Donald beams with pride over the Audrain Collection’s ex-Nicholas Begovich 1964 Porsche 904 receiving first place in the Post-War Preservation Class and the 1912 Rauch & Lang Electric Roadster receiving third in class in the Unorthodox Propulsion Class.
The all-new “Jay Leno’s Garage” on CNBC Primetime premieres this Wednesday, September 7th!
NEWPORT, Rhode Island (September 5, 2022) – In the aftermath of the 72nd annual Pebble Beach Concours d’EleganceÒ, CEO of the Audrain Group, Classic Car Historian, Consultant, Appraiser and Author Donald Osborne looks back on his 37th year attending the internationally-acclaimed car show.
“This was the 37th year I’ve come to the Peninsula for all the Monterey events and this year felt especially moving for a number of reasons, not least of which were the two awards taken by the Audrain Collections but also for being reunited with so many international friends in the car community for the first time in at least three years,” said Donald. “Friends, colleagues, and strangers from across the US, Europe, South America and I shared the wonder of what was in front of us, great memories of past encounters and plans for the future. People often ask why I attend these events every year, and I always answer that while it’s my business, it’s also one of the most intense social events of the year and then, most importantly, every time I end up seeing cars that I‘ve never seen before or that I’ve only seen in a reference book! My heart races, I grin until my face hurts and I’m that eight-year old discovering cars for the first time all over again. It is absolutely extraordinary.”
Donald’s participation in Pebble Beach is always varied and active each year, whether he is asked to perform, host or represent a client or company at one of the many important events. This year was special in many ways because he had taken part in overseeing the preparation for three Audrain cars on the field, which is an honor he takes to heart, especially because he witnessed so many people appreciating the cars at the show on Sunday.
“It was exhilarating representing the Begovich 904 on behalf of Audrain because I could feel the judges and public joining me with enthusiasm for the car and its unmatched story,” said Donald. “Nicholas and Lee Begovich showed the 904 at the 1998 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where it was shown as display only, because there was no post-war preservation class yet. I want to underline the significance of this car’s First in Class award for all of us at the Audrain Collections because both Nicholas and Lee should have been able to take home the same award back in 1998 but the fact is that they were ahead of their time. Deeply inspired by this car and its story, I’m so proud that I took part in representing the car on behalf of Audrain to finally honor the Begovich family with this moment.”
Looking ahead this Fall, Donald’s enthusiasm for collector cars continues to reach wider audiences through his recurring television series “Assess and Caress with Donald Osborne” on CNBC Primetime’s “Jay Leno’s Garage”, which returns for it’s seventh season debut this Wednesday. Follow @cnbcprime and stay tuned for more!
Donald Osborne and Jay Leno’s friendship will once again return to the stage at Audrain’s third-annual Newport Concours & Motor Week this September 29-October 2. As CEO, Donald oversees the entirety of the week’s events but he also participates as an emcee and seminar host at the annual Audrain Seminar Series, an exceptional engagement opportunity for guests to listen and ask questions directly to industry leaders who host the topics of discussion. One of the many spectacular seminars slated this year, “Can We Ever Predict the Future of the Car?” will be hosted by Donald Osborne, Jay Leno and Wayne Carini on Friday, September 30th at 2:30 pm. With many tickets selling out in advance, guests are encouraged to book in advance through AudrainConcours.com.
In October, Donald is thrilled to return to the annual Auto e Moto d’Epoca in Padova, Italy, one of his most cherished Italian automotive gatherings, which will take place October 20-23. This annual Italian swap meet is considered by many insiders to be a real treasure trove of rare collector cars, spare parts, literature and automobilia, and it attracts thousands of Italophiles as well as automotive industry leaders from all over the world every year. This year, Donald will be reporting from the show so fans should follow along through his social media to stay up to date on what Donald discovers in 2022. Stay tuned @osborne.donald!
