The 2024 version of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 14-17, has a particular significance because it marks 50 years of historic racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Because the oldest continuously-run historic auto racing occasion within the U.S., it may be stated that this 12 months’s occasion marks the beginning of a complete class of racing.
Pinning down precisely when it began or what constitutes classic racing can be tough. Based in 1974 by Steve Earle because the Monterey Historic Car Races, it set itself aside with an insistence on provenance and interval correctness. Other than modifications made for security, making certain each automotive entered adhered to the requirements of the period through which it initially raced set the unique occasion aside and nonetheless does at present. It additionally set the stage for others to observe.
Steve Earle (at left) with restoration ace Stephen Griswold at 1974’s inaugural races. Earle’s efforts constructed the Monterey Reunion into a really world-class occasion.
Held on a heat and sunny August 10 day, Earle had handpicked the entire of the sphere from amongst a cache of automotive house owners he was pleasant with. Till then, lots of the race automobiles sat idle in collections, garages or museums with no protected setting to get pleasure from them. Earle offered a venue that launched a whole and nonetheless burgeoning cottage business of race automotive preservation and restoration.
In the end, Earle gathered 70 entries unfold throughout eight run teams. Even in 12 months one, the sphere oozed with top quality automobiles, amongst them a 1927 MG Le Mans, a 1966 Ford GT Mk 2 and a bevy of luscious Ferraris highlighted by a 1952 212 Export.
Most contributors had come from California, and hardly any had competitors expertise.
“The entire course of was very relaxed,” says Ralph Borelli, who’d entered in ’74 with a 1915 Ford Racer. “Actually, my Racer was really from ’26, however we’d swapped out the radiator for an previous brass one, so we have been admitted as a 1915.”
Proper from the beginning, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion has insisted that each one the automobiles that seem are unique and interval right. (TOP) Ferraris featured strongly in 1974’s first occasion; (ABOVE) Ralph Borelli launches down the Corkscrew.
One other unique competitor, Marnix Dillenius, who drove a 1963 Alfa Romeo GTZ on the 1974 occasion, has entered once more for this coming August and remembers that there was no formal course of for proving your racing credentials again then. He laughs as he remembers there was a four-minute inspection from a “Dr. Lee,” who checked the motive force’s eyesight after which despatched them out on the monitor.
“As we speak is much more skilled and much more severe,” says Dillenius, “however there’s nonetheless quite a lot of guys who do it for the chuckle.”
Entry lists lately have topped 400 automobiles in quantity, a determine the fiftieth anniversary gathering will simply exceed.
“The advisory council’s primary purpose is to pick out the easiest important and genuine historic race automobiles, together with their passionate house owners who deliver huge quantities of race expertise to offer the followers with the best historic racing present in North America,” says Advisory Council co-chair Bruce Canepa.
Illustrious automobiles such because the Williams FW07B that Alan Jones drove to win his 1980 Components 1 World Championship and the dominant 1991-93 AAR/Toyota Eagle MkIII GTP automotive that Juan Manuel Fangio II raced to wins in 16 of 27 begins are among the many many to look out for.
A thoughtfully curated Motul Golden Anniversary Show will inform the occasion’s story for the reason that starting. A slew of marques, together with people the likes of Dan Gurney, Juan Manuel Fangio and Carroll Shelby, who have been all carefully tied to the occasion, will characteristic within the show.
“By no means earlier than has such a show been assembled,” says Barry Toepke, Director of Heritage Occasions for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “Automobiles are coming from non-public collectors, automakers and museums for a once-in-a-lifetime tribute to this exceptional occasion based by Steve Earle.”
Act now if you wish to be part of the 50-year celebration of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 14-17 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Not solely will this 12 months’s occasion have further particular that means, it additionally continues to be the cornerstone of Monterey Automobile Week, with occasions held throughout the Monterey Bay Peninsula.
The entire scene is a automotive lover’s paradise and time is operating out to be part of it.
Lodge rooms shut by are getting scarcer by the day, however tickets to the occasion are nonetheless out there, together with numerous premier hospitality choices, in addition to basic admission and tenting.
To be taught extra and buy your tickets, go to WeatherTechRaceway.com
