Barrett-Jackson Auction Company kicks off 2010

Barrett-Jackson Lot: 5499 - Auction: SCOTTSDALE 2010 - Rare 1950's Chevrolet single-sided porcelain neon dealership sign. Impressive with simulated neon tire movement [crtl-click image to enlarge]. Image Credit: Barrett-Jackson (2010)

Barrett-Jackson Auction Company kicks off 2010

Craig Jackson, CEO of Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, gave a visit to members of the Motor Press Guild (MPG) at their monthly meeting luncheon, Tuesday, Jan. 12, and passed on insights about the process of large scale Automobile and motor culture memorabilia auction sales. Barrett-Jackson's kicks off their year of auction event activity with the annual session that got the ball rolling in 1967, a car show they called, with the appropriate flair, "Fiesta del los Auto Elegance." held in Scottsdale, Arizona. The event was a fundraiser for local charities, including the Scottsdale Library and the community art center.

Barrett-Jackson Lot: 1292 - Auction: SCOTTSDALE 2010 - 1952 WATSON ROADSTER CUSTOM BY BLASTOLENE [ctrl-click to see larger image]. Image Credit: Barrett-Jackson (2010)

Today, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company holds annual auction events in Scottsdale, Arizona - January 18-24, 2010, Palm Beach, Florida - April 1-3, 2010, new this year ... Orange County, California - June 25-27, 2010, and ending the year in Las Vegas, Nevada - September 23-25, 2010.

Craig presented a positive view of the collector car industry as he opened with a short video, spoke for a short time on the state of his industry, and opened the floor to questions.

One of the most interesting questions posed went like this ... You have probably seen it all so is there an auction item that sticks out in your mind that you would like to share?

Craig responded that just recently, at the last Las Vegas auction, he and the staff were left looking at each other, dumbfounded, when the hammer came down on a car for $112,000 dollars. The car was a black & white 1963 Ford Galaxie squad car replication of the television version of the squad car used in the long running TV series, The Andy Griffith Show.


Barrett-Jackson Lot: 63 - 1963 FORD GALAXIE 4 DOOR SEDAN - Lot Number: 63 - Auction: LAS VEGAS 2009 - Sale Price: *$121,000.00 (*includes commission) - Year: 1963 Make: FORD Model: GALAXIE - Style: 4 DOOR SEDAN - Exterior Color: BLACK/WHITE - Summary: Barney Fife Squad car re-creation with a 289cid V8 and Cruise-O-Matic transmission. Built for the famous Barney Fife impersonator, Mick Kieffer. Details: This vehicle was redesigned to accompany Mick Kieffer, one of the nation's leading Barney Fife impersonators. This vehicle has been autographed by the late Don Knotts, documentation and photos are included. Featured on 2 magazine covers: "Rod and Custom" and "Good Guys Gazette". In addition it has been the feature subject of many magazine and newspaper articles across the country. The car's film credits include an episode of the TV series "Cops" filmed in Des Moines, IA, the film "Trash" filmed in CA and a rock video for the Harvey Danger Band. This is a functional "Squad" car powered by a 289cid V8 with a Cruise-O-Matic transmission. The trunk contains the original jack and spare tire. Caption Information & Image(s) Credit: Barrett-Jackson (2009)

Yes, the Mayberry RFD Squad Car ... but this one was a replica built for a Barney Fife (Andy's nervous cousin as played by Don Knotts) impersonator. The car had sold for just about half that price at a previous Barrett-Jackson Auction event (Scottsdale).

Then Craig Jackson made the statement of the afternoon's presentation - "That is why there are auctions ... it only takes two who have an interest in an item, then anything can happen."

Barrett-Jackson Lot: 1307 - Auction: SCOTTSDALE 2010 - 1929 HAMILTON METALPLANE H47 SERIAL #65 AIRPLANE [ctrl-click to see larger image]. Image Credit: Barrett-Jackson (2010)

All auction events held by Barrett-Jackson are classified as "No Reserve", in other words, all bids have the potential of purchasing the car from the seller, and the seller is not allowed to place bids hoping to drive the bidding process up (Barrett-Jackson have people checking the background of bidders as strongly as they know the background of the items up for bid). Further, Barrett-Jackson has contracted with Deloitte and Touche to fashion a code of ethics and procedure to govern the auction process so that people who are involved through either being the seller, or being the bidder, know they are operating on a legitimate and level playing field.

