By Sonya Bernhardt
The Amelia Concours d’Elegance, now in its 27th year, evoked more than the usual oohs and aahs from car lovers, many of whom arrived via private jet or yacht, at the Golf Club of Amelia Island and the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida.
Many were winners at multiple high energy auctions. Celebrating their 24th year as the event’s official auction house, RM Sotheby’s 2022 Amelia Island auction offered best-of-category examples across diverse segments of the collector car market. Bonhams held their auction in a custom pavilion by the private airport.
Under Hagerty’s inaugural stewardship, the 2022 event crowned two winners on March 6. The Best in Show Concours d’Elegance Trophy was awarded to a Duesenberg J-531 displayed by Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a Cadillac DPi displayed by the Jackson Collection, of Ellicott City, Maryland, took the Best in Show Concours de Sport Trophy.
The Amelia’s 2022 honoree was accomplished driver and championship race team owner, Chip Ganassi. For the 27th, The Amelia gathered eight of the cars that Chip Ganassi Racing competed with throughout his career, including the Dallara which won the 2010 Indianapolis 500 and the Chevrolet Impala which won the 2010 Daytona 500.
Continuing with The Amelia’s tradition of celebrating Motorsport, race cars from the 60th Anniversary of the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 70th Anniversary of Sebring were joined on the field by some of the finest examples in the Race Cars Pre-War, NASCAR and Gurney Eagle show groups. Other featured classes included selections from Waterhouse Coachworks and the Rare Aluminum Porsche Race Car genre. The Sports and GT Cars 1958-1972 class boasted 22 cars. The original Hot Rod, with the 90th Anniversary of the 1932 Ford, was celebrated.
The Amelia’s collection of motoring events will be held next year, March 2 to 5. Meanwhile, Hagerty announced the debut of the inaugural Detroit Concours d’Elegance, Sept. 16 to 18, at the Detroit Institute of Arts — an all-new, weekend-long tribute to the people who designed, built and drove American car culture.