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Friday, December 30, 2011

9th ANNUAL TOUR d’ ORANGE



9th ANNUAL TOUR d’ ORANGE

All cars welcome!

RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A FUN DRIVE THROUGH THE STREETS AND HILLS OF ORANGE COUNTY.

·      New Years Day at Redhill and Fischer in Costa Mesa

·      Vehicle Staging at 7:30am

·      Maps past out at 8:00am

·      Drive starts at 9:00 am

·      Free Coffee, Water and Doughnuts

·     Weather Forecast 77 degree’s  


please drive safe!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

2011 Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Highlights

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Such an amazing gathering of legendary Porsches at such an iconic track, it's not surprising that Rennsport Reunion IV added nearly 4,000 photos to my albums. I've since gone back and broke those down into groups and now have a 400-shot highlight album posted as well - in case you prefer the Readers' Digest version.


With nearly 35,000 spectators on hand over three days enjoying autograph sessions with 50-plus legendary Porsche drivers, German music and food in the Biergarten, museum quality display cars and plenty of on-track Porsche action – Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is in the books as the best ever on all accounts.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca played host to Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Oct. 14-16, which brought together many of Porsche’s most historic racing models from across the country and direct from the Porsche Museum in Germany. There was a significant highlight around every turn in the paddock, including a special tribute to the celebrated Porsche 911 history, a Concours on Pit Lane, the North American debut of the new 2012 Porsche 911 and the Porsche Club of America’s largest single marque car corral in Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca history with more than 1,300 vehicles.

“Rennsport Reunion IV has exceeded our wildest expectations, and the entire Porsche team is both grateful and a bit proud that our dreams and hard work have paid off,” said Detlev von Platen, president of Porsche Cars North America. “But it took more than just our efforts to make this weekend a magic one. It took a perfect race track, a beautiful countryside, picture perfect weather and the tireless work and cooperation by the professionals of SCRAMP to make Rennsport Reunion IV unforgettable for our many racing legends, the hundreds of participants, the tens of thousands of race fans.”

“We were pleased to be a part of Porsche history,” says Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Judging by the smiles on the faces of spectators and participants alike, we feel the event was a huge success. Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is the capper for what has been a tremendous 2011 season.”

The cars - and the photos - are broken into eight groups, plus an extra album each for the Concours, the Paddock and the Parade Laps. Below are the list and the links. It was a truly extraordinary event. Enjoy.

Race Groupings
Group 1 - 550, 550A, RSK, RS60-61 (4&8 cyl.), 2000 GSGT (Dreikantschaber), Abarth Carrera, Lotus/Porsche, Cooper/Porsche (Pooper), 356 GT, and any other 356 with FIA history and selected 356 SCCA history cars.
Group 2  - Elva/Porsche, 904 (4&6 cyl.), 914/6 GT, 911TR, 911ST, 911 (911 up to 2.5 liter). Any of the 911s must have FIA history (Daytona, Sebring or Watkins Glen is the only US accepted FIA history). No SCCA cars.
Group 3 - 906, 910, 907, 908, 908/2, 908/3 (8 cyl. & 6 turbo), 909, 917 (normally aspirated and turbocharged)
Group 4 - 911 (over 2.5 liter), RSR, 3.0 RSR, 2.1 Turbo, 934, 934.5, 935, 924 GTS, 924 GTR, 936
Group 5 - 956, 962, GT1, WSC, RS Spyder, World Challenge 911 GT3 Cup
Group 7PCA
Group 8 - 911 Cup Cars

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Cars & Coffee - 10/22/11: Ferrari Day



Absolutely amazing gathering of Enzo's finest today. From new Italias, 430s, 360s, 355s, Maranellos, Stradales, Scuds and a new 599 SA, to classics like the SWB, TdF, Mondial and Mexico, it was one of the best shows ever. Tillack alone brought half a dozen of the coolest cars ever to show at C&C - Niki Lauda's F1 car, a Scuderia Ferrari Lancia D-50 made from spare parts, a 250 GT Speciale, gorgeous blue and white Vignale bodied 340 Mexico, Superfast and 500 Mondial/Testa Rossa.

Of course, there was also a line that included two 275 GTBs, an SWB, TdF, Lusso, Daytonas and a stunning 250 GT Pininfarina Europa Coupe. And if you're not much of a Ferrari fan (you probably stopped reading by now anyhow), there was a nice line of Porsches, a Lexus LFA, Fiat 600 Multipla, old school 1970 Subaru microvan with wheelie bars, shag carpet and a velour dash, an Aventador and two, yes two, McLaren MP4-12Cs. One in black and one in a ruby red that really showed off the car's shape well. It's amazing how compact and low in the chassis that V8 is!

Absolutely the best thing from the whole show for me, though, was the shifter in Niki Lauda's 312 B3. The classic Ferrari gated shifter, just in miniature. It looked like the keychain version of the polished gate but had a full size shift knob to go with it, which made it almost comical. We envisioned it being used with your thumb kind of like an early joystick. Love it.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV




First-Ever West Coast Appearance Called “Unforgettable”

MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 19, 2011 — With nearly 35,000 spectators on hand over three days enjoying autograph sessions with 50-plus legendary Porsche drivers, German music and food in the Biergarten, museum quality display cars and plenty of on-track Porsche action – Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is in the books as the best ever on all accounts.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca played host to Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Oct. 14-16, which brought together many of Porsche’s most historic racing models from across the country and direct from the Porsche Museum in Germany. There was a significant highlight around every turn in the paddock, including a special tribute to the celebrated Porsche 911 history, a Concours on Pit Lane, the North American debut of the new 2012 Porsche 911 and the Porsche Club of America’s largest single marque car corral in Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca history with more than 1,300 vehicles.

“Rennsport Reunion IV has exceeded our wildest expectations, and the entire Porsche team is both grateful and a bit proud that our dreams and hard work have paid off,” said Detlev von Platen, president of Porsche Cars North America. “But it took more than just our efforts to make this weekend a magic one. It took a perfect race track, a beautiful countryside, picture perfect weather and the tireless work and cooperation by the professionals of SCRAMP to make Rennsport Reunion IV unforgettable for our many racing legends, the hundreds of participants, the tens of thousands of race fans.”

“We were pleased to be a part of Porsche history,” says Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Judging by the smiles on the faces of spectators and participants alike, we feel the event was a huge success. Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV is the capper for what has been a tremendous 2011 season.”

