2009 Monterey Historic Automobile Races - Saturday Results and Photos

The 2009 Monterey Historic Automobile Races were held August 15th and 16th at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

The 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is nestled among the hills between Monterey and Salinas and features among its 11 turns the signature Corkscrew, which drops five stories from its entrance to the challenging hairpin turn that follows it.

“Cars Are the Stars” at the Monterey Historics and this year was no different. Now 36 years old, the event 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.”

Of 450 entrants, one-third of those were Porsches, which was this year’s Featured Marque. And unlike other events where spectators might be separated from stars who take the stage, crowds of car lovers milled through the 30 acre paddock area, chatting with owners and drivers; watching mechanics tinker; swapping insight with other enthusiasts and parting like the Red Sea when another engine revved up, on its way to take position on the grid.

Racing for eight of 15 groups took place on Saturday, with classes that included crowd favorite Ferraris, Porsches, Scarab and other 1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars, FIA Mfg. Championship Cars and IMSA GTP. Sir Stirling Moss was in the Group 5A field racing a 1960 Lola Mk I.

Sports Car Digest was fortunate to have photographer Dennis Gray at the track the entire weekend to document the Monterey Historics. To see more of Gray’s work, visit www.dennisgrayphotographer.com.

(Click here for Sunday’s results and photos)

2009 Monterey Historics Saturday Results and Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture)

Group 1A – 1904-1940 Sporting Cars

1. 1924 Ford T Barber-Warnock, Jan Voboril, Topanga, CA
2. 1935 Austin 7 Special, Mark Sange, Bolinas, CA
3. 1926 Frazer Nash Boulogne, John Kerridge, Del Mar, CA

Bruce McCaw - 1924 Bentley 4 1/2 Liter. This combination through turn one Andretti Hairpin was great fun to watch — Bruce McCaw – 1924 Bentley 4 1/2 Liter. This combination through turn one Andretti Hairpin was great fun to watch

Ed Archer - 1915 Ford Model T — Ed Archer – 1915 Ford Model T

Mark Sange in his jewel-like 1935 blown Austin 7 Special

Group 2A – 1925-1949 Racing & Sporting Cars

1. 1934 ERA, Paddins Dowling, Mill Valley, CA
2. 1939 Maserati 4CL, Mark Gilles, Ann Arbor, MI
3. 1935 Alfa Romeo 8C-35, Peter Giddings, Danville, CA

Class winner Paddins Dowling - 1934 ERA — Class winner Paddins Dowling – 1934 ERA

Jon Shirley's 1932 Alfa Romeo P3 leads Mark Gilllies' 1939 Maserati 4CL in turn one — Jon Shirley’s 1932 Alfa Romeo P3 leads Mark Gilllies’ 1939 Maserati 4CL in turn one

With just a touch of understeer Joseph Freeman's 1938 Sparks-Thorne Little Six comes into turn one — With just a touch of understeer Joseph Freeman’s 1938 Sparks-Thorne Little Six comes into turn one

Patrick Phinny - 1930 Ford Gilmore Lyon Spl. — Patrick Phinny – 1930 Ford Gilmore Lyon Spl.

Group 3A – 1948-1955 Sports Racing & GT Cars Under 1500cc

1. 1950 Porsche 550 Spyder, Bill Perrone, Huntington Beach, CA
2. 1954 Maserati A6GCS, Spencer Trenery, Emeryville, CA
3. 1954 Maserati A6GCS, Dean Meiling, Incline Village, NV

Spencer Trenery Maserati A6GCS leads Dean Meiling's Maserati A6GCS into turn 8 — Spencer Trenery Maserati A6GCS leads Dean Meiling’s Maserati A6GCS into turn 8

Michael Jacobson - 1951 MG N Magnette Special — Michael Jacobson – 1951 MG N Magnette Special

Charles Forge - 1949 Porsche 356SL — Charles Forge – 1949 Porsche 356SL

Group 4A – 1955-1961 GT Cars Under 2200cc

1. Morgan +4, Doug Sallen, Monterey, CA
2. 1961 Porsche 356B, Ned Bacon, Minden, NV
3. 1960 Porsche Abarth GTL, Ranson Webster, Reno, NV

