The Detroit AutoRama ‘Great 8’ Finalists For 2026 Are Announced – Who Is Your Pick for the Ridler Award?

For the 73rd time, The Detroit AutoRama has filled Huntington Place in Michigan with hundreds of quality rides for the 3-day AutoRama event.

One of the largest indoor car shows, news has just dropped on the ‘Great 8’ selection, a necessity for those eight finalists in their hopes to earn the coveted Ridler Award.


You could win our newest giveaway vehicle - a rare all-wheel-drive turbocharged 1991 GMC Syclone! Purchase ANYTHING from our website (every $1 spent gets you an entry) - a subscription to Sick the Magazine gets entries as well! Click HERE to visit the Sick merch site - click HERE for more info & your chance to win the Syclone!


First presented in 1964, the Ridler Award is one of the highest awards to be captured in the custom and hot rod car community. It is awarded annually, and for the finalists to earn one of the coveted ‘Great 8’ slots, the vehicles must fall under a strict “never been shown before” guidelines.

The ‘Great 8’ finalists are: 

Bruce Burns from Vancouver, BC - 1956 Chevrolet Nomad

Ryan Bruinsma from Lowell, IN - 1959 Cadillac

George Conrad from Huron, OH - 1960 Ford Convertible

Richard Jacobs from Allentown, PA - 1968 Cadillac

Rex Satterfield from Russellville, TX -1956 Chevrolet Convertible

Jim Curtis from Middleburgh, OH - 1962 Chevrolet Corvette

Kevin & Wendy Flondor from Mokena, IL - 1968 Chevrolet C-10

Jim Niedecken from Ottoville, OH - 1953 Studebaker

If you want to check out these eight beautiful rides, as well as hundreds more, The Detroit AutoRama runs from Friday February 27th, 2026 through Sunday March 1st, 2026. For more information on the Detroit AutoRama event, CLICK HERE!


Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and AutoRama.

If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com

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Sick The Mag Brings Their Own ‘Great 8’ To The AutoRama – One of America’s Largest Indoor Car Shows, Starting Today in Detroit, Michigan