The Ponte Vedra Auto Show was held at Nocatee Station Field on Sunday, Nov. 2. The show celebrated its 23rd anniversary with about 190 classic and collector cars all vying for best in show.
Mark Hutto won the 2025 Best in Show award with his 1958 Porsche Speedster. Hutto’s car came from Long Beach, California, and it used to be one of John Willhoit’s cars. Hutto has owned it for a year and a half, and last November it was featured on Jay Leno’s show. This was Hutto’s first year in the Ponte Vedra Auto Show.
Each car entered in this year’s show had a different story to tell, including Stephen Katkowsky’s 1929 Ford Phaeton. The car was built at the Ford plant in Jacksonville in April 1929. The original owners stored it in a barn, and then in the 1930s the barn collapsed on top of it. The car did not move until 2000 when a man from Canada brought his bulldozer down to Florida and spent two days digging it out. He then shipped it back to Canada and spent eight years restoring it, and Katkowsky purchased it four and a half years ago. Katkowsky said that everything on the car is original except for the rubber and the upholstery.
“It runs great, and I added all the unusual accessories to it,” said Katkowsky.
One of his unusual accessories is a tiny figurine of a police officer – located on the back of the car near the brake lights – that lifts its hands into the air whenever the brake is depressed; this lets other drivers know to stop. Another one of Katkowsky’s additions is a compartment with a button next to the steering wheel that holds 20 cigarettes. When the button is pushed, a cigarette pops out and is lit by the lighter.
Katkowsky has entered the Ponte Vedra Auto Show in the past, but for him it’s all about his cars.
“I drive it to go get coffee every morning,” he said.
The Spirit of the Ponte Vedra Auto Show is one of the many awards given out besides the Best in Show. This year’s Spirit award went to a 2006 Pontiac GTO owned by Larry Urbanek with his lifelong friend Brett. Brett, the original owner of the car, has recently been dealing with some health issues. Urbanek purchased the car from his friend, and they both work on it when Brett feels up to it.
“They will both keep these memories forever,” said show director Justin Felker.
Here’s a look at the winners of the 2025 Ponte Vedra Auto Show:
