PressSnoop

The afternoon Rolex Races went quickly Sunday at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The weather was mid-sixties, sunny but somewhat chilly and quite breezy.

The Thumper race had 30 starters out of a 37-car field. Group 7B race was 1963-1966 GT Cars over 2500c, and included Cobras, Corvettes, Shelbys, Tigers Jaguar E Type and an Iso Rivolta.

ROB WALTON of Paradise Valley AZ won from the pole in his 1965 Cobra Daytona, in a 10-lap race with several laps under caution for a front running 1965 Cobra 289 in the gravel – JIM BOUZAGLOU of North Hollywood CA. He had started fourth, but DNF.

One of the non-starters was JOHN MORTON of El Segundo CA. He was to have driven the 1964 Sunbeam Tiger owned by BUCK TRIPPEL. However, Morton was T-boned Saturday afternoon by LARRY BOWMAN of nearby Redwood City CA, driving a 1958 Lister Corvette. This was in Group 3A for Sports Racing Cars over 2000cc 1955-1961. Morton, driving a 1958 Scarab Sports Racer, went evasive of some spinning cars, but still ended up being T-boned by Bowman, flipping at least twice, landing upside down. Contrary to what I may have written earlier, Morton did not walk to the ambulance. He was awake and alert during the accident and remembers it all. He was strapped onto a gurney immediately and remained on it for several hours at the hospital while all the necessary tests were run. His doctor reviewed the Bowman’s in-car video and looked up the Scarab on the Internet so she could understand where Morton was hit in the car.

Morton was released after all the tests proved negative. He was cleared to drive Sunday and Morton was at the track, but only as a spectator – a role to which he is not accustomed. He did not wish to be considered as trying to be a die-hard hero by getting back into a race car after that accident. His left hand is slightly swollen and his right knee hurts a bit. But he’ll live. He’s already ordered a new helmet which will arrive next Friday.

The Scarab, one of three in the world, wasn’t scheduled for restoration. It was scheduled for destruction, although owner MILES COLLIER wasn’t expecting John to be the one to do it. Parts of the car were to be/will be removed and put on the original chassis. Only one wheel is still good. The whole left side of the car was destroyed.

Morton’s long-time companion, SYLVIA WILKINSON, wrote a racing odyssey book in 1973 called The Stainless Steel Carrot, chronicling the early years of Morton’s career especially with BRE and PETE BROCK. The book has long been out of print, but Wilkinson has the copyright. She’s updating the book and adding more photos and it should be out this year, coming to a book store near you. Any profits will go to the Humane Society.

TOMAS STEUER of Colombia was gridded in P29 in Group 7B due to a poor qualifying session from mechanical problems. He charged his 1965 Shelby GT 350 through the pack to finish fifteenth. Steuer possibly could have finished even higher had their not been three yellow laps in the 10-lap race. The nineteen-year old business college student (Suffolk College of Boston) has an impressive racing resume for someone so young. He’s been racing for eight years in Colombia, and two years in his Shelby. Steuer has raced in the 2010 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, the Rolex Six Hours at the Glen, the 25 Hours of Thunderhill by NASA, and a fifteen-day desert rally from Russia to Mongolia in a Porsche Cayenne – finished eighth overall. In December he and father will co-drive a six-hour Enduro Championship in Colombia. He’s looking forward to trying his hand at the 24 Hours of LeMons, running with an existing team run by HOWARD-22 and DAVID SWIG-24. Saturday Steuer went to the CrapCan Concours at nearby Toro Park, for LeMons cars. It is the antithesis of the Pebble Beach Concours, and emcee MARTIN SWIG started out by urging folks to go to Pebble Beach for a real concours, and his speech went down hill after that. Martin and David were also Judges. For once, promoters didn’t require the Judges to be appropriately garbed in costume – black robes and white wigs.

Father Steuer is CAMILO, and he raced Sunday afternoon in Group 4B for GT Cars 1955-1962. The big red 1959 Alfa Romeo SZ is owned by MARTIN SWIG. Camilo started at the back as he had not qualified. He finished thirty-first in a field of 40 cars and two DNS.

The Swig family and the Steuer family have been friends for many years and stay together in a Pebble Beach house two weeks every August, taking in all the activities including three concours, several auctions (David works at Bonham’s), both weekends of racing, many dinners and parties in between and generally having a swell time. The fathers met at a Miglia event in Argentina. Martin has been running the California Miglia for years, based in San Francisco Bay Area, and his sons help. Howard has just graduated with a history degree in Michigan, and is now working for Car and Driver. This weekend he’s on assignment to write about the Bugatti Varian unveiling.

