Yeah, the rules are draconian, for sure. But the builders, and the patrons who write the checks know that going in. My issue with the 2025 winner is that it misses as a
unified piece. It looks to me like an assemblage of very nice, very clever ideas that don't mesh well together.
Cars being built for the Ridler surpassed the $1 million mark years ago; you can make a case that Chip Foose is responsible for that, and frankly, I have no problem with that. He has good taste in automotive art.
Taking a look at the finalists for the 2025 prize, the Nomad probably deserves to be in the great 8, but there are one or two cars that I think were superior in showcasing a continuous design theme.
Here's a link if you're interested.
http://americajr.com/news/2025/03/02/photos-see-the-8-finalists-for-the-ridler-award-at-detroit-autorama/