Automobile enthusiasts will celebrate their love of fine Italian sportscars and culture in Dayton, Ohio, when the Ferrari Club of America – Ohio Chapter holds “Ferrari Cruise-In V” on Saturday, September 14, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The annual event will take place in the parking lot of James Free Jewelers, one of the Midwest’s best known independent fine jewelry retailers. Ferrari owners will be present to answer questions. Valet parking will be available, as well as Italian-style hors d’oeuvres and music.

“There is nothing quite like hearing the roar of a fine-tuned Ferrari engine,” said Michael Karaman, president of James Free Jewelers.

Admission to the Cruise-In is free, but raffle tickets will be sold for a 30-minute, race-like ride in a Maserati, with a qualified driver at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, or a one-hour, open-road ride in a Ferrari. All proceeds from the raffle will benefit The Arthritis Foundation.

For the first time, this year’s event will include Hot Wheels® racing for kids and adults, on a track that will be set up in the James Free parking lot. Everyone is invited to bring their own Hot Wheels® cars and compete for prizes. Hot Wheels® will be loaned at no charge to anyone who does not have their own.

Ferraris are among the world’s most expensive sportscars, with new ones starting at approximately $200,000 and some vintage models worth much more. However, Kelly said there is a misconception that only the wealthy can own Ferraris.

“Some pre-owned Ferraris are in the price range of many typical sedans, and if you work on them, ownership becomes pretty easy,” he said. “I bought my first Ferrari for $28,000 and spent four-and-a-half years restoring it.”

Kelly currently owns a 1990 Ferrari Testarossa, which he often races at speeds of up to 160 miles per hour. It will be on display at the upcoming Cruise-In.

Membership in the Ferrari Club of America is open to anyone, even non-Ferrari owners, who comprise an estimated 15 percent of membership. Members often participate in social and charity events.

“The best part of the Ferrari world is the people,” Kelly said. “They are the nicest, most generous people of any other association that I have been involved with.”

Ferrari Club of America members will be able to take advantage of a special 20 percent discount on jewelry purchases during the Ferrari Cruise-In. Some designers are excluded; see store for details. A piece of David Yurman designer jewelry valued at approximately $750 will also be awarded in a drawing at Ferrari Cruise-In V. No purchase is necessary, nor is club membership necessary to enter the drawing, but participants must be present at the event on September 14.

“We love collaborating with James Free Jewelers each year, because of their dedication to excellence,” Kelly said. “Everything they do is first-class and everyone who works there is so nice, which is the kind of company we want to be associated with.”

The James Free Jewelers-Ferrari Cruise-In will take place on Saturday, September 14, at James Free Jewelers, 3100 Far Hills Avenue, Kettering, Ohio, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Information about the Ferrari Club of America, Ohio chapter, is available www.fca-ohio.org.