Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
This year for the first time since the inaugural Monterey Historics in 1974, the featured marque was not a car manufacturer but a racing series, IMSA, which turns fifty this year.
Various races and demonstrations were celebrating that anniversary, as well as a display of historic IMSA race cars and a paddock stage where legendary drivers like Hurley Haywood shared stories during Q&A sessions.
It is also remarkable that the driver who won the first IMSA race held at the Monterey track in 1974 joined the celebration by taking part in one of the races. Elliott Forbes-Robinson, now 75, drove his 1995 6 liter Riley & Scott prototype in Race 7A for IMSA prototypes.
Many races were celebrating the 50th anniversary of IMSA, such as Race 5A for IMSA GT, GTX, GTU and AAGT cars of the 1973-1981 period. Brian Redman himself is at the wheel of the 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL, seen here at the top of the Corkscrew taking the inside of a 1980 Triumph TR8.
In the same race, the Porsche 935 K3/80 of Charles Nearburg is second behind Bruce Canepa. This car was fifth at the 1980 Le Mans 24 hours with Fitzpatrick/Redman /Barbour.
Another 935 K3 entered at Le Mans in 1980 for Stommelen/Plankenhorn/Ikuzawa (DNF). It is here driven to 7th place by longtime owner Ranson Webster of Reno, Nevada.
Race 7A for Prototypes saw this 1984 Lancia Martini LC2 Group C, driven by Zak Brown, who is incidentally CEO of McLaren Racing.
A new addition this year was the 1983-2016 Masters Endurance Legends race which welcomed the short-lived Mirage M12, banished from the 1982 Le Mans 24 Hours for obscure reasons.
The 1999 BMW V12 LMR of BMW official driver Bill Auberlen won that 26 lap race. The V12 LMR took the only overall win of BMW at Le Mans exactly twenty years ago.
But this is the Audi R8 which will remain one of the most successful sports cars, having won Le Mans five times in a six year period, in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.
In the same race, the Ferrari 550 Maranello GT1 of Swiss driver Steve Zacchia finished 6th and first of the GT cars. Zacchia drove this car in period in the Le Mans Series in Europe.
Start of the GT cars race at the Pre-Reunion.
A Fiat modified by Abarth. No information on this car as it was not listed on the entry list.
Entered by the Miles Collier Collection, this Alfa Romeo GTZ # 750052 won the 1600 GT class at the Sebring 12 hours in 1964, entered by Scuderia Sant’Ambroeus from Milano, Italy.
A pair of Porsche 356 Speedsters and an Alfa Romeo GTA 1600.
1965 Alfa Romeo GTA and a1960 Austin Healey Sebring Sprite.
Nice presentation for the team of two Nationals entered in group 1A for 1927-1951 Racing cars.
Prewar racing cars collector George Wingard entered the 1911 14.2-litre Fiat S74 Grand Prix car. This car won the 1912 American GP.
Daniel Ghose took fifth place with his 1933 Maserati 4CM.
1928 Bugatti Type 37A of Luca Maciucescu.
Dutchman Hans Hugenholtz took second place with the 1950 Talbot-Lago T26C owned by Peter Mullin.
It is not often that one of the six Delage 1500 Grand Prix cars is seen racing. This one was entered by Frenchman Paul-Emile Bessade.
March, Lotus, Arrows, all names that have now disappeared from the modern Grand Prix starting grids but not from the 1966-1985 Masters Historic F1 field. Victory went to the 1982 Lotus 91/5 # 12 of Gregory Thornton.
Grid 2A for 1955-1961 Sports Racing cars presented a strong line-up with fifty cars entered. The 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage of Jonathan Feiber is a Monterey Reunion regular…
…as is Chris MacAllister with his 1955 Jaguar D-Type # XKD502.
250 TR or 290 MM ? The identity of this Ferrari is subject to debate.
In the Corskrew on Saturday and on the Pebble Beach lawn on Sunday. This 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza # 0510M, entered by Patrick Ottis and driven here by his son Tazio, was surely the sole car to be entered in both events.
Race 6A was for 1963-1966 GT cars over 2500cc. Gunnar Jeannette took 6th place with the Ferrari 250 LM # 6217 from the Miles Collier Collection.
1966 Bizzarrini GT America.
Steve Park (#97) and Tim Park (#91) with their respective Shelby Cobra 289s prepare to go down the Corkscrew.
Some circuits have a turn or an iconic place, like at Spa “L’eau Rouge”, Nurburgring “The Carousel”, Le Mans “Les Hunaudières” and Laguna Seca has “The Corkscrew”.
Beautiful photos on this unique circuit and mithic, with cars themselves unique that have maked the History of motorsport.
Thanks to Hug for all the splendid reporting in Monterey and Pebble Beach.