JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance announced today it will celebrate world famed American coachbuilder Bohman & Schwartz as well as a pair of 50th anniversaries for significant races at Sebring and Daytona, during its 14th annual concours March 13-15, 2009 at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island.
The elegant creations of Southern California coachbuilder Bohman & Schwartz will be featured in a separate class, which will display the one-of-a kind “Phantom Corsair” that was commissioned for Rust Heinz, heir to the H.J. Heinz food empire.
The Phantom Corsair’s futuristic shark-like body was mated to a Cord 810 Chassis and enjoyed a brief stint in Hollywood appearing as the mysterious “Flying Wombat” in the movie, “The Young in Heart.” The car will be making a rare trip outside the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nevada for its showing the Amelia Island Concours.
Also celebrated at this year’s concours, are the 50th anniversaries of the first US Grand Prix Formula One race at Sebring International Raceway and the only Indy car race ever held at the Daytona International Speedway. A seminar called “The Great Roadster Drivers,” will be held to recount the history and legacy of these races. Miami native Jim Rathmann, the 1960 Indy 500 winner, will be the Concours’ guest for the weekend and will participate in the Saturday seminar at The Ritz-Carlton grand ballroom. Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser, and Parnelli Jones are also tentatively set to join Rathmann on the panel.
“The races at Sebring and Daytona may seem to be footnotes to some since they were held only once, but both are an important part of the overall history of auto racing as each was run a single time for very different reasons,” says Bill Warner, founder and co-chairman of Amelia. “We’re also excited to feature the designs of Bohman & Schwartz, a custom coachbuilder responsible for some of the most elegant automotive designs of their era whose beauty still stands the test of time today.”
The 1959 Sebring race was short lived due to financial troubles from the race for Alec Ulmann, the man behind the legendary central Florida race track. Daytona’s experience was far more tragic. Racer George Amick, after setting a one-lap American course record of 176.887 mph during practice, lost control of his car on the last lap of a 100-mile race and had a fatal crash. Rathmann took the checkered flag for that race and in the process set a world competitive race record of 171.261 mph. Since 1959, Indy cars have not raced at Daytona.
About the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance is one of the nation's most innovative vintage auto events featuring more than 250 rare classics from seldom-seen private collections nationwide. The show is scheduled for March 13-15, 2009, at The Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. The show’s foundation has donated nearly $1.6 million to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Inc. since 1996.
For more information, visit
www.ameliaconcours.org or call 904-636-0027.
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