DIRECTIONS
Benedict Castle Concours Event Representatives
AJ Spagnola
AJ grew up in an automotive family, one of his earliest memories was watching his dad race a Datsun 510 on the track. Since college his jobs have all been in the automotive industry, from Coker tire hotrods to offroad equipment. His extra curriculars are all car related as well. If he isn’t working on his own ‘67 Datsun or a new project, you can find him racing Legend cars against his brother or at a car show with his son and daughter. This past year AJ has helped found an automotive business with offroad and overland equipment. Recon Recovery helps automotive enthusiasts gear up for adventure. His family uses the equipment as they ride their offroad cars and motorcycles in the California desert and mountains.
Amy & Jeff Nepsa
Amy discovered her love of cars early. Her dad would take her to swap meets shopping parts, while Amy worked on expanding her collection of Hot Wheels. This passion led to a 30-year automotive aftermarket career. The last 18 of those were at Meguiar’s acting as their Vehicle Sponsorship Manager. Jeff learned cars practically, repairing everyday drivers and rebuilding a few projects in the garage with his father. He could often be found taking pictures at local cruise nights. When road life was sidelined by the pandemic, the couple combined their talents to go into business for themselves, purchasing Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop, in Yorba Linda, CA. They now have a second store in Riverside. They stay active in the automotive community as part of the 356 Club and as volunteers at their favorite shows.
Camee Edelbrock
Camee Edelbrock is a third generation “Car Guy” who has been attending races, car shows and automotive events since she was a kid. Her grandfather, Vic Edelbrock Sr., founded the Edelbrock Equipment Co. in 1938 and her father, Vic Jr., took over the business in 1962, when Vic Sr. passed away at the age of 49. Camee joined the family company after graduating college where she led the advertising and public relations department. As a company spokesperson, she appeared on Overhaulin’, Rides, Hot Rod TV and on the radio for Car & Driver. Camee enjoyed competition like previous Edelbrock generations. She raced on water skis, in boats and finally in vintage cars. Camee is honored to join the Benedict Castle Concours team where she can work with fellow car guys to raise much needed funds for Teen Challenge. As a good friend of Nicole Meguiar, she knows first-hand the difficulties of dealing with addiction. Combine this with her Christian faith and it’s a perfect fit for a long-time automotive enthusiast.
Christine Reed Nicholson
Growing up amidst concept cars, concours & racing with a car designing Dad, she enjoys writing, editing, shooting & video hosting for Timeless Vehicles, EV Insider, 000, PCA et al. She switched from real estate development to the family business, Stewart Reed Design, for Lockheed, Type 64 Bugatti, Michelin, et al – remaining in automotive to manage marketing/sales & content for museums, RPUI (restoration parts mfg), auctions/brokers of historic race & road cars. She’s attended 100s of car events, judged and done driving schools, (VSCCA, Skip Barber). Having owned a D-90, Foose’s (1st!) Ghia and Porsches, she knows cars are one thing, lives quite another. She misses her brother – wishes he’d attended a Teen Challenge, knowing harsh lessons. With protective instincts, she obtained a PI license and does research & select personal security with Eagle Investigation, is involved in church, local politics as a PC, has designs for a ‘restoration ranch’ and loves cars!
Don Nicholson
info@benedictcastleconcours.com
Having grown up watching Great Uncle “Dyno” Don Nicholson win NHRA drag racing championships, Don developed a passion for cars and speed at an early age. He’s built and raced cars since before he had his driver’s license and continues to this day. After a ten-year career at Meguiar’s, Don founded Elevate, creating Performance and Styling parts for newer Volvos. He and his wife Christine cruise his parent’s restored 1967 Impala SS (the first car his parents bought new!) and is now restoring Dyno Don’s NHRA Championship winning 1976 Mustang II Pro Stock car. Don is Chairman of the Benedict Castle Concours.
