Five Days of The Prancing Horse
It may be too late to book a room at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla. for the Cavallino Classic later this week (Jan. 20-24). But if you can be in the area, especially on Saturday, January 23, by any means necessary get yourself to this luxury hotel on the ocean for the Concorso d’ Eleganza. And prepare your senses to be overwhelmed by a sea of Ferraris representing the marque’s entire history.
Attending Cavallino Classic should be considered mandatory for every Ferrari driver and anyone planning to become one. It should also be on the bucket list of every sports car enthusiast. The event, which is celebrating its 25th year, honors this great marque in an enjoyable, accessible way for owners, buffs and the general public.
Premier Financial Services is proud to be a repeat sponsor of The Cavallino Classic.
“It’s always a great opportunity to see our loyal customers, meet new clients and to visit with our dealer partners,” said Christopher J. Warren, PFS Sales Manager, Southeast Region. “Every year, Cavallino offers something new for all who attend, whether a special car on display or a special guest. The weekend certainly does not disappoint, and Palm Beach is a great host.”
Image Source: 250 GT Competizione (Jim Koscs)
The Spirit of Ferrari, in the Metal
Some might call Cavallino Classic a lifestyle event, and certainly, the venue, the location and the parties support that notion. But make no mistake, this is a car-centric event that includes historic racing, a Ferrari tour of Palm Beach, the Concorso on Saturday and a wider-ranging Classic Sports Car Sunday concours event on Sunday.
Memories of a few days spent at Cavallino Classic a few years back remain fresh in my mind. That year’s event also happened to be spotlighting a Cunningham reunion, but I’m getting ahead of the story. Well, maybe not. You see, Cavallino Classic may be centered on the Ferrari universe, but there is a spirit of inclusion here you might not expect at such a marque-specific event. There’s a genuine feeling that, while the participants are there to enjoy themselves and their Ferraris, they’re also delighting in the spectators’ enjoyment.
This year’s event also hosts a Bugatti reunion, and the Sunday concours spotlights the cars of Alfa Romeo.
Image Source: Ferrari 275 GTB (Jim Koscs)
The Sound and the Fury
The Concorso d’ Eleganza simply must not be missed, but for me, the most enjoyable event was the historic racing. Palm Beach International Raceway is a world-class sports car track, along with an NHRA/IHRA sanctioned drag strip. Cavallino Classic takes over the road course for three days (rain or shine), the first being a private test day.
Image Source: Ferrari SWB & Ferrari 275 GTB Racing (Jim Koscs)
The second and third days are open to spectators, and absolutely worth the price of admission to watch Ferrari history in high-speed motion. The historic racing is segmented into drum-brake and disc-brake classes. Plus, there’s a segment for pre-war classics, and you’d be amazed at the machinery that takes to the track.
The sounds alone present a Ferrari history lesson: V12s, V6s, fours, boxers and V8s. Much of the year, classic Ferraris garner the spotlight via reports of mega-dollar auction sales. It is here, out in the swamps of Florida, of all places, that these historic Ferraris transcend monetary values to deliver a priceless show.
Just walking the pits is a visual and sonic indulgence. There is something slightly surreal, for example, about seeing, a race-prepped 250 GT SWB, parked by itself near a transporter, clicking and popping from heat still coming off the its exhaust pipes, inviting you just stop and admire.
Image Source: 1964 Ferrari 250 Le Mans (Jim Koscs)
Race on Friday, Show on Saturday
The Concorso d’ Eleganza is almost beyond words. The lawn on The Breakers hosts 140 of the finest Ferraris in the world, this year including a 25th anniversary of the previous Best of Show Winners. If one should ever think that analogies to fine art get a little carried away, a visit to this event is a reminder of the artistry that emerged from the partnership between Ferrari and Pininfarina.
For me, the most compelling part of the Concorso was seeing the cars that had been tearing around the track over the prior two days, now all cleaned and detailed and ready for judging. That duality says more about the spirit of Ferrari than all the words in all the history books.
Image Source: Ferrari California (Jim Koscs)
The Ferrari Bug – and the PFS Cure
If you “sort of” have the Ferrari bug while attending Cavallino, you’ll most certainly leave with a full-blown case of Ferrari fever. It’s curable, of course, and representatives from Premier Financial Services will be on hand to discuss how leasing a classic Ferrari – or a modern model – can put you behind the wheel in the most financially healthy way possible.
Image Source: 1950’s Ferrari 250 TDF (Jim Koscs)
Written by Jim Koscs, Audamotive Communications
For Premier Financial Services