auction – Syndication Server

This Florida country club appears headed for public auction after judge ruled on foreclosure lawsuit

A real estate company failed in a last-minute attempt to sell the club.

An Alachua County judge on Dec. 21 issued a final judgment of foreclosure against the owner of the Gainesville Country Club, and has called for a public auction of the property to take place in early 2024.

Circuit Judge Donna M. Kleim issued her ruling after property owner Blue Water Real Estate Holding Inc., which is owned by Joseph Hernandez, failed in a last-minute attempt to sell the club.

Court records show Blue Water staved off an initial foreclosure judgment on Dec. 14 when it presented a contract to sell the club to Lee Kerr for $3 million. The closing was scheduled for Dec. 20. It’s unclear as to why the sale fell through. The broker of the deal and the closing agent declined to comment last week when reached by The Sun.

The foreclosure judgment shows a total lien of about $2 million on the 294-acre property at 7300 SW 35th Way. The total includes $411,000 in unpaid interest at the default rate from September 2022 through December 2023, and $261,000 in plaintiff MK3C LLC’s attorney’s fees.

The court order says that if the full amount, including interest, is not paid, a public sale of the property will be held on Feb. 6

Blue Water also is on the hook for more than $500,000 to South Florida-based law firm Shutts & Bowen, which withdrew from the case over non-payment for legal services provided between August 2022 and September 2023.

The law firm’s decision to withdrawal from the case led to a court order that Blue Water hire new counsel by Oct. 3, which it failed to abide by. Previous case law has determined that corporations cannot represent themselves.

Blue Water’s failure to obtain legal counsel led to the initial planned foreclosure judgment earlier this month.

Gainesville Country Club is scheduled to be sold to the highest bidder at an auction in February. (File photo: Gainesville Sun/USA Today Network)

The foreclosure lawsuit was initially filed on Sept. 9, 2022, by Gainesville law firm Siegel Hughes Ross & Collins on behalf of MK3C, about two months after the club’s golf course closed, supposedly for maintenance, in July of that year.

The course’s closure coincided with the power being turned off by Gainesville Regional Utilities due to an unpaid bill of nearly $39,000. A notice of pending levy and seizure also was posted by the Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office

The lawsuit contended that as a result of poor maintenance for more than 30 days, and due to the power and water being turned off, the property could suffer from damage and waste, including the potential for mold growth in the clubhouse, algae in the pool, the collapse of the tennis building’s roof, and the deterioration of the golf course due to lack of water.

Alachua County property records show Blue Water purchased the club in December 2018 for $1.5 million.

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1959 Porsche 718 RSK Spyder set for Amelia Island Auction

Broad Arrow Auctions recently announced the consignment of the historic 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Spyder “Lucybelle III,” chassis 718-024, to its Amelia Island Auction, set for March 1-2, 2024 at the Amelia Island Ritz Carlton. The Porsche 718 RSK Spyder …

The Porsche 718 RSK Spyder has an impressive period history having been sold new to American race car driver and former Le Mans winner Ed Hugus. Hugus raced 718-024 in the instantly recognizable “Lucybelle III” livery at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in the subsequent years, the Porsche was raced in both USAC and SCCA events as well as at the Pikes Peak Hillclimb in 1962.

See more details and photos of the car at VintageMotorsport.com.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sells for $51.7m

After nearly four decades in private ownership, the sole factory-owned Series I Ferrari GTO (chassis No. 3765) was claimed by a new owner for $51.7 million this week during Sotheby’s New York Marquee Week Sales of Modern and Contemporary Art. The …

The only GTO Tipo 1962 raced by Scuderia Ferrari; this example boasts an impressive and perhaps legendary history. Its racing pedigree alone includes clinching a class win and a second-overall finish at the 1962 Nurburgring 1000 Km. It was piloted by Mike Parkes and Lorenzo Bandini for Scuderia Ferrari at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans, and also secured the position of runner-up in the 1965 Sicilian Hillclimb Championship.

Previously owned by a chairman of the Ferrari Club of America, it won an FCA Platinum Award and the Coppa Bella Macchina at the Cavallino Classic, placed 2nd in the GTO class at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and received a Best of Show at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

See the full story and additional photos at VintageMotorsport.com.

Mazda Miata MX5 racer and Bonneville land speed record holder goes up for bid on BaT to benefit The Piston Foundation

A 1999 Mazda Miata MX-5, which set a Bonneville Salt Flats G/GT class land speed record of 165.296 mph in 2011, and was also raced in the SCCA Spec Miata class, is the latest car donated to The Piston Foundation to go up for a charity auction on …

The auction begins on October 23, and ends on October 30, at bringatrailer.com, with 100 percent of the proceeds, including the buyer’s fee, going to The Piston Foundation scholarship program.

