Danville concours honors Phil Hill

"Cool Cars for a Cause" is the slogan for the Danville (Calif.) Concours d'Elegance, and it's an apt description for a gathering of classic, vintage-racing and contemporary cars, along with a few restored racing boats carefully parked along Danville's charming downtown streets. The event has raised more than $1 million for Parkinson's disease research and patient care. This year, the event honored Phil Hill, who succumbed to complications from the disease in 2008 after a legendary international career in racing and classic-car restoration.

Hill became an early fan of the Danville concours because of its relaxed atmosphere and the accessibility of rare and interesting cars to the public. And through the years, when someone suggests moving the event to a more traditional manicured-grass setting, the fans--along with organizers Jim and Chris Edlund--vote to continue at Danville's hometown venue.

This year, the Danville concours added a Saturday drive to the Napa Valley wine country to complement its Saturday-evening gala dinner and auction at the Blackhawk Museum and Sunday's downtown car show.

That evening, participants were able to dine among the Blackhawk's impressive classic-car collection, and the setting was perfect for a live auction where the average bid for a variety of different items topped $8,000.

In fact, this year, the event will clear more than $300,000 for the Parkinson's Institute and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. With that new record, honoring Hill--the great gentleman and fierce competitor--couldn't be more appropriate.

By Brian Douglas