Three- Day Auto Museum Event Showcases Excellence.
By Arthur Gonick
Saratoga TODAY
SARATOGA SPRINGS – “This is an event made in automotive heaven.”
So stated Ron Hedger, trustee and executive director of the Saratoga Auto Museum in welcoming the public to the eighth annual Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance. This is the third year they event has been held in the Saratoga Region, and according to Hemmings’ (a luxury collectible auto enthusiast media giant headquartered in Bennington, VT) President and Publisher Jim Menneto, a perfect spot for this three-day spectacular with events to delight both the collector and the “ooh-and-ahh” people who just love cars, like yours truly.
The three-day tribute to motorized eye-candy began on Friday, September 26 with a road rally of about 50 luxury and vintage cars cruising up to Lake George, where participants boarded Shoreline Cruise’s Adirondac for a two-hour tour of the queen of America’s Lakes. I was able to get an insider’s view of the proceedings, being driven in the auto parade by Paul Morrissette of Chubb Insurance, a firm that specializes in insuring all sorts of luxury collectables. Paul was behind the wheel of a 1969 MGC hardtop - royal blue and James Bond snazzy.
But our photographer got an even better seat. Francesco rode shotgun in the lead car driven by Mr. Menneto – an open-air 1932 Ford Boattail Speedster. Barely a two-seater, this car is a veteran of five great races, most recently one that spanned from Maine to Florida.
The parade of DeLoreans, Mercedes and Caddy’s kept a decent pace on the route up 9N. At many points on the road, people who apparently knew this was coming pulled over with their cameras (a few set up on tripods) or just to wave. Members of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department aided the cause by keeping us going through those pesky red lights that popped up now and again.
Arriving in Lake George, participants enjoyed a cruise on nothing less than a chamber of commerce perfect early fall afternoon. On the way back, Paul showed me the MG’s capabilities on the Northway. Pretty darn sweet - let’s just leave it at that.
The weekend continued with some other notable events celebrating distinctive automotive engineering through the ages. A “cruise-in” on Saturday was open to cars, trucks and motorcycles – with awards bestowed in categories such as muscle cars, street rods, sports, exotics and classics. The evening reception featured a keynote speech by J Mays – a world-renowned auto designer for Audi, BMW, Volkswagen and Ford.
Sunday’s event was the penultimate: the best of the best displayed around the reflecting pool at the Spa State Park. The Concours d’Elegance, ladies and gents. These are the vehicles that are brought in on trailers, rarely driven. Pre-1980s showroom-quality classics that included 1964-74 Pontiac GTO’s, Continentals, Alfa Romeo’s and vintage fire trucks. A special category this year heralded the centennial of the Dodge Motor Company.
The Saratoga Auto Museum always has fantastic events and displays like this, making it a standout in a city of standout museums. In the fall, they will be concluding their highly popular “Mustang at 50” exhibit on November 2 – with a special promotion for Ford owners. Bring your Ford registration and receive a free admission ticket for yourself. You and your party will also get a 20 percent discount on any Mustang or Ford related souvenir items you purchase.
On November 9, the museum will be will be welcoming its next exhibit: Luxury cars through the ages. I can’t wait.
A trip to the Saratoga Auto Museum is always a trip back in time, with side ventures into the lap of luxury. Even someone who drives a Camry can appreciate that.
For more information, visit saratogaautomuseum.org
