Palm Beach Cavallino Classic 26 – Classic Sports Sunday

Words by Keith Bluemel

The Palm Beach Cavallino Classic 26 eventfully concluded with the increasingly popular Classic Sports Sunday, at recently elected US President Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Club on Palm Beach Shores. In 2016 constant rain afflicted the Friday track day, and threatened to do the same this year, but fortunately it cleared during the morning, but the poor weather returned with a vengeance for the Classic Sports Sunday, with almost constant rain throughout the day with varying degrees of precipitation.

Maserati's magnificent racers (left to right), the Tipo 61, the Tipo 61 "Streamliner" and the 200 SI

The inclement weather could not spoil the beauty of this rare one of only 22 Maserati 5000 GT "Indianapolis" by Michelotti/Allemano

However, this did not deter a large number of entrants, over 80%, from bringing their cars out to be assaulted by the heavens. The featured marquee for this year was Maserati, and a trio of open sports racing models braved the elements to participate, a 200 SI from 1957, a 1960 Tipo 61 “Birdcage” and a 1959 Tipo 61 “Birdcage” Streamliner in the white and blue Camoradi livery, whilst there was also a unique 5000 GT “Indianapolis” with coachwork by Michelotti/Allemano, the raindrops glistening on its bright silver paintwork.

The Art Deco Delage D8S Roadster by De Villars won the Best of Show, seen here gloriously at The Breakers the previous day

The glamorous 1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Drophead

The rain didn’t deter attendance, as the always splendid awards lunch in the ballroom was very well attended, with the Best of Show award going to the stunning white 1933 Delage D8S Roadster by De Villars from the Patterson Collection. This was unfortunately, but understandably given the torrid conditions, displayed beneath a clear plastic sheet for most of the day. Fortunately it had been on display at the entrance to the concours field on the Saturday at The Breakers, so people had already had an opportunity to observe its magnificent coachwork in all its glory.