Since 1987 several Italian marque clubs (Maserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and [a few years later] DeTomaso) have organized a meet in the Pocono Mountains and Pocono Raceway for Concours and Track events. Originally founded by The Maserati Club on the 4th of July Weekend, the event passed through the hands of different organizers over the years resulting in various event styles. In 2002 Joe Moore (DeTomaso Club) and Seymour G. Pond (The Maserati Club) decided to organize a new event at Pocono, one which would directly benefit the organizing clubs financially, as the club members were the ones who ultimately paid for the event and whose attendance would determine the event's success.

In order to accomplish this we set out to find a free slot (preferably on a 3-day holiday weekend) in the jam-packed Pocono Raceway schedule. The weekend which most appealed to us was Memorial Day. There was time available but one marque had held a key piece of the weekend schedule for many years—Corvette! Ironic as Corvette had been a sports car racing competitior to Ferrari & Maserati in the late 50s & 60s. This just seemed fitting and after a meeting it was agreed we would jointly organize the event which is now "POCONO-A Celebration of Speed & Design!"