a Ferrari for the first time.

“I remember being in such awe, and then that was it,” Eric Jacky said. “That’s all it took. I was hooked.”

After the purchase of his dream car, Eric and Alex Jacky began dressing up the car and taking it to local shows before coming up with the idea of creating their own show.

“I thought a car show would be a great place for people of all ages to hang out and see cars that maybe they’ll never get to own — but at least see them, and dream,” Eric Jacky said. “Those dreams kept me going and resulted in my own car. I think the shows are great and a fun community of people. They’re a way to get kids inspired to work hard and do something big someday.”

Eric Jacky began working with Boyd Development in spring 2021 to plan the first show, which took place in September with about 200 cars. However, the event was only open for a little over an hour before it was rained out.

Unlike most car shows, Eric and Alex Jacky knew they wanted the car show not to be categorized — and to welcome anyone with an excitement or interest in cars. 

“We wanted to do a different type of show and have it be specifically for kids to come and hang out and enjoy the cars,” Eric Jacky said. “We wanted to create more of a festival aspect for families to attend instead of shows that typically cater to just the car owners.”

Another unique aspect of the car show is that there are no designated areas for parking, allowing makes and models to mix.

“This sounds corny, but this way seems more like America to me,” Eric Jacky said. “Everybody is coming together (who) loves cars. I don’t care what kind of car you like, but the fact that we all have this similar interest and can enjoy this together is what makes it special.”

Because of the planning, time and finances it takes to put together the shows, the event is currently a quarterly happening.

December’s event will include a Toys for Tots drive. Locals are asked to bring an unwrapped and unopened toy for children in need. The Jackys will collect the toys and take them to a drop-off location at the Lakewalk at Hamlin apartment complex, behind the Cinépolis.

In addition, Santa Claus will arrive in a red convertible Corvette, Christmas music will be abundant, local vendors will be present and sponsor booths will be available such as Ford’s Garage, Horizon West Happenings and Home State Brewing.

The holiday event is anticipated to bring 200 to 300 people to the Hamlin area. 

The next Car Fest will take place in the spring with a Go Kart race following. People who want to participate will head over to Orlando Kart Center together. 

“I remember feeling like I was going to be trapped in the small town I grew up in forever,” Eric Jacky said. “I don’t want any kid to ever feel like there’s nothing to do on the weekends.”

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Although the Car Fest is new, Eric Jacky’s passion for people is not. 

In Idaho, Eric Jacky had organized a major recycling drive for city festivals, been involved in city government and even started a camera club.

“I’ve always felt the need to provide my community with something,” Eric Jacky said. “I don’t have money that I can donate to make something nice and beautiful, and I’m not a rocket scientist, but for whatever reason, I can organize stuff well. I just want to make sure that our community has something nice. Our area is getting too big to not have something around cars — especially with the car culture continuously growing. There’s nothing I love more than putting kids in my car. A lot of car owners don’t do it but if a child takes a particular interest in my car I give them the opportunity to sit in it … you see their faces just light up. You cannot imagine the power of doing that little gesture for a kid.”

The Jacky family moved from Boise, Idaho, to Horizon West in 2011. 

Growing up in a small town in eastern Idaho, Eric Jacky said he knew Orlando was the perfect place to get his son involved in racing, a hobby Alex Jacky discovered at just 3 years old. 

“My grandad got me an electric go kart, and they put me in it to go around the cul de sac,” Alex Jacky said. “I was the only kid who wouldn’t take my hand off the throttle.”

Even earlier on in his life, Alex Jacky was around race cars since he was only 6 months old; he began racing karts professionally by age 7. His first competition was on the weekend of his eighth birthday. 

“Going fast is fun, especially at a young age,” Alex Jacky shared. “I get to have fun with friends, and I have something to do on the weekends.”

One of Alex Jacky’s biggest accomplishments was being awarded a full Florida Prepaid University Scholarship during the spring 2019 OGP Series Opener banquet for his 2018 race season efforts. He accumulated the most points in his Mini Rok class over the spring and fall season, attended every race and maintained a 3.5 GPA.

Every weekend for years, the two traveled together throughout Florida, but the enjoyment was cut short when the pandemic shut down Alex Jacky’s last year of karting when he was 14 years old. 

Since then, Alex Jacky, who attends Windermere High School, has begun to make the jump to professional race car driving at age 16. 

In addition to the purchase of a Spec Miata for racing, Alex Jacky has started the second of his two businesses, 130R Motorsport.  

As an authorized Motul reseller, he will be working with his network of super car owners to “put the finest product on the market into some of the finest driving machines on the planet,” according to his website. 

The father-son duo both said cars have brought them close. 

“Even outside cars, I think we would be super close, but cars give us something to do together where we can talk and just spend time together,” Alex Jacky said. “When it comes to racing — we’ve never been on a team or anything, so it’s always just been us two working together.”

For Eric Jacky, it’s about how many different things the two can get involved with and work toward together, not just now, but for the rest of their lives.

Currently, the two are focusing on funding and business development for Alex’s brand.

“People say, ‘Well, you pushed him to be in cars,’ and I always say, ‘Well, I gave him the opportunity to be in cars,’” Eric Jacky said. “He fell in love with it. He chooses to be involved in it. He could easily choose to just be in his room playing video games all day, but here he is every weekend talking about cars. I only get him for so long. I know he’s not going to hang out with us forever. I value every second of this time, and the Car Fest gives us the opportunity to do that.”