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Looking ahead to Classic Car Week in Monterey
ABOVE: Bruce Meyer received a class award at Pebble Beach
for his 1962 Shelby Cobra 289 First Production Roadster.
The connection between Rolex and the world of classic cars spans two continents and embraces those who believe automotive history should be carefully protected for future generations and those who believe that cars are meant to be driven whatever their age or value. Both approaches are equally valid; both play equally important roles in maintaining the spirit of a bygone age and offering a window into the past; and, both require a certain approach.
Rolex & Classic Car Events
The partnership between Rolex and this refined facet of the motor sport world merges the values of elegance, attention to detail, tradition and an admiration for beauty. Performance still plays a part though more muted than at the 24 Hours of Le Mans or Formula 1. The association manifests itself in Rolex’s support of two revered international events, the Goodwood Revival in the United Kingdom, supported by Rolex since 2004, and the United States’ Monterey Classic Car Week, where Rolex first became involved in1997.
The Goodwood Revival offers a unique window into the classic car world. Ostensibly a weekend of classic car racing, it in fact celebrates all things from 1948 to 1966, the active years and ‘heyday’ of the circuit. Attracting over 150,000 people each year it has proved phenomenally successful. According to Lord March, founder and host of the Revival: “The people are the event.” This is not to be interpreted too literally – the venue and the cars are key constituents. They are the catalysts without which there would be no foundation for the event. Yet the human component is significant; it is an integral part. The original decision to turn an airfield perimeter road into a racetrack was born of one individual’s passion for motor sport. And the cars that raced on the circuit in the 1940s, 50s and 60s came from the designer’s pen, rather than computer models.
The connection with the past at the Goodwood Revival extends beyond the activities on the track. The spectators flocking to the circuit to celebrate this golden age of motor sport meticulously marry their outfits and accessories to the timeless appeal of the era. This is not simply an event for the drivers - it is a true spectacle, a celebration of life gone by. The approach is inspiring.
Simon Hadfield won the Rolex Driver of the Meeting in 2013 following a phenomenal against-the-odds drive in an Aston Martin Project 212. Ignoring pelting rain, at the end of the race he leapt from his vehicle and ran across to the grandstands to shake the hands of cheering spectators and “share the joy of the moment, the joy of doing what I am privileged to do.” Hadfield speaks for many when he says of the Revival: “This place is super special.”
The partnership between Rolex and this refined facet of the motor sport world merges the values of elegance, attention to detail, tradition and an admiration for beauty. Performance still plays a part though more muted than at the 24 Hours of Le Mans or Formula 1. The association manifests itself in Rolex’s support of two revered international events, the Goodwood Revival in the United Kingdom, supported by Rolex since 2004, and the United States’ Monterey Classic Car Week, where Rolex first became involved in1997.
A Step Back In Time
The Goodwood Revival offers a unique window into the classic car world. Ostensibly a weekend of classic car racing, it in fact celebrates all things from 1948 to 1966, the active years and ‘heyday’ of the circuit. Attracting over 150,000 people each year it has proved phenomenally successful. According to Lord March, founder and host of the Revival: “The people are the event.” This is not to be interpreted too literally – the venue and the cars are key constituents. They are the catalysts without which there would be no foundation for the event. Yet the human component is significant; it is an integral part. The original decision to turn an airfield perimeter road into a racetrack was born of one individual’s passion for motor sport. And the cars that raced on the circuit in the 1940s, 50s and 60s came from the designer’s pen, rather than computer models.
The connection with the past at the Goodwood Revival extends beyond the activities on the track. The spectators flocking to the circuit to celebrate this golden age of motor sport meticulously marry their outfits and accessories to the timeless appeal of the era. This is not simply an event for the drivers - it is a true spectacle, a celebration of life gone by. The approach is inspiring.
