Duesenberg, Alfa Romeo win Best of Show at Fairfield

Westport, Conn. - A 1933 Duesenberg and a 1938 Alfa Romeo were the stars of this year's Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance.

More than 7,000 visitors and spectators enjoyed a fabulous display of historic automobiles and motorcycles on the grounds of the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, Conn, Sept. 12-13. The event this year attracted owners of over 230 vehicles for display at the show. Chairman and Founder Bill Scheffler said, “This year – while generally not an easy year – has proven another success for our event and for the quality of cars and motorcycles people come to expect from us. The response on Club Celebration Day, the Nutmeg Tour for Autism and on Concours Sunday as well, has been overwhelming and a refreshing sign of optimism”.

The Grand Prix d'Honneur (Best of Show) for a domestic vehicle
went to this 1933 Duesenberg SJ Beverly owned by Joseph III
and Margie Cassini.

Best of Show – Domestic: 1933 Duesenberg SJ Beverly
The 2009 Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance awarded prizes in 40 classes. The Grand Prix d’Honneur (“Best of Show”) for a domestic vehicle this year went to Joseph III and Margie Cassini’s extraordinary 1933 Duesenberg SJ Beverly. Considered the pinnacle of American engineering, design and status in the 1930s, Duesenbergs were highly advanced automobiles and very popular with the rich and famous in their days. This particular, uniquely purple colored example is well known in collector circles and has already gained honors at prestigious car shows. Most recently it was awarded “Best American Classic Closed Prewar” at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Owner Joseph Cassini, III was delighted the Fairfield County Concours had recognized his car as worthy of the coveted Best of Show Award. It represents a grand automobile marque and a truly exquisite coachbuilding effort never again repeated in the over 70 years since this car was first shown.

Best of Show – Foreign: 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia
The 2009 Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance Grand Prix d’Honneur for a foreign automobile was awarded to collector Oscar Davis’ 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia. One of a group of cars called the “Sleeping Beauties”, it had been part a collection which was stored for decades by reclusive European car collector Michel Dovaz at his French chateau. Dovaz had purchased the car in 1956 and left it untouched at his chateau for 34 years, a part of his astonishing hoard of thoroughbred classics. This Alfa 6C 2300 B MM, finally sold from the collection in the 1990s, was eventually the subject of an extensive and detailed restoration. Well respected in the classic car world, this car has been awarded numerous trophies, most recently at the 2009 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance where it took home Best in Class in the Prewar Sports Car category. 

All awards given at the weekend are listed on www.fairfieldcountyconcours.com.

Club Celebration Day
A new element of the 2009 Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance was Club Celebration Day for automobile and motorcycle clubs. Held for the first time, six clubs from the Northeast Region attended with more than 100 cars. Noted Co-Founder and Director of Operations John Shuck: “We wanted to create another attraction for those people that help make our show into what it is, for the car enthusiasts and owners who so generally share their cars and motorcycles with us and the public. We are grateful for their efforts in bringing these cars to us, and with Club Celebration Day wanted to highlight them and their unrelenting passion in preserving these significant automobiles and motorcycles.” The attending clubs chose one car each per club which was awarded a place on the show field of the Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance on Sunday. These cars were:

1962 Aston Martin DB4 (Aston Martin Owners Club)
1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS (Porsche Club)
1964 Cadillac Eldorado, Henny and Alyda Karreman (Cadillac LaSalle Club)
1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SL, Jerry Williams (Mercedes-Benz Club)
1987 Maserati Biturbo Spyder, Anthony Ungaro (Maserati Club)
2003 Ferrari Modena, Michael and Christopher Raduazzo (Ferrari Club)

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