May 21, 2015
Posted By : Barrett-Jackson

COMING IN HOT: Barrett-Jackson revs up for the Hot August Nights auction and the celebrated $100,000 Barrett-Jackson Cup competition

COMING IN HOT: Barrett-Jackson revs up for the Hot August Nights auction and the celebrated $100,000 Barrett-Jackson Cup competition

May 21, 2015
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

The atmosphere in the arena at the 2014 Hot August Nights Auction presented by Barrett-Jackson was electric as the winner of the Barrett-Jackson Cup - a 1957 Chevrolet Pickup - was revealed onstage.

The atmosphere in the arena at the 2014 Hot August Nights Auction presented by Barrett-Jackson was electric as the winner of the Barrett-Jackson Cup – a 1957 Chevrolet Pickup – was revealed onstage.

Following record-shattering successes in Scottsdale and Palm Beach, Barrett-Jackson is gearing up to roll into Reno Tahoe for its 3rd Annual Hot August Nights Auction, August 6-8 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Back in 2013, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions® teamed up with Hot August Nights – a week-long event reminiscent of the film “American Graffiti,” filled with classic cars, cruising and live entertainment. The result was a match made in car heaven.

The coveted Barrett-Jackson Cup.

The coveted Barrett-Jackson Cup, worth $100,000 in cash and prizes.

The thousands of car enthusiasts who pour into Reno Tahoe for Hot August Nights can experience the excitement of a Barrett-Jackson auction when the spotlight shines on the world-famous block. For car lovers, watching – and possibly bidding on – any of the hundreds of cool customs, vintage vehicles, modern sports cars and more that cruise across the stage makes for a perfect ending to a great week.

One suspense-packed moment spectators won’t want to miss happens on Saturday, August 8, when the winner of the 3rd Annual Barrett-Jackson Cup is revealed. With a total prize package valued at more than $100,000, the esteemed Cup has become one of the most sought-after trophies in the custom car industry. For months, car builders from around the country have been welding, shaping, painting and polishing their one-of-a-kind creations, hoping to walk away with the Ultimate Best of Show honor.

“We’re excited once again to bring together some of the finest customs and hot rods in the world to compete for the prestigious Barrett-Jackson Cup,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “It’s a great component of the entire lifestyle experience and unique environment that you can only be a part of at Reno’s Hot August Nights.”

Cup hopefuls are reviewed by the judges at the Barrett-Jackson Cup Show-n-Shine.

When cars aren’t on display at the many Show-n-Shines, the cruising never ends at Hot August Nights.

Seeking to find the best of the best, renowned automotive judges Bobby Alloway, Pete Chapouris and Bob Millard spend several days whittling down some 200 Barrett-Jackson Cup Show-n-Shine entrants to just 25, and then select the final “Reno 5” on Saturday. They’re looking for perfection in creativity, engineering, finish, performance and style.

In 2014, the judges found perfection in the form of a 1957 Chevrolet Pickup.

The pickup’s owner, Alan Beers, had seen the inaugural Barrett-Jackson Cup on television the year before, and determined then and there that he was going to enter the competition. “There was the Barrett-Jackson name behind it, there were big prizes, it was on live national television and the three judges are all legends in the show car business,” said Beers. “If you’re judged by them, you’re judged by the best.”

Beers knew he would enter his ’57 Chevy, which had already been chosen as one of the Ridler Great 8 at the 2013 Detroit Autorama and then was named the 2013 Goodguys Truck of the Year. The custom pickup was the result of a five-year project completed by Jason Smith of Hot Rod Garage in Oklahoma.

Suspense builds as "The Reno 5" sit in the auction staging area, waiting to be unveiled to the anxious audience inside the arena.

Suspense builds as “The Reno 5″ sit in the auction staging area, waiting to be revealed to the anxious audience inside the arena.

After being tapped for the Top 25 the first day of judging, the pristine pickup made it to “The Reno 5.”

Each year, those final five competitors are whisked off to the Barrett-Jackson auction staging area, where they are placed in random order and covered to keep the suspense meter pegged.

For Barrett-Jackson Cup contenders and spectators alike, nothing quite beats the excitement to follow as, one by one, the “Reno 5” are unveiled and brought onstage. Beers remembers the exhilaration he felt in 2014 when the second-place car was revealed and he realized he had won. The crowd erupted in cheers as his treasured pickup rolled onto the stage and colorful confetti rained down from above. “I can’t tell you how pumped I was!” he said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, to win something like that and be interviewed on live national TV in front of millions of enthusiasts.”

As it turned out, those “Reno 5” were among the best cars in America. They included the 2013 Goodguys Truck of the Year, as well as the 2014 winners of the Goodguys Street Machine of the Year, Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and the Ridler Award winner. “I have never heard of the top cars in the country all competing against each other,” Beers remarked. “To get all five in the same competition is an awesome, awesome deal. To win that really makes you feel over the top.”

Beers suspects there will be the same level of competition for the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Cup. “I’m sure all the top cars from this year’s competitions, like the Ridler winner, will be there, and I know guys building cars right now who are going to come out for the Cup,” he said. “People may say that winning the Detroit Autorama’s Ridler Award is the biggest thing, but I’m telling you, the Barrett-Jackson Cup is going to surpass that soon. It already has gone way past in terms of prizes. I am very proud, very honored to have won that Cup. I still can’t believe it today!”

Whether you are a builder or a spectator, the Barrett-Jackson Cup competition and presentation is a not-to-be-missed event. Builders and owners of customs or hot rods who think they’ve got what it takes to bring home the coveted and valuable Cup simply have to be a registered participant of Hot August Nights and fill out the application to compete in the Barrett-Jackson Cup.

As a spectator, the thrill of being right there in the arena when the Ultimate Best of Show winner is announced is one you will never forget. Make sure to get your tickets to the Hot August Nights Auction presented by Barrett-Jackson early so you can be part of all the excitement.

The 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup winner received a police escort onto the auction stage.

The 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup winner received a police escort onto the auction stage.

The winner of the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup was this pristine 1957 Chevrolet Pickup.

The winner of the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup was this pristine 1957 Chevrolet Pickup.

From left: Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis, Cup winners builder Jason Smith of Hot Rod Garage and owner Alan Beers, Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson.

From left: Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis, Cup winners builder Jason Smith of Hot Rod Garage and owner Alan Beers, Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson.

Winner of the very first Barrett-Jackson Cup in 2013 was a stunning 1969 Ford Torino.

Winner of the very first Barrett-Jackson Cup in 2013 was a stunning 1969 Ford Torino.

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