Ranson Webster - 1960 Porsche Abarth GTL — Ranson Webster – 1960 Porsche Abarth GTL

Kaid Marouf - 1960 Alfa Romeo SZ1 — Kaid Marouf – 1960 Alfa Romeo SZ1

Group 5A – 1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars Under 2000cc

1. 1960 Piranha Sports Racer, Frank Zucchi, Livermore, CA
2. 1959 Lola Mk I, Chris Orosco, Monterey, CA
3. 1956 Lotus Eleven, Ed Nigro, Las Vegas, NV

Class winner Frank Zucchi - 1960 Piranha — Class winner Frank Zucchi – 1960 Piranha

Sir Stirling Moss - 1960 Lola Mk I. “It is a car I never raced before I retired,” he said. “I actually drove it afterward, but I can tell you that it is much faster now than it ever was when it was new. I’m really only using third and fourth gear; it really accelerates well out of the slow corners.” — Sir Stirling Moss – 1960 Lola Mk I. “It is a car I never raced before I retired,” he said. “I actually drove it afterward, but I can tell you that it is much faster now than it ever was when it was new. I’m really only using third and fourth gear; it really accelerates well out of the slow corners.”

Bill Lyon - 1960 Porsche RS-60 — Bill Lyon – 1960 Porsche RS-60

Class winner Frank Zucchi 1960 Piranha leads Ole Anderson's 1959 Byers Volvo — Class winner Frank Zucchi 1960 Piranha leads Ole Anderson’s 1959 Byers Volvo

Cris Orosco - 1959 Lola Mk I — Cris Orosco – 1959 Lola Mk I

Group 6A – 1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars Over 2500cc

1. 1958 Scarab Mk I, Rob Walton, Paradise Valley, AZ
2. 1958 Lotus 15, Don Orosco, Monterey, CA
3. 1957 Monsterati Special, David Swig, Sausalito, CA

Jon Shirley - 1957 Ferrari 250 TR — Jon Shirley – 1957 Ferrari 250 TR

Bob Hardison - 1958 Echidna Special — Bob Hardison – 1958 Echidna Special

Butch Gilbert - 1959 Hagemann Sutton Special — Butch Gilbert – 1959 Hagemann Sutton Special

William L'Anson - 1956/59 Aston Martin DB3S — William L’Anson – 1956/59 Aston Martin DB3S

Desire Wilson - 1952 Glocker Porsche — Desire Wilson – 1952 Glocker Porsche

Bruce McCaw - 1958 Ferrari 335 Sport — Bruce McCaw – 1958 Ferrari 335 Sport

Jonathan Feiber - 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage — Jonathan Feiber – 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage

Chris Cox - 1958 Ferrari 250TR — Chris Cox – 1958 Ferrari 250TR

Gary Pearson - 1955 Jaguar D-Type — Gary Pearson – 1955 Jaguar D-Type

Carl Moore - 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 'Birdcage' — Carl Moore – 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’

Don Orosco - 1958 Lotus 15 — Don Orosco – 1958 Lotus 15

David Love - 1958 Ferrari 250TR — David Love – 1958 Ferrari 250TR

Steve Hilton - 1958 Lister Jaguar — Steve Hilton – 1958 Lister Jaguar

Gary Pearson's 1955 Jaguar D-Type leads the 1954 Jaguar D-Type of Terry Larson — Gary Pearson’s 1955 Jaguar D-Type leads the 1954 Jaguar D-Type of Terry Larson

Bob Baker - 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder — Bob Baker – 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder

Lou Sellyei - 1958 Ferrari 250TR — Lou Sellyei – 1958 Ferrari 250TR

Gregory Whitten - 1957 Aston Martin DBR2 — Gregory Whitten – 1957 Aston Martin DBR2

Group 7A – 1964-1971 FIA Mfg. Championship Cars

1. 1971 Porsche 908/3, Brian Redman, Vero Beach, FL
2. 1969 Porsche 917K, Bruce Canepa, Scotts Valley, CA
3. 1969 Porsche 917K, Gijs Van Lennep, Holmdel, NJ