BARONE'S C&CM

There's a new Maserati Brand Ambassador in Town

2023-05-24T15:30:00.005-07:00

On May 12th I participated in Women’s Day at Scottsdale Maserati.

I was to discuss my great enthusiasm for the marque and how I’ve loved all my Maseratis. Well, when I got up to speak, I was totally caught unaware… it was a ruse to get me to come to the event (which I helped organize). The dealership presented me with this beautiful crystal piece engraved with the Maserati Logo and name and says, “Honorary Brand Ambassador Award”, “In recognition of knowledge and commitment to increase brand awareness among women”.

To say the least this is a very meaningful recognition especially since I really do love my Maseratis. My first Maserati led me to join the Ferrari Club 9 years ago which is a fun part of my life. I continue to make so many wonderful friends.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

The Photography of Rob Mains

2021-03-05T13:24:00.003-08:00

Rob Mains is a photographer based out of the Phoenix area with a great eye for shooting cars. We caught up with Rob at one of the valley’s biggest and best Cars & Coffee events at Alpio’s in Troon. The show is from 7am-10am the second Saturday of each month, but as you can see from the photos, good parking spots close to the coffee are filled before sunrise.

Rob’s interest in shooting cars goes back a long time. “Performance-oriented mechanical art seems to be in my DNA. As a kid, I always liked having a car, airplane or boat in my pictures, and that hasn’t changed much over the years. I appreciate the personal drive and high-quality craftsmanship that it took to create the classic cars, as well as modern exotics. Although I prefer race-designed autos, I can always find a certain beauty in any vehicle, from hot-rods and motorcycles to trucks,” Mains explained.

“One of my joys in photography is sharing time with an automobile’s ‘human family,’ and learning the unique story behind their special vehicle and what it means to them. We are fortunate in Arizona to have many car events to attend that also help raise money for various local charities. Photography lets me combine my past experiences as a long-time car guy and motorcycle road racer/instructor, and hopefully create images that bring joy to the folks that view them,” said Rob.

The hosts for this Cars and Coffee is Alpio’s at Troon, a performance and event venue catering to private gatherings. Filled with fun automobilia, it is a perfect place to hold a corporate meeting, charity fundraiser, or a themed birthday party for the car guy in your life. Alpio himself is a member of the Ferrari Club of America Desert Region, so it’s not uncommon to see a lot of Ferraris at each of his events.

Cars come and go all morning at Alpio’s at Troon, making for an ever-changing mix of automobiles, affording onlookers the chance to see and hear these cars running. The movement of the cars adds a kinetic element to Rob’s photographs, and creates interesting juxtapositions.

I asked Rob if he had any advice to aspiring automotive photographers. “With most everyone having a cell phone camera, it is easy to capture memories at car events. To create a unique perspective, simply lower the height and angle from where the picture is taken. Most of us take our pictures standing with the camera at around head level,” said Mains. “You might often see me kneeling down to take a picture or sometimes finding a higher location to shoot from for another new angle. Consider photographing just part of a car; an interesting wheel/brake combination on a Ferrari 488 Pista, the rear wing on a Porsche GT-2, or an engaging interior or engine bay. Shots like these can bring a fresh look to your photos and it is a fun way to spend a day.”

Rob even caught a picture of Francesca, my Maserati GranTurismo,

hanging out with all these exotic beauties.

To see more of Rob’s work, go to robmainsphotography.com

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

Francesca gets a new set of shoes

2021-03-01T14:13:00.003-08:00

Recently, I bought a new set of tires for Francesca, my Maserati GranTurismo Sport. Nothing is more important on a high-performance vehicle than good tires and brakes, and equally important is having a trusted relationship with a qualified professional. Your life is literally in their hands.

Which is why I took Francesca over to my friend Ryan Castro of Discount Tire on Camelback Road in Phoenix. Although Discount Tire is one of the country’s largest tire and wheel retailers, the company is headquartered right here in Scottsdale, and I feel takes that extra bit of care with local customers.

Ryan advised a new set of OEM Pirelli P-Zero with a 187-mph “Y” speed rating to accommodate Francesca’s –ahem – upper performance limits. He explained that the high silica inner liner and wide longitudinal grooves help in wet driving conditions while maintaining comfort. With our rainy season upon us here in Arizona, his advice was a great reassurance.

As a 25-year customer of Discount Tire in Central Phoenix, I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of their product and service.

