The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2017 was held August 17-20 at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, California. Enthusiasts savored four fantastic days of historic racing at the iconic track, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
A cornerstone of Monterey Classic Car Week, the Reunion brought more than 500 vintage race cars to life in their natural racing environment, divided into 15 groups according to age and engine capacity and chosen for their period-correct presentation. Formerly known as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races or Monterey Historics, the 2017 edition also honored the Diamond Jubilee of Formula Junior and 70 years of Ferrari.
The Formula Junior group continued its Diamond Jubilee World Tour with a huge outing of 64 Formula Junior entries across two separate run groups. Elsewhere in the paddock, 12 race cars pertinent to the history of Laguna Seca including the Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa that Pete Lovely drove to the overall victory at the track’s inaugural event in November 1957 were showcased in the Racing Through the Decades feature display.
The final day of racing that decided Rolex Race winners in the seven B run groups concluded with a special ceremony that crowned several award winners including one participant who earned the Spirit of Monterey Award with a specially-engraved Rolex stainless steel 18k Gold Daytona Cosmograph and a portrait of the race-winning Ferrari from the 1957 event by artist Bill Patterson. The award, given to the driver or entrant who excels in the spirit of the weekend, was fittingly given to a driver that had participated in the first event at the track in 1957 during a Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion that celebrated the 60th anniversary of Laguna Seca.
Dr. Lee Talbot, Ph.D, was bestowed with the honor. Competing in his 1967 Ginetta G4 sports car at age 87 with the same spry enthusiasm he had for motorsports six decades earlier, the accomplished racer and scholar in the field of environmental science from McLean, Virginia, demonstrated the passion that was tangible throughout the event.
The Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2017 featured several fan activities and special attractions. “Mr. Le Mans” Tom Kristensen made spirited exhibitions in an Audi R8 LMP1 and shared stories on the Paddock Showcase stage during the Picnic in the Paddock on Saturday. Two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen drove the same McLaren M23B that Emerson Fittipaldi had wheeled to the 1974 World Championship and engaged in a Q&A in the Paddock Showcase.
“What a wonderful weekend of spirited racing,” said Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s Gill Campbell. “Congratulations to Dr. Talbot and all of the race and award winners. We appreciate all the efforts that go into making this such a special event, and we are already planning for next year.”
For those making plans for the 2018 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, remember that the event takes place on August 23-26. The Reunion, along with all other major Monterey Classic Car Week activities, has been moved one week later from their traditional spots on the calendar to accommodate the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links August 13-19.
Similar to 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Sports Car Digest also documented the 2017 Monterey Reunion, with Senior Photographer Dennis Gray producing the following outstanding images from this year’s event.
Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2017 – Photo Gallery (photos: Dennis Gray)
Rick Rawlins – 1926 Bugatti 37A
Ed Archer – 1915 Ford Roadster
Richard Jeffery – 1935 Riley Special Brooklands
Ronald Stauber – 1939 Singer Nine
Charles Test – 1911 National Speedway Roadster
Jim Putnam – 1916 National AC
Gary Lucas – 1916 Ford Model T racer
Jim Putnam – 1916 National AC
Peter Giddings – 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza
Max Jamiesson – 1935 Ford Sprint Car
Timothy Mullin – 1946 Delage D6
Jamie Cleary – 1932 Studebaker Indianapolis
Chris MacAllister – 1938 ERA 14B
Greg Whitten – 1935 ERA Type B
Mark Sange – 1952 HWM Grand Prix Tasman
Jan Voboril – 1935 Alta Grand Prix
Alan de Cadenet – 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300MM Spider
Steve Walker – 1935 BMW 315/1 Willis Special
Max Jamiesson – 1935 Ford Sprint Car
Mark Sange – 1952 HWM Grand Prix Tasman
Dominic Dobson – 1961 Cooper Monaco Mk III
Rick Knoop – 1959 Echidna Special
Mike Fisher – 1959 Bocar XP5
Tony Wang – 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
Greg Whitten – Witton Special
Tony Wang – 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
Charles Nearburg – 1991 AAR/Toyota Eagle Mk 111 GTP
Lee Giannone – 1985 Porsche 962
Terry Cowan – 1960 Austin Healey Sebring Sprite Coupe
Ned Spieker – 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB
Mike Leicester – 1958 Victress C2 Coupe
Robert Bodin – 1958 Ferrari Tour De France
Ranson Webster – 1961 Porsche Abarth Carerra
Max Jamiesson – 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster
Marc Nichols – 1960 Kieft F-Jr.
