Why Radwood? It’s a blast from the ’80s that welcomes everyone

Photograph by Chris Tropea

Rolling hills of fairways and greens, the smell of cigars and rows upon rows of classic cars are all givens at The Amelia Concours d’Elegance. But when you walk across the street, you’re transported to a different world: Radwood.

Vanilla Ice’s classic “Ice Ice Baby” fills the space as you walk past men and women rocking not suits, but band tees, track suits and crimped hair. The field? Four-wheeled greatest hits from the ’80s and ’90s.

I could immediately see the attraction. The people, the cars and the atmosphere were laid back and fun, but still high end.

First thing that caught my eye? A safari-ready Porsche 911. This Porsche sported a classic Martini Racing livery while sporting full Rennline gear. I’m talking headlights, pedals, scuff plates and more.

Photographs by Chris Tropea

It’s owned by Maiko Robertson. I first heard about Maiko from an article written by the FIRM, the official test track for our sister publication, Grassroots Motorsports. I learned about her background–both in cars and in the military–and her perseverance in the motorsports world. Maiko is truly a role model for young women, so getting to see her and her Porsche was like a dream come true.

As I continued to walk through Radwood, I stumbled upon a group of small children with notepads and matching hats writing furiously as they walked around the cars. As I got closer, I realized that these kids were judges. They were part of Radwood’s first-ever youth judging program. A lucky someone would receive a “Kid’s Choice” award.

Photographs by Paris Van Gorder

These kids took their roles seriously. Under the hood, the undercarriage, basically every nook and cranny of each car was thoroughly examined and then rated on their score sheets.

As the group worked diligently, I noticed that one of the girls in the group looked familiar. She had been a volunteer at our Classic Motorsports Amelia Island Kickoff event the day before with her father and their 1991 Mazda Miata.

Photographs by Chris Tropea

She had given me a little plastic duck that now sits on my desk, but that’s not the only reason I remembered her. During the Kickoff, she looked like she was having a blast and was really in her element. At Radwood she was no different.

Whether you remember the ’80s or weren’t even born yet, Radwood has something for everyone. And with kids like her paired with youth programs, the classic car scene is in good hands.