When it really matters, trust a local professional who knows you and what’s best for your application. Develop and maintain a relationship that safeguards your needs. Choose someone who takes the time to explain things to you. Enjoy the advantages of a big organization, but with personalized service. Whether it’s tires, or private wealth management.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

Sisters in Speed

2021-02-16T15:36:00.002-08:00

Eight-time land speed record holder Valerie Thompson and her sponsor Barby Barone are teammates in the truest sense of the word. Each helps the other in their mutual quest for excellence.

Barone and other sponsors make it possible for Thompson to compete by underwriting some of her expenses in salt flat streamliner car and motorcycle racing. Thompson in turn helps Barone’s personal financial advisory firm, Biltmore Advisors, reach its goal of visibility in the world of motorsports through signage on the vehicles and team uniforms.

In the case of Thompson – the World’s Fastest Woman on Two Wheels – the goal is nothing less than shattering the current land speed record of 376 mph for a streamliner motorcycle.

But the sponsorship is only the beginning of this rewarding relationship, as both women draw inspiration and motivation from one another.

“I’m totally impressed with who she is as a person, and the complete mastery of skills she exhibits. This sport is fraught with danger, and she has ice water in her veins,” said Barone of Thompson.

“This support goes a long way,” said Thompson. “I chose a career where people say ‘no’ over 90% of the time. Without sponsorship, no team can race competitively, so you need all the help you can get.”

“What’s important with a sponsor is the friendship and open communication that comes with it. I can call Barby anytime. She makes me feel like she really believes in me…maybe more than I do myself sometimes,” said Thompson.

Thompson continued. “Athletes are the biggest critics of their own performance. Barby shines, with all the people she supports. She gets people excited about themselves.”

Barone will bring that enthusiasm out to the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials in Utah this August when she is present for Thompson’s testing in the streamliner motorcycle BUB-7.

“We aren’t going to have you standing around. You’re a part of the team. We’re going to put you to work!” Valerie told Barby. “Umbrella girl. Water girl. Whatever.”

The relationship has clearly enriched each woman as they glimpse into one another’s world. For Thompson, she is reminded of her life before racing as a banker in Tacoma, Washington. “She makes me miss the banking world a little bit. I really enjoyed it. But each of us needs to be the top of our own field. For me, that’s being a professional racer. For Barby, it’s being a financial advisor. It’s what we are both driven to do. That’s why we get along so well,” said Thompson.

“I love competition and being able to prove that I am the best on any given day. I’m not doing this for the money. I’m doing it because it’s what makes me an individual, what sets me apart. I want to be the best I can be, and I’m going to let my throttle foot do the talking.”

“She couldn’t have said it better,” laughed Barone.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

Death-dodger Derek Daly recalls a racing career of aspiration and determination.

2021-02-01T14:07:00.003-08:00

Irish-American racer Derek Daly quickly ascended to the heights of automotive road racing, but not without his fair share of hardship. Sustaining a 17-year professional career in racing is a feat unto itself, but bouncing back from numerous life-threatening crashes required an inner commitment and strength of vision that forges champions.

For Daly, it all started at the age of 12 when he spied a racecar hauler marked “Sydney Taylor Racing” around the corner from his father’s vegetable stand in suburban Dublin. The elder Daly noted his son’s interest, and arranged with the lorry driver to give him a look at the Brabham BT-8 inside. It’s likely this car was chassis #SC-6-64, which had been successfully driven by Denny Hulme throughout 1964 before heading to Ireland for the Leinster Trophy and Phoenix Park races in July of 1965. Young Derek was completely gobsmacked by the sight of the Brabham, and his father followed up by taking him to the races that weekend, cementing in him a love of racecars.

The vision which set 12-year-old Derek Daly on the path to becoming a Formula 1 driver: the 1964 Brabham BT-8 chassis #SC-6-64 in Sydney Taylor livery as seen here in 2009 at Infineon Raceway.

“I remember the sights, the smells, everything about that day,” recounted Daly to the Ferrari Club of America Desert Region during a recent event at the Penske Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona

Following a stint working in an iron ore mine in Australia, Derek scrounged up enough money to buy his own race car, a Formula Ford. He started racing and quickly moved up the ranks, finding himself in contention for the Formula 3 Championship in 1977. “My car owner/mentor Derek McMahon came over to me on the grid, and said ‘That man over there said if you win this race, he’ll put you in a Formula 1 car before the end of the year.’ I asked who he was, and he said ‘His name is Sydney Taylor.’” Daly won, and true to his word Taylor offered him a seat with a new F1 team called Theodore Racing. In the span of 13 months, Daly had made the jump from racing entry-level Formula Fords to the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula 1.