The two previously auctioned vehicles – a 1973 Datsun 240Z and a 1960 Willys Wagon – sold for a total of $154,240, creating scholarships for 27 aspiring technicians. The sale of the Miata will create several more scholarships for 2023.

Car owner and Piston Foundation Founders Club member Harvey Siegel, of Long Valley, New Jersey., donated his prized race car for this cause. “I am a big believer in chasing one’s dreams and, as such, I hope this contribution will help these kids pursue their car-fueled dreams the way I once did on the Bonneville Salt Flats,” he said.

An accomplished racer, Siegel is known for resurrecting VIRginia International Raceway and developing New Jersey Motorsports Park.

“We are thrilled to have received this donation from Harvey Siegel,” said Jeff Mason, President of The Piston Foundation. “The provenance of this car can’t be duplicated. It’s a piece of land speed history.”

Built by Ryan Pilla of Car Doctor Garage in Water Mill, New York, a successful Miata racer himself, “the car is top-notch and ready to keep racing,” added Mason.

Aptly named the 2160 (as in, “Going to-160-mph”), the Miata racer’s drivetrain, chassis and suspension had been modified to reach high speeds on the Salt Flats, with the naturally-aspirated Bonneville engine producing upwards of 290 horsepower, more than double the output of traditional Miata engines. The highly modified inline-four Bonneville engine was later replaced with a 1.8-liter powerplant as part of the the car’s conversion for Spec Miata competition.

Together with his son Luke, Siegel’s goal was to set a land speed record on their rookie attempt, with Luke in the driver’s seat. After an immense amount of engineering and preparation, the mission was accomplished. (Read the full story at https://pistonfoundation.org/blog/the-rookie-record/).

Recently, the Miata, in fully-restored Spec Miata configuration, was tested at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, by NASCAR Xfinity Series racer Parker Kligerman, also a former Spec Miata Racer. “I love these Miatas,” he said of the car after driving it on the 1.5-mile race track and on LRP’s Autocross course. “They’re so nimble and llght, and that’s what makes them one of the most popular race cars in the world, and especially in the U.S.

“What’s great,” he continued, “is the buyer can either race it in Spec Miata or swap the engine and go for a new record at Bonneville.

“Thank you to The Piston Foundation and Lime Rock Park for supporting future automotive restoration technicians.”

The buyer will also receive the Bonneville engine, the aerodynamic wheel covers and other components used to set the “rookie” record. The Bonneville engine received fresh bearings, rings and gaskets in preparation for sale.

The Miata will be featured at MiataCon at Lime Rock Park this coming weekend, on October 27-28, just as the auction ends. More information may be found here.

Saturday at Mecum Indy to feature myriad of vintage race cars

Dana Mecum’s 36th Spring Classic auction at the Indiana State Fairgrounds is already up to speed offering more than 3,000 vehicles throughout the 9-day event. The Mecum Indy auction is set to close Saturday, May 20 with its usual fireworks of …

Among them are the 1968 Gerhardt Chevrolet Indy car shown above and a 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88/ZL1 Greenwood race car — the cover car and salon feature of Vintage Motorsport’s November/December 2011 issue.

Reflecting the growing strength and success of Chevrolet’s Corvette on the international stage, John Greenwood’s devastatingly fast and boldly finished “Stars and Stripes” Corvettes of the 1970s kept “America’s Sports Car” at the forefront of road racing. While likely best-known for devising the outrageous “Greenwood wide-body” Corvettes, Greenwood was a master engine builder and tireless supporter of American racing. Among his many front-line achievements, Greenwood won back-to-back SCCA A-Production championships in 1970-71, defeating the famed Owens-Corning sponsored Corvette team of Tony DeLorenzo and Jerry Thompson. Powered by Chevrolet’s all-aluminum ZL1 427 engine, Greenwood led the Corvette charge at the 24 Hours of Le Mans starting in 1973 with this car.

See additional details and more cars available at the auction at VintageMotorsport.com.

Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction tops $44.4 million in sales

Barrett-Jackson celebrated two decades of bringing it’s high-octane automotive lifestyle event to Palm Beach during its annual auction held at the South Florida Fairgrounds, April 13-15. 622 vehicles were sold at auction, all with no reserve, for $43.6 million. Additionally, Barrett-Jackson sold 263 pieces of authentic automobilia for more than $745,000, bringing total auction sales to $44.4 million with a 100-percent sell-through rate and over 40 world-record auction sales. Top auction sales were led by a 2020 Ford GT Heritage Edition (Lot #740), which sold for $1,457,500.

“For 20 years we’ve called Palm Beach our second home and during that time we’ve created wonderful memories and celebrated countless milestones with our collector car family,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “This year continued that spectacular tradition with more than 600 collectible vehicles crossing the block, including several incredible collections, that all sold at No Reserve. Like our Scottsdale event, this year’s Palm Beach Auction demonstrated that the collector car hobby continues to be a vibrant marketplace where enthusiasts are snatching up the hottest vehicles. We look forward to seeing everyone in Las Vegas this June.”