For Barrett-Jackson's part, they will pull an item if for any reason a question about its provenance (background history and authenticity) comes up at anytime before the actual auction. Due diligence is of extreme importance to this process, in that, in Scottsdale, for example, the majority of items being auctioned are going to be sold from between $50,000 to over $100,000 and confidence in the process is what Barrett-Jackson is really selling at each and every event.

See you all at the next Barrett-Jackson - The World's Greatest Collection Auctions - event in Scottsdale, Arizona - Westworld of Scottsdale - 16601 N Pima Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 - January 18-24, 2010, and televised LIVE on SPEED Channel since 1997 (consult your local cable listing for broadcast dates).

... notes from The EDJE

That's MAZDA Raceway ... Laguna Seca!

From left to right: SCCA staffed track condition flagging stand, logo'd Start/Finishline bridge, front straightaway, turn #1, starters perch/stand, pits, and paddock area at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca featuring the green & white liveried, P2 Dyson Racing, biobutanol fuel, MAZDA MZR-R powered, BP sponsored, Lola B09 86 #16 coupe, driven by Guy Smith and Chris Dyson. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

That's MAZDA Raceway ... Laguna Seca!

This weekend, in the hills straddling the agricultural Salinas Valley and the tawny digs of the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Valley, and Pebble Beach, a motorsports marathon of contests will be held. The event is called the Monterey Sports Car Championships, presented by Patron and a total of seven races will be run, much to the delight to the sophisticated fans who will gather.

The headline of the contests is the American Le Mans Series which are prototype full-bodied alternative fuel cars that require a driver change during the running of the race. There is even one car that is a .... HYBRID - that's right, a hybrid that will reach speeds of about 185mph or even a little better.

This event is the last race of the championship series for the 2009 season and it will also be the last professional competitive race for the premier driver/owner of de Farran Motorsports, Gil de Farran.

Many people who come to the track here in the countryside just off of the Pacific Ocean and southwest of San Francisco refer to it as "just" Laguna Seca but that would be wrong. Without the MAZDA at the Raceway ... only one race would be held for all of the series of races to be contested are either supported directly by MAZDA, have engines supplied for the cars, or have a chief competitive team in the field. Further, MAZDA is the only Japanese automobile manufacturer to ever win the 24 hours of Le Mans ... the most famous endurance motorsports race in the world!

For the record, Gil de Ferran qualified his Chaparral-White liveried #66 XM Radio, Acura (in honor of the team owner, car designer Jim Hall ... the person responsible for bringing Gil to IndyCar and the United States at the beginning of his career) in P1 on a last lap heroic effort that ended up breaking something in the suspension of the car while Gil was cutting through the infamous Corkscrew turn (formally the Rainey Curve).

Ariel photograph of the layout at the MAZDA Raceway Laguna Seca. The Start/Finish line is at the bottom with the highest elevation of the track is located toward the upper left corner just as the track turns a sharp left at the "Corkscrew" surrounded in California Oak trees. Image Credit of Photo hanging on wall: Edmund Jenks (2009)

If you have never been to MAZDA Raceway Laguna Seca, the initial thing that impresses the first time attendee (especially if one was a fan and was familiar with the track due to watching races on TV) is the elevation changes throughout the course and that from certain vantage points around the track, one can see the competition for about 60% to 70% of the total course ... this is highly unusual for a dedicated road course that features many turns.

Follow Fernandez chasing de Ferran for one lap late in the timed four hour season ending event from a vantage point near the Red Bull Energy Center at MAZDA Raceway Laguna Seca. Video Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

Gil de Ferran rode into the sunset with a victory in his final race Saturday to "bookend" his American professional racing career, while Patrón Highcroft Racing had its own special ride as well at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to close the 2009 American Le Mans Series.

Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud won the Monterey Sports Car Championships presented by Patrón after the retiring Brazilian legend's thrilling duel with Adrian Fernandez in the final 30 minutes of the four-hour classic.

The Patrón Highcroft Acura finished second in class and third overall, more than enough to secure the LMP1 driver championship for David Brabham and Scott Sharp, and the team title for Patrón Highcroft. The championships were the first for all.

... notes from The EDJE