But this rapid upward trajectory met headfirst with the realities of professional racing at the Grand Prix of Monaco in 1980. “I had just flown my parents in to see the race. They had never even been on an airplane before! They were watching the start of the race from my apartment above the first turn at Sainte Dévote,” said Daly. What unfolded directly beneath them was perhaps the most dramatic crash in the history of the famed circuit, sending Daly in a careening spin that would take out his car and three others from the race. “It's arguably the most-used piece of Formula 1 footage ever,” said Daly. “I remember every millisecond of that in HD quality in my brain as if it happened yesterday.”

A view similar to what Derek Daly’s parents had of their son’s #4 car crashing at the 1980 GP of Monaco.

Relatively unscathed from the Monaco crash, Daly would continue to race at the sport’s highest level for the next two years, logging a total of 64 races in an era which he calls “The Wild West of Formula 1” for its excessive speed and tragic fatalities. He later recalled this period as an "unbelievable time in my life... when everything had to become focused and selfish. You sacrificed family and friendships and relationships all to try and make it into F1. You sacrifice... and then when you get there it's such a savage sport. There are people getting killed left, right and center. The reality of what you’re in – you don't actually realize where you've landed."

Two years after leaving Formula 1, Daly would face his biggest scare at the Michigan International Speedway during the 1984 CART Michigan 200 when he hit the wall at over 200 mph, shearing the nose off the car and leaving his dangling legs exposed.

The accident left Daly with a crushed left ankle, broken ribs, a broken left hand, fractures to his leg, hip and pelvis, and third-degree burns and internal bleeding. He required 14 surgeries and three years of physical therapy before returning to full-time racing in 1987.

The will to recover traced back to his earliest memory of racecars, as he relayed to The Irish Sun newspaper in 2019. “When I was 12 and told my dad I wanted to be a racing driver, he said, 'Remember you'll be completely responsible for the legacy you leave in the sport.’ That made no sense to me until my accident. Then I realized I would hate my accident to be the legacy I would leave. Once I understood that, I had to go back full-time racing. It was imperative I repair as quickly as possible and get back in a racing car and leave the sport on my own terms."

So, what do we take away from Derek Daly in terms of the world of investments? Aspiration and determination.

F1 Racer Derek Daly and Barby Barone of Barone’s Cars and Capital Markets

Ever since that fateful day in Ireland when a young Derek first laid eyes on that Brabham BT-6, he relentlessly pursued the aspiration to become a race car driver. Similarly, investors have to envision and pursue clear avenues which lead them to their desired financial outcome. Wealth advisors inform their clients of choices and paths to create and maintain purchasing power, and like Derek, reach the highest levels of their endeavors.

But unlike a Formula 1 driver, investors don’t need to be on the podium; they just need to cross the finish line.

Which is not to say there won’t be bumps along the way. But by showing the determination that Derek exhibited overcoming potential disaster, an investor can stay the course and enjoy a long and rewarding investment experience – and like Derek Daly – live a life on their terms.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

Introducing Francesca

2021-02-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought it was about time I introduced myself. My name is Francesca, and I am Sophia’s younger sister. I arrived on the scene this summer, and like Sophia, I am a spectacular Maserati GranTurismo Sport.

I have the same technical specifications, I’m super-fast and sound amazing. I do look quite different than Sophia. Whereas Sophia had a very flashy red leather interior and shiny black exterior, I have a completely different look!

My exterior is Granito Grigio and my interior is Cuio which is a totally elegant camel color. I do think I’m quite sophisticated.

Barby agrees, and several of her friends say they like me better than Sophia! Well, this is not a “one is better than the other” situation. Although related, we are different. Think of two sisters in the same family – one with a slightly more outgoing personality, and the other a bit more refined and somewhat restrained.

As a matter fact, Barby has said that she actually drives slightly slower and perhaps at a more stately pace in me. That, however, remains to be seen. The woman is incapable of slow driving!

