Editor’s note: The ClassicCars.com Journal is your source for Amelia Island news – from collector car auctions and shows to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Read more of our coverage on our dedicated page.
Innovative, groundbreaking and revolutionary racers and technology that competed in the Indianapolis 500, which celebrates its 110th anniversary this year, will be featured at the 24th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Florida.
“From its earliest days, the 500 was the cradle of innovation and the nursery of famous, sometimes obscure and occasionally infamous cars that drove the Indy 500 to become not just ‘the greatest spectacle in racing’ but the most important auto race in the world,” according to an Amelia Island Concours news release.
The concours traces the history of Indy from before World War 1, when a Grand Prix Peugeot brought forth a high-revving DOHC four-valve engine, ending the days of behemoth-displacement engines. After that came the remarkable Miller race cars and the Offenhauser, which reigned from 1935 with 28 victories through 1976.
Cummins two-stroke diesel power “defied and defeated not only Indy convention but draconian fuel consumption rules in 1934,” the release notes.
The innovations of Indy continued, the release continues, with “the birth of the roadster in 1952, the rear-engine invasion of the 1960s with the introduction of Formula 1 technology, and the arrival of Formula 1 World Champions Cooper and Lotus. Ground effects arrived at Indy from Formula 1 in 1979 and, as in 1961, everything changed with speeds climbing steeply.”
The Amelia Island Concours will be held March 10 on the fairways of the Golf Club of the Ritz-Carlton Resort. For more information, visit the concours website.
The Amelia concours also announced tickets going on sale for its numerous events, including the two special seminars that mark the concours weekend, featuring experts, race drivers and celebrities presenting their views.
The seminars, both held in the Talbot Ballroom, include “Racing around the rules: The unfair advantage,” on Friday, March 8, that will explore how racing teams and crew chiefs work behind the scenes to bend the rule book for a competitive advantage.
The other seminar looks at “The Porsche 962 dynasty,” on Saturday, March 9, which is “dedicated to Porsche’s landmark 962 prototype and the racers who dominated international long-distance racing for over a decade.”
Seminar tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. For tickets and information, visit Amelia seminars.
Future Classics head for Scottsdale
The fourth annual Future Classics Car Show, hosted by ClassicCars.com, takes place Sunday, January 13, in a kickoff for Arizona Auction Week. The show begins at 1 p.m. in the Scottsdale Quarter, with the roll-in starting at 11 a.m.
The show features produced since 1975 that are destined to become collector cars of the future, including the Japanese classics, customs and tuners that are so popular with younger hobbyists.
As in past years, the show will be held on the top floors of the parking garage at 15027 N. Scottsdale Road in the heart of the popular shopping district.
For more information, visit the event website.
Ferraris in Palm Beach
Five days of Ferrari fun and festivities take place January 23-27, headquartered at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. The Palm Beach Cavalino Classic 28 includes track days, seminars, parties, receptions and a Concorso d’Eleganza on the front lawn of The Breakers with 140 Ferraris displayed and judged.
The week concludes with a multi-marque concours at the Mar-A-Lago Resort featuring 120 pre- and post-war classics through 1970.
For tickets and information, visit the event website.
Arizona Jet Center reception
One of the social highlights of Arizona Auction Week, the AZ Jet Center Event will take place Wednesday, January 16, at Aero Jet Services in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Held for the third year, the event benefits the Jet Center Foundation’s worthy charities of Child Help, for the prevention and treatment of child abuse, and Forever Loved Pet Sanctuary, finding forever homes for senior pets.
The Jet Center event will feature private aircraft from the Aero Jet collection, and rarely seen exotic cars, including a special showing of the famed Mullholland Speedster, voted Americas Most Beautiful Roadster. Also featured will be fine art, gourmet food, international fashion and a silent auction of premium items.
For tickets and information, visit the event website.
Mesquite betting on classic cars
2019 Mesquite Motor Mania takes place January 18-20, taking over Mesquite, Nevada, with a series of free events including car shows, cruises, competitions, vendors, swap meets and other festivities.
More than $15,000 in cash prizes will be presented with a total of 260 awards for the top vehicles on display. The events typically draw more than 900 classics, streets rods, muscle cars and other special-interest vehicles, as well as thousands of spectators.
The Motor Mania events are planned for various locations throughout the weekend, with show vehicles on display at the Casablanca, Virgin River, Oasis and Eureka resorts.
For more information, visit the event website.
Cadillacs in Southern California
Classic Cadillacs, including exceptional 1930-40 V16 and 1931-37 V 12 models, will be presented during the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance in San Diego, California, the concours organizers have announced.
“Cadillac is the oldest surviving brand in the United States, dating back to 1901, which promises a stunning assortment of models to be showcased,” according to a concours news release.
The concours also will feature another luxury brand, Bentley, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, as well as the 50th year of a famed muscle car, the Ford Mustang Mach 1.
The concours will be held Sunday, April 14, on the La Jolla Cove lawn, preceded on Saturday by the Tour d’Elegance, a road trip of the concours cars.
For more information and tickets purchases, visit the event website.
Pomona Swap Meet rolls in
The Pomona Swap Meet and Classic car Show takes place Sunday at the Pomona Fairplex, featuring more than 2,400 vendors and thousands of show cars on display. For information, visit the event website.