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Porsche Legends Arriving in Monterey for Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV

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Porsche Legends Arriving in Monterey for Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV
October 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 12, 2011 — There are thousands of race car drivers around the world. But there are far fewer who can be called Porsche Legends. At this weekend’s Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV more than 50 legendary Porsche drivers who took this fabled marque to victories at the world’s most demanding race tracks will be on hand to celebrate Porsche racing history, October 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Porsche Rennsport Reunion occurs only every three years and captures the essence and purity of man and machine. Few, if any, marques can claim such road racing dominance, whether in the early years or today, as Porsche has done and continues to do..

But the cars are only half the story. The drivers themselves who fearlessly put Porsche into countless victory circles will be present to tell their stories. At Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV, fans will have the opportunity to see the cars up close, and meet the legends.

Among the significant Porsche personalities attending are (listed in alphabetical order):

Dennis Aase
Tony Adamowicz
Richard Attwood
Dick Barbour
Jurgen Barth
Derek Bell
Joerg Bergmeister
Timo Bernhard
Jo Buzzetta
David Donohue
Romain Dumas
Rob Dyson
Chris Dyson
Vic Elford
John Fitzpatrick
George Follmer
Elliott Forbes-Robinson
Bob Garretson
Walter Gerber
Hurley Haywood
Wolf Henzler
Marco Holzer
Alex Job
Stefan Johansson
Alan Johnson
Willi Kaussen
Charlie Kemp
Michael Keyser
Gerard Larrousse
Bruce Leven
Marc Lieb
Richard Lietz
Rudi Lins
Patrick Long
Arie Luyendyk
Sascha Maassen
Jochen Mass
Chad McQueen
David Murry
Walter Naeher
Seth Neiman
Kees Nierop
Jackie Oliver
John O'Steen
Scooter Patrick
Patrick Pilet
David Piper
Brian Redman
Chip Robinson
Valentin Schaeffer
Vern Schuppan
Udo Schutz
Norbert Singer
Alwin Springer
Danny Sullivan
Gijs van Lennep
Cort Wagner
James Weaver
Jeff Zwart

Tickets are available each day at the entry gates, which open at 7 a.m. For complete details and a schedule of events, please log onto www.MazdaRaceway.com.

# # #

About Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV
Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be the world’s greatest gathering of Porsche race cars and the drivers that drove them to victory, held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from October 14 to 16, 2011. Hosted by Porsche Cars North America, it will assemble the wide variety of Porsche’s most historic racing models from the nimble 550 Spyder of the mid-Fifties through the mighty 917 and 956/962 of the Seventies and Eighties to the highly successful RS Spyder of the last decade.

Special tribute will be paid to the numerous racing versions of the Porsche 911 and their countless victories on the dawn of what will become another milestone of this iconic sports car. Additional details of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV are published on www.porsche.com/usa/rennsport-reunion-iv/, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s website www.MazdaRaceway.com.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Jerry Seinfeld Joins Norbert Singer as Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV Grand Marshal for October 14-16 Event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca


 

Jerry Seinfeld Joins Norbert Singer as Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV
Grand Marshal for October 14-16 Event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

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MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 10, 2011 — The man who inspired many of the Porsche race cars that will be on display at the upcoming Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be joined by the man who has one of the most significant collections of those cars as Jerry Seinfeld has been named co-Grand-Marshal with retired Porsche Engineer Norbert Singer.

Seinfeld, who will bring a number of his most-prized cars to Rennsport, was honored to be named to share the Grand Marshal duties with Singer.

"Norbert Singer is one of Porsche's most brilliant innovators and someone I have always wanted to meet. I am thrilled to join him in Monterey for Rennsport IV as Co-Grand Marshal," said Seinfeld.

Seinfeld’s participation is particularly appropriate as Rennsport IV is honoring the Porsche 911.  Included in his collection is the first production 911 (1964) and the last production air-cooled 911 - a 1998 993 that he bought from the factory - the last 993 to roll down the assembly line.

His collection, a mixture of street cars and race cars, includes a street-version Porsche 959 (not legal to drive in the U.S.) - one of only 200 ever built. Others include the Porsche 917K that Steve McQueen drove in the movie Le Mans, a 1959 straight-16 GT speedster; and a 1955 Spyder 550 -- the same model and pearl-grey color actor  as the James Dean car.

Additional details of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be published on Porsche’s press web site (www.press..porsche.com), and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s web site  (www.mazdaraceway.com). Ticket information is available by contacting 800-327-7322 or online at www.mazdaraceway.com.


About Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV
Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be the world’s greatest gathering of Porsche race cars and the drivers that drove them to victory, held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from October 14 to 16, 2011. Hosted by Porsche Cars North America, it will assemble the wide variety of Porsche’s most historic racing models from the nimble 550 Spyder of the mid-Fifties through the mighty 917 and 956/962 of the Seventies and Eighties to the highly successful RS Spyder of the last decade.

Special tribute will be paid to the numerous racing versions of the Porsche 911 and their countless victories on the dawn of what will become another milestone of this iconic sports car.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Cars & Coffee - 10/1/11: Briggs Cunningham edition


A Cunningham C-3 Continental Coupe, Lamborghini Jalpa, Lotus Elan COUPE, Pro-Street Vega and '67 Camaro, aluminum Alfa GTA, Fiat 500 Abarth, world tour wood-spoke Packard, Peugeot 403, CLK and SL65 Black Series, F40, 458, Scuds, 599, 430s, and a bunch of other Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, E-Types and Minis were among this week's highlights, but the Cunningham was the star.

Briggs Cunningham

Briggs Swift Cunningham II (January 19, 1907 - July 2, 2003) was an American entrepreneur and sportsman who raced automobiles and yachts. Born into a wealthy family, he became a racing car constructor, driver, and team owner as well as a sports car manufacturer and automobile collector. You might think of him as a Reeves Callaway from a different era.


Introduced to motorsports as a youngster when his uncle took him to road races just after the first world war, Cunningham began international racing in 1930 with his college friends Barron, Miles, and Samuel Collier, who in 1933 founded the Automobile Racing Club of America (renamed the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) in 1944). He continued in competition for 36 years.

