After taking 2020 off, the Cincinnati Concours d’ Elegance was back this past Sunday at the picturesque Ault Park location.
This year’s concours featured a collection of cars that would be at home in some of the biggest concours in the country, with Duesenbergs, historic Indy and endurance racing cars, and just about every other type of rare and collectible car you could imagine.
Take a look at the 2021 class list:
- AN Antique, through 1924
- PV Pre-War Vintage, non-CCCA, 1925-42
- CL1 Pre-War Classic Early, CCCA, 1915-35
- CL2 Pre-War Classic Late, CCCA, 1936-48
- CF Collector – Foreign, 1946-75
- CA Collector – American, 1946-68
- CAS Collector – Asian, all years CS Sports – Contemporary, 1960-85
- SCL Sports – Classic, through 1959
- MU American Performance, 1961-71
- FC Future Classic, 2000 – present
- M Motorcycles, all years
- MS – Featured Theme – Motorsports
- SDE Jaguar E-Type 60th Anniversary
- SDL Lincoln 100th Anniversary
- SDM Microcars
- SDZ Datsun/Nissan Z 50th Anniversary
One of the most interesting cars among this varied concours field of cars was the 1991 Andretti Racing Indy car, looking exactly as it did when it completed a race, including grease, grime and tire-rubber marks.
Throughout the event, this car always had a crowd around it with people asking questions about the most tremendous racing event in the U.S. this car completed just 2 short weeks before – the 2021 Indy 500.
Another standout set of cars was in the endurance-car display that included a rare BMW E46 V8-powered racing car, a modern BMW IMSA car that won the Daytona 25 a few years back, a Nissan Prototype in Momo sponsor livery and a stunning 1961 Chaparral 1.
Among the full classics in attendance were two serious standouts, both Duesenbergs. The first one I noticed was a one-of-one 1927 Duesenberg Model X Boattail brought to the show by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. The car was stunning from every angle.
The other was what has to be among the most elegant Duesenberg sedans ever, a 1929 model J-118 with a Bowman and Schwartz body.
1927 Duesenberg Model X Boattail 1929 Duesenberg Model J-118 | Andy Reid photos
There were two Best of Show winners, one for racing/sports and one for classic road cars. The winner of the sports/racing car Best of Show was the 1961 Chaparral 1 owned by Bruce Amster and the Best of Show winner for road/full classics was the 1929 Duesenberg J-118 by Bowman and Schwartz, owned by Greg Ornazian and restored by Manns Restoration.
There were many more great cars, too many to list, but the most interesting thing about the Cincinnati Concours is not the cars but the people it brings together. Despite having cars on a level with the most-acclaimed concours events in the country, the Cincinnati Concours is the friendliest and most welcoming I have attended.
Hope to see great cars emerge from this world wide pandemic era! I will bring out some of my cars and be participating in polite judging on the show field! Hope to see many friends and new faces!
A fellow that is invoved with the show called me last week about a TR3 I had for sale. I could tell by the way he spoke, he was very proud of the Concours.
“involved”