Orange County Collector Car & Motorcycle Weekend Kicks-off Fourth of July Festivities by Honoring the U.S. Military

Image provided by Cpl. Christopher Duncan

The Orange County Collector Car & Motorcycle Weekend^TM and the Dana Point Concours d’Elegance® are scheduled to host thousands of collector car and vintage motorcycle enthusiasts from across Southern California two weeks before Fourth of July festivities get underway.

To kick-off the patriotic celebration that will sweep through Orange County, the Dana Point Concours team will honor U.S. military men and women at home and overseas through its 2013 theme: “Salute to Military: Past & Present War Vehicles,” from Friday, June 21, to Sunday, June 23.

Besides offering active duty military and DOD personnel free admission (and a $15 discounted ticket for a friend or family member) to Sunday’s Concours d’Elegance on the Monarch Beach Golf Links at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort, the Concours team will also display some of the most impressive and rare military vehicles ever used in combat.

And that’s just part of the amazing surprise! The Orange County Collector Car & Motorcycle Weekend^TM and U.S. Marine Corps Installations – West / Marine Corps Base have teamed up to host a never-before-offered, guided tour of the West Coast’s largest U.S. military base on June 21. Only a select group (200 to be exact) of vehicles who sign up for the Rallye Basilone Historic Tour will have the opportunity to cruise down the famous Basilone Road, which was named after the only Marine to be awarded both the Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor during WWII – U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant  John Basilone.

Jumping out of your seat yet!? We are! We hope you will join us for the inaugural Orange County Collector Car & Motorcycle Weekend^TM!

As a reminder, the Rallye Basilone Historic Tour is set up on a first come, first serve basis until all seats are filled!

To learn more, visit www.danapointconcours.org.

Image provided by Ren Wicks

For years, the Dana Point Concours d’Elegance® has been the epicenter of the collector car celebration in Southern California. Now, for its 31st year, the team has expanded the Concours d’Elegance into a three-day event – The Orange County Collector Car & Motorcycle Weekend^TM.

As part of the celebration, the Dana Point Concours d’Elegance® will honor the 100th anniversary of the Duesenberg as the featured automobile marque during Sunday’s event, while the Harley-Davidson will be honored for its 110th anniversary as the featured motorcycle marque. Other special car classes include:

• 100th Anniversary of Aston Martin
• 50th Anniversary of Porsche 911
• 25th Anniversary of the BMW M3 in the U.S.
• Factory Concept Show Cars

We’re also proud to announce some returning activities which have been a huge hit, including the Dana Point Concours d’Elegance® Art Exhibit and Saturday evening’s Concours Reception. But, we’re even more excited to tell you that new, family-friendly activities are in the works for the festival, including a never-before-seen guided tour of one of the West Coast’s most revered U.S. military bases.

Stay tuned as we send out announcements and updates via our blog and social media accounts in the next couple of weeks!

We hope you can join us for another fabulous year of cool classic rides, vintage two-wheelers and camaraderie among fellow gear heads.

Happy Holidays from your friends at the Dana Point Concours d’Elegance

History Buffs and High Performance Junkies Descend on Southern California

There aren’t very many places where you’ll find a combination of high performance and history in the same place. But rest assured speed junkies and history buffs because the Dana Point Concours is lining up hundreds of Southern California’s finest classics, exotics, sports cars, hot rods, muscle cars and motorcycles at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort June 23-24, for its 30^th  annual Dana Point Concours d’Elegance®.

History buffs and automotive enthusiasts will have the opportunity to see this year’s theme, “Legends of Le Mans: Racing in the ‘60s,” symbolized through a 1964 Sunbeam Lister Tiger that will arrive at the Concours on Sunday morning. This Tiger is one of two race cars commissioned by Rootes Group, and built by Brian Lister of Cambridge to compete in the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans. The original race engines were built by automotive icon Carroll Shelby. Today, the Tiger is fitted with a SBF, 289 cid motor equipped with four Weber carburetors.  Who doesn’t love a good tale of competition and thrill?

Also to be among the favorites is a 1933 Marmon Model 144 two-door convertible, which is a beautiful example of an American pre-war classic. It bears historical significance because it was the last unit ever sold by the company. The Model 144 was traded to William Ansted, owner of Metal Auto Products, for the forgiveness of a $70,000 accounts receivable from the near bankrupt Marmon Motor Co.

The Dana Point Concours d’Elegance is not just a car show. It’s a group of people from around the world who share the same passions – history, automobiles and racing. And they know there is only one place during the summer where they can find it all – the Dana Point Concours d’Elegance.

Mark your calendars. We’re only eight days away from launching one of the best car events in Southern California. Let the countdown begin!