His first race as a driver was with his "Bu-Merc," a modified Buick chassis with Buick engine, and Mercedes-Benz SSK body, at Watkins Glen shortly after World War Two. This was a hybrid of a different sort that was popular at a time when Europe designed the best looking bodies and America had a lot of cheap powerful engines. Some of his other hybrids involved Cadillacs, Chryslers, and Fords.

In 1950 Briggs Cunningham entered two Cadillacs for Le Mans, one a stock-appearing Cadillac Coupe de Ville, the other a special-bodied sports car dubbed "Le Monstre." They finished 10th and 11th overall. On December 31, 1950 Cunningham participated in the Sam Collier Memorial Race, the first automobile race held on the Sebring Airport race track. He finished second in his Aston Martin DB2 Vantage LML/50/21, the first Vantage produced.

Cunningham C-1

Appetites whetted by their impressive finish in the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Cunningham team embarked on a program to design and build its own cars and win the classic 24 hour race outright. Cunningham's announcement of his intention to build an American contender for outright victory at the Le Mans race had caused a stir on both continents. His team was already a favorite with the Le Mans fans, and the announcement demonstrated his commitment to fielding a winning team of American drivers and automobiles.

Four roadsters and a coupe were planned, and the first real Cunningham, the C-1, was finished in late 1950. It utilized a Cadillac OHV V-8 engine and Cadillac three-speed manual transmission installed in a massive frame made of three-inch steel tubing with a tubing cruciform x-member in the center to augment the front and rear crossmembers.

A Ford-based coil spring independant front suspension was used, along with a Cunningham-built de Dion rear axle assembly. The wheelbase was 105 inches and the track, front and rear, was 58 inches. The C-1 was the prototype from which the C-2R was to be developed and, as things turned out, the next three cars were C-2Rs, but with Chrysler Hemi V-8 engines instead of Cadillacs.

C-2R

By the time work began on the C-2R, the supply of engines and the expected help from Cadillac had evaporated, so Briggs Cunningham called on an old Yale classmate, Bob Keller (the son of K.T. Keller, who had succeeded Walter P. Chrysler as president of the company), and suddenly Chrysler engines were made available to Cunningham at a 40-percent discount.

Chassis details of the C-1 and C-2R were identical, with Cadillac drum brakes, Chrysler Oriflow shock absorbers backed up by Houdaille lever-action units, and Chrysler worm-and-sector steering, modified to provide 2.75 turns lock-to-lock.

As delivered, the Chrysler engines produced 180 HP, but compression was raised from 7.5 to 8.6:1 (using Cadillac rods and pistons!) and a log-type manifold carrying four downdraft Zenith carbs was installed, resulting in 220 HP. Additional testing and development of cam timing, plus intake and exhaust porting, raised power to 270 HP by the time the cars ran at Watkins Glen and Elkhart Lake in 1951.

These early Cunninghams were fast, a C-2R reportedly being clocked at 152 mph during the Le Mans race, but they were far too heavy and put an exhorbitant load on tires, brakes and clutches - a problem the Cunningham crew could not solve with the state of the art at the time.



C-3

The first Cunningham to bear the C-3 designation was actually built in 1951 on a C-1 chassis at a cost of $15,000, proving it unfeasible in an American market that, even in the upper income ranges, was not prepared to go to five figures. In addition, the car did not approach the deluxe level of finish Briggs had in mind for a Cunningham road car, as it was essentially a competition roadster with a hardtop.

Briggs then contracted with Carrozzeria Vignale of Turin, who would build bodies on the C-2 chassis. Rolling chassis were shipped to Turin from West Palm Beach and fitted with either coupe or roadster bodies, then returned to Florida for final finishing and delivery.

The car’s dimensions were such that it was smaller than the vast majority of American cars yet larger than the Ferraris and Maseratis it most resembled, while the styling was typical of Giovani Michelotti’s designs, restrained and well-proportioned, with minimal use of brightwork. The interior, described by a contemporary writer as "oozing luxury," was functional and beautifully finished. Performance was beyond practically any other American car of the time.

To be eligible for LeMans in 1953, Briggs Cunningham needed to produce 25 road-going examples of the C-3, or at least show that he had intent to produce 25 street cars. As the only series production model manufactured at Cunningham's Palm Beach, Florida factory, the C-3 was a hot rod in a European suit. The C-3 benefited from development done on the three C-2Rs that contested the 24 Hours of LeMans and also won at Road America and Watkins Glen.

Each C-3 used a ladder-type tube chassis which was similar to the C-2's. It had an independent coil-spring front suspension and Chrysler live axle located by parallel trailing arms. Braking was provided by Mercury drums.

Chrysler helped support the project and supplied their Firepower Hemi V8 at a discount. Cunningham kept the engine almost stock but used his own manifold, which was fitted with four Zenith downdraft carburetors. Shifting was handled by a semi-automatic Chrysler transmission and with 235 hp on tap, 7-second runs to 60 mph were possible.

The body, which is one of the most striking to be fitted to an American sports car, was designed by Michelotti of Vignale and closely resembles some of his Ferrari 212s. This is also true of the interior with its oversize gauges and small sporting seats. The only cue that this jewel came from America is the Cunningham script and the huge engine under the hood. Each body took Vignale over two months to complete.

The first C-3 competed at Watkins Glen in September 1952 before being displayed across America and at the Paris Auto Show. Series production began in 1953 with 20 coupes and five convertibles being made. Each cost between $8,000 and $12,000, and were as highly regarded as Ferraris in their time. The low production figures, however, prompted the IRS to withdraw Cunningham’s status as a manufacturer, a move that eventually caused the demise of the company’s racing operations. Today, 24 of the 25 original C-3 road cars are thankfully still with us.


C-4R and C-5R
The next race car in the evolution of Cunningham models was the C-4R. A Chrysler-powered Cunningham C-4R, proudly built by The B. S. Cunningham Company of West Palm Beach, Florida and driven by Phil Walters and John Fitch, finished 18th out of 60 starters in the 1951 Le Mans 24. The other, driven by George Rand and Fred Wacker Jr. failed to finish.

Undeterred, Briggs was back the following year, co-piloting his own C-4R. In 1952 the Cunningham C-4R of Briggs Cunningham and Bill Spear finished fourth overall at Le Mans. While he didn't achieve his goal at Le Mans, Cunningham didn't give up.

