December 30th, 2023
 Holiday Party, Bull Valley, IL:
Celebrate the holidays with your fellow NIFE members Kim Reck (‘87 electric Fiero and ‘88 Formula) and Michelle Lonnecker (‘88 Formula), at their beautiful home located at 116 S Valley Hill Rd, in Bull Valley, IL (near the intersection of Bull Valley Road and Valley Hill Road) on Saturday, December 30, 2023.
Kim, Michelle, and their friend Haley have been kind enough to open up their home for club members to share this holiday season. There are no gifts to bring; instead, we only ask that you bring a dessert to serve 5-6 people if your last name begins with the letters A through M, or, if your last name begins with the letters N through Z, bring an appetizer to serve 5-6 people.
A non-alcoholic punch will be served but feel free to bring your own drinks if you would prefer something different. This is an open house-style party, so feel free to arrive when you can and leave when you must from 5:00pm until 8:00pm.
Please RSVP to Mike Schmidt at oldskewled@yahoo.com no later than Friday, December 22, 2023, so we can plan for the number of guests who will be celebrating with us. Merry Christmas and
Happy Holidays to all!!
November 18th, 2023
 Winter Kick-Off Zoom Meeting - Fiero Suspension:
Register for the meeting at this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpcuuvqzsqHNfLD4vif_LJKnP7Ti3Vdqi7

After hitting those bumpy roads on the way to Pontiac, MI for the 40th Anniversary Celebration, many of us might be considering working on our suspensions. In light of that, we will start off our NIFE winter club meetings with a discussion led by Paul Smith, also known as Fiero Guru.

Paul Smith is a lifelong automotive performance enthusiast, and has been a Fiero owner and modifier since 1996. He is a military trained mechanic (63W), has a BS in Mechanical Engineering, MS in Technology with a focus on Continuous Improvement Methods and Quality Systems, and is a self-trained welder, metal fabricator, and machinist.

His creative outlet has been designing custom performance parts for his Fieros. In 2012, he started FieroGuru Performance, LLC, and now provides custom parts for engine, transmission, suspension, and brake upgrades.

 Paul will review upgrades that he has available on his website, FieroGuruPerformance.com, along with other parts that are sold by other Fiero vendors, such as Rodney Dickman (RodneyDickman.com), that he has helped design and fine tune with today’s technology and materials. Paul will also present some installation tips that might help you through your next upgrade.

Join us for this NIFE Club Meeting via Zoom on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 9:00am (CST). This event is scheduled to last 90 minutes.
October 28th, 2023
 Fall Color Tour:

This year's NIFE Fall Color Tour will be on Saturday, October 28, 2023. To begin our 1980s style adventure, meet at 9:30am at the Omega Restaurant 9100 West Golf Road, Niles, Il, 60714, and we will depart at 10:00am for a tour through the fictional town of Shermer! Famous Chicago movie director John Hughes, who made some of the most well-known and famous movies of the 1980s, came up with the idea at an early age that his movie characters would have known each other in the fictional town of Shermer.

The high school from the movie the Breakfast Club was called Shermer High, as was the high school in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. John has been quoted as saying, "Everybody, in all of my movies, is from Shermer, IL. Del Griffith from ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ lives two doors down from John Bender. Ferris Bueller knew Samantha Baker from Sixteen Candles. For 15 years, I've written my Shermer stories in prose, collecting its history." When you look at the proximity of the movie sets of these homes, it is easy to see his vision.

Please join us for a trip down memory lane, 1980s style! There are several movie spots that can be visited, and we have selected a handful of them. We will be passing out a list with driving directions when we begin our journey. If you have not seen some of these movies, I highly recommend taking some time to watch them ahead of time, or rewatch them if you haven't seen them in a while; when you see the movie set in person, it will really make you appreciate the wonderful suburbs we are visiting – a true time piece of history! We will be visiting locations from the movies Ferris Buellers Day Off, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Home Alone, and Weird Science.

