35^th Anniversary Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races - To commemorate the event, a variety of featured marques from the past 34 Monterey Historic races will be recognized during the weekend of exciting and highly competitive races; and legendary driver Mario Andretti will be the official guest of honor.

35^th Anniversary Rolex Monterey Historic
Automobile Races
The Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Toyota will celebrate its 35th anniversary this year by celebrating highlights from the event’s illustrious past.  The event will take place on August 15-17 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and will salute the Alfa Romeo, which was the first marque to be featured at the Historics in 1975.

To commemorate the event, a variety of featured marques from the past 34 Monterey Historic races will be recognized during the weekend of exciting and highly competitive races.  Legendary driver Mario Andretti will be the official guest of honor for the event. 

“We are extremely pleased to have Mario Andretti join us at the Rolex Monterey Historic this year. He is a living legend for all of us, and we’ll join together to celebrate the anniversary of his winning the World Championship in 1978,” said Steve Earle, President of General Racing Ltd., the event founder and organizer.

Earle went on to add, “With great cars like the Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Mille Miglia, the star of our second event back in 1975, returning; with the 1908 Grand Prix Mercedes racing in it’s 100th year; with Historic Trans-Am cars, barely retired when the event began, and racing as close as ever; with the presentation of past Monterey Cup winners; the Toyota “Race of Legends”; the Ferrari Historic Challenge; autograph sessions; and enhanced Consumer Expo, I believe that fans will find this an event they will long remember.”

Andretti, who is widely considered the most accomplished driver in motorsports history, will participate in a variety of events throughout the weekend, including driving a few demonstration laps in his Formula One Championship winning Lotus 79 and autograph sessions both Friday and Saturday.  Today, he remains the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 (1969), the Daytona 500 (1967), and the Formula One World Championship (1978).

“The Rolex Monterey Historic is the premier historic auto racing event in the country,” said Andretti.  “I am pleased to be a part of these festivities and look forward to spending time with fans and enthusiasts from across the country who travel to Monterey for this wonderful event.  Laguna Seca has always been one of my favorite tracks.  For a driver, it’s a truly technical and challenging course that provides immense satisfaction.  For a spectator, it’s phenomenal because of the many vantage points to watch the action.”

Award-Winning Rolex “Moments in Time” Display
Rolex will present their award-winning Motor Sports History Display “Moments in Time” honoring the singular achievement of a car and driver in racing history.  The display, which won a 2006 Silver Event Design Award, is each year highly anticipated by enthusiasts who can experience these wonderful automobiles first-hand.

Highlighting the display is the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Mille Miglia Spyder that Phil Hill drove to first place in the Del Monte Trophy Race in 1951 at Pebble Beach.  Hill and the Mille Miglia Spyder have a long history, as he drove the Spyder again during the second Monterey Historic Automobile Races in 1975 where he took the checkered flag. 

Hill sold the car in 1951 and over half a century later, the car is now fully restored back to its original 1938 specifications and race trim and is part of fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s collection.  The car is one of four made and came second in the Mille Miglia in 1938.

Hill is well-known internationally for becoming the first American to win the Formula One World Drivers Championship in 1961, the ultimate competition in all of motorsports.  For 17 years he stood alone with that title and today shares the title of World Champion with only one other American, Mario Andretti.

Hill has a particularly close relationship with the Monterey Historic, having been raised in California, racing in the early days through the nearby forest at Pebble Beach.  Establishing his credentials as a champion driver and a consummate car enthusiast, he raced and showed his cars with equal passion.  Coming out of retirement to drive his old Alfa Romeo 8C-2900 for then owner Brooks Stevens in 1975, Hill thrilled the fans and won the hearts of all of the participants.  He was elevated from “hero” to “a real car guy” and has attended numerous events since that time.  In 1984, the name of the event’s major award, “The Pebble Beach Cup”, was changed to “The Monterey Cup - The Phil Hill Trophy.”

Additional historic automobiles featured in the “Moments in Time” display will include the 1908 Grand Prix Mercedes owned by former Oregon State Senator and vintage racer George Wingard, and the 1927 Delage Grand Prix of the Collier Collection in Florida.

Formula One and Formula Junior
Formula Junior, the original “support series” for Formula One, will also be taking part in the festivities by celebrating its 50th anniversary through its Golden Jubilee series.  Monterey serves as the Series’ fourth stop, with the Series taking place across the globe in New Zealand [Pukekohe], Australia [Philip Island], Europe [Monza, Brands Hatch GP and Nurburgring], USA West Coast [Monterey], USA East Coast [Lime Rock],  with the grand finale in South Africa [Killarney].

Historic Formula One cars from 1967-1978 will be one of the fourteen groups take part in race activities throughout the weekend.

