A sunny and spectacular Sunday morning welcomed over 2,000 spectators to witness some of the most exclusive cars on the East Coast. The North Shore Concours d’Elegance, presented by the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group, has emerged as the premier must-attend summer happening in New England and filled the Endicott College Misselwood Estate grounds with concours level cars and motorcycles, as well as a series of fashion shows, musical entertainment and art displays, with the Atlantic Ocean forming a spectacular backdrop.
The boutique show hosted dozens of unique and rare cars, such as an original 1954 Bugatti A6 GCS Barchetta that has run the infamous Mille Miglia; a fully restored 1910 Oakland 24 Roadster of which only 3 are known to exist worldwide and has participated in the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance; or even a 1932 Duesenberg SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton, property of the Collings Foundation.
Patrick Cornelissen, Director of Operations at Endicott College and organizer of the North Shore Concours d’Elegance was thrilled with the results. “This year’s event was outstanding, from the sponsors to the car
owners to the general public; everyone had an incredible time,” he says. “With an event of this stature, we know that Endicott’s Misselwood Estate lives up to its expectations and creates that unique boutique setting a show of this caliber looks for.”
“Not only did we have an amazing field of concours cars, we also noted that the adjacent collector car area was filled with both newer and vintage Marmon, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ferrari, Buick, Bentley, Rolls Royce and even a 1953 Harvester International Crop Duster Tractor,” Cornelissen mentioned. “The collector car area was something new this year, and several people already asked how they can be part of this for next year. Since this is an area open to all cars, I just have one advice: just show up early”.
Cornelissen has been working with Assistant Operations Manger Dustin Cano on all the small details that go into running a high class event of this magnitude. “Just on Saturday night we had 200 guest enjoying a beautiful oceanfront wedding and 8 hours later, the same grounds were filled with million dollar cars. It’s just part of what event planning is all about”, says Cornelissen, who also teaches at Endicott’s School of Hospitality Management.
The entire property was buzzing with excitement as people not only enjoyed the cars, but also were watching fashion shows, taking historical house tours or perusing jewelry and watches at the Long’s – Rolex Pavilion, while others were admiring the brand new cars from the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a day than admiring historic cars along what used to be referred to as the ‘Gold Coast’ and raising funds to help young people continue their education,” said Warren Waugh, co-founder of the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group. “Last year, the event had everything from a 1904 Grout Steamer to a 1932 Chrysler Imperial and this year’s cars were even more unique. It was a fantastic gathering and I’m already looking forward to next year’s event.”
For being a relative young show, the North Shore Concours d’Elegance has already earned a solid reputation among concours owners, who noted that the setting outshines even some of the more prestigious concours events nationwide. The combination of the ocean, sloping lawns and the intimate setting created by limiting the number of concours cars, all make this show one of the best of its kind.
The event culminated at the award ceremony, with 11 best in class and 1 best of show trofees to be awarded. Bob DeSantis and Rick Beecoff were instrumental this year in leading the team of judges and making the very difficult choices of which cars to select for each category. “It is all about the beauty”, says Bob. “If we were to use a point-based system, we probably see other cars win; however, at a concours show the goals are different, as we award winners based on aesthetics and historical significance. We were thrilled with this year’s quality of the cars, and it sure reflects in the awards that were handed out”.
This year’s Best of Show award went to a 1932 Duesenberg SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton, owned by the Collings Foundation in Stow, Ma. The car, considered by Fred Collins to be the jewel of the foundation’s collection not only exemplified the stateliness of its era, but also showcased the ultimate performance and luxury of the 30’s. What makes this particular car even more remarkable is that it was Fred Duesenberg’s personal car. The judges awarded this car “Best of Show” due to its outstanding condition and restoration.
The North Shore Concours d’Elegance takes place every last Sunday in July. For more information on how to become a sponsor for the 2012 edition, please contact Patrick Cornelissen at pcorneli@endicott.edu.