A Cunningham C-4R eventually won the 1953 Sebring 12 Hours, and at Le Mans, Walters and Fitch finished first in class and third overall with the new C-5R. Two other Team Cunningham cars finished seventh and tenth the same year and returned to take third and fifth place in 1954.

These years were to be the high point of achievement for Cunningham-built cars at Le Mans. With victory unattained, the effort was described as a "gallant failure" by American journalist Ozzie Lyons. Later in 1954, Cunninghams finished fifth and sixth in the Reims 12 Hour sports car race before the team turned to its newest creation, the C-6R.

C-6R
At Le Mans in 1955 the Cunningham C6-R, fitted with an Offenhauser engine, retired from the race, ending Cunningham's quest for an overall victory at Le Mans for good. The retirement of the C-6R was attributed to transmission trouble and the poor quality of French gas. Cunningham and Sherwood Johnston drove the car to speeds of up to 141.32 mph, but were forced to go progressively more slowly until all but top gear in the transmission gave up. The extra load was too much for the Offy, which already had inherent overheating problems caused by the conversion from alcohol to gasoline; the engine eventually ate one of its pistons, and the car retired after eighteen hours in 13th place.

Certainly an even greater disappointment was that, as a consequence of witnessing the massive accident that took so many lives at Le Mans that year, the immensely talented Phil Walters decided on the spot that he was through with racing. Said Briggs years later, “I can’t say that I blame him.”

Briggs drove the car again at the Road America season-opener where the plucky Offy finally expired for good. The car sat dormant until 1957, when team mechanic Alfred Momo installed a 3.8-litre Jaguar engine and transmission. Cunningham entered the car at Sebring and cracked a cylinder wall during practice. It later ran in a couple of SCCA events before being permanently retired, and is now in the Collier collection in Florida. That marked the end of Team Cunningham, but the Cunningham name wasn't forgotten.

Briggs Cunningham's only son, Briggs S. Cunningham III, together with Robert (Bob) Lutz and Lawrence (Larry) Black, resurrected his father's company in the late 1990s and introduced the Cunningham C7 concept at the 2001 Detroit International Automobile show. No customer cars were built, however.

Co-Drivers of Briggs and Team Cunningham Drivers
Among the notable drivers to have shared a car with Briggs or to have driven for his team are some of the most legendary names in racing:
Dan Gurney
Stirling Moss
Jack Brabham
Bruce McLaren
Mike Hawthorn
John Fitch
Roger Penske
Augie Pabst
Denise McCluggage
Phil Walters
Sherwood Johnston
Charles StokeyLake Underwood
Ivor Bueb
Walt Hansgen
Archie Scott Brown
Paul Richards
Lucie Cunningham McKinney
Bill Lloyd
Bill Spear
Charlie Wallace
Ed Crawford
John Gordon Benett
Phil Forno
Russ Boss
Bill Kimberly
Bob Grossman
Fred Windridge
Dick Thompson
George G. Huntoon

Other Team Cars
In addition to Cunninghams, the team raced Ferrari, Jaguar, Maserati, O.S.C.A., Porsche, and other sports cars. One set a record in 1954 that remains unbroken: driven by Stirling Moss and Bill Lloyd, Cunningham's 1.5-liter O.S.C.A. MT4 (Maserati Tipo 4) become the smallest-engined car ever to win the Sebring 12 Hours race, and also the first to win on wire wheels. The team won at Sebring again the following year, this time with a Jaguar D-Type. In 1964 Briggs Cunningham and Lake Underwood won the 3.0 Liter Prototype class at Sebring with their jointly-owned Porsche 904 GTS, and took first place in the 2-liter class and ninth overall in 1965, again with a 904 GTS.

Racing Stripes
Besides his own great race cars and his determination to win, this great American racer contributed something else to racing that still endures to this day. Cunningham's cars were the first to be painted with racing stripes. The traditional Cunningham racing colors were blue stripes on white automobiles. Carroll Shelby, who competed against Cunningham and his team, adopted the Team Cunningham colors and revived the stripes for his own brand of race cars. White and blue became the official colors of American race teams in international racing, where Italy used red and France adopted blue.

Collection
Cunningham amassed a collection of automobiles that included the first Ferrari sold in the United States by Luigi Chinetti, and a Bugatti Royale, one of only six made. To house the collection he opened the Cunningham Museum right up the road in Costa Mesa, California. Eventually the vehicles were sold to his long-time friend Miles Collier, to be combined with the Collier Automotive Museum collection in Naples, Florida, which also was open to the public at that time.


Today's C-3
At the Gooding Co. auction in Pebble Beach this year, this 1953 Cunningham C-3 Continental Coupe sold for $539,000. The catalog description read: Formerly the Property of Jack Hinkle. One of Only 20 C-3 Coupes Built. Documented by Cunningham Factory Records. * Fascinating History and Design. Recently Completed Show-Quality Restoration. AACA National First Award Winner. Displayed at Amelia Island and Mar-a-Lago. Ideal Entry for Leading Concours and Driving Events.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Announces 2012 Schedule


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Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Announces 2012 Schedule

MONTEREY, Calif., Sept. 30, 2011  Some of the world’s best drivers, riders and teams will descend on the Monterey Peninsula, to test their skills, earn championship points or just enjoy the historic Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit in 2012. The 55th race season of the world-renowned facility will feature the American Le Mans Series, Ferrari Racing Days, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car SeriesRed Bull United States Grand Prix and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

“Next season is going to be a special one for the fans and teams,” said Gill Campbell, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca CEO/general manager. “This facility is one of the only international race tracks to host such a diverse assemblage of race series, from prototype motorcycles and race cars to rarely-seen vintage race cars.”

2012 Race Season for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
May 11-12                   American Le Mans Series 
May 18-20                   Ferrari Racing Days
July 13-14                   
GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series
July 27-29                   Red Bull United States Grand Prix featuring the MotoGP World Championship
August 17-19               Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón returns for its 14th season and is the premier sports car racing championship in the world. As the Global Leader in Green Racing, its technology intensive race cars showcase tomorrow’s automotive advancements as the Series encourages automotive manufacturers to test their latest technical innovations on the race track. Featuring multiple classes of high-tech sports cars competing together in each race, the American Le Mans Series provides a dynamic that offers constant passing and on-track battles throughout. The six-hour endurance race takes competitors from daylight, to dusk and into the darkness, pushing drivers’ and crews’ mental and physical abilities.  

