The event takes place May 2-5, 2013, at the famed North Carolina resort, and already the pieces are coming together nicely.
A handsome prewar Lincoln gets a final polishing before the start of the Iron Mike Pre-Run Rally. (Photo: Tom Jensen) Last week, organizers successfully conducted the Iron Mike Rally Pre-Run from Pinehurst to Fort Bragg, a 35-mile road rally that featured 17 vintage and high-performance cars, including a special pair of mid-1960s Shelbys, a 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk, two Ferraris and a pre-war V-12 Lincoln, among others.
?Everybody seemed to have a good time, and we did something unique and that was our goal,? said Pinehurst Concours founder and CEO Dean Kessel, who was formerly Sprint?s point man in NASCAR.
Kessel said to expect several key announcements about the event in the coming weeks. Included in those will be the identity of the chief judge for the Concours ? ?He?s got some amazing credentials and is very well-known in the space,? Kessel said ? as well as classes and featured marques for the shows.
The goal is to have 150 cars for the first show ? 15 classes with 10 cars each. ?That has the right feel to it,? said Kessel. ?Certainly, we want to be quality over quantity.?
A 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk with its elegant tailfins took part in the rally. (Photo: Tom Jensen) The first event, the Iron Mike Pre-Run, came off without a hitch despite cold, dreary fall North Carolina weather.
The rally is named for the 16-foot-tall statue of Iron Mike, a World War II-era paratrooper, that stands near Fort Bragg headquarters as a symbol representing every generation of military paratroopers. Fort Bragg houses the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Forces, with some 57,000 military personnel, 11,000 civilian employees and 23,000 family members on site.
The actual Iron Mike Rally is scheduled for May 3, 2013, one of several high-profile events tying together the Pinehurst Concours and the Fort Bragg military community.
Iron Mike Rally Rally participants will receive extra consideration as their vehicles undergo the judging process at the inaugural Pinehurst Concours d?Elegance, on May 5.
Dean Kessel is the founder and CEO of the Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance. (Photo: Tom Jensen) Once the vehicles are parked at the base, the grounds will open to military members and their families. The idea is for car owners and soldiers to meet each other, and exchange stories and information about each other.
A special ?Soldier?s Choice? award will go to the vehicle earning the most votes from military guests.
Kessel is counting on the military support to help put his event on the map.
?There are three things that make this venue and this concours unique,? said Kessel. ?One is its location, North Carolina being a hub for motorsports in general and being a $6 billion industry. Secondly, you have an iconic brand and resort in Pinehurst that has global appeal. And third, you have the largest military installation in the country.?
?We are fortunate to have this opportunity provided for our soldiers and their families and look forward to being a part of the Iron Mike Rally,? said Tommy Bolton, civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army. ?There are many automotive enthusiast on the Ft. Bragg complex who will enjoy seeing the cars and meeting the entrants.?
Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/vintage-pinehurst-event-brings-cars-soldiers-together/
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