Digital Meets Drive: Cars & Bids to Host Live Auction at Velocity

SONOMA, CA – April 16, 2026 – The worlds of digital car culture and premier live motorsport are set to collide as online auction giant Cars & Bids announces a new partnership with Velocity Invitational. The collaboration will bring a live, on-site auction to the luxury motorsports and lifestyle festival at Sonoma Raceway from May 29-31, 2026, creating a groundbreaking hybrid experience for enthusiasts and collectors.

This move signals a significant evolution in the collector car market, merging the massive online reach of a digital-first platform with the tangible excitement of a world-class physical event.

A New 'Phygital' Frontier for Car Auctions

The partnership between Velocity Invitational and Cars & Bids represents a strategic push into what industry insiders call a 'phygital'—physical plus digital—model. While traditional auction houses like Mecum and Barrett-Jackson have long integrated online bidding into their live events, this collaboration marks a notable foray from a digital-native powerhouse into the physical event space. Cars & Bids, founded in 2020, has rapidly become a dominant force online, challenging the market leader Bring a Trailer by focusing on modern enthusiast cars from the 1980s to the present.

The global online vehicle auction market is booming, valued in the billions and projected to grow significantly by 2030. This growth has been fueled by accessibility and convenience, removing geographical barriers for buyers. However, the emotional connection and due diligence of seeing a car in person remain paramount for many collectors. This new venture aims to capture the best of both worlds. Bidding for the auction will begin online prior to the event, but the featured vehicles will be physically present at Sonoma Raceway for inspection, allowing potential buyers to see, hear, and touch their potential purchases before the virtual hammer falls.

“I’ve always believed the best cars are the ones that actually get driven. And Velocity Invitational is the absolute pinnacle of that mindset,” said Daniel Harman, CEO of Cars & Bids. “This partnership is the perfect way to bring our digital community to a world-class automotive event.”

The Power of the Enthusiast Community

At the heart of this partnership is the immense and highly engaged community built by Cars & Bids and its founder, automotive personality Doug DeMuro. With over 4.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, DeMuro has cultivated a massive following of “the next generation of enthusiasts.” This audience has propelled Cars & Bids to staggering success in just a few years.

The platform boasts over 2 million monthly visitors and has generated nearly $800 million in total sales across more than 35,000 vehicles. This rapid growth attracted a $37 million majority-stake investment from The Chernin Group in early 2023, aimed at scaling the business to the next level. The move into live events appears to be a key part of that strategy, leveraging its powerful digital ecosystem to drive physical engagement.

Jeff O'Neill, founder of Velocity Invitational, sees the collaboration as a reflection of where car culture is headed. “The next generation of enthusiasts have grown up online yet the emotional connection to cars is still very much physical," he stated. "By bringing Cars & Bids together with Velocity Invitational, we’re creating a new kind of experience, where digital discovery and real-world connection combine. What Doug and his team have built in such a short time is remarkable and mirrors what we’re doing with Velocity: creating authentic, enthusiast-first experiences.”

More Than Just an Auction Block

The auction is designed to be more than just a sales event; it's an integrated part of the larger festival experience. Velocity Invitational is renowned for its unique blend of historic racing, modern hypercar displays, and luxury lifestyle elements, all set against the backdrop of California's wine country. Attendees can watch vintage race cars thunder around Sonoma Raceway, get up close with cutting-edge supercars, and enjoy gourmet food and wine tastings.

The Cars & Bids auction adds another compelling layer to this immersive weekend. The platform is fast-tracking submissions from its members, and those whose vehicles are selected for the auction will receive two General Admission tickets to the event. This not only provides a unique venue for selling a car but also encourages consignors to become active participants in the festival. Furthermore, a special discount on event tickets will be offered to the wider Cars & Bids community, creating a direct pipeline from the online platform to the physical event.

Star Power on the Block: A Museum-Grade Debut

Adding significant prestige to the inaugural auction is a consignment from the esteemed Petersen Automotive Museum. The headline vehicle announced is a rare 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ (Tubolare Zagato). A true collector's gem, the TZ was built by Alfa Romeo's racing division, Autodelta, and features a lightweight tubular chassis and a stunning aluminum body crafted by Zagato. Only 112 examples of the TZ1 were ever produced, making its appearance on the auction block a major draw for serious collectors.

The press release hints at more to come, stating that the Alfa is one of “a handful of desirable classics” from the Petersen's collection destined for the auction. This collaboration with one of the world's foremost automotive museums elevates the auction's profile and sets a high bar for the quality of vehicles that will be featured. For enthusiasts, it presents a rare opportunity to not only see but potentially acquire a piece of automotive history with impeccable provenance.

The three-day Velocity Invitational event kicks off on Friday, May 29, 2026, offering a variety of single-day, weekend, and VIP packages. This fusion of digital auction savvy with the visceral thrill of a live motorsport festival promises a unique and compelling experience for the entire automotive community.