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Dario Franchitti MBE Named Honoree For The Amelia 2026 Concours Weekend Celebrations
The Amelia, a renowned global concours event, has announced Dario Franchitti MBE as the honoree for 2026. Known for its racing heritage and luxurious setting at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, this event celebrates Franchitti's significant contributions to motorsport and car culture. His achievements include four IndyCar Series Championships and three Indianapolis 500 victories.
Franchitti's illustrious career is marked by 31 IndyCar wins and 89 podium finishes. He also triumphed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2008. Beyond racing, he serves as Gordon Murray Automotive's Director of Brand and Product and is a respected motorsport broadcaster and collector. His accolades include memberships in several prestigious halls of fame.
The Amelia weekend kicks off on March 5, 2026, with Reverie, an evening celebrating automotive, travel, and culinary arts inspired by Franchitti. Broad Arrow Auctions will conduct a two-day auction on March 6-7. The concours on March 7 will showcase 250 vehicles across 30 curated classes, alongside RADwood's '80s and '90s car celebration.
On March 8, the event concludes with an expanded Cars & Community segment featuring more show fields than ever before. The focus will be on enhancing enthusiast entertainment and fostering connections among attendees.
The Amelia will display the 2012 Dallara DW12 that Franchitti drove to victory at the Indianapolis 500 as part of the 'Cars of the Honoree' class. Other featured classes include Porsche Aluminum-Bodied Racers, Can-Am Racers, and Corvette Factory L88 models.
Dario Franchitti expressed his excitement about being honored: "I’ve been coming to The Amelia for many years... I feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced the success I have... My love for all things automotive continues to grow every day."
Auction Success
In its third annual sale at The Amelia in 2025, Broad Arrow Auctions achieved $61.7 million in total sales with an impressive sell-through rate of 88 percent. The highlight was a Ferrari sold for $9.5 million. The auction returns in 2026 with over 150 collector cars expected to cross the block.
McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, stated: "The Amelia has always been fueled by a passion for competition... Dario Franchitti exemplifies both." Hosting the concours on Saturday allows for an enhanced experience while expanding Cars & Community on Sunday.
Future Plans
The Amelia continues to evolve its offerings with seminars, films, parties, auctions, driving experiences, and more planned for future events. Final class announcements are expected this summer with ticket sales launching in fall.
Cars & Community entrants from previous years will receive priority registration for upcoming events. Enthusiasts can stay updated through ameliaconcours.com for class announcements and ticket pre-sales.
The Amelia has donated over $4 million to non-profit organizations since its inception in 1996. It remains a celebrated motoring event attracting celebrities from across the automotive world each year.
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