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1994 Pebble Beach Concours de Elegance program.
(The Tomaso Collection)
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Continuing on with this magnificent trek to
California's fertile grounds of A-L-L things automotive, my mind was about to be even more overwhelmed than
the previous day's outing at Concourso Italiano!
Saturday, August 27, 1994
Today
I’m off for Laguna Seca raceway! From my nearby motel, I take Reservation Blvd
to the back gate, which leads through desolate Fort Ord. Passing the
“shuttered” barracks, the two lane twisty road encourages those in front of me
to begin driving at qualifying speeds before reaching the ticket-takers.
Leaving
the “Bow-wow” mobile (Chevy Corsica) high above the racetrack on a steep grassy
knoll, I walk across a foot bridge towards the Paddock area. Inside the giant
Ferrari display tent awaits a wondrous sight! Three mid-sixties Ferrari P330’s
and three million dollar IMSA 333SP (Sports Prototype) racecars sit parked in
the classic dash across the track Le Mans start formation; Aye Karumba! With one
wall behind the six 'Mega AWESOME gleaming Scuderia rosso scarlet-red cars containing
a gigantic wall mural of the Rolex 24. (Daytona 24hrs)
A
small selection of Ferrari’s current street cars sit on display inside the tent:
A brand new 456GT and two 355’s sit alongside each other, while a lone red
512TR sits orphaned in the corner, with more early machinery also residing
nearby.
In the
middle of the tent a 250LM sits parked with “le piece de la resistance!” As a
large throng of spectators hover around the 1990 Alain Prost 641 F1 chassis.
Standing alongside it, I mumble to myself how small & low-slung these
rocket-sled’s are. (They look much larger on TV!) And that’s just the main
display tent on the premises.
Cruising
the paddock area, I’m floored by the number of vintage racecars on site…
Including what appears to be a sea of Ferraris!
My
favourite row features three fabulous 512F's Sports Prototypes, i.e.; those
NASTY Ferrari's that hounded the all conquering Porsche 917 Panzerwagon's! As there’s
a red Parks/Pescarolo car behind my absolute all time favorite Ferrari sports
racer: The No. 6 Sonoco blue liveried Penske Mark Donohue/David Hobbs Le Mans
chassis; HOLY CRAP!!! While further along the paddock I spot the ex-Clay
Regazzoni 312 F1 chassis when walking through row after row of exotic
machinery...
Noticing
a gaggle of Shelby’s, I stop and briefly chat with Shelby GT 350 vintage racer John McClintock (Puyallup, WA)
before checking out three Cobra’s parked next to McClintock’s and Jim Shield’s
GT-350’s..
Next I
cross over the “Flinstone” (Firestone) footbridge to the “Manufacture's Midway”
to peruse the assorted vendor booths. Before lunch I climb up the steep hill
which you need to hike in order to reach the famous Corkscrew turn. You know:
The corner where Alex Zanardi would complete an astounding off road “bonsai”
pass on the final lap to beat Bryan Herta a few years later, in what is known
in Open Wheel Racing parlance simply as "The Pass!" As this
breathtaking maneuver culminated with Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART)
creating the “Zanardi” rule," i.e.; not being allowed to pass with all
4-wheels off of the racetrack!
And what
a most impressive corner, indeed! Screaming up the hill, Racer’s aim for a tree
while entering the blind crest that leads into the Corkscrew. Then the cars
plunge down the 3-story undulating drop towards the pits… As the view is
fantastic from here also.
I
watch the lunchtime activities of Ferrari parade laps which seem to feature
many production model Ferrari’s including two F-40’s. Then over the PA system I
listen to the interview with 2 time F1 World Champion Niki Lauda. (Hmm? Apparently
they didn’t wish to mention his 3rd title since it was in a
McLaren-Porsche, eh?) about his Ferrari consultancy job and what he thinks
about Ferrari’s recent win in the German Grand Prix?
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| A Brace of Awesome scarlet red Scuderia Ferrari Sports Prototype sit poised for action inside Monterey Historics "Big Top" tent. (The Tomaso Collection) |
Niki
claims he’s never been to Laguna Seca before. So, I’ll take the 456 out to
learn where the lefts & rights are… Then I’ll drive my ex-F1 car around a
few times.
It’s
really fun watching Niki pound around. On the second time through the Corkscrew,
Lauda is hard on the gas… And the sound of the 456’s front air dam can be heard
massively scraping the FIA curbing. Niki’s hard on the accelerator, shifting
gears with tires squealing in search of adhesion…All this while Niki’s chauffeuring
3 very fortunate guests while learning the track’s layout; Hooah!
Next
Niki drives his first Ferrari winning F1 car for 2-laps, as nothing sounds
quite like the wail of a Ferrari F1 Flat-12 motor! As Lauda was at the controls
of his ex-312B3 Ferrari he'd driven to his debutant Formula 1 win at the 1974
Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama...
Afterwards
the Saturday race sessions begin with the oldest, “slowest” race groups. Afterwards,
the first 2 races are followed by two Ferrari tribute laps for Luigi Chinetti
where a Ferrari 206 SP grinds it’s nose by running too close to the Corkscrew’s
curbing!