Howard raced in 1B for Pre-War (1949) Sports and Racing Cars. He started eighth in the family 1931 Chrysler CDB LeMans and finished sixth. His dad was entered in that race but didn’t run his 1928 Alfa Romeo 6c l sport all weekend. Must have been too busy with all the many other activities.

David raced the family 1957 Monsterati B-Mod Special in Group 3A, starting from the back as he was too busy on Saturday to qualify. He finished sixth.

Mother Swig, ESTA, also races, but is taking a hiatus this year. The family reside in Sausalito.

Martin said it’s good that the sons (his and Camilo’s) are coming along, following in their footsteps as it were – a kind of passing on the baton.

Photos to follow

Sunday’s sunshine at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca sprouted early, after a dry foggy morning. No windshield wipers on the way to the track today. The fourth day of the inaugural Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion seemed to be more low-key than a busier Saturday. The crowd count seemed smaller, no doubt due to the draw of the nearby Pebble Beach Concourse. Friday the draw had been the Concorso Italiano, but the other events were of interest to the race crowd. Rolex provided shuttles from/to the track to each event. No doubt the Sunday crowds will swell as people make their way back from the famed Seventeen-Mile event in time for some of the afternoon Rolex Races and the Awards Ceremony.

Sunday morning Group B Qualifying Races were five laps. In Group 6 B for Grand National Stock Cars 1959-1975, there was a photo finish, and SPEEDTV broadcaster, JUSTIN BELL, got out of his 1966 Ford Galaxie (owned by KENNY EPSMAN of Saratoga) thinking he’d won the race. However, CURT KALLBERG of Oregon won by eight thousands of a second in his 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle. Epsman sat out the race, and SCOTT RUBIN of Sonoma CA raced his 1964 Mercury Marauder, finishing fourth behind LANCE SMITH of San Diego CA running his 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle.

Bell said he had fun, and really enjoyed the Stock Car group experience. What he raved about was while being surrounded by hundreds of mega bucks lovingly restored beautiful old cars from here and abroad, the stock cars struck a chord with the fans. Being an American series which reminded the fans what their parents and grandparents enjoyed, and being able to get up close and personal was something special to the folks. They were cars with which the spectators could relate.

Bell’s reaction to the stock car was that he’d drive it the way it was meant to be driven. “I love the challenge.”

A notable car in the group didn’t make the Qualifying Race, as it had just installed a new engine which hadn’t yet been broken in properly and there were cam problems. It was an extraordinary story leading up to Sunday. Two months ago SHAUN COLEMAN of Saratoga entered another stock car which he was preparing for the race; but it was not progressing as well as desired. Coleman, a fan of NASCAR message boards, started reading about a stock car available on eBay. He checked it out and started bidding, outbidding Epsman for the 1965 Chevrolet Impala, paying under $16,000. ROY MAYNE raced the car in 1965-1967, and then put it in the bar in 1968. A collector named WAYNE SMITH bought it from the owner, TOM HUNTER with the thought of restoration, but it never happened and the car fell into a sad state of disrepair. Coleman bought the car 48 days ago, and had it shipped from Georgia, which took two weeks over the July 4th holidays. The car was a basket case, but was complete with all the parts. It has the original seat leather and a skinny steering wheel.

Coleman put up a website (NASCARImpala.com) and has a binder full of day to day photos of the restoration. The car was literally a shell, rusted out and decrepit. Epsman was a daily visitor to Coleman’s shop – which also houses four Kelly American Challenge Series cars and the other stock car.

Coleman was determined to make everything authentic on the car, down to the special paint, graphics and lettering. Once he posted his project on the Internet, asking for help with information and/or photos of the original car, he got many thoughtful, helpful responses. Coleman was able to replicate all the stickers, most of which were in tatters and shreds and/or rusted into the paint. Coleman found an old-time painter in San Jose who worked on Fire Engines with their beautiful gold lettering, and the original driver’s name – ROY MAYNE – was painted on the car in the original script.

The car was finished Thursday, the first day of the Rolex Reunion. So far, it’s only been on track for one session – Friday afternoon’s qualifying session.

In his spare time, Coleman is trying to start a series group for the IMSA Kelly Challenge cars and is working with CONNIE DOWNING who managed the original series. She is married to HANS originator, JIM DOWNING. Coleman always wears his HANS device in vintage racing.

JOHN MORTON of El Segundo CA has been released from Community Hospital Of Monterey Peninsula where he was taken Saturday afternoon after his accident in Turn Two at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the Group 3A race at the inaugural Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. He was racing the 1958 Scarab Sports Racer in the class for 1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars over 2000cc. The car, only one of three ever made, is now part of the Miles Collier Collection.