Ferrari Racing Days return to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with three full days of racing with the Ferrari 458 Challenge along with historic Formula 1 cars and Corse Clienti programs. The Ferrari Challenge series allows Ferrari owners the opportunity to compete wheel-to-wheel while providing Ferrari enthusiasts the chance to watch the Prancing Horse run in their natural environment – the race track.

The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is one of the most competitive professional road racing championships in North America. The series’ Daytona Prototype (DP) class has attracted the attention of superstar drivers and universally recognized teams. For 2012, Daytona Prototypes have been updated with new shapes and new proportions, paired with the great racing you have come to expect from these purebred race cars. While the DPs have redefined prototype racing in the U.S., the Rolex Series’ GT class has done the same for high-performance, production-based sports car racing. In 2012, the Rolex GT class will welcome the arrival of popular European makes, with GRAND-AM adding racing versions of the Ferrari 458 and the Audi R8 to its diverse lineup.

Boasting the largest spectator attendance of any race held in Monterey, the Red Bull United States Grand Prix, featuring the MotoGP World Championship, returns to the race schedule for its seventh consecutive year. MotoGP is the world’s premier motorcycling championship, with a season of 18 Grand Prix race weekends in 15 countries bringing together the world’s top motorcycle manufacturers like Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Ducati - along with an elite list of riders from every corner of the globe.

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is a cornerstone of Monterey Peninsula’s Classic Car Week. The 2012 event’s featured marque is the iconic Shelby Cobra. Only around 550 vehicles will be accepted, based on the car’s authenticity and race provenance and period correctness. Nearly every decade of motorsports history will be represented in what is described as a museum springing to life.
 
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is operated by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula since its inception in 1957. A volunteer board of directors oversees operations and works tirelessly with the many community groups who also volunteer their time at the track.

“Without the unwavering support of all our volunteers and the county, our racing events would not exist on the Monterey Peninsula,” Campbell added. “The economic impact to the community is in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and we are proud of our ongoing involvement with and commitment to our local residents and businesses.”   

For more information, to reserve camping, rent a hospitality suite or purchase tickets call 800-327-7322 or visitwww.MazdaRaceway.com.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Rennsport Reunion IV Coming to Laguna Seca Oct. 14-16


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 Porsche Display Cars Trace Porsche Motorsport History
at Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV 
October 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif., September 29, 2011 — More than 350 Porsche race cars have been accepted to participate in the on-track racing during Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV, October 14-16. They will tackle the historic 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where many of these same cars once turned a wheel in anger during their professional racing day.

Complementing the race cars in the paddock will be a very special display of approximately 50 Porsche race cars that will be showcased to Porsche fans, and each one has its own story. This includes cars from two very significant collections: the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany, and The Revs Institute for Automotive Research at the Collier Collection in Naples, Florida.

Special cars from Porsche Museum include:

  • 1971 Porsche 16-Cylinder, the only one built  and  intended for the Can-Am series
  • 1973 Porsche  911 RSR, winner of the last Targa Florio
  • 1977 935/2.0 “Baby,” which “added lightness”
  • “Moby Dick,” the original that many consider to be the ultimate 935 Porsche
  • Porsche 961, considered to be the “Uberporsche” race car, and is the one and only
  • 911 GT-1 98 LM, which is widely thought to be the ultimate 911
The Revs Institute is an internationally-recognized collection that focuses not only on the automobile as a technological device, but as an agent for social and economic change, and worthy to be considered among the masterpieces of creativity. This 501(c)3 not-for-profit educational foundation is a vast collection in the highly specialized field of automotive historical research, comprising an enormous resource on automotive history for scholars, historians, media, institutions and academia.

Cars from the Revs Institute’s exhibit: “Porsche: Designed to Excel” include:

  • 1953 Porsche 550 Coupe, the very first 550 built and raced at Le Mans
  • 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Spyder, raced extensively in 1959 by now-legendary drivers
  • 1960 Porsche Abarth-Carrera GTL, the only factory entry in the 1960 Le Mans
  • 1967 Porsche 911R, winner of the 1969 Tour de France and Tour of Corsica
  • 1971 Porsche 917K, of the famous Martini Racing Team, founded by Louise Piëch

“This is just a sampling of some of the significant Porsche race cars that will be visible for fans,” commented Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “With all the supporting entertainment, legendary Porsche drivers, vendors and fan activities, Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be a delight for everyone interested in motorsports.”

For additional information and tickets, visit www.MazdaRaceway.com or call 800-327-7322.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

2011 Monterey Highlights



Photo highlights from 2011 Monterey Classic Car Week

Favorite memories of 2011 Monterey Classic Car Week in pictures. Enjoy.

2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion


Photos from 2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion


It's difficult to choose where to be on Friday during the Monterey Classic Car Week. Various car shows vie for our attention, including the Quail Motorsports Gathering, Concorso Italiano and Legends of the Autobahn. Deciding where to spend our time on Saturday, however, is easy. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the place to be, with the Monterey Motorsports Reunion hosting hundreds of vintage race cars at the famous 2.24 mile racetrack.

Jaguar was this year's featured marque, highlighting the 50th anniversary of the E-Type. We generally think of the famous Jag as a beautiful road car, but it was a fierce competitor on track as well. An entire race category was dedicated to the E-Type, which made for an incredible sight.

Of course, not all of the race groups were Jaguars, and some of our favorite regulars were back at the track for another year. We always enjoy seeing the Shelby Mustangs and Cobras battle it out with the Corvettes, the IMSA racers, and of course the ever-competitive Trans-Am cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s. We only wish we could stay at the track all weekend to see every race.

One race we definitely didn't miss this year was the Ferrari group that included a Lusso, 275 GTC, a couple of SWBs...and four a half dozen or so GTOs. Incredibly, these cars were to be featured at Pebble on Sunday but spent a good hour or so on the track on Saturday, reminding those who got to see them exactly what they were built for in the first place. Another great year at Laguna Seca.

2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance


2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Nobody can throw an anniversary party like the folks at Pebble Beach. To celebrate 50 years of the Ferrari 250 GTO, the world's most famous classic car show convened an incredible collection of Enzo's most coveted creation. And what a gathering it was. More than half of the 39 250 GTOs in existence were on display – the official number quoted was 22, although we could only count 21. The line of cars literally stretched farther than our cameras could capture. Factoring in the going rate of $25 million for a 250 GTO, the collection of Ferraris represented more than half a billion dollars worth of Pininfarina sheet metal and V12 engines.

