Italian luxury, performance, and design has been epitomized by Ferrari ever since that 125S, 1500 cc. 12-cylinder won its first victory in the Rome Grand Prix in 1947. Named after Enzo Ferrari (b. 1898, Modena, Italy), the prancing horse logo symbolizes “Italian excellence that makes the world dream.” Decades of racing success has created a loyal following, revved by state-of-the-art Ferrari factories, museum, and theme parks attracting millions of enthusiasts worldwide.
The Ferrari Club of Kansas City is among its aficionados. This local chapter was formed within the Rocky Mountain Region nearly 20 years ago by co-founder Christopher M. Parr, now Rocky Mountain regional director. Today, the chapter sports 83 members, and Parr estimates that 200 Ferraris can be sighted within a 175-mile radius of KC.
“Whether young or old, Ferrari owner or not, members share a common passion for Ferrari,” says Parr, along with current president and friend Ryan Anderson of Overland Park. “Our monthly activities include social, touring, and track events to enhance driving skills and automobile knowledge. We’re one of the most active chapters in the Ferrari Club of America, hosting up to 36 events per year—mostly family-friendly to include our spouses and children.”
Anderson, owner of Elevated Electronics, was introduced to the Ferrari Club in 2011 through a business client. “Since then,” Anderson says, “it’s been a wonderful ride of close friends and beautiful cars.”
Anderson has owned a 2004 360 Spider, 2013 California, and 2017 488GTB. He’s attended multiple Formula One and other racing events, saying: “Ferrari’s attention to detail and obsession with perfection really resonates with me.”
Parr has owned seven Ferraris over the past 23 years, including a 308 GTB, 348TB, 355GTB, 365GTB/4, F40, 550 Maranello and a 599 GTB. (His wife owns a 246 Dino GT.)
Parr has enjoyed a 38-year career in banking and wealth management that has allowed him to make several treks to the Ferrari factory in Italy and attend the Grand Prix and Ferrari Challenge races.
“Ferrari is the last purebred sports/racing car company,” Parr says. “In recent years, new exotic cars have hit the market, offering incredible performance, but none has the history and pedigree of Ferrari.”
Anderson says a common trait among Ferrari Club members is their drive for excellence: “Almost all are Type A personalities. You’ll notice engineers and radiologists are drawn to the cars because of this obsession with perfection.”
But that doesn’t mean they’re not down-to-earth. They drive their Ferraris to work, to Wal-Mart, and lend them to friends or community events.
“There’s no competing among members to be the most impressive or pretentious. It’s just real people with a common hobby,” Anderson says.
Parr agrees that the relationships have been the true joy of the club, evidenced by his commitment to the annual Crescent Classic Ferrari Rally he created in 2004. As the most respected Ferrari road rally in North America, it was recently recognized in a Ferrari ceremony in Maranello, Italy and featured in leading Ferrari publications and on national TV with many F1 drivers participating in the rally over the years. Parr says he and his wife and team spend 18 months planning the Crescent Classic which will be a six-day driving event in Paris, Arkansas this year.
The Ferrari Club is often requisitioned to provide cars for special events. Anderson says members give back to the community “constantly and generously, locally and globally.”
“I’ve allowed employees to use the Ferrari for birthday parties, and I encourage my neighbors to pick up their kids from school in it,” Anderson says. “I truly enjoy sharing with all those who have a passion for the cars.”
“Kansas City is lucky to have such a strong and thriving car community. It’s really not all about the cars as much as it is spending time with old friends, making new friends and going for a long drive.” —Christopher M. Parr, Rocky Mountain Regional Director
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