The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d'Elegance
News & Media
July 28, 2011
Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance Announces Honorary Chairman Dennis Gage, Grand Marshal Boris Said
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC – The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, one of the nation’s signature automobile events, will include major international names in automotive collecting and racing when the event returns for its 10th annual celebration October 28 – November 6, 2011.
Named as the premier event’s esteemed Honorary Chairman, Dennis Gage, the host of nationally televised My Classic Car on the SPEED channel, will be on hand Saturday and Sunday, November 5 & 6, for the events at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. As part of his official duties, Gage, the well-known handlebar mustachioed auto guru, will guide one of the event’s docent tours during the Concours d’Elegance (November 6), present awards during both the Car Club Jamboree (November 5) and the Concours d’Elegance (November 6) and serve as the featured speaker at the Festival’s “Classic” Cocktails with Dennis Gage, a cocktail reception, open to the public, scheduled to be held Saturday evening, November 5 at the event’s Official Host Hotel, The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa.
“We are extremely thrilled to have Dennis returning to Hilton Head Island for our 2011 Festival,” said Carolyn Vanagel, the Festival’s President. “He became a fan of the event during his times to Hilton Head Island and Savannah previously to film for his show, My Classic Car, and we are truly honored to have him serve in the role of Honorary Chairman for our 10th annual event. We could not have thought of anyone better to help us celebrate this milestone.”
Also, Boris Said, known as the ‘road course ringer’ amongst NASCAR enthusiasts, will serve as the Grand Marshal for the Savannah Speed Classic event on Hutchinson Island, October 28 – 30. With his extensive experience, Said is the perfect fit for the Grand Prize of America Road Course, a wide, 1.965 mile circuit with 10 turns. Fans will get an up close and personal experience with Said who will be on-site offering hot lap rides to spectators (hot laps are available at an additional cost), signing autographs and joining in a Q&A series with other noteworthy drivers including the Festival’s 2010 Honorary Chairman, Hurley Haywood.
Phil Capossela, the event’s Chairman of the Board, stated that “with Boris’ previous BMW connection, we thought it was the perfect fit. BMW has been a sponsor of the event since its inception in 2002 and having Boris in attendance as our Grand Marshal seemed more than appropriate. We’re excited to have his energy at this already exciting track. We’re sure he will fall in love with the venue and, on the reverse, our spectators will become ‘Said Heads’ for life.”
Gage also offers a link to BMW, the event’s only Charter automotive sponsor. He is an avid BMW motorcycle collector with 6 of his 9 bikes being BMWs including a 1969 BMW R60US, 1973 BMW R75/5 Toaster tank, 1977 BMW R75/7 café, 1983 BMW R80 Custom, 1993 BMW R1100RS and 1997 BMW F650.
“We like to think of ourselves as an intimate event from the interaction spectators have with the drivers at the Speed Classic to the accessibility of vehicle owners in the Concours d’Elegance,” said Vanagel. “We try to keep that formula in mind when selecting the dignitaries for each year’s event. With their exuberant personalities, Dennis and Boris will fit in perfectly, providing a lot of additional entertainment for this year’s attendees.”
In addition to BMW Group of North American, Motoring Festival Partners for the 2011 event include Hilton Head BMW, Porsche, Porsche of Hilton Head at the New River Auto Mall, Beaufort Memorial Hospital, Hargray, The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, Hilton Head Island/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Savannah Convention & Visitors Bureau, Savannah Morning News, Adventure Radio Group and Classic Party Rentals.
Gate ticket prices start as
low as $20 and are available at a discounted rate online through October
15. Patrons and VIP Packages are also
available. Children under 12 get in
free, ages 12-18 are $5 per day (with student ID) and military (with an active
duty I.D.) receive half-off general admission ticket prices at the gate. To
purchase tickets online or for more information, visit the Festival’s official
website, www.hhiconcours.com.
ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND MOTORING FESTIVAL & CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE:
The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance has earned the distinction of being one of the nation’s signature automobile events and was recently named to the Southeast Tourism Society’s ‘Top 20 Events’ list. The tenth annual festival will take place from October 28-November 6, 2011 with venues at both The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort on Hutchinson Island (Savannah, GA) and the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn on Hilton Head Island, SC. The multi-day Festival features four signature events: the Savannah Speed Classic (October 28 – 30), the Car Club Jamboree (November 5), the Motoring Midway (November 5 & 6) and, the centerpiece, the Concours d’Elegance (November 6). For more information, please call (843) 785-SHOW (7469) or visit www.hhiconcours.com online. For the Festival’s official video, please click here to view online (for an abbreviated version, click here).
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