The Sixth Annual Art of the Car Concours®, which took place June 24 on the campus of the Kansas City Art Institute, showcased 212 vehicles from 65 cities in 12 states, including a number of rare vehicles: a Talbot-Lago, Stutz M Lancefield Coupe, Peugeot 402 Darl’mat Roadster, Rolls Royce Silver Ghost and six Duesenbergs, to mention only a few of the standouts in a field of high-caliber entries. The presenting sponsors were the Mercedes-Benz Dealers, Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City and Aristocrat Motors.

The Concours, which made its debut in 2007, has grown to the point of being a nationally recognized attraction, said Marshall Miller, founder and chairman of the Concours. Its increasingly high profile facilitates his efforts to recruit ever more amazing cars for exhibition, he said. The Seventh Annual Art of the Car Concours is set for June 23, 2013. “The Art of Car Concours is the largest invitation-only Concours between Detroit and California,” Miller said. “There is nothing like it in Chicago, Denver, Dallas, St. Louis or Minneapolis.”

Among this year’s highlights:

·         The 2012 Art of the Car Concours brought together six vehicles designed by the Duesenberg brothers. “It was the first time on a Concours show field that such an array was all in one place at one time,” Miller noted. “Visitors to the Concours were able to see the evolution of the Duesenberg vehicles all in one place.”  They included a 1907 Mason Touring (Duesenberg engine) owned by Phyllis Ary of Everest, Kan.; a 1910 Mason-Maytag Model A, owned by George Hess of Lenexa, Kan.; a 1920 Revere (Duesenberg Model G “Wallsing Beam” Side Valve Engine), owned by Stephen Plaster of Lebanon, Mo.; a 1929 Duesenberg Model J-108 Murphy owned by John Groendyke of Enid, Okla.; a 1933 Duesenberg Riviera Phaeton Brunn, also owned by Groendyke; and a 1929 Duesenberg J Weymann St. Loud Sport Sedan owned by Richard Quick of St. Louis.

·         Pedal cars were featured for the first time at the 2012 Art of the Car Concours, and one of them garnered a first-ever award for “Best First Ride.”

·         Children attending the Concours were invited to use colored chalk to draw on a stripped down truck that had been donated for this purpose to the KCAI School for Continuing and Professional Studies in an event called Art on a Car. In addition to its four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program for college students majoring in 13 fields of study ranging from animation to sculpture, KCAI offers evening, weekend and summer classes for children, youth and adults through its CPS program. “In effect, children had an opportunity to create their own custom paint job on a truck that became a virtual ‘canvas’ for this interactive activity,” Miller said. He noted that visitors to the Concours also were able to make their own prints of classic cars from handmade stamps created by a KCAI graduate.

·         A special Multi-Generation Award was introduced to celebrate families in which more than one family member exhibits at least one vehicle. This year there were 12 exhibitors representing six families. The Art of the Car Concours is the only Concours in the United States to provide an award for a family that includes more than one exhibitor at the event.

In all, Miller presented 38 awards at the Concours, including seven People’s Choice Awards — five for cars and two for motorcycles — selected by vote on ballots submitted by the more than 4,500 people who attended the event, undaunted by unseasonably hot temperatures.

“There is no professional judging,” Miller pointed out. “The awards are chosen by the companies and individuals presenting the awards.”

Below is a recap of all of the awards presented at the Sixth Annual Art of the Car Concours.

People’s Choice Awards (vehicles):

First place: 1938 Talbot Lago T150-SS Teardrop Coupe owned by Mullin Automotive Museum of Oxnard, Calif. 

Second place: 1930 Stutz M Lancefield Coupe owned by Richard and Irena Mitchell of Montgomery, Texas.

Third place: 1938 Peugeot 402 Darl’mat Roadster owned by Mark Hyman of St. Louis.

Fourth place: 1909 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost owned by Fred Guyton of St. Louis.

Fifth place: 1955 Mercury Montclair owned by Ginger and Chuck Freeman of Aurora, Colo.

People’s Choice Awards (motorcycles):

First place: 1923 Indian Chief Motorcycle with sidecar unit owned by Cooper Weeks of Kansas City, Mo.

Second place: 1923 Henderson Deluxe Motorcycle owned by Doug Rollert of Overland Park, Kan.

