Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance attendees select 1929 Chrysler Model 75 Dual Cowl Phaeton for People’s Choice Award
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – The coveted ‘Best of Show’ and ‘People’s Choice’ honors were awarded today at the 13th annual Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, held at the Port Royal Golf Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C.
The top honor at Sunday’s Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance, ‘Best of Show,’ was awarded to a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C owned by Richard Workman of Windmere, Florida. Considered by most automotive styling critics to be at the top of the Pre-War Classics list, this model is one of only 17 Type 57 coupes built from 1936-1940.
Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival attendees selected a 1929 Chrysler Model 75 Dual Cowl Phaeton as the ‘People’s Choice’ winner. The car is owned by Robert and Alice Jepson of Savannah, Georgia. Painted in distinctive colors of the period, the award-winning Chrysler is one of only 227 built, complemented by wire wheels, whitewall tires, and chrome lockrings, center caps and lug nuts.
This year, a new award, the Paul Doerring Founders Award, was given to a 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk owned by Mark James of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “Established in honor of Paul Doerring, one of the key contributing founders of the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival who passed away this year, this award is to be given to the most outstanding post-war car, a genre of car that Paul personally loved,” said Carolyn Vanagel, President for the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival. “Paul was a close friend to all in the industry and the award in his namesake is our way of honoring his legacy and love for classic cars.”
This annual gathering of collectors, enthusiasts and visitors who simply appreciate the design, technology and beauty of memorable automobiles, boats and motorcycles, is one of the fastest growing automotive lifestyle events in the country. Phil Capossela, the Festival’s chairman emeritus, noted, “We again reached our maximum of exhibitors this year and encourage owners to submit as early as possible for next year’s event. The world-class hospitality and facilities of our new venue, The Port Royal Golf Club, along with our yearly attendance records have resulted in an even higher quality show field than in past years, and this year’s winners truly point to our growth and success.”
More than 500 automobiles made their way to the Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, Lowcountry this weekend to participate in the 13th Annual Festival. Edsel B. Ford II, the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, was in attendance as the 2014 Honorary Chairman along with other notable guests, including: Ian Callum, Director of Design for Jaguar; J Mays, Retired Chief Designer for Ford; former Indianapolis 500 Champion, Bobby Rahal; and other motorsports legends such as Hurley Haywood, Brian Redman and Davy Jones. Renowned collectors Joseph and Margie Cassini of West Orange, New Jersey, and William and Christine Snyder of Hudson, Ohio, were recognized as the 2014 Pinnacle and Honored Collectors, respectively. The 14th annual Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for Oct. 23 – Nov. 1, 2015. For more information on the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, visit the official website at www.HHIMotoringFestival.com.
ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND MOTORING FESTIVAL & CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE:
The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance will celebrated its thirteenth year in the fall of 2014. The Festival kicked off with the Savannah Speed Classic, October 24 – 26, on the Grand Prize of America road course situated on the property of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. The festivities continued on Hilton Head Island, SC, November 1 – 2, at Port Royal Golf Club where the Concours d’Elegance (November 2) took center stage. Motoring Festival Partners for the 2014 Festival included the Port Royal Golf Club, The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, BMW Group, Porsche, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mingledorff’s Inc., Savannah/Hilton Head International, Hargray, The Island, the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and Visit Savannah. For more information, visit www.HHIMotoringFestival.com online.