The accident started exiting Turn One, going into Turn Two. Morton was coming up over the crest of the hill exiting Turn One, and tried to avoid the two cars already having an accident in front of him.

Sometimes fast cars have problems in qualifying and are at the back. It doesn’t always work for them to try and fly by slower cars. It’s like a freeway accident and can cause the ‘accordion effect.’ A yellow car in front of Morton locked its brakes and instead of going evasively around the slower white car in front of him. LARRY BOWMAN/No.2 1958 Lister Corvette was following, and tried an evasive move and failed, sending him careening across track. Morton also tried an avoidance maneuver and thought he was clear of the accident. He was facing straight on the right side of the track, but was hit on his left by his good friend Bowman. The whole left side of the Scarab is destroyed. Bowman’s in-car video caught the accident. The big purple car behind Morton spun and continued.

Morton flipped and side-rolled multiple times, taking many hits on his helmet, from the ground as well as from car parts. Being the good driver that he is, Morton held onto the steering wheel. He suffered no cuts or fractures. Morton was talking with the rescue workers during the extrication process, as he had concerns about fire due to leaking fluid. It turned out not to be gas, but coolant, possibly from a torn radiator hose.

Morton’s ears were full of sand, and the back of his driver’s suit is covered with dirt from being dragged. He was put on a backboard as a precaution and kept on a neck brace at the hospital until the cat scans came back negative. Morton doesn’t even have a headache. He is, however feeling the pain Sunday from a swollen left hand and right knee, and bruises; but ice packs and Arnica were applied and continue to be applied, which speeds up the healing process. He also bit his tongue.

John had a good hot tub soak Saturday night, and dined with friends and his crew. He plans to be at the track Sunday, but won’t race, although could if he wanted. His helmet is shot and the ambulance crew kept one of his gloves.

Before this weekend, the car was already set for restoration, although the accident wasn’t part of the pre-plan.

Morton will be having a friendly follow-up chat with his CHOMP doctor Sunday morning before coming to the track. Morton had nothing but good things to say about the SFR SCCA rescue workers, and thanks them.

 

Saturday started out as usual for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – another drippy foggy morning, which didn’t clear until noon. But when the green flag flew for the afternoon Rolex Group A Races, there were blue skies framed by the clouds and fog outside the track.

The first race was the Under Two Liter Trans-Am Race, Group 7 L, followed by nine Group A races.

JOHN MORTON of El Segundo CA was in three of those ten afternoon races – 7L, Group 1A and Group 3A. He had a scary accident in his third race. Morton was racing the Collier Collection 1958 Scarab Sports Racer in the class for Sports Racing Cars over 2000cc. He and two other cars were involved in a Turn Two accident. Morton was flipped sideways, with two full rolls, and landed upside down. He walked to the ambulance, waving to the crowd, and was transported to Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula for observation. The official word afterwards that he was alright.

Morton had a very busy weekend schedule planned, and could have used a Segue to get around the large paddock filled with more than 600 cars. He’s entered in five different Groups, three Saturday Group A races and two Sunday Group B races. Friday he qualified six cars, two in one group. In Group 7B for GT cars over 2500cc 1963-1966 aka ‘Thumpers,’ Morton qualified the car for which he is entered – No.74 white 1964 Sunbeam Tiger owned by BUCK TRIPPEL. He then jumped out of it and into No.14 1964 Cobra FIA, to qualify/shake it down for WILLIAM ‘CHIP’ CONNOR, who had not yet arrived at the track.

The other cars on the Morton list this weekend are: the BRE 1970 Datsun 510 under two-liter Trans-Am, in Group 7L; 1961 Porsche RS 61 in Group 1A-Sports Racing Cars under 200cc 1955-1961; and the 1964 Lotus 23 owned by the late TOMMY GRIFFITHS in Group 8B for Sports Racing Cars 1959-196. The Tiger and Lotus are Sunday races, back to back.

The Trans-Am Datsun, which has been in a museum, is the car with which Morton won the 1971 and 1972 Trans-Am Under Two Liter Championship – its last year. Morton made that car with PETER BROCK and it is still original, with no updates. Morton and JON NORMAN of Oakland CA were competitors in the original Trans-Am races, and again this weekend. Norman had the pole but was felled by mechanical problems on the third lap. His famous green Alfa Romeo GTV has been consistently raced for forty years, and earlier this summer in Portland, he won walking away in a similar Trans-Am race. Morton finished sixth in a field of 23 cars. It was the first Rolex Race Saturday afternoon.

