The Amelia Remembers Rodolfo Junco de la Vega, Jr. |
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Rodolfo Junco de la Vega. Photos courtesy of Bill Warner |
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Rodolfo Junco de la Vega, Jr.
April 12, 1922-October 6, 2020
Everyone at The Amelia admired Rodolfo Junco de la Vega, Jr. It was always the occasion when he visited the concours offices. His warm smile, quick wit and charming demeanor would captivate the staff, leaving a wake of laughter.
Rodolfo was a tough newspaperman from Monterrey, Mexico. He came to Jacksonville with his beloved wife Lillian for her care at The Mayo Clinic. He also found Jacksonville to be a city with, as he would put it, “a good car culture.”
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He arrived with his fabulous one-off 1953 Ferrari 212 by Ghia, along with a wonderfully diverse collection of significant cars. He’d purchased the car from the Ferrari factory in 1955 and endured the criticism of his father who once asked him “What in the hell do you want that thing for?”
If you have to ask . . .
Rodolfo knew Enzo Ferrari personally and referred to him as “Old Gruff!” (always with the exclamation point). And when his beloved wife wanted a blue Mercedes-Benz 300SL he had his painted blue. He was a good husband, an exquisite provider, a superb host, an honest and forthright friend and very good company, in Spanish or English, especially if you were an honest car enthusiast.
Even as Rodolfo approached his centenary he was always happy – his distinctive laugh gave him away – to learn new things about old cars. A hands-on car guy, Rodolfo changed his own oil and did tune ups well into his nineties. He gave up driving at age 96 but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. Within the last year he had decided to organize his cars into a collection, a sort of personal museum with facts and research to back up the memories of an extraordinary life with exceptional cars.
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On March 7, 2021, The Amelia will present a special award in honor of Rodolfo Junco de la Vega, Jr. at the 26th Annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.
October was a tough month, one where we’ve seen many friends of The Amelia pass: John Lamm, John Weinberger, John Campion and Charles Godwin. Losing Rodolfo has added to our profound grief, he was one of those rare people where immortality would be a blessing to anyone lucky enough to call him friend.
He would often say, “You’d better believe it.”
And we did.
Bill Warner
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AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
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Thursday, May 20, 2021
Guardians of Porsche Wine Maker's Dinner
6:30 - 10:30 PM at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Talbot Ballroom
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Begin your AMELIA weekend with an intimate four-course dining experience. A sommelier pairs each course with wines complementary to the menu.
Cocktail Attire
Advance Reservations, Limited Seating
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Friday, May 21, 2021
Porsche Driving Experience
7:00 AM - 4:30 PM Departs from the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport
The Porsche Driving Experience departs from the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport immediately following the 7:00 a.m. check-in and 7:30 a.m. drivers meeting with coffee and donuts. Participants will travel in their personal vehicles to a yet to be determined location where they will enjoy activities to include an autocross in one of the latest Porsches and a spirited ride with a professional driver. The tour will also make a stop at the fabulous new Brumos Collection which began as an eclectic private automotive collection that was stored on-site at the Brumos car dealerships in Jacksonville, Florida. Many international and national award-winning cars, historical documents, and racing artifacts are housed in their new location.
- Limited to 125 cars
- Must be at least 21 years of age to participate in the event
- Required documents:
- valid driver's license
- Need not own a Porsche to participate
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Friday Seminar - Details TBA
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM The Ritz-Carlton, Talbot Ballroom
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McLaren Dinner
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm The Ritz-Carlton, Talbot Ballroom Talbot Ballroom
Cocktail Attire
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Saturday, May 22, 2021
Saturday Seminar - Details TBA
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM The Ritz-Carlton, Talbot Ballroom
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Sunday, May 23, 2021
The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM The Golf Club Amelia Island 10th & 18th Fairways
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2021 Honoree Lyn St. James |
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- General Admission Adult: $100 – Purchased July 6, 2020 - March 31, 2021
- General Admission Adult: $125 – Purchased April 1, - May 22, 2021
- General Admission Adult: $150 – Purchased at the Gate/Day of Event
- General Admission Youth 13-17 years old: $60 (12 and under free w/paying adult)
- Active Duty Military and Dependents with Active Duty ID: $60 each available on-site only
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Concours and More
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM The Golf Club of Amelia Island
- Ticket includes early entry into the show field at 8:30 AM
- A private lunch inside the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
- (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) in the Talbot Ballroom
- Event Poster (to be distributed at lunch)
- Tickets not available day of show
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Club Amelia
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Club Amelia Pavilion on the Showfield
Your Club Amelia Ticket includes:
- Early Admission onto the show field at 8:30 AM (One hour prior to gates opening to public)
- Collectible Program
- Collectible Poster
- Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon Snack
- Hosted Bar
- Covered seating located in the Awards Presentation area
- Private restrooms for Club Amelia Patrons
- Parking decal provided.
It is not necessary to purchase General Admission tickets for entry onto the show field. Your Club Amelia ticket is your entry into the show field.
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Awards Tent Seating
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Awards Tent
Reserved seating area inside the Awards Tent on Sunday, March 7, 2021 With the purchase of this wristband along with a general admission ticket you will have a seat (first come, first served - non-reserved) in a covered reserved area inside the Awards Tent.
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All images are property of The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance / Deremer Studios
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About The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance
THE AMELIA is held May 20-23, 2021 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and The Golf Club of Amelia Island. The show’s Foundation has donated over $3.75 million to Community Hospice & Palliative Care, Spina Bifida of Jacksonville and other local and national charities since 1996. To learn more about the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, visit www.ameliaconcours.org.
The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance| 904-636-0027 | E-mail | Website
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