Zenith Auto Display at the Grand Nationals

[Andy Barcellona]

I have been competing for the past 25 years in AACA meets including 7 Grand National Events.  I am not sure of exactly how many years the Zenith Awards have been part of the Grand Nationals but I believe it is 7 or 8 years. 

Without going into to much detail I understand these nominated cars are invited and given special consideration with regard to being housed in a seperate facility or tent prior to the show on Sat for the various classes. 

On Friday they are judged to see which automobile is selected to receive the Zenith Award.  They are then left as in Virginia

Beach in the tent for the class judging on Saturday.  They will be judged in the tent and not on the show field with the rest of the cars.

This I find the optics does not look very good to the hundreds of us who have our cars in place on the show field by 10 am Saturday.

I am told they are judged there for class awards but by who and when?

Most of the people competing on the show field have no idea if one of those cars is competing against them.

Why are they considered the elite of the competition when we can not see them judged along with us?

I find  that the same judges who judged my class will give the same consideration to those cars knowing they are invited to the Grand Nationals and do not have to deal with the same situation we have on the field.  First being in place by 10am and having to deal with the weather and the simple fact of seeing your competition.  I had no idea of what classes were in there and I am sure I was not alone.

So my suggestion to the AACA Grand National Committee is when the competition on Friday afternoon is over move them out and require them to be on the show field by 10am on Sat.  like the rest of us.

This is not a Concours Event and they are not elite owners.  We all put in untold hours of preparing our cars for this event and the optics stink.

I would like to hear what other members think and if this should be taken up for vote by all members.   

[Ed Nieves]

I think you raised a valid point. 

Edited June 12, 2022 by ed nieves (see edit history)

[61polara]

As far as judging of the Zenith Award cars in the Grand National on Saturday, they are judged by the team assigned to judge the class that the car falls into.  They have windshield cards and judging forms just like the rest of the cars in their class.  If you believe you are in the same class as a Zenith Award car, you can look at the windshield card and determine the class and award being sought.  The Zenith cars have no advantage over the other cars in Grand National judging.

[Andy Barcellona]

I understand  the same rules apply to the Zenith cars as the rest of us on the show field but the optics look terrible.  I have been to many meets in the past 25 years I have been competing in the 
AACA but as we are required to be in our class by 10AM on Saturday so should they.

We have had to put up with flooding,  excessive heat and sometimes cold but real extremes in temperature.

The Grand Nationals in Va. Beach are a prime example of extreme heat.  In my class only 3 judges were available as the heat affected one and the other I understand there was a shortage of judges.

So since the Zenith Award is given on Fri. afternoon I see no reason why they get to stay in the tent.  They get special treatment and do not have to be judged with us in the class awards.  If we have to sit in 92 degree so should they.  We should see all the cars in our respected classes.  

[Steve Moskowitz]

Andy, the Zenith competition has been handled the same way since its inception. During COVID the cars were outdoors but remained in the same location and did not move.  Judges are given the necessary information on where to find the cars and the same judges that judge a class also judge the Zenith cars for the GN.  The design of the event was to keep the cars together so that the members and public can see the group.  Many do not have a chance to do so until Saturday.

 

So yes there could be some advantage but there also could be some disadvantage.  Some members also like being in the class with people that have similar cars.  Some exhibitors do not feel that enough of the public get to see them as they are in another location.  Advantage in VB?  Not so much, the tent was almost unbearable.  Next year all the cars will be indoors in air conditioning so it will in fact be equal but the plan is to leave the Zenith cars in the same location as judging on Friday.

 

The Zenith idea and program has been well received by most but it is one that will evolve as we see what works and what does not work.  Not everyone will see it our way but a lot of marketing thought has gone into this program and there are nuances of why the cars should be kept together for the press etc.  

 

I will make sure your comments are passed on to the committee.