Morton ran the second race of the day, Group 1A in the No.14 1961 Porsche RS 61, finishing fourth out of 31 cars. He was driving one of cars in the MILES COLLIER Collection. This group was the race in which SIR STIRLING MOSS was to have raced his newly acquired 1961 Porsche RS 61. However, Friday morning Group 1A were the first cars on course at 8:30 in the drippy foggy weather – cold tires, cold weather, etc. Moss spun out on the first lap and was hit by another car which had also spun out. It was sad for both Moss and Morton, who had always dreamed of racing Moss.

Morton had a short breathing spell before racing in Group 3A in the Scarab. This is Morton’s favorite car, which he says is the most beautiful car he’s ever seen. It’s beautiful from every angle. The original Scarab had a ‘nose job’ refining it. This car is also part of the Collier Collection, and driving it fulfilled Morton’s boyhood dream. There are only three of these Scarabs.

Sunday’s schedule calls for nine Qualifying races in the morning, followed by nine Rolex Races in the afternoon. The weekend will be capped by the Awards Ceremony.

Another beautiful day at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for Day Two of the inaugural Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. After the really drippy fog lifted, it was blue skies and warm temperatures. Whoo Hoo!

Friday was Qualifying for all nineteen race groups. Saturday morning will be Qualifying races for Group A, and in the afternoon Group 7L – Under Two-Liter Trans-Am has the first race, followed by Rolex Races for all nine A Groups. Sunday it’s more of the same for the B Group cars.

SPEED TV is filming this weekend, trying to edit down all the wonderful story lines into an hour-long show to air 17 September 2010. The hosts for the show will be JUSTIN BELL and MIKE JOY. The format will be a bit different this year, said Bell. The show wants to convey the passion, the cars, and the people. Among the segments will be a feature on DAN GURNEY, Bugatti’s (Joy), a time warp showing how race cars have evolved from the thirties to now, maybe a feature on the Trans-Ams, driver safety, and a feature on JAY LENO, who is flying in Friday night. Bell works on Leno’s website. Bell will be be able to give a real hands-on perspective as he’s racing in Group 6B. Bell’s ride is No.29 1996 Ford Galaxie owned by KEN EPSMAN of Saratoga CA. Epsman, in turn, will be racing No.16 1964 Mercury Marauder, which he also owns.

Bell has raced and done well at Laguna Seca, saying “the track has been very good to me.” Bell won in World Sports Car in 2007 and the 2001 Trans-Am race with JIM DERHAAG Racing. In 2009 Bell set a production car record at the track, which held a whole month before it was eclipsed.

Bell said that stock cars are SO different from sports cars. The Grand National car weighs 4000 pounds, has nice power, and the car has more lock. Bell said he’s really using the steering wheel a lot.

Speaking of driver safety, Bell will be wearing his HANS device. “I wear it in the most modern machines, why would I not in an older car, if it’s available.”

BERNARD JUCHLI is the General Manager for the Jay Leno Garage in lovely downtown Burbank. It houses 130 or more cars. Juchli joked that is not sure of the number because he’s been away from The Garage for a few days. Leno also owns about one hundred motorcycles. The Garage is a private collection, not a museum, and is not open to the public.

Leno started collecting cars a long time back, and when he got the Tonight Show gig in 1991, he bought a building and started collecting in earnest. 

Juchli, who has worked the past ten years for Leno, has four mechanics who work on the vehicles, in addition to other staff. Juchli said Leno’s philosophy is to acquire cars which can be street driven, rather than race cars. He drives the cars to and from work and around town. At the end of the day Leno parks the car at The Garage and takes another one for the next day.

Leno likes to meet the owners, get the car’s history, and get a feel for the car. For that reason, Leno may attend car auctions, but doesn’t purchase cars. He gets about 200 letters a week from people wanting to sell him cars. Most aren’t cars of interest to Leno. 

This weekend Juchli is racing, the 1955 Jaguar Hagemann Special owned by RON LAURIE, in Group 3A for Sports Cars over  2000 cc, years 1955-1961. Juchli’s racing resume includes club racing with SFR SCCA (San Francisco Region – Sports Car Club of America.)

The sun also rises – at least at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Thursday for the first day of the inaugural Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The day started out cold, with a thick, deep, drippy fog. However, Laguna Seca has its own micro climate and the sun was out well before noon, the skies were clear and it was warm! A stiff breeze in the afternoon chilled up the sunshine, but the fog’s return held off until half-way through the Participants Party at The Oasis, the island in the center of the track.

Last weekend was the Pre-Reunion with 330 cars, give or take. GILL CAMPBELL, CEO/President Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca said last Sunday that if the driver feedback was any indication, that two-day weekend was a successful run-up for this weekend. She was pleased. Campbell was even more pleased Thursday night at the party.