Some of the more notable 250 GTOs present:

1961 Ferrari 250 GT Sperimentale, chassis 2643GT: This is regarded as the 250 GTO prototype, being the first Ferrari to combine the 250 SWB chassis and the race-spec 3.0L V12. The car raced at Le Mans in 1961 and at Daytona in 1962 with Stirling Moss behind the wheel.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3223GT: This is the first official 250 GTO built. The car has several distinctive features including mis-matched headlights that were thrown on the car during a race at Daytona to help the drivers see the wall on the banking at night. This car was selected as the best in class.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3705GT:This 250 GTO has one of the best racing histories, finishing first in class at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans, second overall. The car won every race it entered in 1965.

1964 Ferrari 250 GTO/64, chassis 5571GT:The first of three Series II 250 GTOs that features the lower and shorter Pininfarina body. The car raced at Sebring and Le Mans and was driven to victory at Daytona by Phil Hill.

You can see these 250 GTOs and the rest from the 50th anniversary celebration at Pebble Beach in the high-res gallery above.

Best of Show at Pebble didn't go to one of the GTOs however. No, it went to Peter Mullin's 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne. Voi-what?

Peter Mullin, who has about the most beautiful collection of pieces from the art deco movement in the world, now has one more item to add to his collection, the trophy that goes to the Best in Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. His 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne took the prize on Sunday.

Mullin has 15 Voisins in his collection, in addition to numerous Bugattis, Talbot Lagos and Delahayes.

"I'm a total French-car nut," he said. "French cars are the ultimate in automotive design, technology and performance."

On Sunday, the judges agreed. But it wasn't an easy decision.

"I thought it would be about like it always is here at Pebble Beach, they get better and better every year, and then you get here and there are over 200 beautiful cars all around you," Mullin said. "I heard, someone said, there were six cars with 100 points each [perfect scores] in our class."

If so, that's really something, since the class had only seven entries. But of course there can be only one winner per class. Pebble Beach now credits runners-up along with the winner. This year, those were a 1929 Bentley Speed Six and a 1938 Talbot Lago, both stunning.

But as every year, there can be only one winner.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110821/CARNEWS/110829979#ixzz1Z1tBDLYr

2011 Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance


Photos from 2011 Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance

These ain't no trailer queens.

While you might expect that a car that cost more than a million dollars to restore beyond its original glory would be something you'd keep in a sealed zip-lock freezer bag in the guarded basement of a museum, the vast majority of the entries in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance are actually driven on the street. Or at least they are driven once before the big show. On the Thursday before the concours--which leaves three days to repair dings, paint chips and mud splats--about 170 of the 210 or so cars entered in the concours roared off from the Equestrain Center above the Lodge and circumnavigated the Monterey Peninsula--squashed bugs on the windshield and all--to the delight of cheering fans waiting in beach chairs all along the route.

Thursday's circuit began with a short stretch of 17-Mile Drive and headed up into the hills of Monterey, through Tehama preserve, down Carmel Valley Road and then shot off south to Big Sur and back. A lunch stop in downtown Carmel provided plenty of opportunity for the public to ogle the parked cars while their drivers had lunch.

Surprisingly, almost all the cars made the trip without problems. One of the most difficult parts of the tour are the uphill sections, not because the cars don't have enough power to get up them, but because they tend to travel in a sort of conga line nose-to-tail. When one car without a synchromesh first gear has to stop to downshift, the whole line has to stop, except those quick enough to figure out what's going on and steer around the halted caravan, preserving their momentum. Stopping and starting again and again on a steep hill is not easy on these old drivetrains, and you could smell burned clutches when it happened.

But as the cars spread out on the much flatter Highway 1 to Big Sur and back, the great beasts could open up a little and roar along as their original builders intended them to.

The cars are all in private garages now having the bugs surgically removed from the windshields. Come Sunday, you won't know they ever left the showroom.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110819/CARNEWS/110819853#ixzz1Z1vUUQ1n

2011 Quail: A Motorsports Gathering


Photos from 2011 Quail: A Motorsport Gathering

The 2011 Quail, a Motorsports Gathering was best described in the brief opening remarks of the Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie, patriarch of event and the man on whose sprawling property the show has taken place for nine years. He said simply: “Enjoy yourselves and drink plenty of champagne.” Nothing more. Words to live by.

Kadoorie flies helicopters, loves race cars and owns about a million hotels all over the world, but it might be the race cars that he enjoys the most. So when the Quail became available to host an event after the raucous Concorso Italiano outgrew this fine setting, Kadoorie and a dedicated and talented team took the opportunity. Kadoorie had been hosting a rally for friends for about five years before that. So the Quail became a natural outgrowth of the rally.

Gordon McCall, who puts on the Motorworks Revival, more commonly known as the Jet Party, was pivotal in the Quail's formation and growth. Though growth is a bit of a misnomer, since the event is supposed to be limited to 3,000 attendees a year. Scanning the lawn this year, in the afternoon it seemed as if there were about 300,000 people there, but they were all pretty well behaved.

Among the honorees was the great Porsche driver Derek Bell, five-time winner of Le Mans. And not class wins, mind you--Bell won it overall five times. Organizers had lined up two cars to commemorate Bell's visit, a Porsche 935 and a Ferrari 250 GT.

“I didn't know what the 250 was there for,” said Bell. “Then someone explained that I had mentioned once that as a kid I had watched a 250 in a race and that it had inspired me to go into racing.”

The 935 was one Bell had raced but was not one of his more glorious mounts.

“I hit the wall at Pocono at 180 mph in this car,” he said. “I spun round to see Danny Ongias coming at me.”

Ongias braked and didn't hit him, but it wasn't like having one of the Rothmans 962s on hand. Not that anyone was complaining.

Bell later took the stage for a “fireside chat” with journalist Winston Goodfellow, during which Bell discussed his new book, a revision of My Racing Life.

“Now that I'm out of racing, I don't feel compelled to hold back on anything,” Bell said. Guess we'll have to read the book.

This year's Quail also commemorated the 50th anniversary of Phil Hill's world championship, and we saw members of the Hill family strolling the grounds.

