35TH ANNIVERSARY ROLEX MONTEREY HISTORIC AUTOMOBILE RACES
PRESENTED BY TOYOTA ANNOUNCES WEEKEND OF HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS
Racing Legend Mario Andretti Named Guest of Honor for Historic Weekend
1938 Alfa Romeo 8C Mille Miglia from Ralph Lauren Collection Highlights Award-Winning
Rolex Moments in Time Display
Historic F1, Trans-Am, Can-Am and IMSA Race Cars Top Field of 400 Automobiles
The Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Toyota will celebrate its 35th anniversary this year by celebrating highlights from the event’s illustrious past. The event will take place on August 15-17 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and will salute the Alfa Romeo, which was the first marque to be featured at the Historics in 1975.
To commemorate the event, a variety of featured marques from the past 34 Monterey Historic races will be recognized during the weekend of exciting and highly competitive races. Legendary driver Mario Andretti will be the official guest of honor for the event.
“We are extremely pleased to have Mario Andretti join us at the Rolex Monterey Historic this year. He is a living legend for all of us, and we’ll join together to celebrate the anniversary of his winning the World Championship in 1978,” said Steve Earle, President of General Racing Ltd., the event founder and organizer.
Earle went on to add, “With great cars like the Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Mille Miglia, the star of our second event back in 1975, returning; with the 1908 Grand Prix Mercedes racing in it’s 100th year; with Historic Trans-Am cars, barely retired when the event began, and racing as close as ever; with the presentation of past Monterey Cup winners; the Toyota “Race of Legends”; the Ferrari Historic Challenge; autograph sessions; and enhanced Consumer Expo, I believe that fans will find this an event they will long remember.”
Andretti, who is widely considered the most accomplished driver in motorsports history, will participate in a variety of events throughout the weekend, including driving a few demonstration laps in his Formula One Championship winning Lotus 79 and autograph sessions both Friday and Saturday. Today, he remains the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 (1969), the Daytona 500 (1967), and the Formula One World Championship (1978).
“The Rolex Monterey Historic is the premier historic auto racing event in the country,” said Andretti. “I am pleased to be a part of these festivities and look forward to spending time with fans and enthusiasts from across the country who travel to Monterey for this wonderful event. Laguna Seca has always been one of my favorite tracks. For a driver, it’s a truly technical and challenging course that provides immense satisfaction. For a spectator, it’s phenomenal because of the many vantage points to watch the action.”
