Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal
Sports Car Digest focuses on Classic Car Auctions, Concours d’Elegance, Vintage Car Racing, Road Rallies and other historic automotive events.
One of the first people to report on the collector car market, Rick Carey’s market knowledge is unparalleled and he has one of the largest databases of auction transactions. Carey has a strong and recent background in racing, particularly road racing in International GT endurance competition and a particular interest and focus upon the collector car market including historical trends and economic analysis.
Mecum Auctions, Kansas City, Missouri, April 25-27, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Mecum Auctions holds two sales each year in Kansas City, a reflection of several things, notably the supply of quality consignments in the region and a particularly good urban venue with abundant indoor display space (you could overhaul a couple of 747s in here after their wings were … [Read more...]
RM Auctions, Don Davis Collection, Fort Worth, Texas, April 27, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Auctions of single owner collections are always exciting. The owners’ reputations for quality and focus confer instant “provenance” and collectors flock to them to take home a piece of automobile, and automobile collecting, history. Frequently those pieces come at a … [Read more...]
Leake Auction Company, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, February 19-20, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Anyone who spends much time looking back of the histories of collector cars and the collector car auction market knows the Leake name. The dynasty’s founder, James C. Leake, was a successful owner of radio stations but his real love was old cars and his name appears in … [Read more...]
Branson Spring Auction, Branson Landing Convention Center, Branson, Missouri, April 12-13, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor There are three important facets to Jim and Kathy Cox’s Branson Auction: 1. It’s always a good time; 2. There are always some intriguing, unusual cars; and 3. Good values for buyers are balanced by good results for consignors. The results … [Read more...]
Barrett-Jackson, South Florida Fairgrounds, West Palm Beach, April 4-6, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Even in the face of what some are regarding as a soft market in Barrett-Jackson’s sweet spot of $30-50,000 cars the 2013 Palm Beach Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event produced excellent results, their best at this venue since 2010. In the wake of a successful … [Read more...]
Auctions America by RM, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 22-24, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Late on Sunday, while wrapping up a few final cars for Sports Car Digest, a young couple approached me. The male half asked, ‘Could you tell me a little about how the auction works?’ We talked for ten or fifteen minutes about collector car auction basics: reserves, … [Read more...]
Gooding and Company, Amelia Island Plantation, Amelia Island, Florida, March 8, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Don’t let Gooding & Company’s 2013 sale total, down nearly $8 million, 21.9%, from 2012, fool you. Last year’s sale was dominated by the Drendel Family collection of turbocharged Porsches. It attracted every Porsche-centric collector on the planet, and … [Read more...]
RM Auctions, Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida, March 9, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor RM turned in the highest total in its 15 year history at Amelia Island in 2013, continuing a string of $20+ million sales, and doing it with 24% fewer cars than last year. The 92% sale rate helped, but even more help was the lineup of seven-figure cars that came under Max … [Read more...]
Russo and Steele, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 17-20, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor The important news from Russo and Steele in Scottsdale this year wasn’t the cars, it was the announcement of two new venues for 2013: Newport Beach, California at the Newport Dunes, June 20-22; and Las Vegas, Nevada at the newly remodeled Tropicana Hotel, September … [Read more...]
Numquam tanto minus - Never has so little cost so much RM Auctions, Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection, Madison, Georgia, February 15-16, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Hands down, this was the best, most enjoyable, cheerful, enthusiastic auction in memory. It’s right up there with Christie’s sale of the A.K. ‘Nutzy Stutzy’ Miller auction in … [Read more...]
Mecum Auctions, Kissimmee, Florida, January 18-27, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor No one ever accused Dana Mecum of lacking audacity. As the Kissimmee entry list filled up in late November the decision was taken to extend the auction, not like last year when extra hours were added in the morning on several days, but on the calendar. It would be the biggest single … [Read more...]
Gooding & Company, Fashion Square, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 18-19, 2013 Report and photos (unless noted) by Rick Carey, Auction Editor 104 cars offered, 101 cars sold, 97.1% sell-through, $57,741,695 total sale, up 44.8% from last year and 65.1% from 2011, an average transaction of $571,700. Those are awesome numbers. Consider that with 7.9% of the lots that crossed the block at … [Read more...]
By Rick Carey | Photos by Mark Coughlin This is by necessity a very personal account, since I arrived late (about 9AM Sunday) and left early (about 3PM to catch a 6:20 plane from Orlando.) Serendipity – the word is as pleasing as the concept – brought the opportunity this year to visit Daytona on Sunday, the last day of the Mecum Kissimmee auction. The last day of a multi-day auction [and … [Read more...]
Barrett-Jackson, WestWorld, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 15-20, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Every year Barrett-Jackson’s WestWorld show changes. It is the one predictable element in the strategy of Craig Jackson, Steven Davis, Gary Bennett and Phil Neri. Maybe the most surprising change in 2013 was the re-appearance of Chrysler's SRT brand. Last seen at … [Read more...]
Bonhams and Butterfields, Westin Kierland Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona, Thursday, January 17, 2013 Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Bonhams established a bridgehead in Scottsdale last year, landing at the attractive grounds of the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa just off Scottsdale Road near the airport. They returned in 2013, bigger than ever and with a succulent consignment … [Read more...]
