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Newport’s Audrain Concours d’Elegance: Behind the Velvet Ropes with a First-Time Judge
The world of high-end automotive concours is typically shrouded in an exclusivity that keeps the general public at arm’s length. Yet, Newport, Rhode Island’s Audrain Concours d’Elegance has consistently pushed boundaries. Long-standing fixtures like Pebble Beach set the benchmark for prestige, but the Audrain, as it enters its second half-decade, has carved its own distinct identity. It bridges the gap between the “old guard” (think classic car insurance, investment car values, and vintage Ferrari prices) and a younger, collector-driven audience.
When the Audrain team extended an invitation to attend in 2025, then push for me to take on a judging role for the main event in 2026, it was an intriguing proposition. Having spent years researching and reporting on the luxury car market, collector car loans, and the cost of owning a rare automobile, I knew the Audrain offered a unique lens into the collector ecosystem. It wasn’t just about seeing cars; it was about understanding the philosophy behind the event and the people who drive it.
“So, what’s it going to take to get you to Audrain?” Don Osborne, the charismatic master of ceremonies and a cornerstone of this world-class event, had asked me previously. The setting for that exchange was MODA (Miami International Autodrome), RM Sotheby’s ambitious answer to the established Amelia Island Concours. Launched out of necessity after Hagerty’s Broad Arrow poached several RM employees, MODA was a statement. The Audrain folks had been pursuing me since the event’s inception back in 2019. After a brief but candid exchange with Osborne, the offer materialized.
“Make me a judge?” I proposed.
With a signature broad smile, he gestured and replied, “You’re in. See you in Newport.”
Entering the Deep End: A World of Exclusivity
The first time I attended the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—the undisputed granddaddy of all decadent car gatherings and luxury auto shows—I was out of my depth. It predates the social media obsession of the 2010s. I was naive, unsure of the customs, and certainly didn’t grasp the gravity of the event. I likely wore shorts, which in that world, is akin to walking into a black-tie gala in a Hawaiian shirt. One thing I did note, however, was that a contemporary—Pulitzer Prize–winning automotive journalist Dan Neil—was serving as an honorary judge. It struck me as impressive. Then, a voice of ego, “Why not me?”
Newport is not Pebble Beach, though many of the most influential collectors—including NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon and automotive royalty Jay Leno—would argue the Audrain surpasses it. Jay Leno, who famously owns “a ridiculous house” in Newport and serves as an integral part of the Audrain ecosystem, had already declared October 2, 2025, as “Jay Leno Day.”
The Economics of Exclusivity
What drives the valuation of these cars? It’s a confluence of rarity, provenance, and emotional resonance. When specialty car loans are being sought for a project, the lender looks for certainty—a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT will hold its value better than a 1980 Chevrolet Corvette, though the latter might hold different emotional appeal. The Audrain is a microcosm of this market: a gathering of people with the means to acquire history.
This leads to a crucial consideration for modern collectors: car insurance premiums are soaring. The cost of insuring a collectible car can run into the tens of thousands annually for high-value lots. Yet, for those attending Newport, this is a necessary cost of doing business—or rather, preserving history. Whether you are looking for classic car financing or a premium collector car insurance quote, the barriers to entry are high, but the rewards, for those in the know, are incalculable.
How to Judge? When the Standards are the Highest
So here I was, tasked with judging during the main event on a Sunday. At the judges’ breakfast—a spread of high-quality coffee, eggs, and sausage that mirrored the prices found on luxury car depreciation charts—head judge Phil Neff posed a simple question.
“Is there anyone here who hasn’t judged a concours?”
Not a hand went up, including mine. While I had extensive experience judging the parody Concours d’LeMons, often forgetting how many times I’d done it, I had never officiated at an event of this magnitude. Should I have raised my hand? In that competitive milieu, the answer was almost certainly “no.” It’s cars, after all. How hard could it be? Remember that undefeated ego. “Why not me?”
Neff and his team paired me with Ray Evernham, the legendary NASCAR hall of fame crew chief who won everything, most famously with Jeff Gordon. The instant synergy was palpable—we realized we’d both experienced the punishing environment of Pikes Peak. Our assigned task was to award the Sporting Choice Award, meaning we were responsible for identifying the most sporting car on the lawn.
Clarifying the Unclarifiable
“Did you want us to focus more on sports cars, or actual race cars?” I asked Neff for clarification.
He smiled enigmatically. “Yes.”
This meant we were responsible for scrutinizing every car present that possessed either two doors or no doors. That’s well over 100 vehicles. And we had only two hours.
Navigating the Competition Landscape
Sporting our official judge hats, complete with medallions, clipboards, pencils, and navy blazers, Evernham and I stepped onto the field. We quickly formulated a strategy. Like at all concours, cars are segregated into specific classes. We decided to review each class, identify cars that “popped,” and curate a shortlist of our top four or five favorites. Crucially, our instructions were to avoid getting bogged down in the nitpicky minutiae that plagues modern car judging. Who cares if the trunk lining is wrong? As we were instructed, “In fact, don’t even open the trunk.”
For enthusiasts looking to compare car auction results, the nuances of judging are what separate a winner from an also-ran. But for the layman, the aesthetic and sporting appeal are what stand out.
Still Not Simple: The Difficulty of Judging
Two of the classes quickly revealed the depth of the talent on the judging panel and the stakes of the competition.
Class D consisted of Ford GT40 road cars, six of which appeared to be near-identical, high-quality GT40 Mk1 homologation specials. These cars are icons of racing heritage, representing the pinnacle of American engineering’s attempt to usurp Ferrari at Le Mans. They are visually identical. Without checking carburetor-bolt alignment—a level of detail we were explicitly discouraged from—picking a winner was impossible. We couldn’t. This put the onus on the judges, who needed to be absolute subject matter experts to make such a call.
The same held true for Class A, the prewar Alfa Romeo division. This class featured six mind-blowingly excellent 8Cs—some of the most valuable postwar Italian sports cars ever built. I couldn’t even begin to articulate why one car won its class, although that burgundy beauty ultimately took home Best of Show. Strangely, it made sense.
In any case, we compiled a shortlist, though sacrifices had to be made. There was a Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe that blew my mind because I’d never heard of it. It turns out only two were ever built, and the other is being intentionally kept away from the public. However, as novel and “Wow!” as the Zagato was, it wasn’t winning the Sporting Choice Award.
A Comparison of Talent
For his part, Evernham was deeply enamored with an exceedingly rare Allard JR that raced at the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. A fascinating piece of British motorsports history, this car featured a Jaguar C-Type body to comply with new Le Mans regulations while still retaining its potent 5.3-liter Cadillac V-8 engine. It remains the most successful of the seven Allard JRs built.
However, I discovered Evernham owns three Allards, and we naturally struck this JR from our list.
The hardest decision we faced was for third place. It was a contest between a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Touring Superleggera Coupe and a 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Bonham & Schwartz Convertible Victoria. As a personal “fiend for postwar Alfas,” I have a soft spot for them. It’s the sheer artistry of the engineering, including the Bakelite switchgear. This particular 6C was finished in a handsome blue and had a compelling backstory. The present owner had never driven it since 1973 until the day before the Concours, having only taken
