The 1936 Duesenberg SJN (Supercharged) and the 1968 Ford GT40 “#1075” won the Best In Show honors on Sunday, March 10, at the 18th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, which attracted approximately 25,000 spectators throughout the weekend.
The 1936 Duesenberg SJN (Supercharged), owned by Helen and Jack Nethercutt of the Nethercutt Collection, took home the prestigious “Concours d’Elegance” award, heralded as one of the most sought-after honors on the American concours scene. The beautifully sculpted, apple green, SJ straight-eight engine has a 420 cubic-inch displacement and with its Duesenberg-designed supercharger, unleashes 320 horsepower. The sporty, Rollston convertible coupe was one of the most powerful open cars of the 1930s and could race from zero to 100 mph in a mere 17 seconds, an impressive feat for the era.
The highly coveted “Concours de Sport” award was presented to a 1968 Ford GT40, owned by the Rocky Mountain Auto Collection. This Ford chassis, #1075, a newly constructed, Mirage-style, lightweight chassis, won at Le Mans in both 1968 and 1969. Its incredible history includes six wins in 11 races. After the car’s racing career ended, #1075 was put on display at the Indianapolis Speedway Museum to commemorate its racing records, before being returned to private ownership in 1984.
“I’m very pleased with the judges’ decisions for the 2013 Amelia Island Concours winners, as these vehicles are stunning examples of classic design and racing history,” said Bill Warner, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “Every year I’m blown away by the cars that grace our field and I would like to congratulate our panel of esteemed judges on their excellent selection. I’m sure the decision wasn’t easy.”