There were tributes to cars that raced at Riverside, our favorite of which was the 1975 AAR Eagle Jorgensen Formula 5000.

The 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-type featured several examples of that great design, but the highlight was when a whole litter of them roared out of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, over Laureles Grade and into the Quail with full California Highway Patrol escort, assembling as the centerpiece of the show.

Among those cars were a pair of Can-Am entries, our favorite of which was owned and driven by AC/DC frontman and current best friend of Autoweek Brian Johnson, who spent a good 15 minutes or so hanging around with various Autoweek editors.

Who knows who'll show up in 2012?

Tickets are not on sale yet for next year's Gathering, but when they are you can get them at www.mccallevents.com.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110821/CARNEWS/110829986#ixzz1Z1shsGfJ

2011 Concorso Italiano



More room, flatter fairways, more cool cars and even a section of barn finds and beaters made this year's Concorso Italiano one of the best ever.

As you may recall from the 26- or 28-year history of this perennial classic, recent servings of Concorso Italiano have been a little up and down, with venue changes and field sizes that didn't always show these great cars in their fullest possible glory. There were the buses that took us around the first year of the Black Horse golf course, followed by the year of the cold, hard cement of the Marina Airport, and then the box canyon of last year's show. But we put up with it because we love these cars and nothing was going to keep us away from them.

Well, 2011 was no such year. Organizers discovered three huge fairways on the same golf course they used last year, opening up the whole show to give tifosi a little more elbow room between the fenders.

“The setting is the best,” event emcee and Italian-car fan Keith Martin said. He is the publisher of Sports Car Market and a former Autoweek contributor. “There are more cars than ever. It not only achieved its former provenance but surpassed it.”

Concorso president Tom McDowell estimated there were “roughly 1,000 cars” and “I'm guessing 8,000 people.”

With room for them all.

“We really like the new layout,” a slightly sunburned McDowell said at the end of the day. “From the feedback we've gotten, people really appreciate the venue.”

A big hit this year was the “Originals and Barn Finds” section, with 21 unrestored Italian cars and four barn finds. Heck, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance started a class for unrestored cars, why not Concorso? Maybe because so many Alfas across the country look like unrestored barn finds? Just kidding. Don't send hate mail.

And unlike past years that featured what seemed like 10 million 355s and an equal number of Murciélagos, this year seemed to balance the old and the new with a mix that appealed to almost everyone.

“It's a little more spread out,” entrant John Maclay said, standing next to his 1964 Alfa 2600 (“It's got enough power to be interesting.”). “It was nice, a real variety of cars.”

Best of Show this year went to Pete Vasquez's superbly delicate 1953 Fiat Stanguellini, an intricately styled 2+2 that had something cool in every fender and dash panel.

“Last year it was on the lawn at Pebble,” Vasquez proudly pointed out. “[Winning here] just blows my dreams away.”

We ran into Frank and Janet Mandarano, the founding couple of what would become Concorso Italiano some 26 (Frank) or 28 (Janet) years ago.

“It's 28 if you count the years it was just the Maserati Club,” said Frank.

“[This year] it was back to having fun,” said Janet.

The hit of the show might have been the guy who, on his way out, drove his Gallardo Spyder halfway into a sand trap. A pretty good crowd gathered to watch an inventive tow-truck driver extract him. Autoweek alumni Byron Pope helped engineer the retrieval. Together they pulled it back from the brink, just like the organizers of this year's and last year's shows. The Lambo driver, and probably all of the attendees, drove off happy as a clamshell hood opening.



Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110821/CARNEWS/110829988#ixzz1Z1q3qqPE

Cars & Coffee - 9/24/11


Gloomy skies and a schedule conflict with the Cruisin' for the Cure event at the OC Fairgrounds meant there wasn't a huge turnout this week, but the cars that showed up were a great mix of old and new - not just in terms of model year, but in terms of cars we've never seen here as well as old favorites. Follow the link and you'll see everything from a Lotus Elite (above) to a pristine "orange badge" 1973 Porsche 911S Targa. For Porsche lovers there was also a bent-window 356, as well as a Karmann 356 coupe, Zwart's East African Safari Rally car, a 550 Spyder replica, 993 Carrera RS, and a few dozen others.

Lots of Ferraris this week too with a 458, three Scuds, a TdF Stradale, 365GTC/4, 365GT 2+2, 308s, 348s, 360s, 430s and 355s. Besides the Elite there were Elans, Elise, Exige, Esprit and Evora models representing Lotus. Studebakers were relatively plentiful as were old Saabs. A huge turnout of BMWs were there too, with a limited edition Frozen Gray E92 M3 and Laguna Blue E46 highlighting the field. A couple of Fiat 500s battled with a few Minis for most bang per inch, while a VW GTI showed its family resemblance with a set of ginormous Bentley rims stuffed under its fenders. Check out the pics by clicking below.

Link to pics

Saturday, September 17, 2011

UNLIMITED RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES LAUNCHED




UNLIMITED RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES LAUNCHED
As 'Heritage Series' for American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón today announced its association with the Unlimited Racing Championship (URC) as the new “Heritage Series” for the 2012 season and beyond. The URC will feature identically built NuArt CanAm cars reminiscent of the “glory days” of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) from the 1960-70s.

The NuArt CanAm cars are purpose-built from the ground up and engineered for safety, aerodynamics, driver comfort and speed. These magnificent cars feature spectacular 700+ horsepower, big-block V-8 motors and state-of-the-art aerospace quality components with an emphasis on safety.

“The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is thrilled to welcome the Unlimited Racing Championship, which will be joining a number of ALMS events in 2012,” said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the ALMS. “This ‘Heritage Series’ will provide more variety and a modern day link to the past for our many fans next year. The new initiative establishes a direct connection to the history of sports car racing in North America with the sights and sounds of an era of extreme speed and power – the revolutionary Can-Am Challenge Cup of the 1960s and 70s. The spectacle of these massively powerful racing machines with a bridge to the past of American racing will surely evoke many fond memories for some and attract new fans as well.”

“This project was years in the making,” said Richard Nauert, founder of the Unlimited Racing Championship and designer of the NuArt CanAm car. “We analyzed the original Can-Am cars, remaining true to the visual, as well as spiritual concept. Components like big-block engines, 12-inch steel brakes, and Can-Am intakes were just some of the historical elements we maintained in the NuArt CanAm car. Despite the tribute to the originals cars, at the same time, they are particularly relevant to the American Le Mans Series because we loaded them with modern technology. The technology is specifically to make them safe, have longevity, and be flexible for a wide range of driver skills.”

