Laguna Seca Raceway
Monterey, California
August 7 - 16, 2009
 

From the  Monterey Historics website :

The Cars are the Stars at the Rolex Monterey Historics

"Now 36 years old, the Monterey Historics is often called the most significant vintage racing event in the country, and according to famed driver Brian Redman, who joined the likes of Jurgen Barth, Derek Bell, David Donohue, Vic Elford and Hurley Haywood here this year, it is 'one of the top two or three events of its kind in the world.' ”

That’s a weighty statement coming from a man who has seemingly done it all in car racing, including winning, in the 1970s, the Formula 5000 championship three consecutive times, the 12 Hours of Sebring twice and the Targa Florio once. 

 'It’s the combination of the great circuit at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and the weather, as well as the enthusiastic crowds and tremendous entry of cars,' said Redman, who took to the race track on Saturday in a 1971 Porsche 908/3 to win his class by just under four seconds.

To Redman’s point, some very big names in auto racing were on the track, but the cars – mostly driven by gentlemen drivers who, while not necessarily famous are undeniably passionate about their sport – were the main attraction.  Of 450 entrants, one-third of those were Porsches, which was this year’s Featured Marque. 

from Monterey Historics website :

"At the 36th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, every fabulous car making its way around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has an intriguing character behind its wheel or responsible for its restoration.

Indeed, it was very busy under our tent.  We had six cars to look after  –  four for the Monterey PreHistorics, and two more awaiting the Historics the following weekend. 

Here for the PreHistorics were Nick Incantalupo and his Chevron B23, Larry Kessler with his Chevron B19, and Archie Urciuoli with both his Lola T70 Spyder and his Ford GT40 (the clear spectator and photographer favorite!). 

Hamish Somerville joined us for the Historics weekend to drive his new, freshly-restored Lola T70 as well as his Lola T212. 

One or two gremlins insured that we were kept well occupied both weekends and the period in between, but all were duly addressed and overcome. 

Dean Jones takes a shine to Archie's GT40

- Photo by Alan Myers
(click to enlarge)

Above, Chuck Golder & Seamus Nolan
at work on Archie's Lola T70
 

Above, Archie remembers what his Lola
used to look like....
and wonders when (if?)
it will again. 

No worries, he's  back on track
with a new clutch,
thanks to a nice bit of
custom machining
by Chuck Golder.

Larry Kessler has a blast
in his Chevron B19

In the same group with Larry was
Nick Incantalupo in his Chevron B23
(shade provided by Seamus Nolan - at right)

WAIT.........   There's more!

RED CARS racing...