Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Formula Juniors going thru turn 1 in 1963. Chuck Parsons won the race in a Lotus 22. Note the press tent at the top of the picture…..we've come a long way.

More than 500 entrants with over 600 significant race and sports cars from 13 countries will be arriving in the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca paddock in August for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

“What I enjoy most is walking the paddock during the set-up to see the participants from all walks of life here for the same reason: to race these beautifully restored and historically-significant race cars," explained Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “The father-daughter racers are alongside captains of industries, shop teachers, ex-Formula 1 drivers, and art and antique experts."

In addition to their passion for vintage race cars, the participants in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion have a diverse professional background – from coffee importers to Inn Keepers and auctions houses – but their common denominator is strapping into a race car and driving the cars as they were originally intended. To illustrate their diverse personalities, here is a look into their outside-of- the-race-track lives:

Leigh Keno is President of Keno Auctions, a full-service auction house based in Manhattan. Over the past 25-plus years he has helped build some of the top institutional and private collections of American furniture, painting and decorative arts in the world. Leigh’s lifelong immersion in the world of art and decorative arts has made him one of the foremost experts in the field.

Richard Griot is founder of Griot's Garage which he started 20 years ago, furthering his lifelong fascination with cars. Although he started to tinker with cars at the age of 14, he did not go into the automotive industry at first. After graduating from the University of Colorado, he ran a dressmaking business and sold real estate. He decided to start the catalog mail-order business after receiving overwhelming response from fliers he placed on windshields at the Monterey Historics to gauge demand for specialty car-care products.

Bruce Canepa has been fascinated with automobiles, motorcycles and trucks since his childhood. Today he is passionately involved in all aspects of his companies: Canepa Design and Concept Transporters, from vehicle design and development to historic/collector car restoration and racing for more than 30 years.

Ivan Dutton founded and owns Bugatti Specialists based in England. The enthusiasm of the Bugatti marque was nurtured by his father whose stories of Brooklands between the wars led to the formation of the restoration company in 1979. His son, Timothy, has spent the last 20 years working on every type of Bugatti. He is now considered an expert in his own right and runs the company.

Vic Edelbrock Jr. is the president of Edelbrock and has helped grow the company his dad created into a major name among hot-rodders, sanctioned drag racing and short track racing. Vic has been inducted in the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. His daughter Christi works along side him in the business and is a vintage racer as well. Christi competing in equestrian show jumping with gold and silver medals at the National Sports Festival and competed in the World Cup in Madison Square Garden.

Mark Osborne became involved with the world of classic car auctioneering in London and was recruited by Bonhams to become Head of Department (HoD) Collectors' Motorcars of the company's North American operation. Mark has consigned several landmark vehicles and collections, achieving record prices for the great majority of his clients.

Don Martine has a picture of himself at age three with a grease gun, attempting to lubricate his pedal car in the display area at his Martine Inn – A Bed & Breakfast that overlooks the Monterey Bay. Don's interest in MGs began in 1950 when his father purchased a 1949 MGTC. This interest was furthered when he watched Johnny Von Neumann drive his 1950 MGTD Special to victory at the inaugural Pebble Beach Road Races, a car that Don now owns and has on display at the Inn.

Martin Swig is a San Francisco Bay Area-based car collector, vintage racer, founder and chief organizer of the California Mille, New Years Day- Anti-Football Drive, and other U.S. vintage car rallies and events. In the 1980s, Swig was responsible for the development of the concept and reality of the first Auto Mall where the idea was to house multiple makes under a common retail roof.

Lorne Leibel competed in the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympic games in a mixed two person keelboat (sailboat), won the U.S. National Championships and two World Championships in offshore powerboating. He was inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame two years ago.

Mark and Linda Mountanos eschew European sports cars for the pavement-pounding historic Trans-Am and Grand National Stock Cars. Mark is a fourth generation coffee importer and owner of M.P. Mountanos, Inc. Mark and Linda both operate Mountanos Vineyards, home to Certified Organic Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes in Mendocino County. And like cars, they also enjoy restoring historical buildings in Mendocino and Lake Counties.

A complete list of the entrants for the 2010 Rolex Motorsports Reunion can be found at http://www.mazdaraceway.com/files/Group_List_for_Web.pdf

For Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion tickets and information, and to learn about the Pre-Reunion held August 7 and 8, please visit www.MazdaRaceway.com or call 800-327-7322.