There are more than 620 cars entered for the four day weekend which is called A History of Motorsports. I haven’t double-checked the Entry List, which changes daily, because I can’t count that high. The paddock is so full that no support vehicles are allowed, and even staff parks outside. Those who think they can park street cars in the paddock are thinking again. The tow trucks have been busy.

The layout grid in the paddock uses letters to define each row, and this year something new has been added. Each aisle is named for its letter, such as Earnhart Expressway, Gurney Alley, etc. Each ‘street’ flies a large decorative explanatory banner/flag.

The Rolex Reunion is honoring DAN GURNEY – The Cars He Built, The Cars He Drove. Wednesday afternoon was what is sometimes called The Class Photo. Twenty or so of Gurney’s significant cars lined up in Turn Three for a Photo Op. In the paddock there is a huge walk-through marquee tent which was being set up Thursday with a display of Gurney’s cars. You can’t miss the tent – it’s white and has Gurney’s emblematic eagle logo emblazoned on the archway.

Among the Gurney cars on display will be Can-Am, Formula One, Formula 5000, Formula Ford, Indy, NASCAR, sports cars, and Trans-Am.

Dan’s son ALEX GURNEY is currently running the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. Saturday he will drive Dad’s No.19 Eagle F1 race car for exhibition laps. His passenger will be this year’s Indy 500 winner, DARIO FRANCHITTI.

Other events this weekend built around Gurney include Saturday’s feature display tour, and picnic with Dan with a Q&A by MURRAY SMITH. Gurney will sign autographs Saturday afternoon in the feature display, and then be the official starter for the Trans-Am race. Sunday Gurney will be the official starter for the Stock Car race.

The Rolex Reunion has nineteen race groups, Nine Group A, Nine Group B, and one Group 7L for under two-liter Trans-Am cars. There’s something for everyone. All cars will be on track once on Thursday for Practice, and once on Friday for Qualifying. Saturday all the Group A cars will have a Qualifying Race in the morning and their Rolex Race in the afternoon. Sunday the schedule repeats for the Group B cars.

And..in the very tightly-packed paddock are cars of interest scattered here and there – collector cars, trucks and other vehicles not racing, but lovingly restored and worthy of a long look.

Interspersed in the very long and tight schedule are special exhibitions and lots of eye candy-of the vehicular as well as the driver kind. Most of the parade laps and commemorative events take place during the lunch break. keeping the track ‘hot’ for eight hours. This means the volunteer SFR SCCA race officials stay on post all day with lunches delivered.

Minor drama Thursday noon with a special Jaguar club photo shoot of Jaguar XKSS cars by Turn One followed by a parade lap. Wikipedia says only 16 XKSS variants were thought to be made, sold mostly to Americans, including the late STEVE McQUEEN. A fire at the Jaguar shop destroyed the remaining chassis. Twelve of those special cars were at Laguna Thursday. Eleven of the 12 took their parade lap. One of the cars had a small fire which was quickly doused, and the driver drove back to the paddock, missing the parade.

The sun broke through Saturday afternoon at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the ten historic car classes at the inaugural Pre-Reunion spectator event. Lucky were the drivers who had warm Nomex long johns.

In Race One for Pre-War and Bugatti cars, PETER GIDDINGS of Danville CA had the pole in his 1930 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 which had 3100 cc. The veteran historic racer elected to start at the back of the pack. It took him only two laps to charge to the front of the pack and by Lap eight of the 9-lap race, he had started lapping the field. Giddings also had his 1926 Bugatti Type 35B entered in the same group. Maybe he’ll race it Sunday. They’re both entered for the Rolex Reunion

Giddings has historic race cars in several countries so he can race around the world, including Australia. For the first 24 years of the Australian Grand Prix, Giddings raced in the Historic Exhibitions as part of the AGP. He was the only driver to have raced 24 consecutive AGP’s, in any category. Giddings missed this year due to conflicts.

Giddings was recently invited to join RRDC, the Road Racing Driver’s Club. He has rebuilt and/or supervised the restoration of a number of historic landmark racing cars for the past sixty years, won the Phil Hill Trophy at the 1985 Monterey Historic Automobile Races which was presented by JUAN MANUAL FANGIO, and has several championships under his belt in the North America Ferrari/Maserati Historic Challenge Series.

RRDC, led by President BOBBY RAHAL, has been around since 1952. The invitational-only group gives drivers a say in their sport, especially concerning safety. It also has evolved to mentoring new drivers, both amateur and professional.

Another recent RRC inductee is BRUCE CANEPA of Santa Cruz, CA, who is running three cars this weekend. He won Group Six in his 1979 Porsche 935/3000 cc, in a field of 33 cars for I-1 & I-2, 935, Monza, Greenwood Corvette and GTP. He beat 21 of the 33 entries,. Some of the cars he left in the dust were up to and more than twice his engine size. Other notables in the race included RICK KNOOP of Laguna Beach, second in his 1984 January XJRS, VERN SCHUPPAN of Brisbane, Australia finishing eighteenth in the 1987 Porsche 1963 entered by PETER HARBURG.

