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<\/a><\/p>\nSo I was a little disappointed when, even though I had a media tag hanging from the rear view mirror, (a tag that came with an impressive press packet picked up a couple days earlier which also included a Barrett\/Jackson lanyard with a huge laminated card that had \u201cMedia\u201d stamped on it.) the guy at the gate paid no heed and directed me to the same general parking lot as everybody else.<\/p>\n
So, what am I to do? 24 hours earlier, I could barely walk the aisles of Safeway without collapsing from this cold-cough induced exhaustion, now I\u2019m expected to hike a half mile to where all the action was taking place. Oh sure, they said there would be shuttles but I don\u2019t see\u2026.wait, here comes one now. But how do I remember where the hell I\u2019m parked there are no signs or numbers..just an ocean of vehicles and it\u2019s not even my car that I\u2019ll be hunting for \u00a0later..maybe in the dark!<\/p>\n
Well, that\u2019s me. \u201cWorry Wart\u201d as mom used to say. \u00a0I wonder where in the world that saying came from. Checking Google. No consensus as to origin<\/p>\n
Anyway, the shuttle driver\u2019s first words were \u201cOkay folks..just remember this is \u201cCactus\u201d just tell the next driver that\u2019s where you want to go and he\u2019ll bring you right back here.\u201d\u00a0 Well, that\u2019s easy peasy and off we went to the front gate where the little carrying case I borrowed from Christy to hold my phone and camera was given a quick inspection and then I meandered into the gigantic exhibit hall leading to the main auction pavilion.\u00a0 Now, it should be noted that I hate my camera..or to be perfectly honest, I hate myself for being too dumb to figure out how to set it properly so pictures are taken AUTOMATICALLY (as advertised)\u00a0 adjusting for light and motion. My feeble attempts at figuring it out result in way too many blurred, too dark or too light images which was frustratingly evident at Barrett Jackson on this day.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Inside one of the buildings featuring the most unique new cars from around the world.<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>Like the new Corvette<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>And this Viper done to “Scale”<\/p><\/div>\n
The highlight of this year\u2019s event was the dispersal of Ron Pratte\u2019s collection of motor vehicles\u2026most of them the finest in the world and most of them purchased at previous Barrett Jackson auctions. Pratte is an insanely successful contractor who has simply moved on to other interests. (Pratte\u2019s collection of cars, trucks, motorcycles and automobilia brought in a total of 40 million dollars.)<\/p>\n
<\/a>There’s just no way to describe Pratte’s collection. If I was loaded with cash I would have bought it all and driven every one.<\/p><\/div>\n
After checking out as many cars as possible, I was in desperate need of a rest so I ambled in to watch the auction\u2026and the people watching the auction.<\/p>\n
As in life, there\u2019s a class system at Barrett. Only bidders are allowed to sit on the main floor folding chairs and I think it costs 500 dollars to get a bid number so you\u2019ve got to be semi serious about being there. The looky-loos may sit in the metal bleachers surrounding and cordoned off from the floor. And then there are the sky boxes where the gold chain wearin\u2019 slick hair combed back too cool for school guys with their cocktails and female escorts take up residence. It\u2019s all fun to watch..which I did until 4 pm. That\u2019s when national television coverage of the event began on The Discovery Channel and Velocity. I was determined to get up as close to the stage as possible with my iffy Kodak and get a few close ups for you.<\/p>\n My first move was getting over to the staging area where the cars are prepped before driving onto the stage. I snapped a couple shots. Blurry. Damn. Reset. With flash. Without flash. Ugh.\u00a0 It was getting crowded as they rolled in a wrecked Shelby Cobra with a guy in an Ironman suit lying across it. Oh, yeah this was from the Ironman movie. I thought I\u2019d follow its sale from start to finish and bravely walked up to the security guard who was keeping watch over the aisle that crosses between the audience and stage front. Wearing my Keloland TV sweatshirt, I flashed my media badge around my neck and he waved me through. Wow!\u00a0\u00a0 There I was..right in the heart of the action. (If you see reruns of the auction or happened to record the Wednesday edition on TV and see the Ironman car up for auction, look for a heavy set fellow in front of the stage taking pictures with a dinky camera. That would be me.). Here are the salvageable images from that memorable, albeit short lived, experience.<\/p>\n Thank goodness this image featuring one of the formal Barrett Jackson stage models came out crystal clear even though I was shaking a bit being this close. Nice trophy.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n And then..whoosh..right by me so close \u00a0I could smell his after shave..walks the big boss himself. Barrett Jackson, CEO Craig Jackson up to the announcer’s podium<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n And there are the two talented TV car experts working the stage, Mike Joy and Steve Magnante.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n I’m really in the thick of it now with bidding assistants screaming at the top of their lungs to the auctioneer when they have an audience bid to register. Those are the sky boxes in the back where the elite hang out to show off their fat wallets and studliness.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>