Sunday Reads: Everything You Need to Know About Monterey Car Week

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. Monterey Car Week and the 65th Annual Concours D’elegance are almost here! From Aug. 11-16 collectors, connoisseurs and enthusiasts from around the globe will descend on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula for the best car show in the world—not to mention a bevy of other motorsports festivities. For six days, conspicuous consumption at its finest will be on full display with the showing of rare automobiles, exclusive auctions, champagne-fuled parties and ritzy dinners in villas and thrilling races and rallies. As you shift into gears for the revelries, let this guide steer you to the hautest events, which you certainly don’t want to miss.

TUESDAY, AUG. 11TH —WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12TH

Ease into the week with the Carmel-by- the-Sea Concours on The Avenue, presenting multi marques 1940 through 1973 with Porsche and Ferrari through 1989 along Ocean Avenue on from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday. You’ll kick it up several notches on Wednesday when the festivities really get going with the Carmel Mission Classic and The Little Car Show. Head to Pebble Beach around 3 p.m. to see the participants in the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic—the ultimate road trip, which begins in Kirkland, Washington on Aug. 3 and covers 1,500 miles—roll into town. The place to be this evening is the Monterey Jet Center for Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival, the 24th anniversary of the red-carpet gala that officially kicks off Monterey Car Week and where high-powered VIPs enjoy gourmet food and award-winning wines.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13TH

Rise and shine early for the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance Presented by Rolex, your chance to see some of the entrants in the Concours d’Elegance cruise the original 17-Mile Drive, circle the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and pause for a time in charming Carmel-by-the-Sea before returning to Pebble Beach. The fun begins at 8 a.m.and ends at 3 p.m. with a champagne toast to the participants. Remember, the Tour and Concours are directly linked. If two vehicles tie in class competition at the Concours, the vehicle that has successfully completed the Tour gets the nod. Or opt for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, a four-day celebration that gets underway on Thursday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and features approximately 550 legendary pre- and postwar race and sports cars that represent the pinnacle of their classes. This year, the 50th anniversary of the Shelby GT350 Mustang will be the featured marque. Thursday also marks the beginning of Pebble Beach RetroAuto. Taking place for three days in the ballrooms of The Inn at Spanish Bay, this well-curated marketplace for the true automotive enthusiast showcases rare collectables, historic automobilia, art and literature, as well as luxury items and technological tools to enhance today’s driving experience. If you’re in the market for another unique car for your stable, you’ll want to be at the Portola Hotel & Spa and Monterey Conference Center for an auction to end all auctions— RM Sotheby’s The Pinnacle Portfolio, one of the most significant and valuable automobile collection to ever come to auction. Collectively, the value of this group, which includes one of the finest Ferrari 250 LMs in existence, a roadrace hybrid 1998 McLaren F1 “The Road Going LM” and a bookend pair of Bugatti Veyrons, comfortably exceeds the current record for a private collection sold at a single-day auction ($65.9 million).

Continue reading here……