SANTA BARBARA CONCOURS: SILVER SALUTE!


25th Annual Concours showcases Indy racecars, grand classics, hot rods, muscle cars; celebrates Mercedes-Benz’ 125th birthday.



Surrounded by rolling mountains and sunlit beaches, this year’s Concours at the Polo & Racquet Club, benefiting the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County, hosted an eclectic field of incredible vehicles. Awards were presented in 20 classes plus the coveted Best In Class. Michael Fazio showed his rare gold-striped white  ’66 Shelby GT350H, above, with original Shelby American ($3,825.75) invoice to Hertz!



“One of my favorites was Tom Malloy’s patina-preserved ’32 Ford-Westergard Deuce, above, that won the Survivor/Preservation Class and the Way It Was Award,” said our man on the field, Jim Palam.



“Parked next to Doug McKenzie’s orange 1910 Flying Merkel Twin motorcycle (winner of the Mayor of Santa Barbara Award) this highboy made my skin tingle, thinking of how it was back in the early days of hot rodding. Its Flathead fired right up, no smoke. You gotta love it.”



The Most Elegant Car Award went to the Mullin Museum for its extreme Deco-styled '39 Delahaye, above, with 165 body by Figoni & Falaschi. 



When you were a kid, didn't you always want to have a bitchin' midget racer? Daniel Scott's stunning Studebaker-powered '47 Kuris Kraft #17, above, won First in Class, Race Car Division. Check out the story of this trophy-winner, http://www.landyscott.com/



 Words & Photography by Jim Palam.



For more information about the 25th Annual Santa Barbara Concours and class and special award winners, please visit, http://www.elegantcars.com/events/2011-santa-barbara-ca/