Robert Merrill – 1959 BMC Formula Junior
Hugh Ruthven – 1959 Bandini FJ
John Kerr – 1932 Miller Scofield
Joseph Colasacco – 1959 Stanguellini FJ
Hugh Ruthven – 1959 Bandini FJ
Jack Fitzpatrick – 1960 Lotus 18
Jimmy Domingos – 1960 Cooper T52 Formula Junior
Don Ahearn – 1967 Porsche 911S
Andy Prill – 1969 Porsche 911
Gunnar Jeannette – 1964 Abarth Simca 2 Mila Corsa
Roger Andriesse – 1965 Lotus Cortina
Kevin Adair – 1962 MG B
Andre Lara Resende – 1965 Alfa Romeo TZ
Tony Wang – 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
Gunnar Jeannette – 1966 Porsche Carrera 6
Brian Blain – 1916 Auburn-Sturtivant Special
Bruce McCaw – 1929 Bentley 4.5 liter LeMans
Leif Jacobsen – 1934 MG NA Magnette
Gary Lucas – 1916 Ford Model T racer
Greg Powell – 1935 Riley-Ford Single Seat Champ Car
Charles Test – 1911 National Speedway Roadster
George Wingard – 1920 Ballot
Pete Thelander – 1934 MG NE
Charles Test – 1911 National Speedway Roadster
George Wingard – 1920 Ballot
Rick Rawlins – 1926 Bugatti 37A
Chris MacAllister – 1938 ERA 14B
Hans Hugenholtz – 1950 Talbot 26C
Steve Walker – 1935 BMW 315/1 Willis Special
U. Daniel Ghose – 1933 Maserati 4CM
Ivan Zaremba – 1935 Railton Light Sport Tourer
Jamie Cleary – 1932 Studebaker Indianapolis
Jan Voboril – 1935 Alta Grand Prix
Mark Sange – 1952 HWM Grand Prix Tasman
Peter Giddings – 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza
Alan de Cadenet – 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300MM Spider
Chris MacAllister – 1938 ERA 14B
Erickson Shirley – 1959 Lister Costin
David Swig – 1958 Scarab Mk I
Jonathan Feiber – 1960 Maserati Tipo 61
Nick Colonna – 1958 Devin SS
Robert Kauffman – 1959 Lister Corvette Costin Prototype
Al Arciero – 1958 Lister Knobbly
Dyke Ridgley – 1960 Chaparral I
Greg Meyer – 1959 Sadler MK4
David Swig – 1958 Scarab Mk I
Steve Schmidt – 1976 Porsche 935K3
Cameron Healy – 1970 Porsche 908/3
Reginald Howell-1967 Porsche 910
Yukinori Suzuki – 1966 Porsche 906
R. Gray Gregory – 1969 Chevron B16
Stephen Thein – 1967 Porsche 910
Chris MacAllister – 1972 Mirage M6
Tonis Kasemets – 1967 Alfa Romeo T33/2.5 Daytona
Cameron Healy – 1970 Porsche 908/3
Kaid Marouf-1970 Chevron B16
Tom Dooley-1988 Porsche 962 Group C
Lee Giannone – 1985 Porsche 962
Ranson Webster – 1961 Porsche Abarth Carerra
Steve Schmidt – 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster
Cove Britton-1964 Jaguar E-Type
Sandra McNeil-1963 Shelby Cobra 289
Jim Wiessenborn-1959 Byer’s CR90 MG Special
Ned Spieker – 1957 Maserati 200SI
Charles McCabe-1956 Cooper T39 BobTail
Jay Embree-1954 Lotus Mk.VI
Stan Anderes – 1956 Lotus Eleven Le Mans
Stan Anderes – 1956 Lotus Eleven Le Mans
Tom Trabue-1958 Porsche 550A
Cameron Healy – 1953 Porsche Cooper Pooper
Steve Schuler – 1991 Ford Roush IMSA GTO Mustang
Gordon Johnson – 1991 IMSA GTO Olds Cutlass Supreme
Michael Haemmig – 1988 Chevrolet Corvette
George Krass IV-1986 Chevrolet Camaro
John Goodman – 1988 Protofab Corvette
Bill Ockerlund – 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
Chris Liebenberg-1991 Ford Mustang
Robert Hardison – 1990 Oldsmobile
Philip Mendelovitz – 1989 Nissan 240sx
Ned Spieker – 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB
Jim Gallucci – 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
Paul Freestone – 1962 Austin Healey BN4
Steve Schmidt – 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster
Gary Goeringer – 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Chris Liebenberg – 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Tom O’Grady – 1959 Stanguellini Formula Junior
Chris Drake – 1961 Elva 300
Mark Sange – 1959 BMC Huffaker FJ
Olga Neulist Reindlova – 1969 Porsche 911
Patrick Byrne – 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA Corsa 1600
Patrick Long – 1968 Porsche 911TR
Steve Walker – 1965 BMW 1800 Ti
Lorne Leibel – 1965 Cobra 289
David Hinton – 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB
Kyle Kelley-1966 Chevrolet Corvette 427
Bob Hardison – 1958 Echidna Special
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