Corning Concours d'Elegance


Like Us on Facebook!

Volunteer at the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen


READ THIS: SVRA Hilliard US Vintage Grand Prix Schedule Change for 2024



See other Stone Bridge Driver Events »

Concours d Elegance, Watkins Glen Vintage Grand Prix Festival

Corning Concours d Elegance, Watkins Glen Vintage Grand Prix Festival

Cayuga Health System Sponsor, Watkins Glen Vintage Grand Prix Festival

Concours d Elegance, Watkins Glen Vintage Grand Prix Festival

2021 Awards:Click Here To View

Purpose:
A Judged Exhibition that was started in 1948.

Date:
Friday, September 6, 2024

Location:
Watkins Glen State Park, located between 10th and 11th on Franklin Street.

Eligibility and Class Categories:
Concours quality condition and true unrestored "survivor" vehicles, that are factory built spec before 1996, will be considered. There will be two judging classes, Class One manufactured before 1973, and Class Two 1973-1995.
Mandatory: Fire extinguishers present in car

Awards:
Either class can compete for Corning's Best of Show; Best of Class; Judges Choice and People's Choice. The International Motor Racing Research Center will recognize the Historical Award. There will be two Honorable Mention(s) in each class,
1) Best Domestic, 2) Best Foreign.

Cost:
$145 Includes lunch for driver and guest, a commemorative bottle of Glenora wine, a dash plaque, and two Cayuga Health System Laps of the old circuit. Optional trailer and tow vehicle parking is available near the event site for an additional $25.

To Enter:
To enter by phone call Watkins Glen Promotions at: 607-535-3003, or Click Here[PDF] to print out an entry form. You can also fill in the form, save it and email to events@watkinsglen.com. Please note that registration for all events is limited and events fill up fast, so don't delay your registration!

For more information, contact:
Casey Creamer 607-351-3936 or Email casey@senecasaw.com

Sponsored by:
Many thanks to our generous sponsor Corning


Concours at Clute Park 1955 by John H. Hood

"Every Car has a Story"

by Steve Butchko

What does a princess, a military man and a businessman have in common? One particular car. It seems a prince married a common girl and the royal family dis-owns him only to find out he is bitten by a monkey and dies not knowing the princess is pregnant with his son. The royal family takes the princess in and she takes on royal duties. In 1954 she purchases a car in Paris and is chauffeur driven in and around Italy and Greece, visiting the royal families homes for the next ten years after which she trades the car in for a Mercedes-Benz at Mercedes-Benz Venice.

A United States military man buys the car at the dealership where the princess traded it in and begins driving this car all around Europe when his duties did not call. After some time when his military tour was over he has the car shipped to America. He then travels around with his family with this car for the next FIFTY years!

Fast forward to 2014 when the businessman is able to acquire the car and all of its historical documentation. Now he is making history with the car and it seems that the son of the military man has discovered some headlights in his father's attic that were original to the car while in Europe, but were replaced with sealed beam bulbs by his dad stateside. The son sends the original headlights to the businessman and the story telling begins. The grandson of the princess is a prince and was raised by the princess his grandmother, so he grew up with the car. After the car went to the military man he had kept in touch with him and subsequently in touch with the military man's son. So, the princess's grandson the prince, the military man's son and the businessman are all in communication around this car sharing its stories and developing friendships, to the day.

Try taking the time to stop by at our Corning Concours d'Elegance located at the old start finish line on Franklin Street across from the Courthouse. Take a look at the cars, and see if you can guess which one is, "one particular car", because every car has a story.


2021 Awards

Nine awards were given out for the 2021 Corning Concours d'Elegance event. Four Honorable mentions, People's Choice, the Historical Award (selected by the International Motor Racing Research Center IMRRC). Judge's Choice, Best in Class and Best of Show.

Honorable Mention- Jackie and Bruce Smith's 1963 Porsche 356 coupe which they have owned for 10 years. The car is a 10th year anniversary of the 356.


Photo by Bill Green


Honorable Mention- Judy and Elliot Reitz's 1929 Ford-Miller Indy-type race car. They have been in 7 Great Race events and drove this open car from Ottawa to Mexico City 7,000 miles.


Photo by Bill Green


Honorable Mention- Adelle and James Facinelli's 1989 Bentley Turbo R with only 40,000 miles on it this 5,300 lb. car recently took 1st place in the AACA Senior category.


Photo by Bill Green


Honorable Mention- George Wallace's 1954 Packard Cavalier originally sold new to a Princess of Greece in Paris who sold it to a US military man in 1964 who brought to America and sold it 50 years later to George. It will appear at Jay Leno's Audrain Concours in Newport, RI. this year.


Photo by Bill Green


People's Choice- Jonie and Ken Kumiega's 1960's Custom Convertible Concept car. The "sheet metal" is actually an epoxy composite material used on this "one of a kind" car. The designer and builder is no other than Ken himself.



Photo by Bill Green


Historical Award- selected by the IMRRC is Mike West's 1910 Mitchell Indy car. Having been restored by Mike the last 6 years this is the first time the car has been shown. Watkins Glen Concours runs in Mike's family. His dad showed a 1902 Crestmobile at Watkins Glen in 1958.


Photo by Steve Butchko


Judge's Choice- Cameron Dunlap's 1959 Alfa-Romeo Guilietta Spyder is the upgrade version of the Alfa-Romeo's Veloce sporting a 1600cc block with dual Webers and a 5 speed stick. Cam frequently does laps at the track with this excellent 2015 restored matching numbers Alfa, which by the way is the festival's honored marque this year.


Photo by Bill Green


Best in Class- Chad Comeau's 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster. This stunning 2014 restoration is the last of the pre-A body style, authenticated matching numbers and one of eight factory speedsters with the blue paint and red interior. Max Hoffman importer of cars in Manhattan introduced the Porsche Speedster to America at Watkins Glen in 1954.


Photo by Bill Green


Best of Show- Todd Reder's 1960 Chevrolet Corvette roadster with the factory optional removable hard top and factory optional dual quad carburetors producing 245hp in the 283ci block. This "Vette" has other awards including AACA's 1st Place Junior in Parsippany, NJ, 1st Place Senior in Hershey, PA, and 1st Place Grand National at Gettysburg PA 2020. Maybe more impressive than all of that, Todd did everything (except the paint spray) on this impeccable restoration over a 10 year period just finished 2 years ago.


Photo by Bill Green


Print Friendly 

and PDF




The Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen is presented by Chemung Canal Trust and is a production of Watkins Glen Promotions
209 N. Franklin St. - PO Box 332 - Watkins Glen, NY 14891 ~ Ph: (607) 535-3003
All Content Copyright © 1993 - Watkins Glen Promotions, Inc. All Rights Reserved   |   Web Site Comments
Find us on Google+