The Modern Pebble: Navigating the Audrain Concours D’Elegance
Donald Osborne, a man known for his distinctive bowtie, Italian linguistic fluency, and operatic vocal talents, serves as the esteemed Master of Ceremonies for one of the automotive world’s most prestigious events, the Audrain Concours d’Elegance. This event, held annually in the idyllic setting of Newport, Rhode Island—a city steeped in history from America’s Gilded Age—has rapidly ascended the ranks of exclusive automotive gatherings, drawing collectors, historians, and enthusiasts from around the globe.
Osborne and I recently found ourselves in Miami for MODA, a high-end auction event initiated by RM Sotheby’s. This venture was, in part, a calculated response to the departure of nearly 30 employees from RM Sotheby’s, who transitioned to Hagerty’s Broad Arrow auction house. The Audrain organization had invited me to attend their event since its inception in 2019. As I conversed with Osborne, I proposed, “Would you consider making me a judge?” He responded with a broad smile, gesturing in my direction and declared, “You are now a judge. See you in Newport.”
A Leap into the Unknown
My inaugural attendance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—the premier event for classic and luxury automobiles—occurred well before the ubiquity of social media platforms. I had no prior knowledge of such gatherings and was completely unaware of the caliber of cars and attendees that grace the event. In fact, I was naïve enough to believe that the main competition on Sunday was merely an extension of the local “cars and coffee” gatherings. Consequently, I arrived dressed in casual attire, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. It was during this time, however, that I noticed a friend, Pulitzer Prize-winning automotive journalist Dan Neil, serving as an honorary judge. This impressed me, and a thought soon emerged from my undefeated ego: “Why can’t I do that?”
The Audrain is no substitute for Pebble Beach, yet many automotive enthusiasts, including notable figures such as Jay Leno, maintain that the Audrain may actually surpass Pebble Beach in certain aspects. I learned this firsthand during The Gathering, hosted at Doris Duke’s historic Newport summer residence, Rough Point. In what could be considered the Audrain’s answer to The Quail, Spike’s Car Radio, a podcast featuring Seinfeld writer Spike Feresten (famous for his “No soup for you!\” catchphrase) and myself, conducted a live broadcast featuring Jay Leno as a special guest. Leno shared his sentiment that the Audrain Motor Week is reminiscent of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance fifteen years prior. Leno, who possesses what he terms a “ridiculous house\” in Newport, is an essential and integral part of the Audrain. As a testament to his prominence, the mayor of Newport, through a formal proclamation, declared October 2, 2025, as “Jay Leno Day.”
The Art of Judging a Concours
Thus, I found myself serving as a judge during the main competition on Sunday. As I sat at the judges’ breakfast, enjoying my coffee, eggs, and sausage, the head judge, Phil Neff, inquired, \”Is there anyone here who hasn’t judged a concours?\” To my surprise, no hands were raised, mine included. Granted, I had never adjudicated a formal event like the Audrain. However, I had judged the parody car show, Concours d’LeMons, so many times that I have lost count of the number of events and have sworn never to participate in another. Should I have raised my hand? I’m unsure. But it is about cars, isn’t it? How difficult could it be? Remember, my ego is undefeated. Why not me?
Neff and his team assigned me to collaborate with Ray Evernham, a NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief who has achieved numerous victories, often with driver Jeff Gordon. Evernham and I bonded immediately upon discovering our shared racing history at Pikes Peak. Our task was to present a special award: the Sporting Choice Award. Essentially, we were looking for the most sporting vehicle on the lawn. I requested clarification from Head Judge Neff, asking if we should prioritize sports cars over actual race cars. \”Yes,\” he replied, smiling. This meant we were responsible for examining and judging every two-door or doorless car present. This equated to over 100 vehicles, and we were allocated a mere two hours to complete the assessment.
