Contributed

Just saying the name of Charlotte-based Holman & Moody conjures up some of the most exciting motorsports moments in history - in NASCAR, Le Mans, drag racing and rallying.

To put an exclamation point on their accomplishments, the inaugural Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance will honor Lee Holman with the first-ever "Pinehurst Concours Lifetime Achievement Award" and the Holman & Moody organization with a special display featuring memorabilia and cars of their collection.

The concours will be held on Sunday, May 5, 2013, at Pinehurst Resort and Golf Club, with activities beginning on Thursday, May 2.

The Pinehurst Concours Lifetime Achievement Award has been created to celebrate accomplishments in the automotive, motorcycle and motorsports arenas. Receiving the first-ever Pinehurst Concours Life-time Achievement Award is Lee Holman, founder John Holman's son and president of Holman Automotive Inc. and Holman Moody Inc. since 1975.

Lee was an original crew member of the Holman & Moody team at Le Mans and many other races, and currently is very active in the company's daily business, servicing and restoring vintage race cars, as well as producing new 1966-specification GT Mark II race machines from their original blueprints and chassis.

"It's an honor for Holman & Moody to be recognized at the inaugural Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance and for me to be given a lifetime achievement award," said Lee Holman. "We have been a proud North Carolina company for more than 55 years, and to have an event like this so close to our headquarters and with such a strong tie to this region, it only makes sense to be involved and share our history and what we're up to now with our fans."

Beginning in 1957, Holman & Moody took on the world from shops based in Charlotte, less than 100 miles from Pinehurst, where founders John Holman and Ralph Moody operated as the official race contractors for Ford's global racing efforts. From stock car oval tracks with Ford "Battlebird" Thunderbirds and Galaxies to the quarter mile with A/FX Mustangs to road rallies with Falcons to winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the GT40 Mark II, the Holman & Moody name was known, and continues to be known, for "competition-proven" performance.

Some of the top drivers in the world worked with Holman & Moody, including Fred Lorenzen, Mark Donohue, Bobby Allison, Parnelli Jones, Peter Revson, DavidPearson, Al Unser, Joe Weatherly, Cale Yarborough, Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt, Bo Ljungfeldt, Mario Andretti, Jim Clark, Junior Johnson, Dick Hutcherson, Augie Pabst, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner and Bobby Unser.

Part of the special display at Pinehurst will include a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang's first professional win, at the 1964 Tour de France Automobile Rally, a 4,000-mile event, with two Holman & Moody-prepared Mustang coupes finishing first and second in class. In celebration of this achievement, Holman & Moody is preparing a limited run of 500 50th anniversary TdF Mustangs, which will be available for sale in the spring of 2013.

Additional vehicles, including NASCAR stock cars, AF/X drag racing cars and the legendary GT Mark II, will be on display, as well as an array of incredible memorabilia documenting the history of Holman & Moody over the years, from original blueprints of the GT40, to build sheets and authentic documents from race car drivers and Henry Ford. Additionally, rarely seen photographs from Holman's personal collection will be displayed.

"We are so proud to have Lee Holman and Holman & Moody honored at our first event," said Dean Kessel, founder and CEO of the Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance.

"Holman & Moody has played a major part in North Carolina's rich heritage in motorsports, from NASCAR to taking on the best of Europe at Le Mans. This display will blow the minds of enthusiasts of all types, with some of the rarest documentation and cars they may ever see, just adding to the experience that will mark the Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance."

For more than 100 years, Pinehurst has crowned champions in some of the most prestigious golf events in the world. Now a new champion will be named on the storied links, this time for "Best in Show" for automobiles at the Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance.

The Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance will combine the world-class amenities of Pinehurst Resort, special experiences for all attendees, some of the greatest vehicles ever created, and an opportunity to benefit and honor the men and women of the military from nearby Fort Bragg.

Four days of events are planned for the Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance, starting on Thursday, May 2, with a "Taste of the South" welcome party. On Friday, May 3, many of the Concours-participating vehicles will take part in the Iron Mike Rally, ending the day at a special event in downtown Pinehurst.

A golf tournament and collector car auction will be held on Saturday, May 4, as well as "The Pinehurst Concours Derby Party - A Celebration of Horsepower" gala event that evening at Pinehurst Resort. The inaugural Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance, featuring more than 150 of the most historic automobiles and motorcycles from around the world, including significant military vehicles, takes place on Sunday, May 5.

Additional information about the Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance, including the latest news about the event and links to social media, may be found at www.pinehurst-concours. com.