Barby has just bought me new shoes –a set of Pirelli P-Zeros. I know they are pricey, but I happen to know that she spent more on her real Italian shoes – those Pradas she bought on that lazy day in Milano after several Camparis and one Negroni. After staring at the Prada store for a couple of hours, she fell prey to their siren call! At least I can wear my shoes out in the rain!

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

New fans for Sean Conyers

2020-10-21T11:11:00.004-07:00

Last Saturday we went to Sean Conyers’ last local race of the season out at Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley, AZ. Exciting down to the very last turn, Sean grabbed the win in his main event race.

Congratulations Sean!

Not only was it my first dirt track race, my assistant Jennifer and her family were there.

Autographs and Halloween treats were just the beginning for her grandsons Brayden and Ben, who got to chat with Sean and check out his ModLite car close up… both claimed it was the highlight of the night!

Barby presented Sean with another sponsorship check.

We look forward to a great season next year.

You can follow Sean here:
facebook.com/seanconyersracing

The Barone’s Cars & Capital Markets Crew, from left to right:
Brayden, Sean, Ben, Barby, Steve and Jennifer

#seanconyers114 #racing #dirttrack #dirttrackracing #modified

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

Shout out from Valerie Thompson

2020-10-21T08:47:00.001-07:00

Recently we received this shout out from The Queen of Speed Valerie Thompson.

Although her latest world record attempt was postponed due to COVID19 related travel restrictions, we know Valerie hopes to race in Australia in March 2021.

Follow her here: http://www.valeriethompsonracing.com

            Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/ValerieThompson
            Official Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/ValerieRacing
            Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valeriethompsonracing/

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

All American Legends

2020-03-26T11:00:00.001-07:00

A recent guided tour of the Phoenix Art Museum’s Legends of Speed exhibit – conducted by friend and legendary racer Lyn St. James – introduced me to the amazing career of Dan Gurney. A successful racer who became both a car constructor and team owner, Gurney competed at the highest level in Formula One, NASCAR, IndyCar, Can-Am and the Trans-Am Series.

On display at the exhibition was his famous Eagle Gurney-Weslake V12 that won the 1967 Grand Prix of Belgium. It was and remains the first and only time that an American citizen built and raced a car of his own construction and put it into the winner’s circle of a World Championship F1 race. As an aside, many consider the Gurney Eagle to be the most beautiful race car of all time. I have to agree.

After a crash killed a spectator at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix, Gurney became distrustful of engineers, and later constructed his own cars to better control his level of risk. He was quick to adopt the latest tools in safety, becoming the first driver ever to use a full-face helmet in Grand Prix racing in 1968.

Gurney passed away in 2018, but left behind a record of Grand Prix victories second only to Mario Andretti, and a legacy of innovation on-and-off the track that still resonates today.

The brilliant and uniquely-American success story of Dan Gurney – a racer who proved his merit on the racetrack, and later through his own company All-American Racers– reminds me of a similar career arc in the world of wealth management.

Like Gurney, Jeffrey Gundlach was a standout talent in his field. A star bond trader at a major investment firm, he was a finalist for Morningstar's Fixed Income Manager of the Decade. A disagreement with his employer led to his termination, and on the way out the door he took the portfolio managers and traders for mortgage backed securities – 14 in all – with him. Soon after, 30 more staffers would resign and join Gundlach’s vision for a new firm. Even the company’s intern, Steven Wald, would quit to join Gundlach, calling the decision a “no-brainer.”

In the ultra-competitive world of high finance, loyalty like that is an uncommon commodity. In an article written by Julia La Roche for Yahoo Finance, Ron Redell explained, "When you see a bright star, like Jeffrey Gundlach, you want to follow someone like that because you just know he's going to be successful.”

Redell now leads the mutual fund business at Gundlach’s new firm, DoubleLine Capital. In ten years, the company became what is likely the fastest growing investment management firm in history, with over $150 billion in assets under management. Jeffrey Gundlach appeared on the cover of Barron’s magazine touting him as “The King of Bonds,” and was named one of the “50 Most Influential” by Bloomberg Markets in 2012 and 2015.

Gundlach’s choice of the name DoubleLine reveals his investment philosophy. “There’s a double line in the middle of a highway…It’s really there for your protection. You like to think it’s there for a reason, and the reason of course is it’s not safe. I’m really risk adverse. I think more about what you shouldn’t do than what you should do. And what you shouldn’t do is take fatal risks,” said Gundlach in an interview for Yahoo Finance.