Canepa also entered his 1970 AMC Javelin/4891cc Trans-Am but DNS Group Nine.

LINDA MOUNTANOS of Ukiah CA won the Grand National (drum brake) race, besting 14 male drivers, including her husband MARK/1966 Ford Fairlane and pole sitter KEN EPSMAN/1966 Ford Galaxie. Mountanos bought the 1995 Chevrolet Chevelle 10 years ago from former owner, JAMES “CHUBBY” ARLINGTON. It raced what was then known as the Sportsman Series, which later became the Busch Series, now Nationwide Series. Among its drivers were NEIL BONNET and DONNIE ALLISON. The car, which has 6997cc, ran 1971-1976, and could reach 186 mph at Daytona. Here at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the crew estimated its top speed on the front straight as 130-150 mph. Mountanos had thought the Corkscrew would be the most difficult part of the track, but it turned out that Turn Two proved to be her biggest challenge.

DON OROSCO of Monterey CA took the victory in Group Three for C-1 & C-2, Lotus 11, Lola MK1, Devin SS and Lister cars. He started second and finished ahead of 33 other cars of the 41 entered. JOHN MORTON of El Segundo, CA, who is running four or five cars this weekend – depending on how many are actually on site – finished thirteenth in a 1961 Porsche RS 61. Morton was also entered in a 1958 Scarab Sports Racer in the same group, which he didn’t run. EDWARD N. NIGRO of Las Vegas had the pole in his 1960 Lola MK 1, but finished twenty-ninth after dropping out after six laps.

Another second-place starter won his race – NICK COLONNA of Palos Verdes Estates won Group Four for D & C-A, Lotus 23, McLaren M1, and Lola T70 Spyder. Colonna drove his 1967 Lola T70 MK 3B, which has 5360cc, almost the largest engine in the group, and easily twice as large as most of the field. TOM BYRNES of Ross CA had the pole for the race, but finished seventh in his 1964 Brabham BT8 with 2500cc.

JOHN DOE, aka UNKNOWN, had the Group Five pole. That’s the fun of relaxed historic races. Unknown finished fifth, and two other Unknowns finished twenty-nine and thirty-second/DNS. Second place starter, KEITH FRIESER of Puyallup WA won the race in his 1972 Lola 290 with 2000cc. The large group had 45 entries, with 31 racing. Group Five was for H-1 & H-2, 1964-1972 FIA Cars & 2 Liter Sports Cars.

After starting fourth, HERB WETANSON of New York City won Group Seven for G-1 & G-2, 356, and Early Corvettes. Wetanson raced his 1961 Aston m Zagato DB-4 with 3700cc. Pole sitter LES ALEXANDER of Woodside CA finished twenty-second, one lap down in his 1857 Chevrolet Corvette with 4783cc.

Pole Sitter TERRY GOUGH of Reno NV started twenty-fifth in Group Eight and charged through the pack of G-3 & G-4, alfa GTA, Shelbys and Corvettes to win. Gough drove his 1965 Chevrolet Corvette, which had 5424cc, the largest car in the field. That explains that? Finishing fourth was Pole Sitter JEFF ABRAMSON of Alamo CA in his 1965 Shelby GT 350 with 4750cc. This was an especially large field with 46 entries, and 32 racing, including three UNKNOWNs, and Morton racing the 1964 Sunbeam Tiger owned by BUCK TRIPPEL to seventh place. Also in the field were two female veteran historic racers, CHRISTI EDLEBROCK of Torrance CA racing her dad’s 1966 Shelby GT 350/4739cc to sixteenth place, and SUSAN ARMSTRONG of Issaquah WA finishing seventeenth in her 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06/5415cc.

KEN EPSMAN of Saratoga CA finally won a race Saturday afternoon, after running three times. Pole Sitter Epsman drove his Slime Green 1970 Dodge Challenger/5000cc to victory in Group Nine for Historic Trans-Ams. Epsman ran Group Two, and Group Six in his 1976 Dekon Monza IMSA Car/5877cc to third place.

Starting second seemed to be the key Saturday. KEITH FRIESER of Puyallup WA drove his 1973 Shadow DN 1 to victory from the outside front row. Pole Sitter JEFF LEWIS of Newport Beach CA finished seventh in his 1980 Lotus 81. Group Ten was for Historic Formula One cars, and was the last race of the day. An impressive thirty-one cars were entered, with eighteen qualifying and sixteen racing. Our old friend, UNKNOWN was one of the group who qualified but DNS.

