Monterey, California:
Monterey Weekend, or simply "The Weekend" to all classic car fanatics,
will be held this year on August 16, 17, 18, and 19, 2007 in the
Monterey Bay area. The Weekend is full of classic car shows, collector
car auctions and automotive events. Here is the list of the best ones to
attend this year.
Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance:
Sunday, August 19, 2007 - This
57th annual affair is held at the 18th fairway of
the Pebble Beach Golf Links at the Lodge, where the cars compete to be
named the best of the best worldwide. This year they will celebrate the
cars of Aston Martin, Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg and highlight the 75th
Anniversary of the 1932 Fords.
Proceeds from the Pebble Beach
Concours d’Elegance support a number of local, national and
international charities. More than $10 million has been raised in
previous years. Tickets for the Concours are $150 and can be purchased
in advance by calling 877-693-0009 toll-free. Tickets sold on site at
the Lodge are $175 each. Children under 12 are admitted free. For ticket
information and directions click on
www.pebblebeachconcours.net
Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance:
On Thursday, August 16, 2007
look for the Cars of the Concours taking a 60-mile run starting at 7 AM.
The Tour will wind around 17 Mile Drive and then visit Tehama Monterrra,
Carmel Valley, the Big Sur coastline plus the town of Carmel and then
return to the Polo Field at Pebble Beach for viewing.
The Tour d’Elegance is only open
to the cars participating in Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours, so you can
see them all, running and driving, for free. For information call
831-622-1700 and for a map of the tour go online to
www.pebblebeachconcours.net
Rolex Monterey Historic
Automobile Races:
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
August 17, 18, 19, 2007 - Held at the Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway on
Monterey Highway in Monterey this is the place where old race cars and
drivers go to re-live there youth. For three straight days you get to
see, hear and smell the exciting past 75 years of auto racing up close
and personal. For the historic racing fan it just doesn’t get any better
than this.
This is the 50th year
of Laguna Seca and the 34th year of the Monterey Historic
Races and they will showcase Indy Roadster racecars. Daily entry prices
run from $45 to $65, a Saturday and Sunday pass is $95 and a three-day
ticket is $125. For race times, directions and general information call
toll free 1-800-327-SECA (7322) or go to
www.montereyhistoric.com
Concorso Italiano:
Friday, August 17, 2007 - Held
at the Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course at Monterey Bay in Seaside. This
year’s event celebrates the 60 years of Ferrari and the featured Italian
marques are Siata & Fiat, plus they will honor the life of Italian
designer Ugo Zagato.
This is the undisputed premier
car show of the Monterey Weekend for fast & sexy Italian cars, and the
most important one to attend, as just about every Ferrari, Maserati and
Lamborghini model ever made is usually there too.
This event will have over 1800
Italian cars, trucks and motorcycles on display plus several opera
performances and a glitzy fashion show. Tickets are $90 in advance and
$100 per person at the gate and include parking and an event program.
Call 425-742-0632 for more info or visit them on the web at
www.concorso.com
Now there are several collector
car sales to choose from this year and each one sells to a different
clientele. Here are five of the very best of the Monterey Weekend and
you should try to attend all of them to experience and enjoy the
excitement firsthand.
Blackhawk Exposition Sale:
Wednesday August 15 thru Sunday
August 19, 2007 on Peter Hay Hill across from Pebble Beach at the Lodge.
This is the only five-day sales event during Monterey Weekend and they
are there from the start to the finish. The car sale kicks off the
buying weekend on Wednesday at 8 AM and is open every day till 6 PM on
Sunday evening.
Car Collectors Don & Rob
Williams will offer for sale over 85 of the finest Classic Cars
available over the Monterey Weekend. Admission to the Exposition is
free and the classic cars are always fantastic. Call for info &
catalogs at 925-736-3444 or visit them at
www.blackhawkcollection.com
Christie’s - Exceptional
Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center: Thursday August 16, 2007 at
7 PM. - This is a sophisticated automotive affair packed with hand
picked collectible and classy cars and will be held at the Monterey Jet
Center at 300 Sky Park Drive in Monterey.
Christie’s always has amazing
vehicles for sale, and as this is the first classic car auction of the
weekend, they will set the buying tone for all of the Monterey events.
The entry fee is $60 and admits two to the preview and auction. For
tickets call them at 310-385-2600 and for directions to the Jet Center
click on
www.christies.com
Next up is my personal favorite
collector car sale, celebrating their 7th anniversary at The Monterey
Weekend, are Drew & Josephine Alcazar of the Russo and Steele auction
company. They are hosting another exciting Sports & Muscle car auction
at the Monterey Marriott Hotel in Downtown Monterey.
For the second year in Monterey
they have expanded their car auction to 2 nights. This is the very
best car auction of the Monterey Weekend, and if you can only go to
one auction event, then this is the one to attend.
Russo and Steele - Sports and
Muscle at the Marriott:
Friday & Saturday August 17 &
18, 2007 - Drew & Company will be going full throttle on the hottest
nights of the car crazed weekend, Friday & Saturday, and they start at 5
PM with a memorabilia and collectible auction. At 6:00 PM they will
begin selling the best 150 American Muscle cars, Sports Cars, Hot Rods,
Shelby’s and Cobra’s available this weekend in the entire Monterey Bay
area.
Admission is for registered
bidders and their guests only, and $100 buys you a bidder paddle & guest
pass, plus you get nice refreshments at the onsite bar. You can preview
the cars all day long Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Monterey
Marriott hotel and their parking paddock down the block. For the best
auction action over the Monterey Weekend call them at 602-252-2697 and
tell them “Tony the Car Guy” sent you or click on
www.russoandsteele.com
Bonhams and Butterfield -
Collectors Motorcars at Quail Lodge:
Friday August 17, 2007 - Held at
the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley this auction will feature automobilia,
fine jewelry and timepieces. Original Mille Miglia entrants and Can-Am
racers are their specialty, so expect to see some very exciting and very
rare motorcars at this auction.
The automobilia sale begins at
Noon and the car auction starts at 3 PM. Admission is by catalog only at
$75 each and admits two to the preview and the sale. You can call them
at 415-391-4000 for more information or click on
www.bonhams.com/us
Gooding & Company - The
Pebble Beach Auction:
Saturday August 18 and Sunday
August 19, 2007 - This auction starts at 6 PM on Saturday and begins
Sunday evening right after the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It will
be held at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center and showcases classic,
vintage and antique cars. Several past Pebble Beach class winners are
always for sale.
This is the final classic car
auction of the weekend and your last chance to buy one and drive home in
style. Bidder catalogs are $100 each and admit 2. For info call them at
310-899-1960 or click on
www.goodingco.com
That completes the list for the
best and the brightest Auctions, Events & Tours on the Monterey
Peninsula for this year. So take a break and drive down to Monterey Bay
to enjoy the cars, people and the weather, because it’s going to be
another great "Monterey Weekend” in 2007.
By Tony Leopardo ©
AutoWire.Net – San Francisco
“Tony the Car Guy” is an
automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
If you have a question or comment for Tony send it to
TonyLeo@pacbell.net or visit
www.autowire.net
