For many Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts, the cold, dark days of February are not a fun time. The gardens look bleak. The ground is frozen. A simple task, like walking the dog, can require you to undertake several minutes of bundling up to be properly prepared. And most distressing for the car nut, the cars are dirty and likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future. Yet, as I write this, soon we will be over the "hump" of wintertime. And with the pleasant passing of that annual milestone, we can look ahead to the warmer weather of spring.
As many of you know, one of the annual rites of spring for the Greater Washington Section is the Deutsche Marque Concours d’Elegance. This year will be the 25th celebration of fine German automobiles and, as has been our tradition in the past, we will join with our friends from the Potomac Region of the Porsche Club of American (PCA), the National Capital Chapter of the BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA), and the Potomac-Chesapeake Chapter of the Audi Club of North America (ACNA). The concours will be held at Nottoway Park, located at 9601 Courthouse Road in Vienna and is easily reached via Route 66. As we did last year, we will mark the entrance with large car club banners so you cannot miss it. Just in case the weather does not cooperate, a rain date has been set for May 18.
In the Deutsche Marque Concours d’Elegance, vehicles are judged by their condition, appearance and cleanliness. This event will offer two classes: Street (judged) and Display (not judged, but a prize is awarded based on a people's choice vote). The Street class is a "top-only" event which means the exterior, interior (including engine bay) and luggage compartment are judged. The undercarriage is not. Vehicles enteres in the Street will normally be separated into classes based on MBCA rules.
The Display class is open for everyone who has a clean, nice car but does not feel up to the more demanding Street class requirements. (This is also a great way for newcomers to get accustomed to what it takes to compete successfully in Street!) Both Street and Display are on the show field and represent our club’s heritage and tradition, as you can see everything from a recent vintage C class to the classic 300SL Gullwing.
The entry fee for the concours is $25 per car ($35 after April 26 or on-site). Registration includes one Wine and Cheese Reception ticket and a commemorative dash plaque. Additional Wine and Cheese Reception tickets are available at $10 each. There is no charge to attend the concours as a spectator. In order to allow us to plan appropriately for the number of guests, please register in advance.
Note: This concours is an all-day event. The organizers of all the clubs will be working hard prior to the show as well as on the day of the event. Please also respect the hard work by the participants who have prepared their cars for the show. If you enter the event, please be prepared to stay through the awards presentation. If your vehicle places in its class and you have departed, the award will be given to the next runner-up in class. Additionally, be mindful that cars not registered and displayed in the show should not be parked on the show field.
Schedule:
9:00 am -
10:30 am -
3:00 pm -
General admission begins
Judging begins. We need time to judge all cars consistently and fairly, so PLEASE be sure to have your car on the field on time.
Wine and Cheese Reception - Awards for all clubs will be presented at the Wine and Cheese Reception
Contact Raymond Lombardo on (301) 388-0141 or via (email) with any questions. As in past years, we would be delighted, and would greatly appreciate, any assistance on the day of the event, either as a judge or helper.