Congratulations to all of the Winfield Select Six Candidates!

1. Eric Henderson

2. Paul White

3. Pamela Thompson

4. Lou Kriger

5. Jason “London J” Handsor

6. Bill Jagenow

2025 Winfield application

Each year one car owner at the Syracuse Nationals is the recipient of the Annual Winfield Award. Now in it’s 13th year, the prestigious award for automotive excellence is presented by master car customizer and builder Gene Winfield.

Entrants must have at least one radical modification (e.g. chopped, sectioned, and/or channeled). Entries must be 1937 and newer. From the entries, Gene nominates 6 vehicles to be known as the “Select Six”. The Select Six are on display indoors all weekend at the Syracuse Nationals.

The Winfield Award winner is announced Saturday evening during the Awards Banquet. The winner receives a beautiful custom trophy, jacket and $10,000. The remaining 5 each receive a custom trophy, jacket and $1,000.

History of the Winfield Award

Gene is a master of his craft, and world famous for his custom cars and hot rods. A recipient of the 2001 NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award, he has over 60 years experience in custom hot rod fabrication, land speed, and oval track racing. Winfield is one of the key players who started the customizing craze that first swept through California and then throughout the nation in the '50s and '60s. Gene's cars have appeared in more than 25 motion pictures.

Winfield's best known custom car, the "Jade Idol," started as a '56 Mercury. The "Jade Idol" positioned Winfield at the leading edge of auto exotica. This car took two years to build and received top sweepstakes awards at national car shows for the next several years.