That naming philosophy was affirmed after an investment meeting with rural farmers, when Gundlach asked driving directions for the best road home. “A guy said ’Whatever you do, don’t take this one. It’s called Blood Alley. There’s more fatal head-ons on that road than any other road in the state,’” recalled Gundlach. “The reason is that it’s tractor country, and it’s very winding. It’s one lane each way, tractors go slow, and people are impatient. They just decide they’re going to go for it, and a truck is coming the other way, and they get wiped out,” said Gundlach.

“The DoubleLine (name) really came to life after that.”

Both Gurney and Gundlach realized that the key to their individual sustained success was to mitigate risk, control quality through creating their own companies, and innovate where necessary. In their respective fields, both are legendary.

Biltmore Advisors and Brinker Capital have invested with Jeffrey Gundlach since before his move to DoubleLine, and our clients continue to reap the benefits.

Photos courtesy of All-American Racers and DoubleLine

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

The Queen of Speed

2020-02-26T10:46:00.003-08:00

Valerie Thompson is a woman after my own heart. At the age of 32, the Tacoma, Washington, native bought a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and the world would never be the same.

A need for speed propelled her into the world of motorcycle drag racing. Suddenly comfortable at over 200 mph, she pushed further into Land Speed Record attempts. In March of 2018 at the age of 51, she became the world’s fastest woman on two-wheels by going 328 mph in a motorcycle streamliner. Only days later she had a horrific crash at 363 mph, sliding for nearly a mile on an Australian dry lake bed, but luckily walked away.

This March, she’ll be returning to Lake Gairdner in Southern Australia to attempt new speed records on four wheels piloting the Treit & Davenport Target 550 Streamliner at two premier land speed racing events. Her goals include breaking the 415.867 mph class World record for a four-wheel blown fuel streamliner powered by a piston engine.

As a woman in the predominantly male-dominated world of wealth management, I can identify with Valerie’s desire to outperform the boys. But there’s another lesson in Valerie’s story that gets overlooked: male or female, it’s never too late to get out there and chase your dreams.

“Why can’t I be fifty, fabulous and fast?” asked Valerie in a recent interview.

Part of making your dreams come true is acquiring a solid, performing investment strategy. There’s an old saying in racing: “Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?” My skills as a wealth manager are just as critical as those of a mechanic when it comes to getting your high-octane dreams up to top speed. Contact me and let’s talk about how we can tune your investments for high performance.

For my part, I saw that Valerie’s dream was a good “investment,” and have donated to her record attempt. You too can contribute to her fundraiser at GoFundMe.

As for the Queen of Speed Valerie Thompson – an inspirational woman who I am proud to call my friend – I’ll be riding along with her on the salt this March, if only in name. The Treit & Davenport Target 500 streamliner will be wearing sponsorship decals from Barone’s Cars and Capital Markets in her record setting attempt Down Under. Follow along on Facebook at Valerie Thompson Racing.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

Best in Class

2020-02-20T08:57:00.002-08:00

Last August, I had the great pleasure to meet Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Chief Judge Emeritus Ed Gilbertson. Ed has been involved in the classic car and motorcycle hobby for over 40 years, and still serves on the very prestigious Pebble Beach Concours Selection Committee. He also serves as the Chief Judge Emeritus for the Palm Beach Cavallino Classic and the Ferrari Club of America, as well as having been the Chief Judge for the Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours. To say he knows his stuff is an understatement.

When Ed began judging the Ferrari Club of America Concours in 1985, he found the judging criteria inconsistent from meet to meet. That led to the adoption of scoring sheets and the 100-point system, a formal standard he continues to champion as Chairman of his group the International Chief Judge Advisory Group (icjag.org).

For those not familiar with concours protocol, the judging duties are usually split between Chief Judges and Class Judges. The Chief Judge commands an overview of the whole show field, recognizing an array of special or standout cars. Class Judges are specialists who get into the best cars in their category on a nut-and-bolt level, and report up to the Chief Judge.

“Trust between the Chief Judge and Class Judges comes as a result of following standard forms and guidelines,” says Gilbertson.

