14th Annual Amelia Island Concours Draws More Than 15,000 Enthusiasts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

Contact:

Breanna Buhr/Sanaz Bakhtiari

 (818) 992-4353

bbuhr@jmprpublicrelations.com 

sbakhtiari@jmprpublicrelations.com

                                     

 

14th Annual AMelia Island Concours D' Elegance 

DRAWS MORE THAN 15,000 Enthusiasts

 

Vintage Automotive Show Features Original Events, Honors Racer David
Hobbs and Famed Coachbuilder Bohman and Schwartz

 

Jacksonville, Fl. (March 18, 2009) - Known as one of the nation's most
ground-breaking vintage automotive events both in design and innovation,
the 14th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, held March 13-15,
attracted over 250 cars from seven countries to fill out the 10th and
18th fairways of The Golf Club of Amelia Island.

 

The coveted Best in Show award went to the Munder Collection out of West
Palm Beach, Florida, for a 1931 Voisin C20 Demi-Berline. Gabriel Voisin
was a pioneer in French aviation and also lent his name to some of the
most beautiful cars of the 1920s and 1930s.  His cars are highly sought
after today by collectors for their advanced technical design and
attention to detail.  Voisin died in 1973 in France.

 

The Amelia Island Concours de Sport award for the best race car went to
a 1923 Miller Special 122 Supercharged racer owned by A. Dano Davis of
Jacksonville.  Considered a rare find today, Millers are some of the
oldest race cars around and they are still raced in numerous vintage
series.  Harry Miller was a master at supercharging and is one of
America's greatest racing figures. In fact, he ruled Indy during the
1920s winning five 500s and he never placed less than six cars in the
top ten.

 

"Once again the judges did their duty and two very deserving vehicles
were recognized above the rest," says Bill Warner, founder and
co-chairman of Amelia.  "It was exciting to see that both cars were from
the state of Florida; it just shows you how much of a haven we are for
top notch car collectors and collections." 

 

Attendance was steady this year despite the current economic downturn
with the three-day event attracting more than 15,000 people. The show
honored veteran racer and SPEED commentator, David Hobbs and featured
the elegant creations of Southern California coachbuilder, Bohman &
Schwartz, including a one-of-a-kind display of the Rolls Royce Phantom
Corsair, designed by the late Rust Heinz, heir to the H.J. Heinz food
empire. 

 

Also celebrated were the 50th anniversaries of the first US Grand Prix
Formula One race at Sebring International Raceway and the only Indy car
race ever held at the Daytona International Speedway. To recount the
history and legacy of these races, a seminar called "The Great Roadster
Drivers," was held on Saturday, March 14 with panelists including Jim
Rathmann, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser and Parnelli Jones. 

 

For a full list of award winners, please visit www.ameliaconcours.org
<http://www.ameliaconcours.org/> .

 

The 2010 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance is scheduled for March 12-14
on the 10th and 18th fairways of The Golf Club of Amelia Island at
Summer Beach adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.  The show's
foundation has donated almost $1.6 million to Community Hospice of
Northeast Florida since 1996, plus funds to Spina Bifida of Jacksonville
and other charities.

 

The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance is one of the nation's most
innovative vintage auto events featuring over 250 rare classics from
seldom-seen private collections nationwide.  The show is scheduled for
March 13-15, 2009, at The Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach
adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.  For more information,
visit www.ameliaconcours.org or contact at 904-636-0027.

# # #