Inaugural Atlanta Concours high on prestige with cars of provenance

(October 11, 2016) ATLANTA, Ga. — The inaugural Atlanta Concours d’Elegance took on the classic car world with conviction this past weekend, as this newest classic car show entered the American Concours circuit and not only boasted its own field of vehicles of provenance, but awarded its highest honors to two significant cars that have earned former class-winning entrée from the likes of Pebble Beach, Meadowbrook and Amelia Island.

Top honors belonged to DeNean Stafford III of Tifton, Ga, with his 1909 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, (pictured above) receiving the Atlanta Concours’ 2016 "Best of Show."

The highly documented vehicle additionally holds a "first in class" win from Pebble Beach, is valued at more than $1 million and is the only short-wheel-base chassis of its kind in existence.  Elton Steven of Birmingham, Ala., earned the Post-War "Best of Show" honors, and is also a former Amelia Island champion with his 1961 Maserati Frua — one of two prototypes with a body designed by Carozzeria Frua of Torino.

According to Honorary Head Judge and publisher of Sports Car Market magazine Keith Martin, “the quality of cars at this all-new event was extraordinarily high in each and every class, and the two cars that won the top two awards were world-class cars that would be eligible for top awards at any Concours in the world.”

Co-chairmen Harry Krix and Bill Wallet teamed to create the first premier automotive event within the greater metropolitan Atlanta area and successfully achieved a noteworthy program that included 20 substantial classes, judged by 30 select automotive experts — for a field of more than 100 significant cars, 80 percent of which were prior award winners in classic car events.

“We had an impressive field of cars that were clearly a tribute to the heritage and history of the automobile with collections highlighting the turn of the 20th century as well as some of the most remarkable and rare innovations of our time,” said Krix.

“Our goal was to offer a program that encapsulated more than the average show and engage both aficionados and attendees with world-class offerings not often found in our local community, and regarded among the very best of the best.” Award categories made mention of both cars and owners that in their own right created an air of festivity hard to beat, and included such mentions as:

    • 1961 Jaguar XKE, owned by J. Strickland, is the sixth XKE ever built -- a class winner in the British Sports 1961-1972 category, as well as multiple award winner from prior concours events 

    • 1972 BMW Tii, winner of the Preservation Award, retains only 41,000 miles and is still maintained by its first and original owner Bruce Hall

    • 1955 Corvette, in its Roman Red exterior color was the winner among nearly a dozen other Corvettes within the American Class Sports Car category up to 1972 – owned by Georgia resident Carolyn Sikes who proudly includes it among her own collection of eleven cars

    • 1957 Chevy Nomad, owned by Brad Bean, was a class winner in the Post-War 1946 – 1960 category

Premiere sponsor Panoz had its own featured class including both road and race cars, with a “Best in Class” win awarded to Stan Morel for his silver and black 2003 Esperante.

Unique showings throughout the day included a 1932 propeller-powered Helicron, a 1965 Citroen CV2 Shooting Brake, and a 1959 four-seat BMW Isetta 600 microcar.  Local restoration house Speedwell Engineering had a selection of barn finds, including a uniquely preserved Jaguar XK150.

Cars originally built for celebrities were shown, including a 1914 Packard touring car and a 1920 Hudson, each owned by Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso (one of the most famous opera tenors in history), brought from the Elliott Museum in Florida, as well as the 1919 bright purple Pierce-Arrow Model 66 A-4 Tourer, once customized for famous silent movie actor Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle — the car was a prior "Best of Show" winner for the Pinehurst Concours and this weekend received a "First in Class" in the Brass Era Late category.