Fifty of the sharpest custom cars in the country head to Scottsdale, Arizona, this January. They are not there to sell; they are there to win the Barrett-Jackson Cup. This competition brings the best fabricators to WestWorld of Scottsdale to see who built the cleanest machine.
The 2026 Scottsdale Auction hosts this showdown starting January 17. Judges whittled down hundreds of applications to a final roster of 50. These professional restomods and customs will parade across the block before parking in the Equidome for the week. Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO, explained the difficulty of getting into this group: “To be selected as a finalist puts a custom vehicle builder into a very elite club.”
Everything leads up to Super Saturday on January 24. A heavy-hitting trio of custom car building giants (Bobby Alloway, Troy Trepanier, and Chip Foose) will judge the Ultimate Best in Show. They look for flaws the average eye misses.
Fans also get involved by casting online votes for the People’s Choice award. Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson, highlighted the dual focus of the contest: “The Barrett-Jackson Cup competition not only shines the spotlight on these incredible custom vehicles, but the story and talent of those who build them.”
Last year proved how tight the competition gets. Classic Car Studio won big with a 1968 Dodge Charger, while Goolsby Customs took the popular vote with a 1986 Chevy C10. The 2026 edition kicks off with a concert by Cole Swindell on January 16, but the real attention belongs to the metal on the auction block.
For collectors looking to fill the empty spots in their garage before the gavel falls, they can view the 2026 Scottsdale Auction Select Preview and browse hundreds of featured collectible vehicles by clicking here.
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