Each year the Amelia Island Concours committee surprises a recipient with the prestigious Lee Iacocca Award. This year it was presented to Ford Heacock, President of Heacock Classic Collector Car Insurance for “Dedication to Excellence in Perpetuating an American Automotive Tradition.”

The Award was established to recognize outstanding classic car enthusiasts and is given out at certain classic car events to recognize contributions in the field. Many factors are considered including character, community involvement, integrity and a level of excellent presentation of their vehicle. Since the awards’ inception in 2006, the Antique Automobile Club of America named the Lee Iacocca Award “the most coveted award on the classic car circuit.”

Growing up in the international sports car racing community of Sebring, FL, Ford Heacock naturally developed a passion for cars. His family was intimately involved in the 12 Hours of Sebring throughout the 1950s and 60s and his grandfather was Chairman of the Sebring race in the early years. His hobby interest led to the creation of the SVRA (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association) and he was recently the first inductee into the SVRA Hall of Fame. Heacock founded Vintage Motorsport magazine in the early 1980s. In 1989, he began offering his insurance expertise to car collectors and as a result, Heacock Classic is now recognized nationally as a leader in the collector car insurance business. Heacock is also the founder and host of the annual Lake Mirror Classic Auto Festival held each October in downtown Lakeland, FL which attracts over 500 cars and 35,000 attendees. Today Ford Heacock is an active participant in the car hobby as a car collector, vintage racer, car show judge, car show host and collector car insurance specialist. 

After receiving the award Ford acknowledged the honor, “We all have a responsibility to give back to our hobby. I’m simply fortunate to have had the opportunity”.