Gary and Kathy Garner
Growing up in SoCal, Kathy and Gary got interested in cars/drag racing at a very early age. Kathy worked at the Orange County International Raceway in Irvine. She met many drag racing legends over the years. Gary got a job right out of high school as a welder, fabricator and learned tube bending, building custom exhaust systems and off-road buggy chassis. Gary also built and raced off-road cars during the 70’s and 80’s. Years ago Kathy and Gary got His and Her 1932 Ford hot rods. They also added a 1968 Pontiac GTO convertible to their collection. Years ago they met Nicole Meguiar who introduced them to Teen Challenge and her Benedict Castle Concours show. They have been volunteering ever since with roles in planning and promoting the show. They now live in Queen Creek, AZ.
Jon Layne
Jonathan (Jon) is sales representative for the decorative concrete industry supplying products to some of the most prestigious homes, sports venues, hotels, casinos, and museums in the Southern California and Las Vegas areas. His parents told him he was “reading” automotive magazines since he was three. Jon has a passion for German cars along with vintage farm equipment. He’s been married for 23 years with 3 kids.
Michael Stoops
Michael may have grown up in Detroit at the height of the Muscle Car era but his real love is classic European sports cars. His engineer father grew up in Europe and told stories of the Silver Arrows, Alfa Romeos, Maseratis, Jaguars and Ferraris racing on the great circuits of Europe. That led to Michael diving into the history of European sports car and Grand Prix racing. Michael assembles a large judging team each year to support his role as Chief Judge of the Benedict Castle Concours.
Patt Riley Nicol
Patt spent 30 years in the graphic design field working as an in-house corporate graphic designer and later as a freelance designer. Her design work clients included Canon, Thermador, Bosch, Siemens, Gaggenau, and other well-known brands.
After retiring from graphic design, Patt was able to concentrate more fully on photography. Patt chose all things hot rod to photograph after she and her husband purchased a 1933 Ford Vicky and started attending car shows and car events.
Paul Montesano
Paul has more than 25 years of experience in Supply Chain and Operations Management and has worked primarily in the aerospace and defense industry. He currently works for the legendary Meyers Manx company. He has become a Ford Mustang fanatic and currently owns a ‘65 Coupe, a ‘66 Convertible and a 2015 GT. His love of cars goes way beyond just Mustangs though. He attends and participates in over 40 car shows a year and became a Meguiar’s Ambassador with his 1965 Mustang Coupe in 2017.
Paul Ekstrand
Paul joined the Benedict Castle Volunteer Team in 2019 and co-owns Enthusiast, Inc. who has been building websites in the automotive industry and non-profit space among other industries for over 23 years now.
Paul also is a Past President of LA5 Rotary where he kicked off a vocational/trade scholarship program to help young adults enter the workforce improving their lives.
Sandee Christensen
As a teenager in high school Sandee was a cheerleader and to this day she is still cheering her way through life. She got the “car bug”while working as the Vendor Coordinator for the Grand National Roadster Show. Through the years, her love for cars and “car people” grew as she attended many car events in Southern California. She says she was born to do what she does as an Event Manager for Fairplex where she manages most of the car events at the Pomona facility. Her love for people and talent for problem solving makes her a valued volunteer. You will find her cheering for the beautiful cars on the grounds at the Benedict Castle Concours.
Von Hot Rod
Von Hot Rod was destined to be in the automotive industry. His dad Ben “The Rod Father” Valdez was a drag racer and sprint car driver. As a kid Von soon found himself wrenching on hot rods. In high school he had already put his plan in motion to open his own hot rod shop. At 22 years of age Von opened up Hot Rod’s of Norco, one of Southern California’s largest hot rod shops which he owned for twenty years. As a Christian, Von felt a tugging on his heart to work with teens which lead him to work with Teen Challenge. Von now travels the world and shares his story and his Hotrod Pinstriping art. With his experience in Event Management, Von Hot Rod helps produce the Benedict Castle Concours.