Monterey Week #25

Bugatti

Driving out of Carmel by the Sea after my annual trek to Monterey Car Week is always a bit of a let down. The streets are no longer lined with eye candy, except for a lingering exotic like the Bugatti pictured above. And it wasn’t an original, albeit a very nice Pur Sang Argentina built car.

This was my 25th year attending car heaven on the Monterey Peninsula.

My schedule was non-stop from the moment I landed in San Jose. A visit to John Mozart’s collection where I saw Dirk Layer, then stopping at Cars Yeah guest Bruce Canepa’s, and on to Automobilia in Seaside. And that was from noon and before dinner on day one. On Thursday I was at the Pebble Beach Tour at 6:00 AM, then friends for breakfast in Carmel, on to a private party with Rob Dickinson and his Singer Vehicle Design, RetroAuto where I saw guests Tony Singer, and Marshal Buck, Laguna Seca, the Hagerty party at The Lodge where I spoke with guest Keith Martin, Dinner with my friends and Cars Yeah guests from Suixtil, Vincent Metais and Lisa Smith. Oh yeah, more auctions.

And it wasn’t even Friday yet!

Friday brought the Werks Reunion where I saw Cars Yeah guests Vu Nguyen, Cam Ingram, TJ Grewal, Nicolas Hunziker, Steven Anderson and Dwight Knowlton. Dinner at Tarpy’s, auctions and meeting up with more Cars Yeah guests. Met up with Andy Cohen and his son Kevin, past Cars Yeah Guest on their way to the Lodge. Saturday was Tom McDowell’s Concorso Italiano day with over a dozen past Cars Yeah guests plus a few I met who will be on the show soon. Next a late afternoon AFAS party on the 18th Green and two-time guest Harold Cleworth and others and then dinner with friends. Dare I say more auctions?

Late to bed and the alarm rings at 3:45 AM on Sunday morning.

While standing on Ocean and Delores in Carmel by the Sea, at 4:30 AM, a local officer rolls up and asks if I need help. “A ride to Pebble Beach would be nice!” I say. His reply… “You crazy car people.” One of the Rolls Royce judges and Cars Yeah Guest Diane Brandon rolls up right on cue and off we go, putting us on to the 18th green at 4:47 AM for the Hagerty Dawn Patrol and our cherished cap. It was bright red this year to commemorate Ferrari. So cool.

Did I mention I have every Dawn Patrol cap? Thank you guest McKeel Hagerty and crew.

Pebble was outstanding and one of those rare, no fog mornings with a glorious sunrise and long shadows. Spectacular! Cars Yeah guests Sandra Button and Derek Hill did a wonderful job. I saw dozens more Cars Yeah guests and met many more who will be on the show in the future. What a delight.

Yes is was car week, but more than ever it was people week.

Thirty eight days till the Rennsport Reunion and back to the Monterey Peninsula. Did I say I love cars?