Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance Announces 2009 Show Winners
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1929 Isotta-Fraschini Takes Best of Show - 1926 Miller Sprint Car Voted People's Choice
MALVERN, Pa., Sept. 29 -- The Judging Committee of the Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance announced the class winners of the 13th Annual 100 Motor Cars of Radnor Hunt, including a 1929 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Limousine by Castagna for Best of Show, and a 1926 Miller Schofield Race Car earning the People's Choice Award this year. The concours d'elegance showcased the collection of John W. Rich, Pennsylvania Motorsports heritage and vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles. A display of vintage coaches and carriages made a return appearance at this year's event.
"This year we featured cars from local collector John W. Rich," said Michael G. Tillson III, chairman, Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance, "And the show field also honored Pennsylvania Motorsports heritage and iconic motorcycle manufacturer, Harley-Davidson. The 2009 event featured once again a display of vintage horse-drawn coaches and carriages that illustrated the evolution of transportation."
The concours d'elegance encompassed two days of activities beginning with the always popular Road Rally through the scenic countryside of Chester County on Saturday morning, culminating in a catered lunch. The Saturday evening party, sponsored by Wilkie Lexus and Lexus of Chester Springs, featured music by Brazilian band Minas and a silent auction to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia and Vicinity.
Each year, the concours event, an invitation-only show, has a featured marque, a vehicle type or coachbuilder and a motorcycle make. The 2009 event honored local collector John W. Rich with a selection of his vehicles. Included in the selection of cars on display were a 1910 American Underslung Traveler, a 1914 Renault Model EF Victoria by Locke and a 1926 Packard 326 Roadster.
Of particular interest was the 1911 Rauch & Lang TC Brougham, one of the very first electric vehicles and was owned by Thomas Edison before he committed it to display at the Edison Institute. Another unique vehicle from the John Rich collection was a 1911 Oldsmobile Limited 7-Passenger Touring Car in original condition that has spent its entire life in the state of Pennsylvania. The show also featured cars of Pennsylvania Motorsports, including a 1952 Allard J2X Roadster with an extensive racing history. The motorcycle division showcased iconic American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson, one of which was a 1910 Harley-Davidson 9A with a leather drive belt, along with a number of other vintage motorcycles.
1929 Isotta-Fraschini Takes Best of Show Award
This year's winner of the Best of Show Award was presented to the 1929 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Limousine owned by Morton Bullock. This Isotta-Fraschini is bodied by Carozzeria Castagna, Italy's leading coachbuilder of the time.
1926 Miller Schofield Race Car is Voted People's Choice Award Winner
The 1926 Miller-Schofield "Old Number 7" Sprint Car raced at fairground dirt tracks throughout northern California from 1949 to 1954 by Louis Vermeil, the father of former Philadelphia Eagles head coach, Dick Vermeil. Louis Vermeil was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.
1910 Harley-Davidson 9A Chosen as Best Harley-Davidson Veteran Class; 1903-1925
This early Harley-Davidson model, also known as "The Silent Gray Fellow", was produced from 1904 to 1918, and featured a leather belt drive and jockey wheel. It had a top speed of 45 MPH, and earned a reputation of being durable and reliable.
The concours event, also known as the 100 Motor Cars of Radnor Hunt, took place on the grounds of Radnor Hunt, outside Philadelphia in rural Malvern, Pennsylvania, a beautiful setting for an event of this type. The one hundred vehicles were carefully picked by the car selection committee to ensure that the field best represented the featured marque and vehicle type. The motorcycle committee also selected the entries based on originality and rarity of that model. This year was the return appearance of vintage coaches and carriages as part of the concours d'elegance to illustrate the evolution of both transportation and coachwork. The twelve coaches and carriages, led by Dr. Donald J. Rosato of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, processed a distance of about seven miles from the grounds of The Devon Horse Show to Radnor Hunt on Sunday morning, and remained on display during the afternoon of the concours.
The honored guest at this year's event was well-known race driver David Donahue, who also served as Honorary Judge for the concours d'elegance. Proceeds from the event benefit United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Philadelphia and Vicinity, which works to help children and adults with disabilities live as independently as possible, while providing families with the information and tools needed to support loved ones in the community.
The complete list of winners for both the automobile and motorcycle classes is as follows:
Award Year Automobile
Best of Show 1947 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A
Limousine by Castagna
Best Sporting Marque Award 1948 Cisitalia 202 MM Spyder Nuvolari
Timeless Elegance 1933 Packard 1005 Convertible Coupe
People's Choice 1926 Miller Schofield Race Car
Chairman's Award 1950 Schroeder Indy Car Ray Brady
Special
Spirit of Radnor Award - 1956 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Coupe
Sporting Car
Spirit of Radnor Award - 1925 Rolls Royce Silver
Passenger Car Ghost Piccadilly Roadster
DuPont Homsey's Award 1933 Squire Roadster by van den Plas
Artist's Award 1954 Packard Caribbean Convertible
Veteran Award 1910 Pierce Arrow SS 48 HP 7-
Passenger Touring
Unrestored Award 1911 Oldsmobile Limited 7-Passenger
Touring Car
Debutante Award 1929 Roosevelt Rumble Seat Coupe
Historic Race Car Award 1948 Cisitalia 202 MM Spyder Nuvolari
Closed Sports Car Award 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe
Open Sports Car Award 1953 Siata 208S Roadster
Pre-War Sports Car Award 1933 Squire Roadster by van den Plas
Porsche Award 1957 Porsche 356A T1 1600S Speedster
Micro Award 1959 FIAT Jolly
American Classic - Post War Award 1960 Chrysler 300F Convertible
American Classic Pre-War Award 1933 Packard 1005 Convertible Coupe
Rolls Royce/Bentley Award 1926 Rolls Royce Phantom I Salamanca
by Barker
European Classic Award 1929 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A
Limousine by Castagna
Pennsylvania Motorsports Pre-1960 1952 Allard J2X
Pennsylvania Motorsports Post-1960 1964 R&S Special Race Car
John W. Rich Collection 1906 National Model E 7-Passenger
Tourer
Award Year Motorcycle
Harley-Davidson Veteran Class 1910 Harley-Davidson 9A Single
1903-1925 Cylinder
Best Sidecar Outfit 1948 Gilera Nettuno Sport with
Sidecar
Harley-Davidson Vintage Class 1953 Harley-Davidson ST165 "Hummer"
1926-1959
Harley-Davidson Classic Class 1982 Harley-Davidson XR-1000
1960-1985
Harley-Davidson Competition Class 1913 Harley-Davidson Board Track
Racer
International Street Class (non-HD) 1951 Ducati 50 cc Cucciolo "Puppy"
International Competition Class 1953 BSA Drag Racer
(non-HD)
Best Survivor Class 1953 Norton Manx 500 cc
Best of Show 1913 Dayton V-Twin Deluxe 1000 cc
Honorary Chairman's Award 1911 Indian V-Twin Board Track Racer
1000 cc
For more information about the Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance, go to www.radnorconcours.org. For more information about United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, go to www.ucpphila.org.
About Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance and the Radnor Hunt Foundation
The Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance is an invitation-only event that assembles one hundred of the most interesting and significant automobiles based on a featured automobile marque, vehicle type or coachbuilder and motorcycle marque each year. The Radnor Hunt Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Malvern, Pennsylvania.