The thrilling new Unlimited Racing Championship Series will feature identically prepared NuArt CanAm cars, racing against one another on original historical Can-Am circuits around North America. The format includes eight races; two 30-minute races on four American Le Mans Series circuits beginning in 2012. Cars will be fully prepped for the owner/driver by the URC series organizer and ready to race at each venue. Initial cars are offered at $485,000, along with a walk down memory lane of a legendary tradition, while also creating a new era of racing memories.

For more information, please visit www.unlimitedracingchampionship.com.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

2011 Auto Event Schedule

2011 Major International Auto Shows

January 2011
European Motor Show Brussels
Brussels Expo,
Brussels, BELGIUM
www.salonauto.be
 
January 15-23, 2011North American International
Auto Show (NAIAS)

Cobo Center,
Detroit, USA
www.naias.com 

February 2011Canadian International Auto Show
Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Rogers Centre,
Toronto, CANADA
www.autoshow.ca


February 11-20, 2011
Chicago Auto Show
McCormick Place,
Chicago, USA
www.chicagoautoshow.com
 
February-March, 2011Melbourne International Motor Show
Melbourne Exhibition Centre,
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
www.motorshow.com.au
 
March 3-13, 2011
International Geneva Motor Show
Palexpo,
Geneva, SWITZERLAND
www.salon-auto.ch/en/
 
April 2011Beijing International Automotive Exhibition
New China International Exhibition Center
Beijing, CHINA
www.china-autoshow.com
 
April 2011New York International Auto Show
Jacob Javits Convention Center,
New York, USA
www.autoshowny.com
 

April 19-27, 2011Auto Shanghai
Shanghai New International Expo Center,
Shanghai, CHINA
www.autoshanghai.auto-fairs.com
 
July-August 2011British International Motor Show
ExCel London
London, UK

September 2011
Frankfurt Motor Show
Frankfurt/Main, GERMANY
www.iaa.de
 
October 2011
Paris Motor Show
Paris Expo-Porte de Versailles,
Paris, FRANCE
www.mondialautomobile.com
  

October 2011
Prague Auto Show
Prague Exhibition Grounds,
Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC
www.incheba.cz

November 2011
SEMA Show
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, USA
 
November 2011
L.A. Auto Show
Los Angeles Convention Center,
Los Angeles, USA
www.laautoshow.com
 
December 2-11, 2011
2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Makuhari Messe,
Chiba City, JAPAN
www.tokyo-motorshow.com


2011 Regional Auto Shows
December 30, 2010-January 2, 2011
San Diego International Auto Show
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California
 
January 6–9, 2011
Silicon Valley International Auto Show
San Jose McEnery Convention Center
San Jose, California

January 14–16, 2011
South Carolina International Auto Show
Carolina First Center
Greenville, South Carolina
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/greenville/

January 14–17, 2011
Utah International Auto Expo
South Towne Exposition Center
Sandy, Utah
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/saltlake/

January 27–30, 2011
Northeast International Auto Show
Rhode Island Convention Center
Providence, Rhode Island
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/providence/

January 27–30, 2011
Pennsylvania Auto Show
PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/harrisburg/

January 28–30, 2011
West Virginia International Auto Show
Charleston Civic Center
Charleston, West Virginia

January 29-February 6, 2011
Philadelphia International Auto Show
The Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
http://www.phillyautoshow.com/

February 10–13, 2011
Motor Trend International Auto Show – Baltimore
Baltimore Convention Center
Baltimore, Maryland
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/baltimore/

February 11–13, 2011
Iowa-Illinois Regional Auto Show
RiverCenter Convention Center
Davenport, Iowa
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/quadcities/

February 18–20, 2011
Memphis International Auto Show
Memphis Cook Convention Center
Memphis, Tennessee
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/memphis/

February 26–March 6, 2011
Greater Milwaukee Auto Show
Frontier Airlines Center (formerly Midwest Airlines Center)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/milwaukee/

March 11–13, 2011
Virginia Motor Trend International Auto Show
Greater Richmond Convention Center
Richmond, Virginia
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/richmond/

March 18–20, 2011
First Hawaiian International Auto Show
Hawaii Convention Center
Honolulu, Hawaii
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/honolulu/

April 15–17, 2011
New Mexico International Auto Show
Albuquerque Convention Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico
http://www.newmexicoautoshow.com/

October, 2011
Orange County Auto Show
Anaheim Convention Center
Anaheim, California
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/Orange_County/

October, 2011
Puerto Rico Auto Show
Puerto Rico Convention Center
San Juan, Puerto Rico
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/sanjuan/

October, 2011
Long Island Auto Show
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Uniondale, New York

November, 2011
Central California Auto Show
Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center
Fresno, California

http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/fresno/

November, 2011
Arizona International Auto Show
Phoenix Convention Center
Phoenix, Arizona

November, 2011
Central Florida International Auto Show
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Florida
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/orlando/

November, 2011
Motor Trend International Auto Show – Las Vegas
Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall S-3
Las Vegas, Nevada
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/lasvegas/

November, 2011
Nashville International Auto Show
Nashville Convention Center
Nashville, Tennessee
http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/nashville/

December, 2011
Tampa Bay International Auto Show
Tampa Convention Center
Tampa, Florida


2011 Classic Car Automotive Events
January 18-23, 2011
Palm Beach Cavallino Classic
Palm Beach, FL

January 19-23, 2011
Arizona Collector Automobile Auctions
Scottsdale, AZ

April 9-11, 2011
Festivals of Speed St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL

June 17-19, 2011
Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States
Bethlehem, PA

July 2011
Kohler International Challenge
with Brian Redman
Elkhart Lake, WI

July 25, 2011
Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance
Auburn Hills, MI

August 2011
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
Monterey, CA

August 2011
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Pebble Beach, CA

August 2011
Woodward Dream Cruise
Ferndale, MI

September 2011
Route 66 Rendezvous
San Bernardino, CA

October 2011
Louisville Concours d'Elegance
Louisville, KY
 
November 2011
Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival
Hilton Head Island, SC

November 2011
Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals
Rosemont, IL