The Detroit Autorama has been a Michigan fixture since 1953 when it was developed by the Michigan Hot Rod Association as a way to finance the building of a racetrack. The dragstrip came and went, but the show continued on. In the mid '50s, Don Ridler was brought into the show as a producer (promoter) to help broaden the base appeal to the show. Don, a star football captain in college and a coach in the '40s who had experience with bringing in big bands (such as Tommy Dorsey or Glenn Miller) for dances after a big basketball game, was just the guy to bring some spark (and some professionalism) to the Autorama.
Don Ridler booked national acts, such as Duane Eddy, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and the Big Bopper, to perform at the Autoramas, which in turn brought more people through the turnstiles. The Autorama grew rapidly under Don's guidance, and it was 1961 (the same year Don stepped down as promoter) when the show moved from the state fairgrounds to Cobo Hall (albeit to the basement, but it had 100,000 square feet!) in downtown Detroit, where it has been held since. It was a great shock when, in 1963, Don Ridler died at the age of 54. His influence on the Autorama was immeasurable, and it was decided that a memorial award would be given in his name from that point on.
The Don Ridler Memorial Award (or "The Ridler," to most folks) is intended to reflect Don's own creativity and high level of professionalism, and why the award is so well thought of--it's only given to the best. The official qualification for the award reads: "The Detroit Autorama must be the first public showing of an entry. This goes for the any part of the entry: chassis, engine or body. All decisions are final and made by the Autorama Special Judging Committee.
Publicity photos and magazine coverage of an entry are not grounds for disqualification. We should remember creativity, quality, engineering, and overall appearance were, and still should be, the main criteria considered when the Ridler award was established in 1964." This has caused a few problems in the past (with owners showing their cars at local shows before the Autorama or in bare metal) but the MHRA's Special Judging Committee (who determines the winner) has always worked it out.
Over the years the Ridler has been given to both competition cars (such as Funny Cars or dragsters) as well as all types of hot rods and customs. Of the past 38 winners, 21 of them have been from Michigan (most of them in the early days--it's much more diversified now). There has only been one repeat winner, Jerry Pennington in 1972 and 1973, but it was done with two different cars. Ohio-based builder Don Pilkenton has built three winners for his customers (1993, 1996, and 1999) but never won himself.
Two cars, the 1996 winner owned by George Poteet and the 1997 winner owned by Dave Emery, went on to win the America's Most Beautiful Roadster award at the Grand National Roadster Show the year following their Ridler win (though Poteet's car had a new owner by the GNRS win). The first '34 Ford to win the Ridler was in 1981 (before that they were either Ts, race cars, or handbuilt one-offs) and the first '32 Ford to win was in 1988, 24 years after the award was debuted. And, since the early '90s, the show has covered every inch of the 600,000 square feet inside Cobo Hall.
With 2002 being the 50th anniversary of the Detroit Autorama, you can bet the competition for the Don Ridler Memorial Award will be intense, and the award is one of the things that helps the Detroit Autorama live up to its claim as "America's Greatest Hot Rod Show." For more on the 50th Detroit Autorama to be held February 22-24, 2002, call (248) 293-1700, or check the Web site at www.Autorama.com or www.mhraonline.org.
Though the 27th Detroit Autorama...
Though the 27th Detroit Autorama (pictured) pulled more than 138,000 people through the doors in 1978, attendance records for the show were set in the '80s at more than 200,000 people.
Here it is: The Don Ridler...
Here it is: The Don Ridler Memorial Award. The car placed at the front of the trophy is a scale version of what had won the previous year. Nowadays, the prizes that go along with the trophy is $7,500 in cash plus a crate motor from GM Parts Performance.
Photos of Don Ridler are few...
Photos of Don Ridler are few and far between, but his likeness was sculpted in bronze for a plaque placed inside Cobo Hall. The annual award was started the year after his death in 1963.
Seen here at the 1964 Autorama,...
Seen here at the 1964 Autorama, Al Bergler's "More Aggravation" competition coupe dragster was the very first recipient of the Don Ridler Memorial Award.
The Ridler went to Bob Massaron...
The Ridler went to Bob Massaron of Northville, MI, in 1965 for his '56 Chevy custom called "Venturian."
The "Deora" was a '66 Dodge...
The "Deora" was a '66 Dodge pickup truck built by Mike Alexander (one of the "A Brothers"). The Deora won the Ridler in 1967.
Not to be outdone by his sibling,...
Not to be outdone by his sibling, the other "A Brother," Larry Alexander, took home the Ridler in 1969 for his T roadster called "Top Banana."
The "Brink's Express" was...
The "Brink's Express" was the showcar John Greer built and received the Ridler Award for in 1971.
Jerry Pennington is the only...
Jerry Pennington is the only owner to win the Ridler Award twice (and back-to-back). He did it in 1972 with his "Scorpion" (this mid-engine Corvette creation) and a year later with his handbuilt "Devilfish."
The only '27 T coupe to ever...
The only '27 T coupe to ever win the Ridler was in 1975 and it belonged to Bob Gutzke.
The "Garagefather" is what...
The "Garagefather" is what Frank Morabito called his '23 T touring. His yellow T won in 1979.
There were only two sedan...
There were only two sedan deliveries that have won the Ridler, and Everett Rezendes' "Cranberry Delivery" was the first in 1980.
In 1982, the only rod to ever...
In 1982, the only rod to ever win the Ridler that came from outside the United States was the '34 Model Y sedan from John Pappert in Kitchener, ON, Canada.
In 1984, Bob Reed's Chrome...
In 1984, Bob Reed's Chrome Shop Coupe cranked the level of detail for Ridler winners up a few notches, and the first winner to feature billet aluminum wheels.
Not all of Bobby Alloway's...
Not all of Bobby Alloway's rods have been black. He won the Ridler in 1985 with his red '33 Ford Victoria.
Tony Carlini was the first...
Tony Carlini was the first California-based rodder to win the Ridler (only two have). He did so in 1991 with his high-tech '33 Ford coupe.
Jimmy Stewart's '32 Ford sedan...
Jimmy Stewart's '32 Ford sedan was unbeatable in 1992 with its exquisite detail and use of handmade bolts.
Fred Warren began his show...
Fred Warren began his show career with his "Aero Coupe," a highly modified '37 Ford that won the Ridler in 1994.
The first car to win both...
The first car to win both the Detroit's Ridler and the Grand National's America's Most Beautiful Roadster award (albeit with different owners) was this ultra-rare '37 roadster Don Pilkenton built for George Poteet for the 1996 show.
29-year-old builder Eric Peratt...
29-year-old builder Eric Peratt and co-owner Ken Reister were partners in the 1998 winner, a '33 Ford roadster dubbed "21st Century Comet."
The Ridler winner for 2001...
The Ridler winner for 2001 was Chris Williams' slippery '49 Chevy coupe. (Note the $7,500 check on the ground next to the Ridler trophy).