A Legacy of Heritage, History, and Horsepower

For Dale Kreitz Jr., every car tells two stories — one about the road, and one about the place it calls home.

A third-generation dealer, preservationist, and proud Savannah native, Dale has spent a lifetime honoring the stories behind the machines that move us.

As President & CEO of Critz Auto Group, Dale carries forward a family legacy that began in 1938 with his grandfather’s dealership. Today, Critz Auto Group represents premier automotive brands including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Buick, GMC, and Sprinter Vans in Savannah, Georgia, as well as Cadillac, Buick, and GMC in Florence, South Carolina. But Dale’s connection to the automobile runs far deeper than business. It’s rooted in craftsmanship, community, and an enduring respect for history.

That reverence extends beyond the showroom floor. Dale is a passionate preservationist who restored an 1854 home in downtown Savannah and has dedicated himself to collecting historically significant automobiles — many tied to the legendary Great Savannah Races of the early 20th century.

In 2015, Dale purchased a 1911 EMF that competed in the Tiedeman Cup, believing it to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring a race car home to its roots. “That was the only chance we were ever going to get to get a car that actually raced in Savannah back to Savannah,” he says. That singular decision ignited what would become a remarkable and deeply personal collection.

Today, his collection includes a 1908 Chalmers-Detroit, a nod to the earliest years of American racing, as well as a growing roster of early sports cars and marques tied to both his family’s dealership history and his own passions. As a longtime Buick and BMW dealer, Dale has curated historically important models — from a rare 1953 Buick Skylark to the oldest BMW in the United States — as well as vintage race cars that continue to see action on the track.

His love of automotive storytelling traces back to his Savannah childhood, where he grew up a few doors down from Dr. Julian Quattlebaum, the author of the definitive book on the Great Savannah Races. “We’d ride in his 1908 Buick. I didn’t realize it then, but I was sitting in history,” Dale recalls. Decades later, he has become one of the torchbearers for preserving that same history.

Beyond the garage, Dale’s civic leadership is a mirror of his passion for community. He has chaired or served on numerous boards, including The Telfair Academy, The United Way of the Coastal Empire, Savannah Community Foundation, and the Savannah Historic Board of Review. In 2009, he founded the Critz Tybee Run Fest, which has since raised over $600,000 for local nonprofits focused on education and healthy living. A graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Texas, Dale and his wife Debbie have four children — and the next generation of the Critz family is already leading the business into its future.

This year, we proudly celebrate Dale C. Critz, Jr. as the 2025 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival Honored Collector — a gentleman whose dedication to heritage, history, and horsepower embodies the spirit of the event.

Join us November 1 & 2 at Port Royal Golf Club to experience Dale’s extraordinary collection in person during the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival. It’s more than an exhibition — it’s a journey through time, passion, and legacy.