We hope to see you there!
September 17th, 2023
 All Pontiac Show in Pontiac, IL:
Please join us for another fun drive to Pontiac, IL as we keep the Fiero excitement alive for the 12th annual Regional All Pontiac Cruise and Show hosted by the Heart of Illinois GTO Club and the Gateway GTO Club. This is one of the largest all Pontiac shows in the area with over 200 cars in attendance last year.
The show benefits the Pontiac Oakland Museum in Pontiac, IL, an organization that is preserving Pontiac history, including the Fiero. Besides the show, this is a great opportunity to check out the Pontiac Oakland Museum, the Route 66 Museum, the Livingston County War Museum, and the Route 66 wall mural (a great spot for a photo of your Fiero).
Let’s make sure Fieros are again well-represented at this event! We will meet on Sunday morning September 17, 2023 at 7:30am in the parking lot of Cheddar’s Restaurant in Bolingbrook, IL, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of I-55 and Route 53; there is a gas station across the street for those that want to gas up before we depart. We’ll leave the parking lot at 8:00am sharp and will travel south on I-55 to Pontiac, IL with an expected arrival time of about 9:30am. The show is from 10:00am to 2:00pm, with the awards ceremony at 3:30pm. We hope to see you all there!
September 8-10th, 2023
Fierorama 27 - St. Charles, IL:



The 27th Annual Fierorama. Mark your calendars for Friday, September 8th through Sunday, September 10th.
Find more information on this years historical show on the Fierorama page or the Fierorama Facebook page
August 25-27th, 2023
 Crusing to the Heartland Fiero Show:
Join us as we cruise to the 2023 Heartland Fiero Show will be taking place at the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, IA (same city as our 2022 show) and it will be taking place on Saturday, August 26, 2023. Consider staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Coralville, IA located at 970 25th Ave. Call for reservations at 319-625-5000. Room rates start at $134.00/night.
The Friday evening activity, we will join the Classy Chassis Cruisers, Show and Shine night from 5:00pm until 9:00pm at the Coral Ridge Mall at exit 240 off of I-80 (same event we went to a couple years ago). This is a great opportunity to gain some outside attention for our Fieros. They usually have at least one food truck. Between that and the Mall’s food court, there are plenty of options for food.
The show is Saturday at the same location, the Coral Ridge Mall. Registration will be from 9:00am to 11:00am. Our show is the only points-judged Fiero show using a 100-point judging scale encompassing all areas of each Fiero. Awards will be presented at 3:00pm. Dinner plans for Saturday after the show will be finalized at the show.
Watch for additional details once they are finalized at NIFE Facebook page or the Heartland Fiero Club’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/294524591845)
August 11-13th, 2023
 Indian Uprising All Ponitac Show:
From August 11-13, 2023 the Cruisin’ Tigers GTO Club will be hosting their 32nd annual Indian Uprising All Pontiac Weekend located at the Holiday Inn Chicago NW Convention Center, Crystal Lake, IL. Events begin Friday night with a classic movie in the parking lot under the stars. Saturday during the day, a parking lot is open for all Pontiacs to park and mingle informally. At about 4:00pm, all makes/models are welcome for a Mega Cruise Night featuring food, drinks, and a live band.
Sunday, come join us for fun with hundreds of Pontiacs at the All-Pontiac Show as we keep the Fiero excitement alive! NIFE members will meet at 8:30am for breakfast at the McDonald’s located at 230 State Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014, about two miles north of the Holiday Inn on Route 31. At 9:30am, we will head over to the show to join the 500+ Pontiacs expected to attend. You have the option to meet us at the show or at McDonald’s at your convenience; however, parking together is easier when arriving as a group. The show runs from 11:00am to 4:00pm with awards at 3:00pm and guest speakers/presentations throughout the event. See full details at cruisintigers.com.
Registration is $30.00 per car (plus processing fee for credit card) and includes attendance at all three days of the event. Registration on-site the day of. This event draws all years and models of Pontiacs from across the Midwest and is one of the largest all Pontiac shows in the U.S. Come on out and help display our Fiero spirit by joining us at this event! NIFE out-of-towners: this is a huge event, so why not make a weekend of it and visit your NIFE friends?
For more event and lodging information, visit cruisintigers.com.
July 29th, 2023
 Summer Driving Event:

Please join us on Saturday, July 29, 2023 to keep the Fiero excitement going throughout the summer.  We will take a drive along historic Route 66, ending our tour with an early dinner at the Polk-a-Dot-Drive In. Founded in 1956, this restaurant continues to be a popular stop along Route 66 with 1950s decor and a collection of memorabilia.

