It’s difficult to gauge the success of an event that is as ambitious in scope as the San Marino Motor Classic, but two words summed up the opinion of Aaron Weiss, who was in on the ground floor of the event that last Sunday celebrated its ninth iteration.
“I’m stoked,” said Weiss, a longtime San Marino resident who a decade ago decided to bring a “car show,” for lack of more sophisticated terminology, to Lacy Park after a similar enterprise held near the Rose Bowl ceased operations.
An audience estimated to approach 4th of July standards descended on Lacy Park this past Sunday to see the approximately 470 cars on display (over a hundred more than a year ago) while visiting 40 vendor booths. On Saturday night, 425 attended a gala in the park to kick off the 9th annual event, eclipsing another record. But Weiss is wary of getting bogged down in the numbers.
“The attendance, the number of cars on display…all that is good, but what is more important is that we will again generate a lot of money for our worthwhile charities,” Weiss said. “Also, people from across the country are bringing their cars to our show, and that says a lot about how relevant we are becoming. This year’s event exceeded all of our expectations.”
The San Marino Motor Classic has doled our over $1.9 million in its first eight years of existence with an even larger cut expected to benefit the three charities this year, with the Pasadena Humane Society, Cancer Support Community Pasadena and San Marino Rotary Charities scheduled to receive assistance.
“That is really what is important to us,” said Weiss, himself a car collector.
This year’s event received a boon when the Ferrari Club of America Southwest Region asked to fold its free car show—entitled Concorso Ferrari—into the San Marino Motor Classic, bringing more than 100 more vehicles to Lacy Park.
“I think that made a huge impact on our show,” Weiss said.
Another San Marino resident also made a “huge impact” at the event, as the Best In Show: Pre-War to 1942 award went to Joe and Janice Conzonire for their Thomas Flyer Model M 6-40 Touring.
Another notable vehicle that made a splash was a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost – Riviera Town Car owned by Richard Atwell, that claimed first place in the European Open (Full Classics Only) division. The car was featured in the 1954 movie “Sabrina,” which starred Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden. The Silver Ghost also received the historical vehicle award and will be registered in the United States Library of Congress.
The show also featured five Ford Probe concept cars, a 1906 Model T and comedian Jay leno, who made what seems to be his annual trek to Lacy Park, where he graciously posed for pictures with attendees.
Weiss thanked his all-volunteer staff for their yeoman effort on what turned out to be an unseasonable hot day (at least for this recent season) before making sure everyone has next year’s event already on the calendar.
“June 14, 2020,” said Weiss, who will undoubtedly make the tenth edition the best.
