More than $100,000 in prizes is up for grabs in the second annual Barrett-Jackson Cup custom-car competition at Hot August Nights, the massive festival of American car culture in Reno, Nevada.
Barrett-Jackson, which brings its high-energy classic car auction to the Nevada celebration for the second time from July 31-August 2, says the Barrett-Jackson Cup is geared up to attract the nation’s most-acclaimed custom builders with the richest prizes in the industry.
The Barrett-Jackson Cup is integrated into the Hot August Nights car shows in downtown Reno, with judging by Bobby Alloway, Pete Chapouris and Bob Millard, some of the most respected names in the custom-car business.
The 2013 winner of the first Barrett-Jackson Cup top prize, dubbed The Ultimate Best of Show, was a spectacular 1969 Ford Torino Talladega performance custom owned by George Poteet and built by Troy Trepanier of Manteno, Illinois.
The 2013 winners took home a $20,000 grand prize, as well as other premium goodies worth thousands. This year, the top prize money has been upped to $30,000, along with a General Motors Crate Engine and Transmission, valued at $15,000; Waterloo Tool Chest and Craftsman Tools, $6,000 value; Reliable Transportation Credit for one year, $5,000 value; and Adam’s Polish Products, $1,000 value. The winner also gets the impressive Barrett-Jackson Cup trophy.
During Hot August Nights, the judges will pick 25 cars from the various “show and shines,” from which the top five are chosen during a special staging at the Downtown Reno Ballroom.
The five finalists will be presented Saturday, Aug. 2, on the Barrett-Jackson auction stage at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and in front of a national television audience via the National Geographic Channel. The winner of The Ultimate Best of Show will be announced during that TV presentation.
For the remainder of the finalists, the first runner-up receives $18,000 plus premium products worth $9,000; second runner-up gets $10,000 along with $4,000 in extras; third runner-up receives $7,000 and a $1,000 gift; while the fourth runner-up gets $5,000.
According to the Scottsdale, Arizona-based auction company, the Barrett-Jackson Cup is designed to take its place among the nation’s most-prestigious hot rod and custom-car competitions, such as the Don Ridler Award and America’s Most Beautiful Roadster.
At its inception last year, the Barrett-Jackson Cup was described by auction company president Steve Davis as “this show within a show that will be on par with the finest car shows in the world. We’re raising the bar to top levels never been seen before except at world-class Street-Rod shows.”
Hot August Nights launches it 28th annual high-octane nostalgia festival of streets rods, muscle cars, custom cars and rock ‘n roll on July 29 for five days of parties, shows, concerts and cruising through the spectator-lined streets of Reno and adjacent Sparks. More than 800,000 people and thousands of classic cars were on the scene last year, according to the organizers.
For a schedules of events, see www.hotaugustnights.net.
the big car shows had a good run but now they are all over