We will depart from the Meijer Store parking lot located at 755 E Boughton Rd in Bolingbrook, IL just north of the I-355 and I-55 interchange at 3:00pm; please begin gathering any time after 2:30pm. From there, we will make our way to Route 66 and follow it south for an enjoyable drive, ending at the Polk-a-Dot Drive In, 222 N Front St, Braidwood, IL. If you will be coming from the south and only want to meet us for dinner, please do so! We’re shooting for an arrival time between 4:00 and 4:30pm. We plan to make some stops along the way to take some photos. Hope to see you all there! Don’t forget to bring your two-way radios so we can communicate along the way.

July 12-16th, 2023
 40th Anniversary Celebration:

You’ve read about it in the pages of Fiero Focus. You’ve watched our Zoom club meetings since November 2022 to help you prepare. You’ve heard about it in the recent episodes of FieroCast. The time has now arrived for the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Pontiac Fiero presented by M1 Concourse and hosted by the Midwest Fiero Clubs! Join Fiero owners from across the nation and the world at the Auburn Hills Marriot in Pontiac, MI from July 12-16, 2023. The Midwest Fiero Clubs has a full schedule of events for all five days, so check out Fiero40th.com and click on the “Events” tab for full details.

Some event highlights include a private museum tour on Wednesday (pending as of publication), visits to the Pontiac Transportation Museum on Thursday and Friday, a Distinguished Speaker event on Thursday afternoon and evening, track time at M1 Concourse on Friday, the world’s largest Fiero show on Saturday, and the awards banquet on Sunday. We’ve even invited Fiero plant employees to join us during the show on Saturday so you can interact with the people that put their hands, hearts, and souls into assembling each and every Fiero on the show field. These are just some of the highlights! There will be food trucks, a model car contest, events for the kids in the “Kid’s Zone”, door prize raffles, live auctions, and so much more.

NIFE members that are Illinois residents should consider purchasing one of the limited-edition special events Illinois license plates that are available for use on your Fiero from July 10 through September 10, 2023. The application form is available by visiting the fierofocus.com home page and clicking on the license plate image.

For something available to all NIFE members, consider ordering a 40th Anniversary Celebration window decal to display your excitement on your Fiero during this event. These are available under the “Store” tab on fierofocus.com. Decals are available for pick up at any NIFE event or at the 40th Anniversary Celebration. If you would like to help with manning the NIFE Club Display/Merchandise Sales Table during the 40th Anniversary Celebration, please reach out to Scott Campbell, NIFE Activity Director at scampbell@fierofocus.com so your name can be added to the list.

Want to caravan from the Chicago area to Pontiac, MI with other Fiero owners from across the country? On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings (July 12-13-14, 2023), you can meet at the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis at the end of I-294 heading Eastbound. The self-led (no designated group leader) departures will leave at 9:00am.

 For registration information and full event details, visit Fiero40th.com, and check out the “Fiero 40th Facts” in this issue for additional information about this long-anticipated event! Registration “officially” closes June 27, 2023; thereafter the registration fee will be $50.00.
June 1-4th, 2023
 Cruise to the Annual Dells Run 2023:

