This view at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca greeted the drivers in Group 1B Sunday morning of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Somewhere in one of those photos are the Group 1A cars. A lower than usual fog enveloped the track, and as it’s wont to do, it shape shifted. Eventually, after 35 minutes, visibility increased to allow cars on course.
Sunday has eight B Race Groups, with Maserati Corral Parade Laps and VIP Hot Laps during the Lunch Break, and the Awards Ceremonies following the last checkered flag.
To brighten up your day, here are some photos of sunnier times.
Thursday night on Italian Island was the annual Welcome Party and this time it was ‘La Dolce Vita’ – all things Italian … within reason. All Reunion participants were invited, and even someone with Consul license plates enjoyed the evening of Italian food and music.
A restored gondola was available for photo ops, and seizing this opportunity for fun and games, Gill Campbell, President/CEO of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca played at being gondolier, for her predecessor, Scott Atherton and wife. Atherton has long since with with IMSA and now the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship as IMSA President and COO.
Enjoying his very first vintage race at Laguna Seca was all-around veteran racer, Scott Pruett, who is now running in the TUDOR series. In the past, there was always a racing conflict which kept him from attending this weekend.
I got a look Thursday night at the Emergency Crew helmet signed by Sir Jackie Stewart when the Pebble Beach Tour did its Parade Laps around the famed 2.238-mile elevated road course. Not one to seek autographs, friends and relatives of Karen Crew gave the helmet to Stewart to sign for Cantu. He told her that he wasn’t personalizing the autograph, as “it was more valuable with just his signature.” Cantu said she would never sell it, and Stewart joked “But your kids might.”
