The third annual Arizona Concours d’Elegance, held in late January at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix to kick off Arizona’s Classic Car Week, selected a famous speed-record car, the 1935 Duesenberg SJ Special known as the “Mormon Meteor,” as Best of Show. After the field of nearly 100 fine machines was distilled to four class winners, the bright yellow, artfully streamlined machine prevailed over the three other finalists, a 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato, a 1931 Chrysler Imperial CG LeBaron dual-cowl phaeton and a 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Pillarless Berline with Figoni et Falaschi coachwork.
The Mormon Meteor is owned by Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati and, when new, was driven by speed-racing pioneer Ab Jenkins on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on a number of record runs, including a 24-hour average speed of 154 mph and 48-hour speed of 148 mph. Jenkins, who named the car Mormon Meteor, then modified the mammoth vehicle for his use on public roads. The car was restored in recent years back to its racing configuration by the current owner.