The
next race sees Phil Hill flogging someone else’s poor Bugatti! Every time by,
the Bugatti’s tyres squeal loudly in protest from Phil trying to go too fast!
With another of the multitude of celebrities on hand, “Blackjack” (Sir Jack
Brabham) participates in the racing - while Phil Hill jumps into a Ferrari 212
and simply “motor’s” away from the next race group.
Group
5A provides the best racing action of the day. A 1958 Ferrari 250 TR spins in
the Corkscrew. While trying to save the car, the driver vainly overcorrects and
spins another three times across the entire track before coming to a complete
halt!
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| Close-up of 'Regga's (Clay Regazzoni) Ferrari F1 racecar during a time when Formula 1 front wing assemblies were much simpler! (The Tomaso Collection) |
Finally
it’s time for my favourite race group, Group 7A: 1966-83 Formula One cars!
(Saturday’s final event) Where else can you hear the sweet sounds of three
Ferrari 12-cylinder engines singing staccato? Bruce McCaw is piloting the
ex-Niki Lauda 1976 312T2. David Livingston drives his ex-Jacky Ickx 1969 312
with another ex-Lauda 1973 312B3 in tow... As these 3 Musketeer’s are chased by
another dozen + Cosworth DFV V-8 powered chassis. What a truly wonderful site!
On lap-4
while entering the Corkscrew side by side, a March dices with a Ferrari. The
March gets totally “crossed-up,” inducing a lurid spiral down the hill and
ending on the opposite side of the track…
Upon
driving back to the motel totally “jazzed: from the day’s activities, I decide
another venture to Monterey is required. Approaching Seaside on Highway 1, I
slow down to allow oncoming traffic to merge. A red Ferrari 328 GTB darts
directly in front of me… Dumbfounded by the sight of the Ferrari, I quickly
roll down the window. While savoring the sounds of the V-8, I find it extremely
bemusing to watch the 328 effortlessly vanish from my sight while accelerating
to 100+ mph when trying to follow it!
Sunday, August 28
This
morning I’m up very early (5:30AM) to beat the crowds to Pebble Beach
Concours de Elegance. Out in the motel’s parking lot, I take a long look over
the strangest looking Ferrari I’ve seen the entire weekend. It’s a “one-off”
aluminum bodied prototype 2 seater barchetta named Conciso; built on a steel
tube frame chassis and powered by a Ferrari 3.2 liter Quattrovalve V-8...
I
drive through the morning fog towards Carmel, turning onto the famous 17 mile
drive and follow the twisting two-lane road past mansions galore, with
“Beemer’s, (BMW's) Mercedes-Benz’s and Jaguar’s parked in their driveways. As I
follow the road down to the golf course on the ocean and I’m there!
The
parking lot is filled with Ferrari’s, Porsche’s, Pantera’s, etc. Passing by the
golf pro shop and other building’s I arrive at the concept car display.
There’s
four Chrysler’s, three mid-1980’s Ford Ghia’s and the Bentley Java still under
cover. There’s also six priceless Ferrari’s on display, while parked on the manicured
lawns is that silver “loaner” Ferrari 456GT that Niki Lauda “flogged” the
previous day at Laguna Seca!
Onto
Pebble Beaches 18th hole, I walk through the most awesomely pristine
gathering of early 1950’s-60’s Ferrari’s I’ve ever seen! What? This Ferrari is
from Medina, WA. And look there’s another Ferrari from Medina and it’s even got (license)
plates on it...
Next, I walk past three people furiously
polishing a bare aluminum Bugatti: Type 51/57? While alongside sits a blue
Bugatti Type 31.
After
drooling over the Ferrari’s and Bugatti’s I check out a row of Pegaso's. Hmm? What’s
a Pegaso? Only 86 of these Spanish built sports cars were constructed. And I
really prefer the four dual-carb weber stacks arrangement over the single
supercharger option, although it’s much rarer. And although I’ve never seen a Pegaso,
they’re really beautiful cars and they seem to resemble the late 1950’s Ferrari
250 SWB berlinetta...
Then I
walk through the AFAS tent (Automotive Fine Arts Society) and marvel over the awesome
artwork! My favourite is the 3-foot X 5-foot acrylic on canvas dark blue Viper
GTS by Jay Koka for the ultra low price of $4,800.00; SHEISA!
Back
out into the glorious California
sunshine, I peruse the big “stodgy-podgy” trans-ocean liners… The rarefied
“Grey Poupon-High Society” selection is flaunted by Duesenberg's, Cords and
Cadillac V-16’s, while I’m enamored by an Auburn
Boatail, but my enthusiasm quickly wanes as I approach a row of vintage MG’s.
It’s tough work being a jaded, awestruck spectator after 3 Fantastic days of
mind-blowing exotic automobiles, Eh!
Sensory
overload seems to have aflicted me after “eye-balling” the most awesome
gathering of exotic Italian machinery I’ve ever seen at once, with Saturday’s
racetrack action being nothing to snicker at either!
There,
at Laguna Seca, the president of Ferrari Club of North America speculated that
this must be the largest gathering of Ferrari’s at once… When asked how many?
