September 10, 2002
by Michael T. Lynch

In last week’s episode, we delineated the history of what is known as the Pebble Beach weekend. We pointed out that the action really begins with Steve Earle’s non-spectator “Pre-Historic” vintage races at Laguna Seca the weekend before the Monterey Historics and the Pebble Beach Concours. During the following main weekend, Christie’s, RM and Bonham’s mount three major auctions and Italian car fans spend Friday at the Concorso Italiano at the Quail Lodge.

Despite the smell of money that permeates the week, lodging can be found in the surrounding area at all price levels. Many people put together groups and rent houses for the week, providing much more for their lodging dollar. They begin to arrive on Tuesday when the rental cycle begins. The best source of home rentals in all price ranges is the San Carlos Agency in Carmel.

The real movin’ and shakin’, networking and renewal of old friendships takes place at a multitude of private gatherings during the period the Monterey Peninsula is veritably taken over by collector cars. Here are a few that caught your scribe’s attention, sorted by day.

Tuesday
The two-day Peninsula Rally begins at the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley. VP Lawson Little says, “It’s good friends, good food and a good drive for a good cause.” Participants get to see parts of the area outsiders might never find unless guided to them. Tuesday features a tour of Monterey Peninsula locations with a coastal route on Wednesday. One participant remarked, “This place is plumb et up with scenery.” Cars were as varied as a Ferrari Barchetta, a vintage Rolls, a Mexican Road Race Packard, a pair of C-Type Jaguars and a Volkswagen transporter. Ben Pon of the Bernardus Lodge and Ferrari collector Michael Kandoorie, Chairman of the Quail Lodge’s parent company are hosts, guaranteeing the highest level of consumables. Since they and other sponsors cover costs, there’s plenty left over for charity according to Little, “We can cut a nice check to impact something local. That’s the neat thing.”

Wednesday
For several years, the social kickoff for the weekend, and the week’s most coveted invitation has been Gordon McCall’s party at the Monterey airport. Today McCall runs businesses related to detailing and car care products, but back in the 1970s, he was a volunteer at the Pebble Beach Concours. He fondly remembers the old Thursday night parties that united Pebble Beach entrants and the volunteers that made the show possible. As the Concours grew, that party became impossible to mount and Gordon tried to replace its camaraderie with an event of his own. His party, a mélange of displays of contemporary business jets, World War II warbirds and vintage cars draws the biggest slice of the A list during the week and is also know for its fine local food and wine. The gathering benefits the California Highway Patrol’s 11-99 Foundation and the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. Like many events at Monterey, Gordon’s party took on a life of its own in the past, and this year’s guest list was cut back by more than 50%. The result was positive and many of Gordon’s guests were complimentary of the new format.

From multi-World Sports Car Championship class winner to Olympic skeet shooter to award-winning vintner and hotelier, Ben Pon has done it all. Besides hosting many connected with Monterey week, Pon drove his old Abarth Carrera, now owned by Dean Watts, at the Monterey Historics. After problems in practice, Watts substituted a Carrera Speedster so Pon could make the show. Credit: Bernardus

Thursday
On the Thursday, many Pebble Beach entrants take part in Tour of the Monterey Peninsula. If the tour takers are involved in a tie in class on Sunday, the car that participated in the tour takes preference. This was the fifth year for the fifty-mile drive which takes allows the public in Pacific Grove, Monterey, Carmel and Carmel Valley to see these great cars on the road without paying $100 on Sunday.

At the end of the Tour, Winston Goodfellow, America’s resident expert on all things having to do with post-war Italian cars had a gathering at his office in Carmel. Designers were well represented, including Lorenzo Ramaciotti, Head of Design at Pininfarina, Andrea Zagato, holding the same post at his eponymous firm and Chuck Jordan, former Head of Design at General Motors and a known Ferrari fan. Also out in force were the Editors of Forza (Jackie Jouret), Excellence (Pete Stout) and Sports Car International (Eric Gustafson). San Francisco’s exclusive Bohemian Club has a “camp” on the Russian River where heads of state sometimes gather in their underwear by campfires to drink and roast marshmallows. Referring to this, Winston said of Monterey Week, “This is the Bohemian Grove with cars.”

Just to show that Monterey week isn't all cars for some people, Age and Treachery Racing's Dick Carlson bummed a ride in a P-51 Mustang. Credit: ATR

A traditional Thursday Bar-B-Q catering to those in the Ferrari world is held in Seaside. It has been co-hosted in the past by Wayne Obry and Bob Smith, two of the country’s best-known Ferrari restorers. The theme was a cookoff, with Smith’s Texas group providing ribs and Obry’s Wisconsinites bringing bratwurst. It was cancelled last year because of the workload involved with multiple Pebble Beach entries, but was revived again by the Wisconsin side. Those who have been to the races at Elkhart Lake always remember the bratwurst. They’re made by Usinger’s in Milwaukee, and that’s what Obry brings with him from home. That alone is reason to show up. The elite of the Ferrari collectors, restorers and writers are a bonus.

Friday
The night before the first day of racing saw the social scene reach its height. Peter Read, the financier of Zagato DB7, had a do at his exquisite house on the Seventeen Mile Drive. Guests included Ardrea Zagato, designer of the car, Aston and Ford brass and several people associated with Aston racing efforts around the world. The food was in keeping and the ambiance was good enough that some compared it to the legendary Aston team parties in the days of David Brown.

Out in Carmel Valley, a beautiful French country house with an appropriate garden and hidden behind a magnificent hedge of Monterey Cypress was the meeting place for many in the Ferrari world. Jill Bachman and Donovan Leyden, long-time Ferrari concours judge and entrant greeted Ferrari personalities such as Luigi Chinetti’s old right hand man, Dick Fritz. Also on hand was historian Alan Boe and Chief Pebble Beach Judge Ed Gilbertson and his wife, Sherry Lindberg. Enjoying the hospitality were competitors at both the races and concours and high officers of the Ferrari Club of America.

One way to get invited: Journalists head for their mounts at the new Mercedes E-Class introduction at Bernardus. Their drive will take them down the coast through Big Sur and back inland, returning along the Eastern reaches of Carmel Valley road. The author stands next to "his" E500 in the foreground. Credit: MBNA

Bernardus is the given first name of Ben Pon, a former Porsche factory driver who went on to represent Holland as a skeet shooter in the Munich Olympics after he retired from racing. The name now graces both Pon’s resort in Carmel Valley and one of the best wineries in the region. The resort was the setting for a Rolex party honoring Danny Sullivan. Fellow drivers included some from the fifties like Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby and Dan Gurney, and more from Danny’s own era like Bobby Rahal. After a highlight film of Danny’s career including his memorable “spin and win” effort at Indianpolis, Sullivan fielded questions. Everyone was interested in Sully’s efforts to direct young Americans onto the F1 ladder, especially Gurney who is promoting son Alex’s career. The departing crowd argued about whether Bernardus’ wine or food was more memorable.

In the next installment, Monterey week comes to a climax on Saturday and Sunday, but some people still don't want to go home.