JOHN DELANE of Redondo Beach finished second in his 1972 Tyrrell 6, followed by DOUGLAS MOCKETT of Christianland, Virgin Islands/1976 Penske PC4, and STEVE COOK of Yountville CA in his 1974 March 741.

As has been the case with historic races at Laguna Seca, there were no lap times shown on any of the results.

Saturday morning at Mazda Raceway Laguna for the first day of the new event – Pre-Reunion – the weather was dripping wet, windshield-wiping foggy…and cold. The track was wet, oily/slippery and not raced on since the MotoGP race two weeks prior. The track soon dried, but drivers were carefully negotiating the track. CRIS VANDAGRIFF, HMSA CEO/President, told the drivers in the Saturday meeting at oh dark thirty that Racing was not a contact sport. If a car was damaged, the driver was excused for the weekend and next week’s inaugural Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which is honoring Dan Gurney.

Vandagriff also emphasized how deep were the sand traps around the 2.238-mile elevated road circuit; so, if a driver was caught out in the gravel, be prepared to have an umbrella and “be at the beach, as he or she wouldn’t be leaving soon.”

The Rolex Reunion and the Pre-Reunion races are “an evolution of historic racing,” said a track spokesperson. They follow the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, which had a 25-year run founded and operated by STEVE EARLE and General Racing. He later added the Pre-Historics as a non-spectator event as a run-up, practice, track-time for drivers new to the 53-year old track.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is running the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and the Pre-Union races for the first time, both spectator events. There are 339 cars entered for the Pre-Union and 620 for the Rolex Reunion, both records. No wonder there aren’t enough transponders to go around…yet.

Everyone agrees the two-day Pre-Union schedule is tight. After all there are ten race groups this weekend, which practice/qualify and race each day, all cars getting four track sessions. The paddock is crowded, but parking and spacing is a work in progress. GILL CAMPBELL, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca President/CEO, said this year’s Driver’s Gift would be a shoehorn. There is no room for support vehicles in the paddock this year.

The Pre-Reunion is considered by some as a warm-up for next weekend’s Rolex Reunion, and is by definition a low-key weekend. Many of this weekend’s entrants/drivers will be running next weekend. Vandergriff said there is no prize money this weekend, and results may not mean anything.

Next weekend for the Rolex Reunion, there will be special awards of various kinds, and Judges will make those determinations. The types of awards and Judges are confidential at this point.

Among the displays in the paddock for the Rolex Reunion will be a tent devoted to the Gurney Eagles. The tent, located at the foot of the cross-over bridge in the paddock, will feature 26 cars. Saturday there will be a picnic with Dan and he will be interviewed by the legendary MURRAY WALKER, sometimes known as Muddly Talker.

Another display tent in the paddock near the Pit Lane is devoted to Lotus, for the Pre-Union weekend. On display will be six special Lotus cars: Elise, Elise Roger Becker limited edition, Evora Cup GT4, Evora road car, Exige 260, and Lotus 125 – the open-wheel car that’s for sale to private owners and which is part of Exos, the whole Lotus driving experience.

Bugatti will also have a display tent in the paddock, an for the Rolex Reunion, Porsche will have a display tent where Lotus is this weekend.

Among the ‘stars’ expected for the weekends are: PATRICK DEMPSEY, VIC ELFORD, STEFAN JOHANSSON, PARNELLI JONES, TOMMY KENDALL, JOHN MORTON, BOBBY RAHAL, SIR STIRLING MOSS, DANNY SULLIVAN, and Gurney. Gurney’s son, ALEX GURNEY, as well as DUNCAN DAYTON, will be honored guests at the Rolex dinner next weekend. Both Alex Gurney and Dayton are racing this weekend. Gurney and co-driver JON FOGARTY finished third in the Rolex Grand-Am Daytona Prototype race at Watkins Glen, and Dayton’s Highcroft Patron LMP team narrowly missed winning the American Le Mans Series at Mid-Ohio, with drivers DAVID BRABHAM and SIMON PAGENAUD.

All ten groups had a practice/qualifying session Saturday morning, leading up to an afternoon race, where hopefully the sun will break through the heavy overcast.

