BEFORE & AFTER | AMANDA VALDEZ
BEFORE & AFTER | ATOMIK
THE WINNER
By 6 PM, the votes were in — and the crowd had spoken. Amanda Valdez took Miami with 54% of the vote, earning the $1,000 city prize and a spot in the national contest, where one artist will walk away with $10,000 at the end of the tour.
HOMETOWN HEROES
Both Amanda Valdez and ATOMIK are Miami staples — and it showed. From the moment doors opened, the energy around them was less car show, more meet-and-greet. Fans, fellow artists, and longtime collectors stopped by all day asking for photos, signed prints, and a few words on the work in progress.
They weren't just painting a car. They were celebrities in their own city, holding court in front of a hometown crowd. That's what Drive Your Story is built to be — Carrera showing up where culture already lives, not the other way around.
WORDS FROM THE ARTISTS
We sat down with both artists to talk about what brought them to the canvas — and what it means to make something that thousands of people will see in motion.
THE MEDIA MOMENT
EDITORIAL PARTNER
HIGHSNOBIETY
Our editorial media partner Highsnobiety was on the ground with local talent Drew In Color capturing the day. She walked the crowd through the artists' progress in real time, kept the voting urgency alive, and made sure every person who walked in knew exactly what they were standing in the middle of.
MORE THAN A PAINT JOB
The live painting was the center of gravity — but it was hardly the only thing happening. We built Miami to be a full Carrera experience, from the first step in to the last frame on.
Heading Goes Here
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300+ Custom Totes
We handed out over 300 personalized tote bags — stamped on-site, made to take home. A small reminder that Miami showed up, and Carrera was there with you.
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Try On The New Collection
The full Spring/Summer 2026 collection was on display — including pieces from our 70th Anniversary capsule. If you tried on a pair, you were one of the first to see SS26 in person.
NEXT STOP
HOUSTON
May 16, 2026 - Discovery Green