Tom Rollason's Aston Martin Atom took Car of the Show at the 15th annual Classic & Sports Car Club Awards held in association with Lancaster Insurance during the three-day Classic Motor Show at the NEC in Brimingham.
The 300-guest sit-down ceremony hosted by Simon Taylor on Friday 16 November has come a long way since a C&SC representative stood on a crate in one of the show-halls in 1998 to present our first Club Personality of the Year trophy (to Ron Smith of the Jensen Owners' Club).
Since then the awards have grown every year and for 2012 there was a record number of candidates vying for the prestigious honours that recognise the clubs' unstinting efforts to promote and preserve the classic car hobby.
They are split between trophies for the best cars and stands at the show, plus all the events, runs, websites and magazines that the clubs toil over during the rest of the year.
Rollason's unique experimental 1939 Aston beat off fierce opposition from several highly rated rivals to be judged the best on display. As well as a trophy, Rollason wins a full professional photographic studio shoot of the car courtesy of C&SC.
Receiving the same valuable prize was David Hanks' wonderful 1934 Hillman Aero Minx Streamliner that scooped the C&SC Special Award for the car that stole the judges' hearts. Hanks bought the pretty Hillman as his first car when aged just 17 and has owned it ever since.
Of the five awards for stands at the show, the Riley RM Club was Best Themed Stand for reflecting the Classic Motor Show's 'what's the story?' brief.
