I L TRIDENTE On-Line
Monterey Historics Weekend 2004 (doug magnon)
08/20-22: Monterey in August is always a blast. And, as is the standard practice, this year’s historics weekend did not disappoint. This event, having grown and evolved over the past 54 years, has no official name and is actually comprised of a string of many events that occupy more than just a weekend. Be it: Concorso Italiano on Friday, the Pebble Beach Entrant’s Rally and display on Thursday, vintage racing throughout the week at Laguna Seca, the many variants of live auctions Friday through Sunday, the show and prototype car display at the Lodge, the Blackhawk Museum tent display, the Gathering at Quail Lodge on Friday, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, or any of the myriad of industry and private events, it all adds up to a great time for car enthusiasts of all types. Myself, I simply call it the Monterey Historics Weekend, though that phrase fails to adequately describe what, by now, is the unrivaled world champion of enthusiast car events.
Maserati A6GCS being prepped at Laguna Seca (photo: doug magnon)
This year, Ferrari was the featured marque at three of the biggest events. Every day you would see numerous new Enzo Ferraris on the street or in the parking lots (current listed value, a cool $1 million each). And at Laguna Seca Raceway there were 20 Ferrari 250 GTOs, valued at $10 million each! It was the largest 250GTO gathering ever, assembled to challenge the twisty corners and the corkscrew of Laguna Seca, a tradition borne in 1974. The depth, variety, and value of the vintage Ferrari race cars was mind boggling, everywhere you turned there were Ferrari LM’s, MM’s, TR’s and racing Dinos. Enough to keep a bean counter busy all day adding up the values!
Maserati Birdcage under the tent at Laguna Seca (photo: doug magnon)
The Ferrari factory also flew out a dozen recent vintage Formula One race cars including Schumacher’s F2003 GA championship car of last season. Factory drivers provided the spectators with the thrill of several demonstration laps, the sound of a dozen Ferraris screaming on the track at the same time was pure music! On Sunday Ferrari was going for a try at besting Laguna Seca’s single lap record. Driving greats Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Sir Stirling Moss, Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman, Bob Bondurant, Derek Bell, and Vic Elford, all participated on the track. The Ferrari fun didn't end on Sunday either as (FCA) Ferrari Club of America pressed on for the next four days with a national meet at Laguna Seca!
Birdcage engine bay at Laguna Seca (photo: doug magnon)
Friday’s Concorso Italiano which began its life decades ago as a Maserati Club gathering continues to grow and this was its second year at its new venue, the Blackhorse Golf Course now under new management. Featured cars this year were the Ferrari Dino and the Alfa Romeo Guiletta. I estimated around 2000 Italian cars on display! My 1968 Maserati Mexico was one of five Maserati cars chosen to go across the ramp (out of approximately 100 in attendance). Later, at the awards dinner, I received the 1st Place trophy in its category, a bronze statuette of Neptune with his trident spear (the inspiration for Maserati's trident logo).
The Mexico that won 1st Place in Class at Concorso Italiano (photo: doug magnon)
The Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach highlighted pre-war Rolls Royces and rare Ferrari sports and race cars. A rare German 1938 Horch 853A won Best of show. The crowd just keeps on getting bigger despite the $100+ per person entry fee. By now the Monterey Historics Weekend, as I like to call it, is hands down, the biggest car extravaganza in the world. And it just keeps getting growing. Look for some highlight footage of it for you when it comes out on Speed Channel. And look for me in 2005 in a black 1965 Maserati Mistral Spyder going for Best in Show!
