Page 167 - Experience Magazine Winter 2023
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allowed us to set up a broadcast
table right in the middle of all the
bidding, in the arena. We couldn’t
hear one another; we had to read
each other’s lips because of all the
noise. But it was great TV!”
Meguiar’s has remained steadfastly RICK DeBRUHL
at Barrett-Jackson’s side since those Two Decades On The Air
early days, even during the uncertain With Barrett-Jackson
times in the mid-1990s, when both
Barrett-Jackson co-founder Russ
Jackson and his son Brian succumbed
to colon cancer and Craig Jackson
took the reins of the company. “Craig
had shared his dreams with me,” says
Meguiar. “I could see his vision and
went back to our team and said, ‘He’s
going to pull this off, and I want to
be a part of it. We’re going to be there Rick DeBruhl has always been a car DeBruhl admits his favorite aspect
for him.’” guy. In fact, he said he started out of covering the Barrett-Jackson
as a “car kid” – to the extent of even auctions is, first and foremost, the
And be there he has. Meguiar’s is having car-themed wallpaper in his car people. “I couldn’t imagine a
Barrett-Jackson’s longest-running childhood bedroom. He spent two better job than getting to talk to
sponsor, and it’s hard to imagine hours a day in his high school’s auto fellow car enthusiasts about their
an event without the company’s shop and worked as a mechanic vehicles and learning about the
presence there. “Words can’t through college before eventually stories behind them,” he said.
express how grateful I am to Barry becoming one of the voices of
for aligning his company’s vision Barrett-Jackson’s live TV coverage. His most memorable moments
with ours for so many years,” says include being on the auction
Barrett-Jackson Chairman and He first attended a Barrett-Jackson stage with such huge automotive
CEO Craig Jackson. “They are an event around 1980, and still icons like Carroll Shelby and Dan
integral part of our auctions, and has a ticket and catalog from Gurney, as well as celebrities like
Barry has been an incredible source a 1985 auction. It wasn’t until Alice Cooper and Jay Leno, who
of encouragement and support for 2003, though, that DeBruhl are incredibly knowledgeable
both me personally and also for began working with The World’s about cars. DeBruhl said he has
Barrett-Jackson over the years.” Greatest Collector Car Auctions. also had amazing opportunities to
He was initially asked to fill in as meet some of the true greats in the
In yet another show of support of a commentator on the auction industry through Barrett-Jackson,
Jackson and the auction company block if another on-air personality including journalists like Brock
– and in alignment with the couldn’t make it. One time, Yates and Bob Varsha.
companies’ mutual desire to attract when the originally scheduled
even more people to the collector personality was able to be there “I’m very thankful I’ve had the
car hobby – Meguiar’s eagerly signed after all, the producer asked opportunity to learn over the
on as the presenting sponsor of the DeBruhl to provide a “sneak peek” years from people who made
Future Collector Car Show (FCCS) at the cars lining up in the staging such a significant impact on the
that will take place on the Polo Field lanes instead, giving the television broadcast and journalism side of
at WestWorld on Sunday, January audience a glimpse at the the automotive world,” he said.
22, during the 2023 Barrett-Jackson vehicles soon to cross the block Barrett-Jackson is honored to have
Scottsdale Auction. Be sure to check – something that had never been Rick DeBruhl, with his unique
out the Meguiar’s rig on-site at the done before. “As it turned out,” automotive insights and instant
auction and visit them on the Polo he said, “it was something people rapport with enthusiasts, be part
Field at the FCCS! liked – they really wanted to know of the on-air team.
– Barbara Toombs what car was coming next.”
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