Among the familiar race cars at the inaugural Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival at Infineon Raceway this weekend was the lime green/navy blue 1971 Alfa Romeo GTV, with door-filling numbers. The iconic graphics began with STEVE GRISWOLD of Berkeley who originally started racing Alfa’s in the sixties, with #58 as his number. When Norman took over in 1970, he kept it all and has done ever since. Norman raced the Alfa for five years, before switching to Formula Atlantics in which he excelled. He was part of the group which formed the West Coast FA group, which later was merged with the East Coast group which then become the very famous and long-running Atlantic Series. After five years in Atlantics, Norman came back to his Alfa, which he raced in SCCA Club Racing, Trans-Am Under Two Liter class and some IMSA races. Norman is pleased that there are enough 2.5 Trans-Am cars this year to have their own class at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

Norman’s Alfa was one of 30 selected historic race cars to parade from the race track Saturday afternoon to downtown Sonoma to be displayed at a local winery as part of a Speedway Charities event. He started sixth in Sunday’s Group 6B Race for Historic Trans-Ams, in his 2000cc car, the smallest car in a field of thumpers mostly 4500-5000cc cars. He finished a credible eighth among the 31 car field. BRUCE CANEPA of Scotts Valley CA started second and chased Pole Sitter JIM HAGUE of Santa Clara CA. Canepa’s 1970 AMC Javelin blew an engine and he parked it in Turn Two. Hague led wire to wire in his 1972 Javelin. KEN EPSMAN of Saratoga CA, wearing a brand new driver’s suit after his really old one ran away from home, started twentieth in his slime green 1970 Dodge Challenger, and finished second.

Alfa Romeo is celebrating its hundredth year and there will be a big deal in Milan. In the United States, several vintage events including Portland and Seattle will feature the Alfa marque.

STEVE EARLE, Chairman of General Racing which put on this weekend’s event with the race track, raced his 1953 Jaguar C Type in Saturday’s Group 2A race for Sports Racing & GT Cars 1948-1955. Considering he didn’t have time to qualify and started next to last in a 34-car field, he finished well, in twelfth place. ROB MANSON of Barcelona Spain won the race in his 1952 Schaghiticoke Manning.

Earle sold his McLaren race car, but still has a 459 Corvette and a 1951 Chevy pickup.





Sunday’s weather was again warm, sunny and breezy at Infineon Raceway for the ‘First Annual Sonoma Motorsports Festival’ – an inaugural event – put on as a joint venture by STEVE EARLE’s General Racing and the race track. Saturday’s crowd was up over previous years when Earle ran the Wine Country Classic…which had a 24-year run.

Saturday’s seven Group A races went off, not exactly without hiccups, but no one was hurt. Sunday had six races, not seven as previously reported.

Sunday’s Group 1B was for Pre-War Sports and Racing Cars, 1914-1949. Among the group were two three-wheel Morgans, driven by LARRY AYERS of Vallejo (1930 Morgan Super Aero) and J.DALE BERRY of Westchester CA (1934 Morgan.) Ayers crafted a replica Morgan three-wheeler out of car parts as a gift for Earle. Along with Alfa Romeo, Morgan is celebrating its 100 years of racing. Ayers and Berry have been around for the last 20 years.

Earle was joking around with the two, saying they were the Pilot Fish in the 1B race, running in the shadows and alongside the much bigger Alfas in the group, some with almost four times the horsepower. Berry finished twenty-first (1300 cc), and Ayers ended up with a DNF (1084 cc). Ayers pitted once and got out to wrestle and tug with his right front wheel fender which he removed, before going back on course. The race was won by PETER GIDDINGS of Danville CA in his 3100 cc 1935 Alfa Romeo.

With just this one vintage race to conduct in 2010, Earle has more time now to work on ideas to make next year’s event more visual, having a better traffic flow in the paddock, and increasing participant camaraderie. “It’s a show!” Earle, who had to turn down 100 entries for this year, plans on cutting the entry for next year to allow for more driver track time. This year’s field ended up with 365 participants.

While Earle doesn’t yet know all the classes which will run next year, he does know that in 2011, there will be two groups each for Can-Am and F1.

One wrinkle that Earle has noticed and encouraged is what he calls ‘Daily Driver.’ There is a wide variety of beautifully restored alternative vehicles, for lack of a better word. This includes a 1963 Hot Rod VW Bus, 1938 Model Mac 350cc motorcycle, some kind of bullet-nosed vehicle from 2004 Burning Man, a 1939 Ford woody wagon, 1988 Citroen 2CV, an old Morris Minor panel wagon of sorts, a Little Deuce Coop, an early 1900′s nine-seater touring car to ‘See San Francisco on a Dime” complete with driver in period costume, and a 1911 Flying Merkel bicycle.

Earle confirmed that The Monterey Cup Phil Hill (perpetual) Trophy will be retired. A new Sonoma Cup (perpetual) trophy will be created and presented next year to this year’s winner. There also will be two Presentation/Performance awards, for Pre-War and Post-War. Earle will continue his practice of not awarding trophies for the top finishers in each class, but rather an award for Presentation/Performance. These will be presented Sunday night at the Prize Giving.