2020 SPIRIT OF THE QUAIL AWARD
In honor of our Entrants who put in several months of work to prepare their vehicles for the 2020 The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, The Peninsula Signature Events team decided to bring the Spirit of The Quail to our social media channels for a digital event. Joseph Hurwich's 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Cabriolet by Pininfarina embodies the true spirit of motoring.
The Quail Motorsports Council selected six finalists that best exemplify the Spirit of The Quail, a vehicle that represents the true essence of motoring based on design, history, engineering, enduring relevance and performance for its era. Over the span of two weeks, we invited our finalists to submit photos, videos and information about their vehicle in hopes of winning the 2020 Spirit of The Quail Award.
Finalists included a 1933 Duesenberg SJ owned by Anne Brockinton Lee, a 1967 Porsche 911 S Soft Window Targa owned by Joseph Salvo, a 1968 Ferrari 365 GT owned by Joseph Storm, a 1964 Triumph Spitfire owned by Barry Connally, a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Cabriolet by Pininfarina owned by Joseph Hurwich, and a 1968
Lamborghini Miura P400 owned by Fritz Kaiser.
After much deliberation, The Quail Motorsports Council deemed Hurwich's 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Cabriolet the winner. Hurwich resides in Northern California and is a true classic car enthusiast. He has been actively driving his collection for the past 15 years and has participated in the Mille Miglia from start to finish – a feat he would like to achieve again!
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 is the jewel of his collection. The car was owned by celebrated luminaries including Rita Hayworth, Prince Rainier and King Farouk, and even made a cameo appearance in the 1972 movie ‘The Godfather'. Built by Pininfarina, this example was delivered to a Milanese toothpaste magnate in 1949. Much of its history is unknown, but the car remained in boxes from at least 1976-2018, until a complete restoration was undertaken in Eastern Europe. All mechanical parts were refurbished or replaced, as needed, with the original exterior style restored to preserve the integrity of the automobile. The car currently carries a Group 3 FIVA card attesting to its originality.