Donning our official judge badges, medallions, clipboards, No. 2 pencils, and navy blazers, Evernham and I proceeded onto the field. We quickly developed a strategy. As is customary in all concours, the vehicles are organized into specific classes. We would simply review each class, identify vehicles that stood out, and list our top four or five favorites. Our instructions were clear: do not dwell on the tedious minutiae that often complicates modern car judging. Who genuinely cares if the trunk lining is incorrect? In fact, do not even open the trunk.
Challenges in Objectivity
Two of the classes quickly demonstrated that my earlier “Why not me?\” fantasy may not have been entirely warranted. Class D featured Ford GT40 road cars, with approximately six near-identical quality GT40 Mk1 homologation specials. Honestly, they all appeared equally impressive, and without conducting a meticulous check of the carb-bolt alignment (as we were explicitly instructed against), I cannot fathom how one would select a winner. We were unable to make a selection. Put another way, the judges for Class D needed to possess genuine expertise in this specific niche to make such a decision. The same held true for Class A, the prewar Alfa Romeo division, which consisted of six extraordinarily impressive 8Cs. I cannot even begin to explain the criteria used to select the winning vehicle, although the burgundy beauty eventually claimed the Best of Show title. Strangely, that outcome felt entirely appropriate.
Nonetheless, we successfully compiled a short list of our preferred vehicles, despite having to make some difficult sacrifices. Among the contenders was a Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe that utterly captivated me because I had never encountered it before (it is rumored to be one of only two ever produced, with the other deliberately kept away from the public). However, I realized that while the Zagato Lamborghini was novel and undoubtedly \”Wow!\” factor, it was unlikely to win the Sporting Choice Award. Evernham, for his part, was particularly impressed by an exceedingly rare Allard JR that had competed in the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. Upon closer inspection, however, I discovered that he owns three Allard models, necessitating the removal of this JR from our consideration. It remains the most successful of the seven Allard JRs built, featuring a Jaguar C-Type body to meet new Le Mans regulations while retaining its 5.3-liter Cadillac V-8 engine.
The Crucial Decisions
The most challenging decision we faced was selecting the third-place winner. The competition was between a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Touring Superleggera Coupe and a 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Bonham & Schwartz Convertible Victoria. I have a profound fondness for postwar Alfa Romeos. There is something about them that resonates deeply with me. I suppose it is primarily due to the Bakelite used in the switchgear. This particular 6C featured an elegant burgundy finish and an engaging backstory. It was notable that its current owner had not driven the vehicle since 1973 until the day before the Concours d’Elegance, during the Audrain Tour d’Elegance.
However, we found the Caddy more sporty. It was one of two, custom-bodied in Pasadena, California, by the same company (Bonham & Schwartz) that crafted Clarke Gable’s Duesenberg; the candy-red Series 62 truly stood out. It possessed that undeniable wow factor, a presence that signaled immediate prestige. While it was one of two produced, it is the only surviving example, as its sibling was tragically lost in a fire. This car was commissioned for the wealthy Californian oil magnate family, the Doheny clan, who just happened to be the founders of the city of Beverly Hills. We awarded the car our third-place vote, or as it is known in Audrain terminology, Honorable Mention.
The Final Verdict
For us, the Sporting Choice Award came down to two cars: a highly exclusive 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 pedigree to win. Aside from being the only long-wheelbase T150 C ever built (the standard wheelbase version had 15 examples), this specific car holds a racing record that will likely remain unmatched: Built in 1938, this T150 C won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in 1948, making it the oldest car to ever win a Grand Prix race. Imagine a 10-year-old car winning an F1 race today? That alone was almost enough to secure the victory. But not quite.
Perhaps it was the Talbot-Lago’s large sunroof, its dark paint finish, or the fact that its elongated body made the typically sleek Figoni et Falaschi design appear somewhat bloated. Alternatively, the Cisitalia may simply have been that extraordinary. As Ray Evernham, my co-judge, articulated: \”The Cisitalia spoke to me. The synergy of color, stance, and
