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Steve Davis

BEHIND THE

SHADES

STEVE DAVIS’ DARK GLASSES PROTECT HIS EYES FROM A LIGHT SENSITIVITY CONDITION –
BUT THAT DOESN’T HINDER HIS VISION OF THE COLLECTOR CAR MARKET.

REFLECTING ON 25 YEARS WITH BARRETT-JACKSON

When the team at Barrett-Jackson surprised me my perspective, I believed television was a great
at the end of our 2021 Las Vegas Auction with a opportunity, and was locked and loaded with Craig
special video and presentation on the auction block and behind him 100 percent when the decision was
to commemorate my 25th anniversary with the made to make the auction a televised event.
company, I was incredibly overwhelmed and deeply Looking back on the past 25 years, I think from the
honored. It is very difficult to surprise me, but this standpoint of change, one of the most significant
was certainly one of those moments. things we did was the decision to broadcast the

This 25-year benchmark represents endless memories auction on television. It elevated and expanded
and experiences, and that video initiated a profound our presence across the board in a way that no
period of reflection for me, which I had never print medium could have ever done. I would argue
taken the time to do before. To relive some of those without that first cutting-edge, pioneering trip into
moments was just so emotional and so incredibly the television world, we wouldn’t be where we are
representative of how powerful the Barrett-Jackson now in the digital universe.
brand and what we do is; it impacts people on so In many ways, a quarter-century is a long time.
many levels. I was particularly touched that some Consider the kids who were 15 years old back then,
of the same first responders who benefited from the anxiously waiting to get their driver’s license. They’re
sale of my Shelby GT500 Super Snake after the tragic now 40, with their own kids driving, coming to
shooting in Las Vegas in 2017 were there onstage to Barrett-Jackson. In many ways it’s been a blink of an
honor me.
eye, and in another way it’s been an entire generation!
It’s been quite a journey over the last quarter-century, The Barrett-Jackson magic has the power to manifest
evolving from a Barrett-Jackson fan to a consignor/ memories about a particular car or a special moment
bidder, and then eventually to the president of the you shared at the auction with a loved one who is
company. I think this evolution gives me a unique maybe no longer with you. For me, it’s incredible to
perspective, having been on both sides of the desk.
think about surpassing childhood dreams of simply
When I think about Barrett-Jackson and reflect on meeting legends and actually being blessed enough
where we started and where we are today, one of to stand should-to-shoulder with them and become
the things that stands out the most when I first friends. Carroll Shelby. Dan Gurney. Lee Iacocca. It
joined the company was when we took the bold goes on and on.
step to broadcast the auction on television, on the It’s important to me, however, to not lose sight
SPEED Channel, which was, at the time, unique of what it’s all about. To this day, my first priority
in all the world. No one had ever done that; and my first love is always driving the passion: It’s
nobody had ever thought about doing that. From

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