|
From YourSITE.com Events Coverage Every August racing fans and vintage car lovers alike flock to the hills just east of Monterey, California, to see the two hobbies come together on the track. This year saw the 31st running of the Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The event once again proved popular, with more than 40,000 spectators witnessing the spectacle.
It might seem strange that someone would want to risk damaging or destroying something as rare as, say, a 1925 Bugatti Type 35, yet the sport of vintage racing is more popular than ever. Drivers and spectators alike take pride in revisiting the glory days of racing, whether their interests happen to be pre-war Indy racers or post-war sports cars. Anyone who doubts these guys are serious about racing needs only to spend some time in Corner 2, the Andretti Hairpin. From this vantage point the intensity is obvious, as the cars run door-to-door through the sweeping downhill switchback before darting to Corner 3. The competition is friendly however; mutual respect runs deep among the drivers. Though nearly every marque that has ever competed may be represented, each year the race organizers choose a specific make to pay special tribute. This year’s featured marque was no less than Ferrari. Many of these great Italian race and sports cars were on hand to participate, including a field of past Formula 1 Ferraris, but perhaps most memorable was the shrill sound of Michael Schumacher’s 2003 chassis as it attempted to break the fastest overall lap record at the track. My ears are still ringing from that session.
The only thing more impressive than the variety of cars that attend is the incredible shape than most of them are still in. Many of the racers look as though they were borrowed from a museum for a weekend of clandestine thrills. The amount of work and money that go into operating a vintage racecar is not insubstantial, but it all seems worth it when a pack of 80-year-old cars comes screaming (relative term) through the corners wheel to wheel. Watching the cars race is always fun, but the best part of coming to the Historics may be the ability to walk the paddock. Your general admission ticket also grants you access to the very area where the owners and drivers prepare their machines and relax between runs. There are few opportunities to see this many great historical machines in one place, let alone get right up to them. You certainly can’t witness the awesome rumble of an ERA in any museum. Most of the drivers and owners are friendly and willing to share their stories with enthusiasts, but keep in mind that this is still racing, and that means there is almost always something to do to get ready for their races. Many national car clubs put the Monterey Historics on their calendars as well. Members show up en masse to celebrate their own cars independent of the races, gathering in designated corral areas specifically for their models. The owners’ corral is not only a great way for the drivers to get the best parking possible, it also creates its own event atmosphere for other spectators. This year’s corrals included BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, MINI, Miata, Pantera, Nissan Z cars, and of course, Ferrari.
The trip to Monterey is worth it for the races alone. A better plan is spend the entire weekend on the peninsula and take in some of the other great automotive activities that take place at the same time. Either way, the Monterey Historic Automobile Races should be on your summer calendar at least once, but my guess is once just won’t be enough. 
© Copyright 2003 by YourSITE.com |