International Field of Drivers Vie for $25,000 Charitable Donation
Some of the most respected former Formula One (F1) drivers are ready to go wheel-to-wheel in this year’s Toyota Race of Legends at the 35th annual Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, presented by Toyota. In addition to good-natured bragging rights, these drivers are looking to secure a $25,000 check that will be donated to the winner’s selected charity. The Toyota Race of Legends is an exciting feature of the Monterey Historics taking place August 15-17 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and is the centerpiece of Toyota’s Celebration of History showcase.

Derek Bell (Britain) returns to defend last year’s inaugural win against an impressive lineup of F1 veterans looking to unseat him. Joining Bell on the starting grid will be Eddie Cheever (U.S.), Johnny Herbert (Britain), Jean-Pierre Jarier (France), 1980 World Champion Alan Jones (Australia), Danny Sullivan (U.S.), Patrick Tambay (France) and John Watson (Britain).

Adding to the race excitement will be Alain de Cadenet (Britain) of SPEED TV and former 24 Hours of Le Mans driver, who will provide fans and television viewers with a driver’s-eye race commentary from inside the cockpit. The tenth and final car will be driven by a charity auction winner held among Monterey Historics race participants. The winning bid last year was $16,100 and benefited the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Practice for the Toyota Race of Legends is Friday, August 15 and the eight lap race is Saturday, August 16. The starting grid will be determined by a random drawing that is overseen by a special surprise celebrity guest, who will also be calling the race.

Last year, Bell split his $25,000 winner’s donation equally between the U.K.-based national cancer charity Hope for Tomorrow and the Florence Fuller Foundation based in Boca Raton, Fla.

“This is an amazing group of drivers who have experienced the thrills of racing in the pinnacle of motorsports,” explains Kim McCullough, corporate manager for marketing communications of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. “It is a thrill to have them come together to race for charity, sign autographs and share their experiences with the fans. It’s not everyday you meet such a distinguished group of drivers.”

The legends will tackle legendary Laguna Seca in identical race-equipped Scion tC sport coupes. These high-performance tCs feature a 2.4-liter, 215-horsepower supercharged engine and are well matched to the track’s sweeping turns, uphill straightaway and challenging corkscrew.  

Driving in the Toyota Race of Legends are:

Derek Bell – Five-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1975, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987), Bell is a two-time World Sportscar Champion (1986 and 1987). He had nine starts in Formula One driving for Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees and Tecno.

Eddie Cheever – Making his F1 debut at the age of 20, Cheever raced in 132 F1 races, a record for an American driver, before turning his attention toward the CART World Series in 1990. Cheever started 14 Indy 500 races and captured the checkered flag in dramatic fashion in 1998.

Johnny Herbert – Finishing an impressive fourth in his first F1 race in 1989, Herbert went on to start in 161 races, compiling three wins and seven podium finishes. He was a popular fixture at Benetton, Sauber, Stewart, Tyrrell and Lotus, and has enjoyed success by winning at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Jean-Pierre Jarier – Spanning 11 years and 143 races in his F1 career, Jarier was regularly scoring points and podium finishes, driving for such teams as March, Ligier, Shadow and Tyrrell from 1971 to 1983. “Jumper” Jarier also successfully raced sports cars after retiring from F1. 

Alan Jones – The 1980 F1 World Champion for Williams, Jones captured 12 career wins and 24 podium finishes during his nine-year career. Following F1, Jones raced in the Australian Touring Car Championship and became an F1 commentator for Australian TV.

Danny Sullivan – Perhaps best known for his 17 wins in the CART World Series, capped by the 1988 championship and 1985 Indy 500 victory, Sullivan spent the 1983 season in F1 with Tyrell, recording a best finish of fifth in Montreal.

Patrick Tambay – After winning the 1977 Can Am championship, Tambay debuted in F1 at the 1977 French Grand Prix with Surtees. He garnered 114 starts, two wins and 11 podium finishes before retiring in 1986. He drove for seven teams in his career, including Ferrari, McLaren and Renault.

John Watson – With 152 starts, five wins, 20 podium finishes and third in the 1982 drivers’ championship, Watson earned a well-deserved place in F1 history. During his 11-year F1 career, he drove for Penske, Brabham and McLaren before becoming a popular race commentator.

Alain de Cadenet – In 1976, de Cadenet finished third overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in his own car and won two rounds of the World Sportscar Championship at Monza and Silverstone. Best known for his vintage car expertise, he is an on-air personality for the SPEED Channel and ESPN.
 

Steve Earle, President of General Racing Ltd., and the event founder and organizer for the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races was a featured guest on a special ‘Sports & Recreation’ online radio show hosted by SouthwestBlend.com editors Nancy J. Reid & Lisa D. Smith. This show aired live from 11am-1pm (PST), on Friday, July 18, 2008. Listen to the entire, unedited show, please click here.  To listen to Steve's interview, please double click on the Play Button below. For more information on the Race of Legends & Monterey Historic Automobile Races, visit www.toyota.com/motorsports/historic or www.montereyhistoric.com.