Of course, my mind immediately went to parallels in the wealth management world. Like Ed, Brinker Capital has its own “Chief Judge,” Chris Hart. As Senior VP and Head of Platform Manager Research, Chris finds and enlists the best money managers (“Class Judges”) who together assemble a portfolio (show field) of winners tailored to the client’s needs. “As part of the due diligence process and the process for all of the funds in which we invest, it is mandatory that our team travels onsite to visit the fund manager and ‘kick the tires’ of the new or existing firm annually,” said Hart.

Chris looks for the following criteria in funds/managers:

Consistency of performance is paramount.
What is the fund’s differentiator or edge?
Who is the key decision maker on the strategy?
Assess the team and culture of the parent organization.
Remain flexible and opportunistic to new ideas.

Like cars, mutual funds must be judged on both an absolute and relative basis. Are its qualities technically verifiable, and do they rise to the level of “Best in Class” against its competing funds? “Best in Class funds have strong corporate culture in combination with a financially supportive environment in which the fund managers can work,” said Hart.

But unlike a concours judge, Chris’ work doesn’t end when the blue ribbons are awarded. Our “Chief Judge” remains diligent: constantly re-evaluating the performance and integrity of those specific fund managers within the client’s overall portfolio. “The investment industry is constantly evolving and innovating, and turnover of investment professionals is a constant as top-tier talent changes firms. When talented investment professionals either launch new and innovative products, or decide to move to a new firm, we must remain open to these changes,” said Hart.

Barby Barone of Biltmore Advisors has used Brinker Capital almost as long as Ed Gilbertson has been judging cars.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

Barby's Favorites from Amelia Island Concours

2019-03-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

I’m just back from a whirlwind trip to Amelia Island, Florida, for the 2019 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, meeting with friends and collector car industry leaders in what has become the premier concours east of the Mississippi.

A weeklong schedule of parties and seminars culminated in a warm and sunny show-day event, and I couldn’t resist snapping some photographs of some of my favorite cars on the lawn of the Ritz-Carlton. Take a look and see if you agree with my choices!

Don and Carol Murray brought this gorgeous 1956 Ferrari 250GT Speciale from Laguna Beach, California. One of four prototypes built, this example was first owned by a Mr. Nassi; a director for Fiat and member of the Agnelli family. Built as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” this demure Ferrari features a competition-style engine tuned to TDF specifications and was raced at the Nurburgring in the late 1950’s and 1960’s.

Lionel and Karen Bessudo brought this 1953 Jaguar XK120 FHC all the way from Bogota, Columbia. Lionel’s father, a Jaguar dealer in South America, raced the car in period to promote the British automaker. Originally a Fixed Head Coupe, the hardtop was cut-off when the car was first raced.

This stunning 1930 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A “Flying Star” was shown by Patrick Ryan of Asheville, North Carolina. This car is actually a rebody on an 8A chassis which replicates the original two-seater roadster built by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan that won the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa D’Este in 1931.

This 1972 Maserati Ghibli was the Modena automaker’s answer to cross-town rivals the Lamborghini Miura and the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Jim Taylor brought this car out from Gloversville, New York and has owned the car since 2003. The photo here shows the uninterrupted roofline that flows from the crest of the windshield to the edge of the trunk lid; one of Giorgetto Giugiaro’s sublime design touches that make the Ghibli one of the world’s most beautiful Gran Turismos.

Are you picking up on a classic Italian theme here? Guilty as charged! This 1951 Ferrari 212 Export owned by Peter Kalikow of New York City is one of only two bodied by Vignale in this fashion. It’s had an interesting ownership history. The first owner was the Portuguese ambassador to France, and a subsequent owner was Cunningham race team driver Sherwood Johnston, the 1952 SCCA National Sports Car champion.

Far and away my favorite car was this 1933 Isotta-Fraschini 2-Door Sports Tourer, which I consider the epitome of elegance. A hand-built body designed by Ercole Castagna, it is one of only two dual-cowl sports tourer examples known. Many collectors consider the Tipo 8A series to be the world’s greatest luxury car. This example was shown by Evergreen Historic Automobiles of Lebanon, Missouri.

Finally, here are two more picks – but I couldn’t decide on a favorite – so I just put one on each arm! (Left) Ex-Porsche legendary racer Brian Redman, and (right) Alain de Cadenet, LeMans endurance racer and television presenter.

Lyn St. James and I are proud to support the RPM Foundation in accelerating the growth of the next generation of restoration and preservation craftsmen through formal training and mentorship.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.

