BEHIND THE SHADES: Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis takes a look back at the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Cup competition

September 23, 2015
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

Steve Davis’ dark glasses protect his eyes from a light sensitivity medical condition – but that didn’t hinder his vision of the cars that competed in the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Cup competition.

As we begin our Las Vegas auction tomorrow, we’re riding high on the success of another great Barrett-Jackson Cup competition in Reno Tahoe. I’m proud that we continue to raise the bar. For the third year in a row, we attracted some of the finest cars in the world, and some of the top builders and owners in the custom and hot rod arena. Combine that with the mass of humanity at Hot August Nights, and you’ve just got an incredibly electric, exciting environment. We’ve quickly elevated the Cup to be one of – if not the most – desired trophies in the industry, particularly with the substantial prize package at stake. It proves we’re on the right track; we’re bringing top builders to the Barrett-Jackson Cup who may not have known about it before.

The 2015 Barrett-Jackson Cup Ultimate Best of Show Winner, a 1962 Chevrolet Impala Bubbletop. Owner: Randy and Lisa Wilcox; Built by CAL Automotive Creations/Andy Leach.

During the three days of judging in downtown Reno, I was able to walk amongst the competitors there. It was great to actually see the cars up close and personal in that “native environment,” but what was really exciting was to see the 25 finalists roll into the auction site – something we had not done in the past. At many custom car competitions, the cars don’t move: they’re displayed in a restricted area, maybe even up off the ground. You certainly can still get a sense of the build and appreciate the craftsmanship in that setting, but seeing the car move really adds an incredible dimension – it shows the car’s true personality.

It’s an aspect of our competition that builders have to consider. It’s one thing to build a car that’s just going to sit on stanchions, never moving. It’s another thing to put a car on all four wheels and move it down the road. The stance, the chassis, the entire package changes and evolves. That sense of movement is often what makes the car special. You get a true snapshot of what the car looks like both in its “show position” on the floor and then see it in motion, which can either enhance or detract. Often cars are equally executed from the standpoint of artistic vision and execution. In some cases, how it moves can make all the difference.

QuikSilver, the 1957 Chevrolet custom pickup that took home the Barrett-Jackson Cup in 2014. Now, it’s getting ready to roll across the auction block at Barrett-Jackson’s 45th Anniversary Auction in Scottsdale in January 2016.

When Craig Jackson and I were with the 25 finalists and made the announcement of the top five, you could just sense the excitement in the crowd. The one common denominator among the builders, the owners, the family members – all the people I encountered – was the level of excitement and how important winning this Cup has become in the custom and hot rod world –to them it’s not only about the money. Our plan is to grow that atmosphere and continue to attract the right people and the right cars. Not only are we raising the profile for these cars and creating an incredibly prolific environment to grow the interest in this area, but we’re also solidifying the values and the marketplace to achieve those values for these cars over the auction block. Case in point: the winner of the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup, QuikSilver, which will be going across the block at our 2016 Scottsdale auction. We’ve had Cup cars up for auction before, but this will mark the first time we’ve had the winner.

The Barrett-Jackson Cup competition showcases modified cars and highlights how far a builder can go in expressing their vision to create the “perfect” vehicle. As a result, more and more people are exposed to the beauty and functionality of these amazing works of rolling art. In that same spirit, we’re seeing a trend toward Resto-Mods, which combine old-school style with contemporary user-friendly mechanics, chassis and luxurious interiors. Resto-Mods definitely draw a large audience of buyers. I see this not only as a trend in the market today, but also well into the future, as the availability and quality of the components offered by the specialty aftermarket continues to grow. The idea of a vintage vehicle that runs and drives like new, can be worked on by virtually any garage and has abundant parts availability is very appealing to both veteran and new enthusiasts alike.

We’re grateful for the incredible turnout for the Barrett-Jackson Cup competition and the quality of the cars, as well as the participation of the builders, the owners and their families, and the camaraderie it represents. I’m very proud we have continued to solidify that the Barrett-Jackson Cup is THE platform to bring together the highest-profile, the best-engineered, the most beautiful customs and hot rods in existence. We continue to grow the hobby, we continue to expand the interest, we continue to raise awareness – and we continue to do it in the surroundings that you can only have and experience if you walk through the door of a Barrett-Jackson event.

If you want to get an idea of what it takes to build a Barrett-Jackson Cup winner, check out this video of Andy Leach, builder of the 2015 Ultimate Best of Show Winner, a 1962 Chevrolet Impala Bubbletop: