01-14-08: This year’s Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction is now well underway having thrown open the gates on Sunday, the 13th. Over the years, the event has become much more than just a stuffy rural style auction where the well-heeled stand around dispensing cash with drinks in hand.
It has become as much a spectator event as it has a serious market price setting paradigm. With tens of thousands of visitors on hand throughout the week, a small city of automobile related vendors, displays, and exhibitions have grown up around the auction tent that add a level of excitement, entertainment and most importantly, commerce to the event.
As on walks through the isles, the big names like Ford, GM, Roush, Meguires, Hemmings, and all the other usual suspects are present to show off their latest products and projects. There is almost more to see out in the paddock than in the tent. If you were in the mood to go shopping for a Shelby replica, a crate motor, and a new $500,000 diesel toy hauler rig, this is your place.
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But it is also about entertainment. On Sunday, Barrett-Jackson held “family day”, which encouraged the locals to come out and enjoy the sights and sounds with their children by giving FREE admission to the young ones. We could not agree more, as it is imperative to expose our children to the world of automobile magic!
To keep those kids young and old entertained, there are lots of side shows on hand. Ford has a huge indoor and outdoor pavilion set up to show off products as well as put on a good show. It started on Sunday with the giant steel reptile known as RoboSaurus. The four story tall screeching and howling robot demonstrated its ability to pick up an old Saturn with its claws and chew it to bits. This was just before it taunted the crowd with fire and then torched the car to death.
After some loud cries of glory, the monster dropped the flaming corpse on the ground before the crowd and did a victory dance. The Scottsdale fire department did not appear amused. The crowd however will remember it for the rest of their lives. Incidentally, the RoboSaurus will be on the auction block on Saturday if you want to buy it.
Later in the week, Ford will also be hosting Mustang drifting demonstrations that are always a crowd favorite. Inside the tent, Ford has their drag racing dyno stage set up where names are drawn from the spectators every hour to stage a duel with two customized Ford Racing Mustangs. It’s gets the people every time, the sound of revving motors, free crap to the crowd, and the love of cars.
Ford also has on hand a number of static displays including a wall rack with a variety of life size Mustangs that mimics a hot wheel case. Laid out among is a collection of customized Ford show cars from the SEMA show including F-150, Ford Edge, Focus, and the new 2009 Lincoln MKS.
In all, the Barrett-Jackson event has grown to include everyone from local spectators and their wide eyed children to high-dollar bidders who are more than serious about their business. Everyone in between has found a place to get something out of the event as well. It is a great place to see some of the best restored cars that exist as well as chart the trends on upcoming classics. I can say without hesitation that this car nut is going to enjoy being out there all this week to bring it to you!
