Palm Beach Cavallino Classic

I understand not correcting spelling (although as a mod I have corrected spelling on a thread title), but redirecting errant posts and splitting threads is widely used on other car forums.

 

It's too time consuming for me to go back and find an example, but it has happened. Maybe one of the mods will remember a case.

My only point being the conflation of 2023 and 2024 posts could have been fixed early on, that's all I'm saying. It's not a big deal. Fougeddaboudit.

 

Is there a list of judges somewhere?

 

There is. Its was not given to me to be made public.
Cavallino used to put them in the event program with a short bio. I don't think they ever got mine right but that was not their fault. They were consistently given bad information.

 

They also used to be named on the last page of every issue of Cavallino as I recall. So I guess now there’s a judges’ Star Chamber.

 

That was Cavallinos choice. Not the judging group. I'm sure they'd be happy to still be there. Canossa needs every inch of print to talk about themselves. They have no time or desire to recognize the people who make it happen for them for free.

 

Any impressions of the banquet? Attendance, food quality?

 

For the first time ever I didn't go. 2 Hours after the chief judges meeting was over I was on a plane. I was home watching TV before they got desert.

 

Listing the judges and other workers in the Cavallino article covering the show was both a classy act, and a good business decision, by John.

 

I'd work for John again tomorrow.

 

That really is sad to hear. I enjoyed my participation years ago.

Oh well, to paraphrase Bill Belichick, we're on to Wisconsin!

 

any Daytona pix?

 

You mean the race? Wasn't it this weekend? Or, wait a minute, are you talking about bike/titty week?

 

^ all

 

To be honest this was a little but uncomfortable to watch. Had most people left by the time they did this?

 

Overall it was a decent show. For anyone that hasn’t been to past events I’m sure they were happy and would know no different. If you are into the “modern” cars you would also be happy as that is now the majority of the field.

The front lawn was very thin IMO compared to the past. They even let an SP3 up front. In years past the front lawn was a mind blowing collection of the best of the best. This year had a couple standouts but personally I was a bit disappointed as were several people I spoke with (including judges and restorers)

Just down from the front lawn was a display by Ferrari of Palm Beach with the Purosangue (I still hate it) Sf90, 296, etc. Is it just me or are the new Ferraris starting to look like random generic super cars? Do they look like Ferraris from a distance? I digress.

Then there were a handful of 275s and the rest of the cars. It was the usual suspects from there on. Few F50s, Enzo, LaFerrari, etc. A good group of cars but I just glossed over them. Been there, done that. They also had a nice display of Testarossas on the side path. Down by the ocean they had a few track cars just like last year.

The crowd was decent but there wasn’t any point in the day it felt crowded. In fact all day long you could stand anywhere on the field comfortably with plenty of walking distance for people to get around you and or take pictures. In years past I remember it being so packed one couldn’t move. I spent most of my time talking to friends on the front lawn and it was never crowded while I was there from 10am to 3:30.

There were velvet ropes and red carpets everywhere. Lots of security too. The aesthetic was more in line with Miami events. VIP this, VIP that, lounge area, etc. They even had the obligatory bevy of young girls in tight dresses working every contact point, entrance, counter, etc. Lol, more local club volunteers working the gates! I was also surprised when I arrived in the morning to find out they weren’t letting you on the property unless you had a ticket and ID. I assume this is to stop all the bystanders who would camp out for pics and not buy a ticket. I don’t know if that was enforced all day. There was also the usual groups from Miami and tire kickers in the valet area trying to do side deals and market what they drove in. I saw a lot of young guys there snapping pics.

I did hear lots of low key grumbling for long time attendees and patrons about pricing. It seems they hit the threshold of what people perceive is a good value. I heard story after story of long time regulars who stayed away and or are no longer patrons due to pricing and the new “cold” attitude. To be fair I did speak with several people who were there for the very first time and enjoyed themselves.

Worst part for me was later in the day when I saw three women trying to appear “candid” as they pranced and posed around the cars while someone took their pictures. It appeared they hired their own photog to take shots for the gram. It didn’t look like Canossa official media. Barf!

At the end of day it’s still a good show. Is it worth $480 to get in? Well, not for this fan. Perhaps if I was new to the scene I’d think differently but given I’ve been going since 1996 it just doesn’t fill the boots of the old events. I did hear over and over from people saying how much they missed the track and “how things used to be”.

If they don’t figure out how to keep the vintage aspect it will sadly just become one of our many events. I know it sounds jaded but modern exotics are a dime a dozen here. I can go see them for free any given week. I don’t think they are special enough to support a high caliber event. Once you take away the vintage cars and the concurs judging it becomes just another pony show.

 

This sums up the new focus/crowd. Count how many times they mention money or values. Million this, billion that.

No focus on history, provenance, design, performance, etc. It’s all reduced to rolling status symbols.

 

It was worse in person. Not many stuck around for it.

 

Were there any art or book vendors?