Palm Beach Concours Comes To Wellington With Amazing ‘Horsepower’ On Display Elegant Automobiles

A fine wine will get better with age, and the same philosophy also applies to many types of automobiles. And just as it’s fun to enjoy an aged bottle of wine, it’s also fun to see, touch, drive and, in some cases, own some of the world’s most amazing automobiles. On Sunday, Nov. 15, nearly 100 of the world’s most tried, tested and treasured cars were on display during the second annual Palm Beach Concours, held this year in Wellington.

This automobile showcase was a gathering of some of the greatest cars that the world has ever seen and driven. The list of brands includes Packard, Bentley, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Ford, Buick, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Aston-Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, among others.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the second annual Palm Beach Concours could not return to its original Worth Avenue home in Palm Beach this year. As a result, event coordinator Sidney Vallon needed a new plan, and that turned out to be the Wellington estate of host and car lover Fred Fishback. Clearly, Fishback and Vallon agreed that the show must go on.

“We had to find a place where we had enough room for the cars, and we could follow social distancing, enforce CDC guidelines and take everybody’s temperature,” Vallon said. “And everybody had to wear a mask.”

Because of the virus restrictions, the number of attendees at this year’s Palm Beach Concours was cut dramatically to only include car owners, their spouses, sponsors, car dealers, collectors and a handful of invited guests.

The festivities began with an evening reception on Saturday, Nov. 14 at the showroom of Palm Beach Classics, which Vallon owns, in West Palm Beach. At this mixer, world-famous, hall-of-fame English racecar driver Derek Bell, MBE, hosted a question-and-answer session where he discussed his long, storied and successful career in racing, largely spent in Europe. The mixer also served as a fundraiser for the event’s charity, the Pediatric Oncology Support Team (POST).

Bell, 79, who has a home in Boca Raton, was honored for his highly successful career as a racecar driver. In fact, 50 years ago, Bell drove in the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind the wheel of the Porsche 917.

Bell also worked with actor Steve McQueen in the filming of the 1970 movie Le Mans and remains an active, licensed racecar driver.

At the 2020 Palm Beach Concours in Wellington, the oldest car was a 1917 White, which actually survived a fire during the 1929 Auto Show at the Astor Hotel in New York City. That car, which features an aluminum body, has 11,000 original miles on the odometer. According to Vallon, the car is still operational. “You can start the car, and it still runs,” he said.

The most expensive vehicle on display was probably the Porsche 917, which was driven to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 1969. That car’s current price tag is no bargain. “It’s worth about $20 million,” Vallon said.

Another unique car was a 1934 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Parkward Touring Saloon, one of only 40 ever produced.

Vallon, who practices what he preaches, showcased a few of his proud possessions at the event, which included a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 170 Cab A, a 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 and a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gold Wing.

In keeping with the traditions of other car shows, the Palm Beach Concours had a panel of judges that examined, rated and graded the cars.

There were a number of categories, such as Best of Show, Best Pre-World War II American, Best Pre-World War II European, Best Post-World War II American, Best Post-World War II European, People’s Choice, Super Car, the Derek Bell Award and Best Porsche.

In all, the value of the cars on display at this unique Wellington event was in excess of $100 million — from classics to exotics to hypercars. The winner of each judged category received a Derek Bell-autographed bottle of Carbon Champagne, which was one of the primary sponsors of the Palm Beach Concours.

While walking from car to car, attendees were served champagne. There was an interesting story with every car, and every owner had a story.

Thomas and Julianna Sawicz enjoy driving their black 2018 McLaren. “It’s fast and fun,” they both agreed.

Grant Kehres, a Boca Raton-based real estate executive, showcased his 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II. It’s a car he will never sell, which he named “Grace,” as the car reminds him of the late actress Grace Kelly, the late Princess Grace of Monaco.

“You can’t get more elegant than Grace Kelly,” Kehres said. “I have hand-cleaned every nut and bolt in this car, and I will never sell her.”

Wellington residents Chris and Caryn Lapinski enjoy owning their 1934 SS (Swan Swallow) 1. “It’s a really smooth ride,” Caryn Lapinski said.

Jupiter resident Gene Tareshawty enjoys bringing his 1940 Packard to these types of events. “I enjoy spending time around old cars and old friends,” he said.

The roots of Vallon’s interest in automobiles can be traced to his childhood. He grew up along the French Riviera in Côte D’Azur, France, where he was always around beautiful cars. To this day, he admits that those childhood experiences made a huge impression on him.

Years later, as an adult, he opened his own classic car dealership and restoration shop, which is now Palm Beach Classics.

In keeping with the traditions of Wellington’s equestrian roots and the “horsepower” of automobiles, a horse jumping showcase was also assembled for the viewing pleasure of those who attended this year’s Palm Beach Concours in Wellington.

Visit www.palmbeachconcours.com to learn more about the Palm Beach Concours.