Homebuilt sports car enthusiasts to visit Ozark County this weekend
A group of Locost homebuilt car enthusiasts from a five-state area will be visiting Ozark County Friday and Saturday for their annual meet up, the Midwest Gathering of the Se7ens. This photo was taken in 2011, the last time the group was in the Ozarks area, when they were based out of Marble Falls, Arkansas. Gainesville resident Mike Severson told the Times that the group chose Ozark County for the gathering location because of the roads, scenery and friendly people. Photo submitted.
The owners of a large group of Locost cars, homebuilt sports cars build loosley after the Lotus/Caterham 7 cars built in the 1950s and 1960s, will be spinning their way through Ozark County Friday and Saturday. The Midwest Gathering of the Se7ens, an annual event that gathers Locost car owners from Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois and Texas, chose Ozark County as the event destination this year.The speedy little cars typically weigh about 1,400 to 1,500 pounds. Some Locost cars, built especially for racing, weigh less than 1,000 pounds.
The group plans to have lunch at Cookie's Restaurant in Theodosia from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 11. They will then be making their way to the Fried & Frozen food truck, parked in the Knight's Automotive parking lot at Highway 160 and 5 north in Gainesville from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 12. A casual car show will be held after lunch Saturday in the Knight's Automotive parking lot. Area residents are invited to come check out the vehicles and meet the drivers at this time.
Gainesville resident Mike Severson, who is in the early stages of planning his own Locost car build, says the hills, curves, scenery and friendly residents attracted the sports car enthusiasts to Ozark County. The last time the group was in the area was 2011, when they based the event out of the Marble Falls, Arkansas area.