Every car builder dreams their creation will end up an award winner. Even if they are just building something just for themselves, it’s always nice to have your hard work recognized. The award over all other awards, though, takes a great deal of determination, creativity and hard work. The Ridler Award, isn’t for the faint of heart. Given only once a year at the Detroit Autorama and only to a brand-spanking-new vehicle that has never been shown before, the Ridler Award is the most prestigious achievement a car builder can receive.

The Detroit Autorama has been an annual for many decades. Approximately 150,000 attendees come through each year, making it the largest in the Autorama series produced by Championship Auto Show Inc. The Ridler Award is named after former Detroit Autorama promoter Don Ridler. He had a successful background in producing the Michigan State Fair Grandstand. He contracted entertainment for school dances while serving as Atheltic Director for Michigan State University.

The second ever Ridler Award winner was this 1956 Chevy Custom named Venturian, built by Bob Massaron.

Michigan Hot Rod Association looked to Ridler for assistance in boosting their Autorama show in the 50s. Ridler hit the ground running and quickly got car enthusiasts clamoring into the Michigan State Fairgrounds for the largest collection of hot rods in the area. Ridler highlighted the shows with amazing entertainment and beautiful cars. In the early 60s, Autorama outgrew the State Fairgrounds and moved over to Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan, where it  has continued on until this day.

Sadly, Don Ridler passed away in 1963 at a very young 54 years of age. The Autorama team immediately decided an award should be named after him. Initially, the award was given to the Best Of Show. Every year since that first event, the Ridler Award has evolved with the changing times. “Today it emphasizes creativity, engineering and workmanship.” Explains the Autorama website. “Anyone building a vehicle for Ridler competition should post these words on their garage wall. The vehicle that best represents these three areas will win the Ridler Award.”

The basic eligibility rules for the Ridler Award are strict. The biggest rule is that the vehicle must make its very first public showing at the Detroit Autorama it is competing at. Should the vehicle be shown at any other event, shown in whole in any other venue including internet, magazines, television or video, prior to the event, the vehicle is disqualified. For builders to create buzz and work for sponsorships, individual components and portions of the build process are allowed. No articles, editorials, films or other coverage of assembled parts and the vehicle are allowed.

Dwayne Peace and his 1955 Thunderbird won the 2012 Ridler Award.

Judges will go through the basic functions of the vehicle as well as judge the unit as a whole for creativity and detail. Each one has to start and move under its own power and show all basic driving characteristics. The top are brought together as The Pirelli Tire Great 8 Ridler Finalists. These finalists each win $1,000 just for being one of those few. Later the winner is crowned and takes home the bragging rights.

The most recent Ridler Award winner was J.F. Launier and his 1964 Buick Riviera named Rivision. Previous years include winners with a wide range of vehicles. A 1960 Nash Rambler, 1933 Ford Phaeton, a 1992 Mercedes 560 SEC and even a hand built fire truck are just a few of them.  The Ridler Award winner club is a selection of some of the most amazing custom vehicles for the last 50 years. For more information on the Detroit Autorama and the Ridler Award, head over to www.autorama.com.