Sponsor Awards:

Mercedes-Benz Dealers of Kansas City and Aristocrat Motors “Best of Mercedes-Benz” award: 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster owned by Steve Vawter of Kansas City, Mo.

Branson Auction “Gatsby” award: 1929 Chrysler Series 75 owned by J.B. and Anne Hodgdon of Lenexa, Kan.

Tivol “Jewel of a Car” award: 1937 Cord 812 SC Phaeton owned by Steve Nau of Springfield, Mo.

Grass Pad “Best on Grass” award: 1923 Ford TT One-Ton Truck owned by Tom Robson of Shawnee, Kan.

Baron BMW “One I’d Like to Drive Home” award: 1960 Cadillac 62 Series Convertible owned by Vicki Jennings of Kansas City, Mo.

Baron Mini “Dealer’s Choice” award: 1937 BMW 328 Roadster owned by Scott Morris of Kearney, Neb.

Peterson Manufacturing “Bright Ideas on the Move” award: 1960 Dodge Matador 2-Door Hardtop owned by Everett and Holly Moore of Kansas City, Mo.

Curves Ahead “Car with the Best Curves” award: 1929 Duesenberg Model J-108 owned by John Groendyke of Enid, Okla.

Fiat of Olathe “Most Beautiful Italian Vehicle” award: 1967 Ferrari 330GTC owned by Stuart Schlemmer of Mission, Kan.

Hagerty Insurance “Car We Would Most Like to Get a Claim From” award: 1963 Studebaker Avanti RI owned by Milan Johnson of Overland Park, Kan.

Harley Davidson “Best in Show Classic Motorcycle” award: 1974 Ducate 750 SS motorcycle owned by Harold Johnson of Pittsburg, Kan.

Heritage Tow “Car We Would Most Like to Tow” award: 1912 REO The Fifth 4-Door Touring owned by Vic and Lucille Macek of Shawnee, Kan.

Hyman “Spirit of the Hobby” award: 1929 Hudson Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton owned by Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Hostetler of Middlebury, Ind.

Kawasaki “The Motorcycle We Would Most Like to Build” award: 1977 MV Augusta motorcycle owned by Dale Keesecker of Washington, Kan.

Passport Transport “Life is a Highway” award: 1937 Ford Darrin 78 Cabriolet owned by J.B. Saunders of Edmond, Okla.

Meguiar’s “The Car We Would Most Like to Polish” award: 1953 Packard Caribbean 2-door Convertible owned by Patty Nast of Kansas City, Mo.

Shawnee Mission Hyundai “The Car We Would Most Like to Trade For” award: 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 owned by Gary Hanson of Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Complete Garage “Spit Shine” award: 1954 Buick Roadmaster owned by David Mitchell of Wichita, Kan.

Superior Volvo “Best Loved” award: Volvo P210 Duett owned by Bart Klein of Kansas City, Mo.

Hagerty Operation Ignite awards:

·         First place: 1963 Studebaker Avanti R2 2-Door Coupe owned by Elmer Sterthman of O’Fallon, Ill.

·         Second place: 1929 Hudson Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton owned by Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Hostetler of Middlebury, Ind.

·         Third place (tie): 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Rally Sport Coupe owned by Scott Williams of Overland Park, Kan., and 1959 MG EX 186 owned by Joseph Gunderson of Littleton, Colo.

Community partner awards

McPherson College Students’ Choice award: 1933 Hupmobile owned by Ronald Smith of Louisburg, Kan.

MindDrive “Innovation in Design” award: 1922 Stanley Steamer owned by Dick Friedeman of Great Bend, Kan.

Concours awards

Chairman’s award: 1931 Austin American Bantam 2-Door Roadster owned by Brock McPherson of Great Bend, Kan.

Best 100-Year-Old Car award: 1907 Mason Touring owned by Phyllis Ary of Everest, Kan.

President’s award: Jim Wanser of Kansas City, Mo., Concours coordinator

Multi-Generation award: Joe Egle and daughter Alison Egle Dudley, both of Kansas City.

Best First-Ride Pedal Car wward: Don Hoelscher of Weldon Spring, Mo., for his Pedal Murray with Trailer.

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