The most coveted prize awarded is the Rolex Driver of the Meeting. To the winner goes a Rolex timepiece: a specially engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, first introduced in 1945 just before a fresh lease on life was given to an airfield in southern England. Selected by a committee headed by Lord March, the winner is the driver who delivers the best combination of safe but hard, fast and entertaining driving over the weekend.
Simon Hadfield won the Rolex Driver of the Meeting in 2013 following a phenomenal against-the-odds drive in an Aston Martin Project 212. Ignoring pelting rain, at the end of the race he leapt from his vehicle and ran across to the grandstands to shake the hands of cheering spectators and “share the joy of the moment, the joy of doing what I am privileged to do.” Hadfield speaks for many when he says of the Revival: “This place is super special.”
Shaped to transcend
Goodwood is not alone in riding this cresting wave of enthusiasm for historic car. Ownership and events have flourished in recent years, and a growing industry supports those keen to preserve this particular element of the past. Why old cars have become such a prized object of nostalgia is keenly debated. What motivates the collectors and aficionados? In its simplest form the car is an inanimate object that provides transportation. Yet it has been so much more in its century of existence. In its most beautiful iteration it is an engineering and design marvel that captures the imagination and sparks emotion. Now, resting on a substantial mass of history, old cars, especially those that were groundbreaking in their day, are objects of considerable desire.
Individually and collectively, every vehicle tells a story about life. The automobile has shaped living patterns, social interaction and employment opportunities. So much a part of life has it become that cars are sometimes considered living beings. Formed by electrical, mechanical and body components, they are also shaped by feelings, events and days that mark the life of those who drive them. To the true enthusiast a classic car has soul, embodying timeless values, style, performance and craftsmanship. Much like the Rolex Datejust awarded at Goodwood - the modern archetype of the classic watch, thanks to aesthetics and functions that transcend changes in fashion. Aesthetically, the Datejust has spanned eras, while retaining the enduring codes that make it, notably in its traditional versions, one of the most recognised and recognisable of watches. Sharing this soul is key to the classic car world.
Prized Opportunities
Among the collection of events that form Monterey Classic Car Week in California, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, first held in 1950 and supported by Rolex since 1997, and The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering, founded in 2003 and where Rolex has been the Official Timepiece since 2005, offer a revealing insight into the psyche of the classic car devotee and the importance of enabling otherwise privately owned cars to be seen in a public domain.
Individually and collectively, every vehicle tells a story about life. The automobile has shaped living patterns, social interaction and employment opportunities. So much a part of life has it become that cars are sometimes considered living beings. Formed by electrical, mechanical and body components, they are also shaped by feelings, events and days that mark the life of those who drive them. To the true enthusiast a classic car has soul, embodying timeless values, style, performance and craftsmanship. Much like the Rolex Datejust awarded at Goodwood - the modern archetype of the classic watch, thanks to aesthetics and functions that transcend changes in fashion. Aesthetically, the Datejust has spanned eras, while retaining the enduring codes that make it, notably in its traditional versions, one of the most recognised and recognisable of watches. Sharing this soul is key to the classic car world.
Prized Opportunities
Among the collection of events that form Monterey Classic Car Week in California, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, first held in 1950 and supported by Rolex since 1997, and The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering, founded in 2003 and where Rolex has been the Official Timepiece since 2005, offer a revealing insight into the psyche of the classic car devotee and the importance of enabling otherwise privately owned cars to be seen in a public domain.
Robert M. Lee and Anne Brockington Lee own one of the world’s most renowned car collections and have won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on two occasions. Their participation at events like the Concours and The Quail - where in 2014 they exhibited an Hispano Suiza K6 Fernandez et Darrin Coupe Chauffeur, an Hispano-Suiza J12 Fernandez et Darrin Coupe De Ville (both from 1934) and a 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta - are about so much more than competition. For Anne: “It’s all about the car, the love of the car, sharing with fellow enthusiasts, sharing a story.”
