Every winter the custom car world makes a pilgrimage to the Motor City for one of the most legendary indoor shows on the planet: the Detroit Autorama. Held inside the massive Huntington Place, the 2026 edition once again packed the halls with hundreds of wild customs, Ridler contenders, hot rods, and trucks that refuse to blend into the background.
For more than 70 years, Detroit Autorama has been the proving ground where the world’s most ambitious custom cars, hot rods, and coachbuilt masterpieces step into the spotlight. What started back in 1953 as a humble fundraiser to build a drag strip has grown into a full-blown celebration of automotive craftsmanship, creativity, and hot rod culture. Today, the show packs the cavernous halls of Huntington Place with hundreds of cars, thousands of enthusiasts, and a level of competition that pushes builders to bring their absolute A-game.
It was once said, “To aspire to perfection is the goal of all who create, as anything less confines us to conformity,” and never has this been more apparent than in the numerous rodding creations being shaped today. Never before has so much time, effort and expense been lavished on vehicles that were once pushed aside in favor of newer endeavors.
Why is it we build top-end hot rods? We all have many different reasons, but the underlying one will always be to get a little attention. Even though it may not be your sole intent, there is a part of you that wants people to tell you “nice car” or, better yet, to win an award at a show every once in awhile. Many hot rodders and builders create their cars to win major awards, which gives your custom creation or your shop “pedigree,” in much the same way the right wins give a racehorse pedigree.
Regardless of our residential location, there seems to be a specific show that we just can’t stand to miss. It’s a show we anticipate all year long, and we can’t imagine a season without attending it. It certainly isn’t the city it is held in that’s alluring; it’s the quality of the cars that show up, and there are always a few surprises, as builders spend millions of dollars competing for the prestige of winning the coveted Ridler Award.
The automotive and motorsports world has lost one of its most influential figures with the passing of Angelo “Junior” Giampetroni. A pioneer, promoter, and passionate builder, Angelo helped shape the hot rodding and drag racing scenes from the postwar boom through the modern era. His impact can be felt not just in Detroit, but across the globe—from gritty speed shops to high-level factory performance programs. Angelo wasn’t just part of the culture—he connected it all together.
We were back in the Motor City for the 72nd Detroit Autorama, held from February 28 to March 2, 2025, at Huntington Place. Over 800 custom cars, trucks, and motorcycles filled the halls, showcasing everything from high-dollar, jaw-dropping builds to gritty, backyard-bred machines. But the biggest prize? The Don Ridler Memorial Award, aka the Ridler, handed out to the one car that stands above all others for design, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.
If you know anything about hot rodding, you know the Don Ridler Memorial Award is the big one. The best of the best show up to the Detroit Autorama every year, hoping to take home that trophy, and in 2025, it went to a killer ‘55 Chevy Nomad called “Gray Madder.” Owned by Tom and Christy Bresnahan and their son Josh, this thing is an absolute showstopper, built with insane attention to detail and packed with killer custom touches.
In terms of historic automotive achievements (and there have been many, to be sure), this stylized ’36 Ford roadster will long be remembered for its most human elements. Through them, a vehicle of unparalleled execution—at least to date—regardless of type, style or vintage, has come of age. Only slightly reminiscent of the car it is based upon, the lines expressed through the flowing body and adjoining components, and all of the well-placed details, give one the impression of speed, style and a hint of great classics of the past. And while it may take on a hint of flavor of classics past, the overall concept is entirely its own—a coach-built car done for these modern times.
Every creative endeavor, from fine art to mechanical invention, requires some type of high-wire act—a unique and delicate balance between vision, creativity and capability. When the cogs align, and the elusive look rises to the forefront, there’s no questioning the purity of its origin.
