Inside the 2026 Audrain Concours d’Elegance: Why This Event is the New Pebble Beach
Welcome to the gilded era’s most exclusive playground. The Audrain Concours d’Elegance isn’t just another car show—it’s the automotive world’s next must-attend event, and I’ve seen firsthand why veterans like Jay Leno call it the “new Pebble Beach.” Held in the sophisticated streets of Newport, Rhode Island, this event masterfully blends world-class judging, automotive history, and refined luxury.
From Miami to the Mansions: How I Became a Judge
My journey into the elite circle of Audrain judges started not at a car show, but in Miami during MODA. MODA, another prestigious car event established two years ago by RM Sotheby’s (a departure from their traditional auction house), represents a statement of power in the automotive world. This move followed the defection of almost 30 key employees from RM Sotheby’s to their competitor, Hagerty, following Hagerty’s acquisition of Amelia Island.
RM Sotheby’s leadership created MODA as a direct response to protect their territory. While navigating the sophisticated atmosphere of this new New York City car show, I found myself chatting with Donald Osborne, the charismatic Master of Ceremonies and “spiritual advisor” to the Audrain Concours. Osborne, known for his tailored attire, bowtie, and fluent Italian, has been encouraging me to attend the Audrain since its inception in 2019.
Looking at him, I simply asked, “Make me a judge?”
With his signature mega-watt smile, he waved a hand over me and declared, “You’re a judge. See you in Newport.”
Into the Deep End: When Legacy Meets Innovation
I still recall my first visit to Pebble Beach. It was long before the age of social media. I was incredibly naive, showing up in shorts and a T-shirt, assuming it was just another casual car gathering. The only familiar face was Pulitzer Prize-winning automotive journalist, Dan Neil, who served as an honorary judge. That sighting sparked a question in my mind, driven by my undefeated ego: “Why not me?”
Many experts, including Jay Leno, believe the Audrain is even better than Pebble Beach. I learned this at The Gathering—Audrain’s answer to the legendary Quail Gathering—which takes place at Doris Duke’s stunning Newport mansion, Rough Point. There, on a live broadcast of Spike’s Car Radio (the podcast I co-host with Seinfeld writer Spike Feresten), Leno openly shared his view. He explained that the Audrain Motor Week reminds him of Pebble Beach fifteen years ago.
Leno himself is intrinsically linked to the Audrain; he owns “a ridiculous house” in Newport. The city even declared October 2, 2025, as Jay Leno Day in recognition of his contributions to the event.
The Art of Judging: A Journey into Excellence
As the big Sunday show dawned, I found myself seated at the judges’ breakfast, enjoying coffee, eggs, and sausage. The head judge, Phil Neff, asked if anyone in the room had never judged a concours before. No hands were raised, not even mine.
While I hadn’t judged a prestigious event like the Audrain, I had extensive experience at the polar opposite: the parody car show, Concours d’LeMons. I’ve judged it so many times that I’ve lost count and even sworn to never do it again. Should I have raised my hand to be honest? Who knows, but ultimately, it’s just about cars. How hard could it be? And as I mentioned, my ego doesn’t know the meaning of defeat. Why not me?
Head judge Neff and his team paired me with Ray Evernham, the NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief who achieved legendary status with wins alongside driver Jeff Gordon. We hit it off instantly upon discovering our shared history racing at Pikes Peak. Our assignment was to award the Sporting Choice Award, which required us to identify the most sporting car on the lawn.
I approached Neff for clarification. Did he want us to focus on sports cars, or actual race cars?
“Yes,” he replied with a smile.
This meant we were responsible for examining and judging every car that was either a two-door or a doorless model—well over 100 vehicles—and we only had two hours to do it.
Navigating the Landscape: Expertise, Endurance, and Eclectic Choices
Sporting our judge hats, complete with medallions, clipboards, No. 2 pencils, and navy blazers, Evernham and I stepped onto the field. We quickly devised a plan: like all concours, the cars are divided into classes. Our strategy was simple—look at each class, identify a car that stood out, and write down our top four or five favorites. The judges’ instructions emphasized avoiding the nitpicky minutiae that often plagues modern car judging. Who cares if the trunk lining is wrong? In fact, don’t even open the trunk.
However, some classes revealed the true level of expertise required. Class D was composed of Ford GT40 road cars. Approximately six of these near-identical GT40 Mk1 homologation specials were lined up, all equally breathtaking. Without meticulously checking the carb-bolt alignment (which we were explicitly told not to do), it was impossible to declare a clear winner. We couldn’t. It’s clear that the judges assigned to Class D must be seasoned subject matter experts to make such a difficult call.
The same was true for Class A, the prewar Alfa Romeo division, which featured six incredibly beautiful 8Cs. I cannot even articulate why the winning car was selected; however, the burgundy beauty went on to win the coveted Best of Show, a decision that felt completely justified.
Making the Cut: A Study in Contrasts
In any case, we managed to compile a short list of our favorites, though it required making some tough choices. Among the standouts was a Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe, a car I had never encountered before. It’s an extremely rare vehicle—only two were ever built, and the other is being kept away from public view. While I found the Zagato incredibly striking and “Wow!”-inducing, I knew it wouldn’t win the Sporting Choice Award.
My co-judge, Evernham, was highly focused on an extremely rare Allard JR that raced at the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. It quickly became apparent that Evernham owns three Allards, so we struck this JR from our list. Although it remains the most successful of the seven Allard JRs ever built—fitted with a Jaguar C-Type body to meet new Le Mans regulations but retaining its 5.3-liter Cadillac V-8—it didn’t quite make the cut for our selection.
The Third Place Dilemma
The hardest decision we faced was choosing the third-place winner. It was a toss-up between a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Touring Superleggera Coupe and a 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Bonham & Schwartz Convertible Victoria. I’m a massive fan of postwar Alfas; I don’t know exactly why, but I’m drawn to them. Perhaps it’s the polished Bakelite used on the switchgear. This particular 6C was a handsome blue and had a compelling backstory, including the fact that its current owner hadn’t driven it since 1973, the day before the Concours d’Elegance, after participating in the Audrain Tour d’Elegance.
Despite the Alfa’s allure, we considered the Caddy more sporting. It was one of two built, custom-bodied in Pasadena, California, by Bonham & Schwartz—the same company that crafted Clarke Gable’s Duesenberg. The candy-red Series 62 was simply stunning; it had that unmistakable “wow” factor, the unmistakable aura of something truly special. Although it was one of two made, it is the only survivor, as its sibling was tragically destroyed in a fire. This car was commissioned for the wealthy Californian oil baron family, the Doheny clan, the very founders of Beverly Hills. We awarded the car our third-place vote, or in Audrain terminology, Honorable Mention.
The Final Call
For us, the Sporting Choice Award came down to two extraordinary vehicles: an aristocratic 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C Lago Figoni et Falaschi Teardrop Coupe and a light green 1951 Cisitalia 202SC Pinin Farina Cabriolet. The Talbot “Goutte d’Eau” certainly possessed the provenance to win. In addition to being the only long-wheelbase T150 C ever built (only 15 regular wheelbase versions were manufactured), this particular car holds a racing record that will likely never be broken. Built in 1938, this T150 C won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in 1948, making it the oldest car ever to win a Grand Prix race. Imagine a 10-year-old car winning an F1 race today? That alone was almost enough to tip the scales. But not quite.
Perhaps it was the Talbot-Lago’s massive sunroof, its dark paint job, or the fact that its elongated shape made the normally tidy Figoni et Falaschi design seem somewhat bloated. Or maybe the Cisitalia was simply that magnificent. From my co-judge, Evernham:
