Northwest Automotive Press Association upcoming events

Manufacturer Registration For NWAPA Drive Revolution 2026 (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The Northwest Automotive Press Association is pleased to announce Drive Revolution 2026 will be held on September 15 to 17, 2026 at The Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, WA. It’s a short drive from Portland International Airport.

Drive Revolution is NWAPA’s competition to celebrate the best of performance and advanced automotive technology.

Categories Include-

Best ICE Performance Vehicle

Best Gas/Electric Hybrid Vehicle (HEV)

Best Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV)

Best Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)

Innovation of the Year (this can be powertrain, infotainment tech or overall application)

Drive Revolution Vehicle of the Year Award

Once again, Drive Revolution 2026 uses a scheduled round-robin format. Every journalist is allotted a dedicated 30-minute driving session with each vehicle. As always, it's an invaluable opportunity to connect with journalists and fellow manufacturer representatives.

To accommodate more vehicle presentation opportunities and add value, sponsorship fees have been lowered, and dinner sponsors include a vehicle presentation to be held the following morning. These will be held after the mandatory driver’s meeting to insure full attendance of NWAPA members.

As with our Mudfest event, NWAPA will provide you with links to the coverage produced by our members. For an idea of how extensive our coverage was at Mudfest 2026, this link is what has been produced so far.

Sponsorships are highly valued and make our events possible. We aim to produce the best and most professional journalistic competitions to make it worth your investment. Thank you for your participation and investment.

Registration Fee Per Vehicle $2,200

Opening Night cocktails With Vehicle Presentation $3,000

Opening Dinner / Morning Vehicle Presentation $3,000

Day 2 Breakfast $1,500

Day 2 Snacks and Coffee in Staging Area $1,500

Day 2 Lunch With Vehicle Presentation $2,000

Day 2 Cocktails / Evening Vehicle Presentation $3,000

Day 2 Dinner / Morning Vehicle Presentation $3,000

Day 3 Breakfast $1,500

Day 3 Snacks and Coffee in Staging Area $1,500

Outside Vendor Presentation Slots $1,000

We have simplified the registration process to enter vehicles and secure sponsorships on our new website. Paying with a credit card? That can be done directly on the site. Paying with a check? There is a tab to check so we can bill you directly.

Any questions? Contact Tom Voelk at 206-931-5793 or nwapa.president.tv@gmail.com

The registration deadline is August 12, 2026, Hotel reservations must be secured by that date. Space is limited, please apply early to ensure a slot at this year’s event.

Book Your Rooms

Here is the link to reserve rooms at The Heathman Lodge. The discounted room rate is $109 per night plus taxes and fees. Not a typo. We are savvy negotiators. This rate is good until August 12, 2026. Afterwards, standard rates apply and availability is not guaranteed.

Tentative Agenda

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

NWAPA members plan to arrive no later than 4:00 p.m. for check in
Afternoon: Vehicles will be available for on-site photography, stand-ups, video production, and feature evaluation before the official kickoff of the event.
4:30 p.m. – NWAPA Executive Meeting
5:00 p.m. – General Membership Meeting
Dinner and cocktails on site following the membership meeting

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

On-site breakfast and drivers' meeting
Morning vehicle testing and evaluation
Lunch at the Heathman Lodge
Afternoon vehicle testing and evaluation
Cocktails and dinner (location TBD)

Thursday, September 17, 2026

On-site breakfast and drivers' meeting
Morning vehicle testing and evaluation
Electronic voting must be completed before departure
Noon – Event concludes

Event photography will be provided to participating journalists and manufacturers.

Additional logistical information and schedule updates will be shared as needed.

Journalist Registration For NWAPA Drive Revolution 2026 (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Registration is now open for the Northwest Automotive Press Association's Drive Revolution 2026 competition, recognizing the best EVs, hybrids, and performance vehicles.

This year's event will be held September 15–17. Registration remains just $75, which includes meals and two nights of lodging. That's a great deal if you've been out to dinner lately. Just make sure your NWAPA dues are paid before registering.

Please Read Carefully Before Registration

Drive Revolution registration is first-come first-served so sign up early for your best chance to attend. The NWAPA board has reached out to the manufacturers to eliminate overlap to OEM events.

Registration is non-refundable. While life happens and things come up, please honor your commitment. Last minute cancellations costs NWAPA money and keeps other members from attending.

Drive Revolution 2026 will continue with the round-robin format, giving every journalist a dedicated 30-minute driving session with each vehicle. As always, it's an invaluable opportunity to connect with fellow journalists and manufacturer representatives.

There Are a Number of Changes This Year

Our new venue is the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, Washington. Based on feedback from NWAPA members, we've placed greater emphasis on content creation opportunities. The event will be staged in the Heathman's large parking lot, and we're planning to identify several nearby locations where photos and videos can be produced.

The Heathman Lodge is located in a mixed corporate and retail area with convenient access to highway driving. Drive routes will be mapped out, but please understand they will have more traffic than the roads we enjoyed near Ilani Resort, which was unavailable to us this year.

For those needing still photography, we're exploring the possibility of providing that service once again.

Creating Content is Critical to Securing Manufacturer Participation

Please come prepared with story ideas. After the event, we'll collect links to your published content. NWAPA members were heroes in providing coverage links following Mudfest 2026, and that's one key reason these events continue to happen. Thank you all for your efforts!

Questions, comments, or suggestions? Please contact Tom Voelk at nwapa.president.tv@gmail.com.

Arrangements are still being finalized. Here's a preliminary schedule:

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

* Plan to arrive no later than 4:00 p.m. for check in

* Afternoon: Vehicles will be available for on-site photography, stand-ups, video production, and feature evaluation before the official kickoff of the event.

* 4:30 p.m. – NWAPA Executive Meeting

* 5:00 p.m. – General Membership Meeting

* Dinner and cocktails on site following the membership meeting

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

* On-site breakfast and drivers' meeting

* Morning vehicle testing and evaluation

* Lunch at the Heathman Lodge

* Afternoon vehicle testing and evaluation

* Cocktails and dinner (location TBD)

Thursday, September 17, 2026

* On-site breakfast and drivers' meeting

* Morning vehicle testing and evaluation

* Electronic voting must be completed before departure

* Noon – Event concludes