Curated Texan
The Brazos Valley glittered with horsepower, haute horology, and high style as Wheels | Watches | Whiskey® and Round Top Rally returned to The Stella Hotel for its most successful edition yet. Hosted by The Gentleman Racer and McLaren North America, the sold-out affair drew over 500 guests from across Texas and beyond, delivering a heady mix of rare automobiles, coveted timepieces, collectible art, and curated whiskey tastings.
Pinnacle Papaya by Shan Fannin is being auctioned to support OnRamp
The evening was more than just a celebration of taste and torque. Guests rallied around a charitable cause, raising nearly $9,000 for OnRamp through the silent auction. The centerpiece of that auction is still open: “Pinnacle Papaya” by acclaimed automotive artist Shan Fannin. Online bidding has begun at $9,500 with “extended bidding” rules that prevent last-second sniping, a system familiar to followers of Cars & Bids and Bring a Trailer. The work is live through October 8 at 1 p.m. CST [CLICK HERE TO BID].
Marla Hurley, rocking automotive-inspired style for the arrival of the Round Top Rally
Collectors and connoisseurs mingled with creative luminaries, including artist Laura Goodson, who later welcomed drivers to her Round Top gallery, and Marla Hurly, a tastemaker in Texas fashion retail. Antonio Brunet of Blue Chip Cars brought out a rare Mercedes-Benz Gullwing, while Fannin’s painting reminded guests that fine art has an engine note all its own.
Bulova chose Wheels | Watches | Whiskey to offer its latest collaboration with Shelby American to the public in person for the first time.
The following morning, the spotlight shifted from The Stella to the open road for the Round Top Rally, presented by GFG Wealth Advisors. A caravan of 22 classic, sports, and supercars, including the latest from McLaren, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, and a Singer Porsche, made the countryside their runway. The drive ended in true Round Top style: lunch at Royer’s, a private gallery showing with Goodson, and a welcome from the creative force behind Junk Gypsy.
From rare McLarens to Garrison Brothers’ whiskey pours, every detail underscored why Wheels | Watches | Whiskey® is quickly becoming a fixture on Texas’ cultural calendar. With record attendance, brand-partner success, and over 20 million media impressions this year alone, the event is poised to return in 2026 with even more horsepower, heritage, and hospitality.
Wheels | Watches | Whiskey® And Round Top Rally
