1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Wins Best of Show at 2021 Des Moines Concours, Complete List of Winners

November 9, 2021

The Des Moines Concours d’Elegance to benefit Children’s Cancer Connection awarded Best of Show to a 1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe on Sunday, September 12, 2021. The car led a field of more than 130 vehicles that included a 1939 Jaguar SS100, an ultra-rare 1953 Maverick Sportster and Iowa State University’s Eliana Solar Car.

The DeSoto Airflow is owned by Fred and Renee Mehr of Cold Spring, Minnesota. The owners recently completed the restoration of this revolutionary car, which owes its aerodynamic grille and sloped roofline to input from Orville Wright and wind tunnel testing. The split windshield allowed for better air flow for both driver and passenger and the rear passenger seats were placed between the axles for a smoother ride.

A full list of winners can be found below.

The Des Moines Concours benefits Children’s Cancer Connection, which connects families facing childhood cancer by providing programs for education, recreation and support. Awards at this year’s Concours were presented by kids involved in Children’s Cancer Connection. In the last six years, the Des Moines Concours has provided more than $100,000 to the organization.

Full List of Class Winners

Best of Show

  • 1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe owned by Fred Mehr of Cold Spring, Minnesota

Hagerty Youth Judging Award

  • 1967 Continental 4-Door Convertible owned by Todd Magel of Clive, Iowa

Corvair 60th Anniversary

  1. 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Yenko Stinger owned by David Wetsch of Van Meter, Iowa
  2. 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Convertible owned by Jim Marmon of Urbandale, Iowa
  3. 1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible owned by Dennis Holloway of Marion, Iowa

Ford Flathead V8

  1. 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan owned by Ken Waller of Johnston, Iowa
  2. 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe owned by O.J. Tomson of Mason City, Iowa
  3. 1935 Ford Phaeton owned by David Johnson of Granger, Iowa

Jaguar

  1. 1953 Jaguar XK 120 FHC owned by Russ & Marj Bees of Indianola, Iowa
  2. 1939 Jaguar SS100 owned by Dennis Holloway of Marion, Iowa
  3. 2009 Jaguar XKR Portfolio owned by Lon Smallridge

Classics

  1. 1939 BMW 327/8 Cabriolet owned by Tom Chandler of Elkader, Iowa
  2. 1934 Packard 1107 5-Passenger Coupe owned by Don & Marlene Ohnstad of Valley, Nebraska
  3. 1939 Buick Series 90 Limited owned by Larry Brownfield of Des Moines, Iowa

Antiques

  1. 1923 Brewster Model O2 Town Car owned by Mark Desch of Stillwater, Minnesota
  2. 1916 Cadillac Type 53 owned by Andy Flagge of Mason City, Iowa
  3. 1910 Sears Model K owned by Don Pauley of Clear Lake, Iowa

Early Collectibles

  1. 1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe owned by Fred Mehr of Cold Spring, Minnesota
  2. 1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe 2 Door Sedan owned by Tom Allen of Altoona, Iowa
  3. 1940 Chrysler Traveler owned by John Bolen of Runnells, Iowa

Atomic Age Collectibles

  1. 1957 Chrysler 300C owned by Randy Guyer of Minnetonka, Minnesota
  2. 1950 Crosley CD Super Station Wagon owned by Randy & Becky Hall of Kentland, Indiana
  3. 1957 Mercury Montclair owned by Dean Bibler of Johnston, Iowa

Space Age Collectibles

  1. 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 owned by Eric Magayne of Marion, Iowa
  2. 1964 Chevrolet Corvette owned by Steve & Tracy Simbides of Marshalltown, Iowa
  3. 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner owned by Loren Necker of Sumner, Iowa

American Muscle Cars

  1. 1964 Dodge Polara owned by Mike McCabe of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
  2. 1969 Plymouth GTX owned by Jim Muller of Saint George, Kansas
  3. 1971 Plymouth Road Runner owned by Roger Auderer

Exotics

  1. 2020 Ford GT owned by Jared Elder of Des Moines, Iowa
  2. 1973 De Tomaso Pantera GTS owned by Tom Shinrock of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  3. 2018 Porsche 911 GT2RS owned by Stephen Grubb of West Des Moines, Iowa

Preservation

  1. 1955 Chrysler Imperial owned by Tony Caponigro of Ankeny, Iowa
  2. 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sports Coupe owned by Jon Mathisrud of Mendota Heights, Minnesota
  3. 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible owned by Jerald & Melinda Collins of Clive, Iowa

Each award was presented by a child representing Children’s Cancer Connection.

About Des Moines Concours and Children’s Cancer Connection

The Des Moines Concours™ is a premier automotive exhibition held at the internationally recognized John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines. The Concours presents an invitation-only exhibition of more than 160 vintage and classic motor vehicles, selected to celebrate the fine art, design evolution and amazing innovations of motor vehicles through the years, as well as the talented designers and engineers who created them. The event is free to the public.

Proceeds from the Des Moines Concours d’Elegance benefit Children’s Cancer Connection that connects families facing childhood cancer by providing programs for education, recreation and support.