 It’s time again for our annual Fiero community pilgrimage to the Wisconsin Dells. The Wisconsin Fiero Fanatics will be hosting Fiero owners from across the Midwest for the 30th edition of the Dells Run event, starting Thursday, June 1, 2023 and running through Sunday, June 4, 2023. This event is four days of Fiero fun with countless opportunities to meet new Fiero friends and experience everything Fiero – from mild to wild!
The host hotel and show site will again be Chula Vista Resort. Call 608-678-3119 to make your reservations and call early to guarantee a room. The group discount number is I84890 (letter “I” not number “1”). It’s a beautiful location and the staff have been very accommodating to the Fiero community in the past. Consider pre-registering for this event by downloading a registration form on fierofocus.com, or visit Wisconsin Fiero Fanatics on Facebook for the latest information. If you pre-register prior to May 1, 2023, you are eligible for the drawing for a free room night at the Chula Vista.
On Sunday, June 4, 2023 we will caravan back to Illinois after the awards ceremony and traditional NIFE club photo. We plan to be on the road headed back home by 10:30am/11:00am. Join us for great times and good fun in the scenic Wisconsin Dells!

Click the PRINT icon to download and print out the 2023 Dells Run registration form
May 13th, 2023
 NIFE Spring Driving Tour:

Hopefully by now you are wrapping up your winter projects, or at least thinking about what needs to be done to get your Fiero back on the road now that warmer weather is here. If you need a deadline to get your work done, we have got one for you! Join us on Saturday, May 13, 2023 for the NIFE Spring Driving Tour.

This year, our destination will be Lake Geneva, WI and we will begin our journey at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles, IL (our Fierorama location) at 9:30am.  We will plan on leaving the park at 10:00am by taking Route 31 and later Route 12 heading north almost all the way to Lake Geneva, WI. If you live in the North or West suburbs, feel free to meet us at our second stop located Parkway Bank, 2 N. Western Ave. in Carpentersville, IL.  We expect to arrive here by 10:15am so we can join together as one group heading north. 

As we near Lake Geneva, we’ll take a detour to the west as we head into town in order to drive around the west and north side of Geneva Lake.  During our drive, we will make a stop at the Yerkes Observatory for a quick photo opportunity.  After leaving the observatory, we will head east for a drive through Lake Geneva. 

Our final stop on this year’s tour will be Gino’s East in Lake Geneva, WI for lunch.  There are several municipal parking lots, or streetside parking available near the restaurant.  Our event will conclude after lunch, but feel free to take in the sights in the Lake Geneva area if you wish. After lunch, you will be free to return to Lake Geneva to check out the unique shops in town, take a boat tour on the lake, or head home from there. Hope to see you in May!
April 15th, 2023



Planning on going to the 40th Anniversary Celebration? Undecided? Have questions? Our April NIFE club meeting is where you can find your answers. Our guest for this meeting is Jen Goss, who is a Midwest Fiero Clubs officer and is a part of the core committee organizing the 40th Anniversary Celebration. She has been involved with the Fiero community for nearly 24 years and is also the President of Mid-Atlantic Fiero Owners Association (MAFOA). Jen may invite other event chairpersons to join in the conversation in order to provide the broadest picture of our planned events.

This meeting style will be a proctor-based Q&A through the chat section of Zoom and will also include emails sent in advance. We’ll try to leave ample time to touch on all subjects of the Celebration weekend that you may have questions about, including information about the host hotel, Wednesday's private car collection visit, Pontiac Transportation Museum’s scavenger hunt, Thursday’s distinguished speaker event, Friday’s Track Day event at M1 Concourse, Friday’s Pontiac Transportation Museum cookout, Saturday’s big show, indoor show parking, and Sunday's award breakfast. Whew! That will be a lot to cover!

If you have questions you would like answered during the meeting, please email them to our NIFE Activity Director and proctor Scott Campbell at scampbell@fierofocus.com no later than Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Mar. 18th, 2023