For Stephen Read, whose immaculate 1957 Maserati 300S was another star of 2014, the rising popularity of the classic car world rests upon ‘sophisticated simplicity’: “[It is] born of a collegiality, a like-mindedness of people that appreciate cars, which also appreciate refinement, things that are thought out, but unpretentious."
Tom Price enjoys both approaches. At the 2014 Quail, his immaculately restored 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C SS was announced as the Rolex Best of Show and Tom received a Rolex Oyster Daytona timepiece for his exceptional efforts. The following day he was sitting at the wheel of a Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta, dressed in driver’s overalls and hurtling around the demanding Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca racetrack during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which in stark contrast to Pebble Beach or The Quail brings together 550 race-prepped historic automobiles for four days of wheel-to-wheel competition. Price sees nothing odd in straddling both: “The concours-type event provides an environment to spend time with our friends and to share cars with the world. But I have always been first and foremost a racer, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is perfect for that.”
Individually, the events that create Monterey Classic Car Week provide genuine opportunities to revel in a passion for the past. By bringing together a cross-section of ways to do this, much like Goodwood, they have formed an index for those who truly appreciate the virtues of the classic car.
Separated by the Atlantic Ocean, the Goodwood Revival and Monterey Classic Car Week are clearly united by more than simply an appreciation of the classic car. The passion of the organizers, owners, drivers, participants and spectators bring these tributes to life and has resulted in more than the preservation and restoration of historic vehicles. The methodology may not be the same, but there is an underlying commonality in approach that conspires to create a way of life, a way of appreciating history in the best possible manner. The involvement of Rolex plays its part in this, according to Lord March: “Rolex is the perfect partner for us, with its long history in motor sport. It’s a great accolade to have Rolex as a sponsor because it only does the very best things. For me the great thing is that they don’t want to compromise. Everything is going to be done properly.”
When it comes to safeguarding and celebrating the past there may not be one way to do it, but there is always the right way.
Every car collector has dozens of anecdotes, and whenever two or more come together it is likely to trigger a deluge of references to particular models, racing feats, drivers, circuits, technical peculiarities or recollections of a past adventure. It is this pride and passion that thousands of enthusiasts bring to both concours and racing events that keep motoring heritage alive. Both allow a broad cross-section of the public to get up close to the marvels of motoring history.
Tom Price enjoys both approaches. At the 2014 Quail, his immaculately restored 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C SS was announced as the Rolex Best of Show and Tom received a Rolex Oyster Daytona timepiece for his exceptional efforts. The following day he was sitting at the wheel of a Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta, dressed in driver’s overalls and hurtling around the demanding Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca racetrack during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which in stark contrast to Pebble Beach or The Quail brings together 550 race-prepped historic automobiles for four days of wheel-to-wheel competition. Price sees nothing odd in straddling both: “The concours-type event provides an environment to spend time with our friends and to share cars with the world. But I have always been first and foremost a racer, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is perfect for that.”
Individually, the events that create Monterey Classic Car Week provide genuine opportunities to revel in a passion for the past. By bringing together a cross-section of ways to do this, much like Goodwood, they have formed an index for those who truly appreciate the virtues of the classic car.
The right way
Separated by the Atlantic Ocean, the Goodwood Revival and Monterey Classic Car Week are clearly united by more than simply an appreciation of the classic car. The passion of the organizers, owners, drivers, participants and spectators bring these tributes to life and has resulted in more than the preservation and restoration of historic vehicles. The methodology may not be the same, but there is an underlying commonality in approach that conspires to create a way of life, a way of appreciating history in the best possible manner. The involvement of Rolex plays its part in this, according to Lord March: “Rolex is the perfect partner for us, with its long history in motor sport. It’s a great accolade to have Rolex as a sponsor because it only does the very best things. For me the great thing is that they don’t want to compromise. Everything is going to be done properly.”
When it comes to safeguarding and celebrating the past there may not be one way to do it, but there is always the right way.
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