75th O’Reilly Auto Parts Sacramento Autorama Crowns 2026 Award Winners
One of the world’s longest-running indoor car shows announced winners across custom, lowrider & West Coast Challenge categories at Cal Expo on May 3, 2026...
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Sacramento Autorama closed out its landmark 75th annual event on Sunday, May 3, at Cal Expo by recognizing some of the country’s finest custom vehicles, event officials stated in a press release. The show featured over 500 world-class custom vehicles and presented hundreds of individual awards during its closing ceremony.
1936 Ford Coupe Takes Custom d’Elegance Award
The show’s prestigious Custom d’Elegance award was presented to Nick Rogers for his 1936 Ford Coupe, built by South City Rod and Custom. Rogers received a $5,000 purse and trophy presented by ARP Fasteners.
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible Is the West Coast Challenge Grand Champion
The West Coast Challenge Car Show Series presented by ARP Fasteners also crowned its Grand Champion during the event. Charlie & Alanna Butts were presented with the “Best of the West” award for their 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible, beating out competitors who participated in at least four select car shows across California, Oregon and Washington. The Grand Champion received a $12,500 prize, while the first and second runners-up received $6,500 and $3,500, respectively.
1963 Chevrolet Impala Is the World’s Most Beautiful Lowrider
For the third consecutive year, the show crowned the World’s Most Beautiful Lowrider. The title and a $5,000 prize presented by ARP Fasteners were awarded to Juan Montero for his 1963 Chevrolet Impala Convertible.
“This weekend wasn’t just a celebration of Sacramento’s hot rodding roots, it was a statement about where the craft is today,” said John Buck, owner of Rod Shows. “Seeing builds like Nick Rogers’ ‘36 Ford Coupe take top honors made our 75th anniversary one of the most competitive and inspiring shows we’ve ever hosted. From the world-class customs to the lowrider community and our Builder of the Year tribute to Steve Santos, this year truly showcased the best of the best.”
Historic ‘Big B Awards’ Recognize Craftsmanship & Legacy
Other significant honors included the four historic “Big B Awards”:
- H.A. Bagdasarian World’s Most Beautiful Custom Award: Won by Homer Diaz with a 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air.
- Sam Barris Memorial Award: Selected by the Barris family for best metalwork, alignment and paint, awarded to Taylor Yager’s 1937 Lincoln Zephyr.
- Joe “Candy Apple Red” Bailon Memorial Award: Presented to Ernie Enriques for their 1947 Dodge Coupe.
- Dick Bertolucci Automotive Excellence Award: Awarded to Steve Castellano and his 1956 Ford Panel.
Sunday’s popular Pinstriper Charity Auction raised $7,000 for UC Davis Children’s Hospital, which is dedicated to improving lives and transforming health care.
For more information about the Sacramento Autorama, the complete list of 2026 award winners and updates on upcoming Rod Shows events, visit rodshows.com.
