The Ponte Vedra Recorder | Page 14

14 Ponte Vedra Auto Show Ponte Vedra Recorder ·September 10, 2015 Photos provided by Brumos Automotive Group The Brumos Porsche dealership is seen in its former location on Atlantic with the rebuilding of the Mercedes-Benz showroom. See another photo of the building on page 15. Brumos Motor cars then and now Marking 25 years of history Patti Tantillo Brumos Automotive This year marks a notable milestone in the history of Brumos Automotive. Twenty-five years ago, a partnership between Dan Davis and Bob Snodgrass was formed under the name of Brumos Motor Cars, Inc., marking the end of the Gregg family’s era of ownership and consolidating the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche dealerships under the Brumos name. Since then, Brumos Motor Cars has continued to evolve, now including five stores — Brumos Porsche, Bru- THANK YOU to our 2015 Ponte Vedra Auto Show Sponsors PRESENTING SPONSOR GOLD SPONSOR SILVER SPONSORS mos Motor Cars (Mercedes-Benz including Sprinter) and Brumos Lexus of Jacksonville; plus Mercedes-Benz of Orange Park (including smart) and Brumos Lexus of Orange Park. Also located in Jacksonville is the Brumos Collision Center. The Brumos of today remains fully dedicated to the principles on which the company was founded. The Brumos story began in 1953 with racing enthusiast Hubert Brundage. Brundage owned a Volkswagen shop called Brundage Motors in Miami Springs. After relocating to Jacksonville, he became the sole VW distributor in three states. Brundage continued racing, driving the first Porsche to compete outside of Europe in 1955. Awarded the Porsche distributorship for the Southeast, he named his new operation Brumos, for his company’s Telex address (BRUndage MOtorS). He drove the first Brumos Racing Porsche at Sebring in 1960, but his life was cut tragically short in a highway accident in 1964. Peter Gregg, who was a friend of Brundage, purchased the company the following year, retaining the Brumos name for the Porsche dealership. Under Gregg’s ownership, the company acquired a Mercedes-Benz franchise, named Gregg Motor Cars. In 1966, Gregg earned his first major sports car race win. When a young Hurley Haywood bested Gregg in a local autocross event, the two became friends. They teamed up to make racing history, dominating the world of sports car racing and making the Brumos name known around the world. After Gregg’s death in 1980, his widow, Deborah, assumed ownership and kept Brumos Racing in operation. Bob Snodgrass, General Manager for Gregg, joined with Jacksonville businessman and racing enthusiast Dan Davis to purchase the company in 1990, merging the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz brands under the Brumos name. In 1991, Davis and Snodgrass were awarded the Lexus franchise for Jacksonville, originally named for third partner, Danny Sullivan. The dealership’s name was BRUMOS continues on Page 16 SHOW SUPPORT SPONSORS Central Florida Reeper Clean Getaway Car Wash & Detail Deltran Battery Tender Ferran Automotive Garage Living NAPA Auto Parts National Parts Depot Ponte Vedra Wellness Center Victory Casino Cruises Food Trucks: Mamas Gourmet Food Mshack Food Truck The Cold Cow What’s The Catch Dan Davis and Bob Snodgrass receive artwork from the Mercedes-Benz Regional Office.