My Arizona Car Week in Pictures

2019-03-08T09:47:00.002-08:00

Scott Utter of European Motorcar Studio shares the merits of this 1974 Lamborghini Espada with me

at the Scottsdale Jet Center reception during Arizona Car Week.

My week began by hosting with a fundraiser for the RPM Foundation with president Diane Fitzgerald (left).

My friendship with IndyCar racer Lyn St. James (right) inspired me to make a

multi-year financial commitment to the foundation in her honor.

Two of my good friends and traveling companions, Jim and Sandi Weder, who share my passion for fantastic cars.
We connected through the Ferrari Club ofAmerica – Desert Region, and attended the Monaco Grand Prix in 2016.

This replica Porsche 917 sports racer was a standout favorite of the week.

Tagging along with the RPM Foundation students at the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction, and
witnessing the power of mentorship firsthand.

My Sophia had plenty of company from her cousins down the road in Maranello.

Sometimes the week may look like one long cocktail party, but at the America’s Automotive Trust reception at Gainey Ranch,
industry leaders network to steer the future of the collector car hobby.

Lyn St. James and I are proud to support the RPM Foundation in accelerating the growth of the next generation of restoration and preservation craftsmen through formal training and mentorship.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors,

an SEC registered investment advisor.

Navigating the Fog

2019-02-08T14:34:00.002-08:00

One of the lessons I learned at the track was the importance of vision. Look at the path you want your car to take. Turn your head and focus your eyes on where you want to go. Amazingly, it worked every time in the slalom, autocross, track laps and even everyday driving.

But what if you can’t see where you want to go? A few weeks ago, while on a drive with the Ferrari Club (Desert Region), we encountered thick fog; a rather rare driving condition here in Central Arizona. We slowed down and cautiously navigated through the mist, and it was a big topic of conversation when we reached our lunch destination.

I was recounting this adventure to Lyn St. James, a friend and 2-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring, and veteran of the 24 Hour of Le Mans endurance race. I asked her, “How do you drive in really difficult conditions when you can barely see the road ahead?” She replied, “Follow the yellow line!” Of course, that made total sense – but what does that really mean?

When driving, you’re following a predetermined path that is represented by the yellow line. That’s your way forward. There may be curves, hills, and even oncoming traffic – not to mention the annoying car up close on your bumper. If you follow the yellow line despite difficult and distracting conditions, you’ll eventually get to where you want to go.

So what if you can’t clearly see your investment path? What if you can’t see past the windshield while driving on your investment road, which is supposed to lead you to financial security? What if all the volatility in the market is disturbing and frankly a bit scary?

See where I’m going with this? Don’t you just love how my mind works in metaphors?

What if the talking heads on TV and on the Internet are offering multiple and often inconsistent messages? Just follow the yellow line. Follow your asset allocation strategy. You do have a well-thought-out plan, don’t you? If not, we should talk.

Your asset allocation strategy should be designed to create an all-weather portfolio. One that performs well in sunshine as well as storms. It should have the appropriate mix of asset classes and should be actively managed and re-balanced when market or economic conditions warrant. This will keep you on track and focused on where you want to go financially and prevent you from veering off course – or worse – running into a financial ditch.

In a foggy situation it can be dangerous to pull off the road. In a volatile market it can be fatal if you pull out of the market, cash out and then attempt to time your reentry back into the market. It’s highly likely that not only will you get it wrong, but you’ll get it wrong twice; by selling at the low end of the market and buying back in at the high end of the market.

So, stay focused on your asset allocation. It is your yellow line.

Lyn St. James and I are proud to support the RPM Foundation in accelerating the growth of the next generation of restoration and preservation craftsmen through formal training and mentorship.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors,

an SEC registered investment advisor.

Happy New Year - 2019

2019-01-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to meet up with Lou Costabile of My Car Story on New Year’s Eve.

We had a chat about my car, Sophia. You can find it here:

2016 Maserati GranTurismo Sport in Black & Engine Sound on My Car Story with Lou Costabile

I mention the Ferrari Club of America – Desert Region and the FCA 2019 Annual Experience which will be in Scottsdale Arizona. If you have a Ferrari and haven’t already joined, you should!

May you have a happy and prosperous new year.

Life Lessons from the Racetrack

2018-12-17T08:57:00.002-08:00

In all aspects of my life, I strive to be the best. Whether it’s my career as a Financial Advisor or my personal time as a car enthusiast, I always try to apply the hard-learned lessons of others to improve my practice. So, when it came to maximizing the enjoyment of Sophia – the pet name for my 2016 Maserati Gran Turismo Sport – I sought out the advice of experts.

