Speed and money: Monterey Historic Automobile Races

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One of the highlights of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance weekend -- and, in fact, one of the highlights in all of motor sports -- are the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. It’s the reason that most people schlep through Ferrari-laden traffic jams on the peninsula this time of year. Well, that and the Quail event.

Few events offer the kind of opportunity to see classic competition-prepped race cars compete like the Monterey races do. Started in 1974, the races bring cars and drivers from around the world to show off on the storied tarmac of Laguna Seca Raceway. It’s an amateur event, so anyone with a classic racer can join in with the likes of industry giant Vic Edelbrock Jr., Timo Glock, Mario Andretti and Stirling Moss around the famed ‘Corkscrew’ turns on the track.

Though the rules vary from race to race, one regulation reigns above all. Because so many of the cars on the racetrack are rare or unique, anyone who causes damage to another vehicle is immediately pulled out of competition and banned from future events. Most races last about 10 laps and are broken up according to displacement and time period.

That said, none of these cars would be mistaken for a demolition derby car. Most of the cars that race -- a parade of vintage nameplates and models like Alfa, Bugatti, Maserati, Ford GT40 -- are worth ‘I can buy a condo in Pomona for this’ money. Our favorite race was Saturday’s Group 6A, ‘1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars Over 2000cc,’ which featured not one, not two, but four -- FOUR -- Ferrari Testarossas, alongside two Devin SS models and a wonderful 1960 Maserati T-61 Birdcage.

This year, Porsche was the featured manufacturer, and the German company had a number of historic racers on hand to celebrate, including a 1962 Type 804. Although Porsche has chalked up innumerable victories in nearly every form of motor sport out there, it has only a handful of F1 wins, and the Type 804 supplied those in the early to mid-’60s. That car and others were on loan from the newly finished Porsche museum in Germany.

One of the most impressive events was a parade of Porsche club racers. A quite a few Porsche’s showed up and demonstrated just how pervasive the brand is in amateur racing. For those with enough cash to spend, Porsche offers engine and chassis building services. Something tells us racing would have to be more than a weekend hobby if one is picking up the phone and dial Stuttgart for a helping hand.

We’ve selected our five favorites of this year’s races for your drooling pleasure. Enjoy!

We love the sleek lines of the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testarossa V-12, which was in the Group 6A race. This is one of 22 made. We estimate its worth at about $10 million to 12 million.

Jorge Arroyo piloted this 1963 Ford Falcon to finish the famous Mexican road race La Carrera Panamericana in 2006. That’s dang cool for a Falcon of any age.

Maserati MC12 Tipo 61 “Birdcage,” named after its complicated bird-cage tube chassis. Built from 1959 to 1961, these Maseratis did well at Le Mans. Again, this car, in the Camoradi race team livery, was in Group 6A.

1969 Ford GT-40 No. 83 4736cc, chassis No. 1083. Raced well, beautiful car. This is the car that all car freaks draw in their spare time.

This is a 1957 Ford Thunderbird nicknamed “The Battlebird.” Only two of these weird-looking monstrosities were ever built, both for the 1957 Daytona Speedweek. This Battlebird flew at more than 200 mph at the event, but lives in weirdness forever.

-- Jon Alain Guzik

Guzik is editor in chief of DriverSide.com.

Top photo: The 1994 Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Photos of top five cars by August Paro