The top 10 non-charity vehicles that sold during the 2023 Palm Beach Auction included:

2020 Ford GT Heritage Edition – $1,457,500
2020 Ford GT – $990,000
2005 Ford GT – $440,000
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS – $434,500
1962 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Convertible – $401,500
2019 Porsche Speedster – $396,000
2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom – $363,000
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS – $346,500
2017 Ferrari 488 Spider – $330,000
1965 Ferrari 212 Barchetta Roadster Re-Creation – $297,000

See more facts and photos from the auction at VintageMotorsport.com.

Mecum Glendale Auction tops $56 million in total sales

Mecum’s Glendale 2023 classic and collector car auction, held March 28-April 1 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, reached $56 million in total overall sales as 1,266 lots hammered sold. With a total 1,667 lots offered throughout the five-day auction, a sell-through rate of 76% was achieved, and individual sales were led by a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (pictured above) that brought in $1.815m.

A diverse selection of available classic and collector cars in Glendale resulted in a similarly varied top 10 sellers list, with a wide selection of both American-built machines and coveted imports making the cut. The auction-leading Gullwing, dressed in rarely seen Mittelgrün green, had undergone a meticulous restoration by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in the late-2000s, where it was displayed periodically from 2015-20 — qualities that made it an especially desirable classic. A 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS grabbed seat No. 2, bringing $605,000, and a 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 4X4 Squared grabbed seat No. 3 with a sale price of $489,500.

See more details and photos from the auction at VintageMotorsport.com.

RM Sotheby’s offering ex-Schumacher Ferrari F1-2000 in latest Sotheby’s Sealed auction

The latest Sotheby’s Sealed offering is a race-winning Ferrari F1-2000, piloted to victory at the 2000 Brazilian Grand Prix by Michael Schumacher during his first championship-winning season at Ferrari. With that win, chassis number 198 played a …

With this car, Schumacher also secured pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix, and a fifth overall finish at the Spanish Grand Prix.

See more photos of the car and details of the auction at VintageMotorsport.com.

Brett Favre’s 2009 NFC Championship Game jersey is up for auction

Brett Favre’s 2009 NFC Championship Game jersey is up for auction. How valuable it would be if Favre had actually won a championship for Minnesota?

Here’s a name we haven’t heard in a while. Brett Favre’s game-worn jersey from the Minnesota Vikings’ 31-28 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the 2009 NFC Championship Game will be auctioned off later this month. Favre actually wore two jerseys in this game, and the one up for auction was used during the second half and overtime period.

Favre threw two interceptions in the loss to the Saints in front of a sellout crowd at the Superdome, with his game-losing pass picked off by Tracy Porter effectively sending the contest to overtime. That was the fifth turnover by the Vikings offense on the day, which followed fumbles by Favre (one), Adrian Peterson (two), Percy Harvin (one), and Bernard Berrian (one).

The Minnesota defense folded in extra minutes and allowed the Saints to convert a crucial fourth down inside their own territory, which set up Garrett Hartley’s game-winning 40-yard field goal. Favre was battered by the New Orleans pass rush throughout the game but ultimately didn’t play well enough for the Vikings to advance and win a Super Bowl title of their own. Then again, no quarterback ever has accomplished that for their team. Playoff losses come with the territory.

This would make for an impressive addition to any Saints fan’s trophy case. The auction is scheduled for Feb. 25-26 at Heritage Auctions’ Winter Platinum Night Auction and is expected to sell for upwards of $30,000. How valuable it would be if Favre had actually won a championship for Minnesota?

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The golf ball Tiger Woods used during hole-in-one in his PGA Tour debut fetches a huge sum at auction

Tiger Woods’ hole-in-one ball from his professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1996 sold this past weekend.

Tiger Woods’ hole-in-one ball from his professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1996 sold for $186,000 during Heritage Auctions’ fall sports event this past weekend.

That should make Bob Gustin a happy man.

The Nekoosa, Wisconsin, resident came up with the ball when Woods tossed it into the crowd after his big shot on the 14th hole at Brown Deer Park Golf Course.

He also got Woods to autograph the ball that day with the help of tournament director Tom Strong.

“Everyone knew that was a special piece,” Heritage sports consignment director Chris Nerat said. “How do you put a value on something like that?

“It’s such a unique piece. He only had three hole-in-ones during his PGA career, and this was the first one in his pro debut. It’s a museum-caliber piece that is one of those once-in-a-generation. It’s never happened in the auction world that a golf ball has sold for that price. It was a special piece and got a special price, and we were very happy with the result.”

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