I’m fortunate to call former IndyCar racer Lyn St. James a friend, and she encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and re-learn the basics of driving. Lyn’s career has been an inspiration in many ways – besides being one of the few women to participate at racing’s highest level, she did so in mid-life, winning the 1992 IndyCar Rookie of the Year award at the age of 45.

Lyn still races cars but finds a lot of enjoyment from passing on her knowledge to novice drivers and encouraging vocational education in the automotive restoration fields through her role as an ambassador for the non-profit RPM Foundation. I feel the same call to mentorship in my own career as an investment strategist, and we bonded over shared principles.

Barby and her 707hp supercharged Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.

With both of us living in the Phoenix area, Lyn directed me to a local driving school just down the road at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Arizona.

I was one of six students in the two-day course, assigned to car #5 – a 707 hp supercharged Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. But before we even turned a key, we took a ground school to learn the basics about weight transfer, tire contact patch, understeer, oversteer, and smoothness.

Barby and her instructor after the final lap.

The instructors emphasized the importance of concentration – being focused 100% of the time and totally aware of the vehicle. You become one with the car to anticipate what’s going to happen, and to make every action and reaction consistent.

I wondered how I might apply this concept to my own profession. When managing investments for my clients I focus on many variables. Just as I had to concentrate on speed, car control, track configuration and road hazards, I have to zero-in on the individual needs of my clients. I must know their long-term goals, where they are on the trajectory of their lives, the velocity and variability of their spending, and their risk tolerance. I need to know how well-equipped they are to avoid a hazardous investment decision.

I also have to focus on the bigger picture, including the global economy, the U.S. economy, markets around the world, and the range of investment options available. My years of experience help me to guide my clients through volatile times. Because I have a deep understanding of what’s really happening in the economy and the markets, I can direct my clients on the proper path. Just like “lead and follow” with my driving instructor, I can’t predict the future but with a consistent and disciplined approach I can provide clear direction.

Driving school might not make you a better doctor, accountant, firefighter, or even financial advisor. But it’s clear that the lessons learned on the track that day could be applied to all of our lives. If we can seek the advice of an expert, step outside our learned behaviors, and apply disciplined action, we can handle any curve or hill the road ahead may throw at us.

Do you have financial goals and are unsure how to reach them? Let’s get together and chat about cars and capital markets!

Lyn St. James and I are proud to support the RPM Foundation in accelerating the growth of the next generation of restoration and preservation craftsmen through formal training and mentorship.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA Biltmore Advisors,
an SEC registered investment advisor.

Welcome to Barone's Cars & Capital Markets

2017-07-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

My name is Sophia and I am a Maserati. I’m a sleek, sophisticated, and very powerful GranTurismo Sport. I sport a naturally aspirated 4.7L 457 HP V8 engine and can go 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds.

My driver's name is Barby Barone. Like me, she’s Italian. She’s President of Biltmore Advisors, an investment firm based in Phoenix Arizona.

She’s been in the investment business for over 30 years and has a passion for her profession.

So now that you know who we are, Barby will tell you why we’ve decided to create this blog.

I bought my first Maserati in 2009. My Italian Beauty was my first performance vehicle. I acquired her on an informed whim and have never looked back. Initially my enthusiasm outstripped my driving skills and it was when I planned to run the Mohave Mile that legendary race car driver Lyn St. James arrived on scene with a pair of her driving gloves to help. My involvement with the Desert Region Ferrari Club in Arizona is a great opportunity to not only get to know other car enthusiasts but also to learn from their experiences and share my passions.

In March of 2015 I presented the first Cars & Capital Markets event featuring Lyn St. James. It was held at the Penske Racing Museum. The tie between Cars & Capital Markets (the world of investments) focused on setting clear objectives and defining risk. Cars & Capital Markets 2.0 was held at The Stables in Scottsdale, again highlighting Lyn St. James and I arrived with great flair and show of horse power in My Italian Beauty.

Our goal each month is to provide exciting insight on a variety of car related topics along with equally interesting investment tidbits. We hope you find it as much fun as we do, and we look forward to getting to know you.

If you have a specific investment related question, please contact us and we’ll do our best to include it in an upcoming post.