74th O’REILLY AUTO PARTS SACRAMENTO AUTORAMA AWARD WINNERS

Jimmy Hervatin’s flamed 1952 Ford F1 pickup won Custom d’Elegance, while David Maxwell’s Kindig-It Designs 1953 Corvette was crowned West Coast Challenge Grand Champion

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 4, 2025) – The O’Reilly Auto Parts Sacramento Autorama, one of the world’s longest-running indoor car shows, closed out its 74^th annual event on Sunday, May 4, at Cal Expo by recognizing some of the country’s finest custom cars. Overall, the show hosted over 500 world-class custom vehicles and handed out more than 400 individual awards during its closing ceremony.

The show’s prestigious Custom d’Elegance award was presented to Jimmy Hervatin’s 1952 Ford F1 pickup. This incredible build, named “Lit Up,” is meticulously based on a painting of the same name by artist Keith Weesner. Handcrafted by Hervatin himself, the truck was chopped six inches, sectioned and lowered on a brand-new frame. The reshaped body features custom running boards, shaved door handles and a new bed. Powered by a 1954 Oldsmobile 324, the truck is finished in a light blue pearl basecoat, tri-coat pearl white and dark red flames loaded with gold flake. Hervatin received $5,000 from ARP Fasteners.
 

The West Coast Challenge Car Show Series presented by ARP Fasteners crowned its Grand Champion during the Sacramento Autorama. David Maxwell was presented with the Best of the West award for his futuristic Kindig-It Design-built 1953 Corvette “TwelveAir” Concept, beating out 10 other vehicles that competed in at least three of five select car shows in California, Oregon and Washington. Maxwell received a $12,500 prize, while second- and third-place finishers Cliff Mattis (1957 Chevrolet Convertible) and Carlos Martinez’s (1964 Chevrolet Impala convertible) received $6,500 and $3,500, respectively.
 

For the second consecutive year the show crowned the World’s Most Beautiful Lowrider. The award went to Eric Wisterman’s “Breaking Bad”-inspired 1962 Chevrolet Impala. The dazzling light-yellow lowrider was built was Wisterman and Jim Basgall, featuring murals depicting scenes and characters from the popular show by Albert Herrera, pinstriping by Alan Signs, a custom interior by Daniel Moreno and hydraulics by Mike Ishiki. Wisterman received a $5,000 prize presented by ARP Fasteners.

 “This weekend was a celebration of Sacramento’s deep history of hot rodding and automotive culture,” said John Buck, owner of Rod Shows and producer of the Sacramento Autorama. “Everyone who came out enjoyed hundreds of incredible customs, hot rods, trucks, motorcycles and more. It was a spectacular show and we can wait to celebrate the 75^th Sacramento Autorama next year.”
 
Other significant awards included the four historic “Big B Awards.” Jerry Logan won the H.A. Bagdasarian World’s Most Beautiful Custom Award for his immaculate 1952 Chevrolet Fleetline hardtop.

The Sam Barris Memorial Award, named in honor of legendary custom car builder Sam Barris, is selected by members of the Barris family. They chose Maxwell’s “TwelveAir” Corvette as the car featuring the best metalwork, alignment of body panels and paint.

The Joe “Candy Apple Red” Bailon Memorial Award was designed and created by Bailon, one of the nation’s premier custom car designers and builders. This year, the award was presented to Nick Dias’ beautiful blue 1947 Cadillac.

The last of the “Big B Awards,” the Dick Bertolucci Automotive Excellence Award, is given to a vehicle manufactured before 1973 that the family of the late hot rod and custom builder Dick Bertolucci felt exhibited the best craftsmanship in assembly, fit, finish and detail. The Bertolucci family selected Mattis’ “Inspire 57” 1957 Chevrolet Convertible for this year’s trophy.

Sunday’s popular Pinstriper Charity Auction raised nearly $10,000 for UC Davis Children’s Hospital, which is dedicated to improving lives and transforming health care.

For more information about the Sacramento Autorama, the complete list of 2025 award winners and updates on upcoming Rod Shows events, please visit rodshows.com.