If this Barrett-Jackson poster doesn't get you on the next plane to Arizona I can't imagine what would. That aside, it's a lovely painting and a step up from the rather tacky graphics that formerly adorned most B-J promotions.

With the Scottsdale auction week of 2010 about to begin perhaps its time to give the venerable auction company more credit for what it's done in the past and continues to do so well. Because, while upmarket auctioneers like RM and Gooding grab our attention for the spectacular and very costly classics that populate their events, it's Barrett-Jackson that offers a vast number of cars in all price ranges. And, of course, it was Barrett-Jackson that put Scottsdale and Phoenix on the map insofar as classic car auctions are concerned.

If you haven't been there before, be aware that what's taking place in the huge auction tents is only part of the show. An outside area as big as a midway (and just as much fun) contains a remarkable array of vendors willing to sell you almost anything to do with the hobby and a few things that are barely related. There are places to buy food and drink (tasty and free if you're a member of the media), several displays sponsored by the auto manufacturers, plus a lane where you can examine cars soon to drive on to the platform and question their owners about vehicle history and condition.

But the place I like best, a little down the hill and off to the side, is where many of the seller's cars are parked when they arrive. It consists of eight very large tents and with the vehicles lined up in rows, this, for sheer variety, may well be the best darn car show in North America. There you can spend hours walking up and down the aisles admiring the cars and enjoying conversations with like-minded enthusiasts. So if all you can spare for a collector car is, say, $10,000, rest assured there's a well-maintained beauty waiting for you, still in good shape and ready to drive or ship home.

My only complaint about this year's Barrett-Jackson auction is that I can't afford to be there. I'm saving for the day when I can bid for a Morris Minor convertible, or a BMW 2002, or a VW Beetle, or an MGB, or a Triumph TR6, or... well, you know what I mean. Thank goodness, then, for SpeedChannel and its daily telecasts directly from the big tent. Great stuff for stay-at-homes.