Noozhawk - Concours d'Elegance

Nikki Grey, News Press Correspondent

October 31, 2011 - 5:35am

Car show crosses finish line : Concours d'Elegance luxury car show weekend comes to a close Gentlemen, stop your engines!

The finale of the Concours d'Elegance luxury car show weekend brought thousands of auto enthusiasts to the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club on Sunday. Showcasing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of classic and rare collector cars, event attendees and officials alike say this show was first rate.

Among owners proudly displaying cars was Santa Barbara historian Neil Graffy. He's the owner of a rare 1941 Packard Super Eight limousine. Mr. Graffy, the history buff that he is, said he enjoyed telling passersby the automobile's unique background.

Mr. Graffy's Packard was once owned by Katherine McCormick, who purchased the vehicle new from the Thomas I. Petersen Packard dealership in Santa Barbara. Mrs. McCormick was the second woman to graduate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology; she also was a leader in the women's rights movement, Mr. Graffy said.

Mrs. McCormick, who donated "The McCormick House" to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in 1967, sold the Packard in 1966 to a city fireman, Laren "George" Ogle, a long-time friend of Mr. Graffy; the historian bought it in 1997. Mr. Graffy said he knew he wanted the car from the moment he saw it when he was 15 years old, which was many years before Mr. Ogle sold it to him.

As Mr. Graffy told his story to the News-Press, passersby couldn't help but stop to admire the car, including Mayor Helene Schneider.

"We found her clutch purse (still) in the car," Mr. Graffy said to Mayor Schneider of Mrs. McCormick.

One couple noted their appreciation for the vehicle's history as they walked by.

"I overheard what he was saying, and I think it's cool to see that it's been in the neighborhood that long," Peter Biava of Santa Barbara told the News-Press.

"The facts about the owner are really interesting," Jeannette Villapiano added. "It's interesting that she was the second girl to graduate from MIT and the founder of the (birth control) pill," she said of Mrs. McCormick's background in the women's rights movement.

Mr. Graffy said the car just came back to Santa Barbara Friday from Idaho where it was undergoing a "mechanical restoration." He was having a great time sharing the car's history with other car lovers at the auto show.

"Of all the different cars I could've had, one that came chock-full of history makes it extra special," Mr. Graffy said. "I'm just having the time of my life showing people."

Another unique car from Santa Barbara at the car show -- one might even call it a celebrity -- was "The Great Gatsby Car." The 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton (whew!), which was featured in the Robert Redford motion picture "The Great Gatsby," also attracted attention.

"Hey, you're not Robert Redford!" passersby called to Devon Crail as he drove the car on the lawn of the polo fields.

"Everyone's just amazed," Mr. Crail said of the response the car received during the show. "It's a beautiful, unique car (and) something that most people have never seen before."

Mr. Crail's father, Charles S. Crail, is the owner of the vehicle and local automobile dealership, Charles S. Crail Automobiles.

But the car show, which will benefit the United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County, didn't attract locals only. Ralph Bauman said he drove about an hour and a half from Santa Clarita to visit the car show for "the fun, the cars, the people and the nice weather, of course."

"It's very impressive," Mr. Bauman said of the festivities. "I love the cars and the camaraderie."

The car show's "evolution," event officials say, has included changes in ownership, several years without running and its recent revival. Last year, Stratus Media staged the Concours d'Elegance event, but rain dampened the festivities. This year, however, officials say the show has exceeded expectations.

Concours d'Elegance Grand Marshall, "Mr. Indy 500" Andy Granatelli, said the event was a success.

"It's a wonderful day, a great crowd," Mr. Granatelli told the News-Press. "It's the premiere event now. A lot of people, a lot of cars, a good day (and) the location in beautiful Santa Barbara. What else could you ask for?"

"It's fantastic to see it operating at this level again," said CEO of Stratus Media Paul Feller. Mr. Feller said the Concours d'Elegance, in combination with the inaugural Mille Miglia North America Tribute (a tribute tour to the Mille Miglia that the News-Press reported on earlier this week) will bring the level of the car shows to that of top 10 events in the U.S.

Throughout the event, winners of various awards were announced, culminating in the final, Best-in-Show award.

Chief judge of the European Pre-War Class Dawn Erikson was one of the judges who selected the 1936 Delahaye Roadster, which is dark blue with a gray ostrich interior. Ms. Erikson explained that each car that was judged started with 100 points, with points deducted for every flaw on the car.

"The most perfect paint job I've ever seen. It's just so elegant and has no flaws," Ms. Erikson said of the winning car. "The presence of the car is exquisite.

"The car is perfect," she said.

Ken and Ann Smith, the owners of the Delahaye Roadster, said they were thrilled to win the Best-in-Show award.