How are you getting your Fiero to the 40th Anniversary Celebration this July? Are you going to drive it or trailer it? We will have several members presenting your options. First, NIFE member Wayne Geib and NIFE Activity Director Scott Campbell will be discussing the best ways to prepare your Fiero and yourself for a longer than normal road trip in your Fiero. Both Wayne and Scott have a lot of experience in this area and have taken long road trips throughout the U.S. in their Fieros. They will touch on topics like vehicle preparations, MPG, mileage versus length of days, creature comforts, and both how and what to pack for the trip.
During this meeting, we will also have NIFE member Lee Meyer, a long time Fiero owner who trailers his car to many shows throughout the Midwest, talk about the many different aspects of trailering vehicles.  This session will have tips and tricks to make hauling as safe as possible; it will cover material pertinent to those who are new to the process and for those more experienced.
Lee will discuss winching, strapping, weight distribution, hitch and vehicle categories, and safe driving practices. Additionally, he’ll cover the option of putting your Fiero on a car dolly instead of a flatbed trailer. This will include pros and cons about dollies as they pertain to the Fiero and special precautions you may have to take when using them.
Join us for this online Zoom NIFE Club Meeting on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 9:00am (CST). This event is scheduled to last 90 minutes so there’s time for our guest speakers to take questions from the audience. We’ll post a link to this online meeting under the “Events” tab on fierofocus.com and via an Eblast sent out a few days prior to the meeting. You must register in advance using the link in the Eblast or on the “Events” tab in order to receive the Zoom meeting link.
Feb. 18th, 2023



Your Fiero looks pretty good! You’ve fixed a few problems, washed and waxed it, and even put shiny tire dressing on the tires and kept most of it off your hands and clothing. But at the end of the car show, you’re sitting on the sidelines when the awards are passed out, and end up going home empty handed.
What does it take to get your car ready for award status? Attention to detail and long hours of preparation are needed to make every part of your car look new, and knowing where to detail your Fiero can help in reducing the number of point deductions on the judge’s score sheet. These insights are especially useful if you are planning to attend the 40th Anniversary Celebration this July.
NIFE member Fred Bartemeyer, Jr is very active in the Fiero community and owns several low mileage, factory original Fieros, including numerous Fiero prototypes. He is a lifelong member of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) as a Senior Master Judge, Certified Team Captain, Accredited Chief Judge, and Assistant Chairman of the Historic Preservation of Original Features Class. Fred started his judging career as a young kid at the local ISCA Hot Rod show and has participated in the judging systems of numerous organizations including POCI, NCRS, Bloomington Gold, CCCA, several Concours Events, and has administered the judging evaluations at the Fiero Anniversary Celebration shows since the 25th.
During this meeting, Fred will discuss the different types of judging and evaluations offered at various car shows. Judge’s responsibilities, considerations, and disciplines will also be discussed as to how it relates to the different types of judging criteria. Both stock and modified Fieros will be addressed to help clarify the basis of how each category is evaluated.
Join us for this online Zoom NIFE Club Meeting on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 9:00am (CST). This event is scheduled to last 90 minutes so there’s time for our guest speakers to take questions from the audience. We’ll post a link to this online meeting under the “Events” tab on fierofocus.com and via an Eblast sent out a few days prior to the meeting. You must register in advance using the link in the Eblast or on the “Events” tab in order to receive the Zoom meeting link.
Jan. 21th, 2023



We all have our own reasons as to why we enjoy our Fiero(s)—whether 4-cylinder, 3800SC, V8 powered, collectible and rare, stock, or transformed into a wild custom—and show them off at car shows. As many of us consider attending the Fiero 40th Anniversary Celebration from July 12-16, 2023 in Pontiac, MI, we may be spending the winter months doing extensive detailing of our Fieros in preparation for the big show. Who better to present this subject than our own Jim Hallman, NIFE president? We all know Jim’s Fiero is typically the High Points Judged Stock winner at the annual Heartland Fiero Show scoring in the 97-to-99-point range (on a scale of 100). What are Jim’s secrets? His tricks? Let’s all learn from the best and hear what Jim can teach us to help our Fiero look new again!
Join us for this online Zoom NIFE Club Meeting on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 9:00am (CST). This event is scheduled to last ninety minutes so that there is time for our guest speaker to take questions from the audience, and we’ll provide a link to this online meeting under the Events tab on fierofocus.com and via an Eblast sent out a few days prior to the meeting.
You must register in advance using either the link above.
 

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