He replied” Oh about a ton and a half! As in 1,050 or 1,500? Correct! 1,500+
Ferrari’s attending this weekend’s events; SHEISA!
I make
one last sweep through the Ferrari’s and notice how somehow the Chrysler &
Ford concept cars seem “ordinary?" While the car cover has been pulled off
of the Bentley Java. (concept car) What an awesome machine!
Recall
this was the era when Chrysler was a wholly owned car company, i.e.; before
Mercedes, Cerberus Capital and Fiat owned it! Along with when Ford owned Jaguar
and Aston Martin plus Cosworth, which to Mwah, were much brighter Days...
And
Bentley wasn't owned by current parent company BMW, nor was Bugatti under the control of VW yet; as
ironically, Bentley and bugatti have been rivals since their beginnings...
Leaving
the event, somehow jumping back into theChebbie' (Corsica) rental car seems
anti-climatic as I hurriedly drive back to San Jose, or is it San Hose? Hya! To
pick up Marcus at Shirley’s house. Dropping off the rental car, we check in and
fly home.
Do
I have to leave? Surely the weekend can’t be over…
Aftermath
Coincidently
after returning from Monterey,
I notice that my September ’94 Sports Car International (SCI) magazine seems to
coincide with the just concluded events attended.
The
cover features the Ferrari 355 - and the words “Maranello Baby Grows Up,”
spouts the headline. The 355’s MSRP = $125,000…
(Apparently this was prior to the F1 version; The 1st
production Ferrari to feature Formula One paddle shifting)
Ferrari
355 Specs
- 3.5 liter V-8: 5 valves per cylinder. 6 speed manual transmission.
- 280bhp @ 8,250 RPM. 0-60mph = 5.6 seconds. Top Speed = 183 mph.
Next
up in the magazine, Crestley Crewe’s Missile: This year's sensational show car;
The Bentley Java. While in the very back of the SCI rag' I notice an article on
“Guess Who?” Bernd Michalak Work studio's Conciso… Hey, that’s the same funky
car I saw in my motel’s parking lot!
This
Michalak Conciso prototype/show car cost approx. $150,000 and the Conciso’s
curb weight = 2,150lbs. It’s Ferrari 3.2 liter DOHC V-8 pumping out 270bhp @
7,000 RPM's propels it from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds, with a top speed of 151mph;
WOW! As this car was supposed to make it’s debut at Laguna Seca… Wonder what
next year’s show will do to top this event?
Epilogue
Ironically,
unbeknownst to Mwah; I would meet & stay at Shirley’s house 10yrs later
when Marcus and I visited for 10-days during our RUSh 30th Anniversary
concert extravaganza in 2004...
Having
long since surrendered my most prized possession, my Driver's license due to my
faltering eyesight, Shirley had Mark drive us to Carmel, Monterey
and Oceanside
in her 1986 Jaguar XKE! Hey, if Yuhs can't drive NO more, than at least Y'all should travel in
style, right? As this is the last time I've been to some of my most cherished
automotive hunting grounds! As I really need to go back again - pronto!
And as
typical in life, much has changed over the past
20yrs, including Concorso Italiano apparently outgrowing the Quail
Lodge, or was it finances? As there's a different car show held there now - and
quite a bit pricier! While Concorso Italiano has moved to Fort Ord.
Also,
it's not called the Monterey Historics anymore,
since Steve Earle sold out 'N retired, with the event now being known as
the Monterey Motorsports Reunion instead.
And
the Pebble Beach Concours de Elegance, which should be experienced at least
once has more than tripled in price since I attended; YIKES! As I know I've got
my ticket stub that I seem to recall paying $80 for. (Or at the very most I
paid $100) But don't have the time, inclination or effort to hunt for it...
With 2014 event Pre-sale tickets now setting you back 275 'Smackeros, with day
of show tickets costing $300!
And
lastly, as mentioned before, I've got extremely CRAPY eyesight - Otay, I DON'T like telling anybody
"I'm Blind!" Which Mary Ellen likes to remind me about, just in case
I've somewhat completely forgotten or somehow miraculously been cured...
Thus,
its 'Uber annoying that I cannot
recognize the pictures I took 20yrs ago, which hopefully I've labeled correctly
in this story - along with finding it a bit strange that I've kept my programs
from said event tucked away in a box, as they've laid perfectly flat all this time and even still in their original
corresponding plastic "Grab bag" handed out at Concorso Italiano; Aye
Karumba! Which I haven't par-taken in 14-years now...
Acknowledgements
Kudos
to long-lost friend's Roberto; purveyor of ALL things "FoMoCo,"
chiefly Shelby; also introducing Mwah to the De Tomaso marque, a la his AWESOME
Pantera GT5! Along with wife Kimberly and daughter 'Cammee who coined the word 'Hystericals... And
ex-boss & goalie Jeff, who insisted I really needed to experience the Monterey Historics weekend, confirming
what Roberto had already told me.
And
lastly, major Kudos to Marcus, Shirley and his Dad for their hospitality,
transportation & assistance during my two brief stays in California!
