Roll Call: 2012 Monterey Motorsports (Cobra) Reunion, Sat Aug 18th

[Bxx1]

Lodging in the Monterey area, during the car events week, will be expensive and difficult to find. Around Monterey/Pacific Grove motels, Inns, etc. usually require 4 day minimum (at $250-400+) per nite, if you can find it. I suggest Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz.

A few years ago I looked into a Motel 6 on a busy street in Monterey.... they wanted $300/nite for a room that was regularly priced at $70/nite. I wouldnt stay there even if it was $20/nite... it was a dump! Prices are crazy.

[stiffy]

FFRCobraMike,

As the Thursday event is so big is it worth while booking a table for dinner?

What time does the event start and finish? We have booked a restaurant in Carmel for lunch ( near the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance display ).

Will the event go all afternoon/nite?

P.S. I took a look at the Cantina drinks menu, I didn't know there were so many tequila's


STIFFY

[FFRCobraMike]

The Baja Cantina car night usually begins around 4:00 - 4:30, but during car week it fills up really fast so I would get there before 4:00. However the action really does not get going until about 5:00. It goes until closing but starts to wind down after 9:30 to 10:00. For dinner, if you want to eat in the restaurant or patio for their Mexican food menu, then absolutely make a reservation early. Otherwise it will be a long wait. If you don't mind the outdoor BBQ limited menu and eating on picnic tables then there is no need for reservations as that part opens around 6:00 and is first come first serve. Last year there were so many cars they took over the entire shopping center parking with specialty and classic cars so spectators had to park down the street. Of course it is not a very big shopping center. There were about 500 people there though so it was definately the busiest night of the year for them. No need to get there too much before 4:00 as there won't be much happening before then unless you want to have lunch there. I got a table right away without reservations for lunch. Remember, there is no charge to enter your car.

Lodging on the peninsula is over the top during car week so if you don't want to spend a fortune, check further out starting with Marina and points north from there. Might also try Prunedale or Gilroy. Also, if price is the only concern, you might also try south county like Gonzales or Soladad or even King City. The drive is certainly no longer than from Santa Cruz or Aptos, but the surroundings are not as nice. If anyone wants any other local info, just let me know.

[decooney]

Originally Posted by Bxx1

Lodging in the Monterey area, during the car events week, will be expensive and difficult to find. Around Monterey/Pacific Grove motels, Inns, etc. usually require 4 day minimum (at $250-400+) per nite, if you can find it. I suggest Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz.

A few years ago I looked into a Motel 6 on a busy street in Monterey.... they wanted $300/nite for a room that was regularly priced at $70/nite. I wouldnt stay there even if it was $20/nite... it was a dump! Prices are crazy.

Yep - most who don't know to plan and secure lodging well in advance for car week on the peninsula get sticker shock and very turned off by the lodging costs and minimum stay requirements. It can take many years of waiting to secure a room block at a good rate at a nice place for a large group.

[decooney]

>>> Concorso Italiano (Friday) <<<

Ron, Doug - did either of you sign up for the Italiano non-Italian Corral? Anyone else?

We have a small group of us going from NorCal so far. Should be fun.

[Igofastr]

Duane,

I'm in for the non-Italian Corral.

I'll be sure to get a pedicure and some gold chains so that I fit in.

[Got the Bug]

Duane - My schedule was up in the air, so I didn't pull the trigger for a ticket to Concorso. If I'm off, I may drive down to Laguna Seca for part of the day.

[decooney]

Ron,
the whole idea for attending CI is to not fit in - wearing jeans, Cowboy hat and all..., sitting Cobras and a Gulf GT40 in plain view adjacent to the whole Italian, I mean Ferrari show. Glad you can make it. Perfect!

[gjcomb]

I'll be in Monterey Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so look forward to trying to meet with all of you! We are staying in Pacific Grove - managed to find a great place for 2 nights. We will be attending a number of functions out there, and will have to finalize shortly!

I am also planning to have my car finished and rumble around town as well! Will be nice to see this puppy in the sun for a change!!

GC

[Brent Mills]

Hey Duane, maybe I missed it somewhere, but where do I sign up for the concorso?

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by Brent Mills

Hey Duane, maybe I missed it somewhere, but where do I sign up for the concorso?

Hey Brent,

Here's the link to the registration form for the Concorso event. Last time I looked, the registration deadline was May 30th. I seen that they now have the deadline listed as August 5th, so I might attend if I can get my calendar squared away.

https://secure.concorso.com/index.php/nonitalian

[decooney]

Brent,

I have been sending you WSCG group updates about things going on to an old email address (i guess?). Maybe you are not getting them. Yep, That's the link that Doug sent. They DID extend the car+2-tickets discount deadline for CI just this past week for the Non-Italian entry. You want to enter the Non-Italian show. Having Ron's Gulf GT40 and your Red GT40 MKIV there would be sweet! Now we are talkin'. I sent the link out to four more last night. We will have a neat little Ferrari Killer cluster on display at CI. After walking around and seeing everything, the best part is just being able to hang out and relax around the cars at the end of the day, tailgate party, pot luck picnic dinner, etc. It will be fun.

[Brent Mills]

My bad, Duane. I went back and looked....there's the mail.

[Igofastr]

Originally Posted by decooney

Ron,
the whole idea for attending CI is to not fit in - wearing jeans, Cowboy hat and all..., sitting Cobras and a Gulf GT40 in plain view adjacent to the whole Italian, I mean Ferrari show. Glad you can make it. Perfect!

Oh, well then, I have the perfect bowling shirt in mind.

How do you think a bumper sticker on the back of the GT that says "Ferrari's Ass is Mine" would go over?

Too over the top?

[SunDude]

FYI -- Here are some details of the Shelby Cobra Heritage Display, taken from the Sports Car Digest website.

###

Shelby Heritage Display at Monterey Reunion 2012
posted June 15, 2012

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2012 will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Shelby Cobra when it returns August 17-19th to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, California. This year’s races will feature a dedicated race group (3A) and a strong collection of cars in the Shelby Cobra Heritage Display, both honoring the legendary Carroll Shelby, who passed away May 10th.

“There will never be another person like Carroll Shelby,” said Jim Farley, Group Vice President for Global Marketing, Sales and Service for Ford Motor Company. “His legacy is forever immortalized within the walls of Ford Motor Company and the hearts of millions of automotive enthusiasts. The Monterey weekend will be a very special gathering and fitting tribute to the man who accomplished the unimaginable.”

Never before will these cars – which helped turn Carroll Shelby’s dream into a reality and created the legend – be grouped together in one location. And while there will be hundreds of Shelby Cobras descending on the Monterey Peninsula for Classic Car Week and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, none will be as historically significant as the featured cars in the Heritage Display, which include:

Daytona Coupe (CSX 2299) – The most significant of the six coupes, this is the car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Daytona Continental 24 Hour, 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1965 FIA GT World Championship. It was driven by Dan Gurney, Bob Bondurant and others. (Courtesy of the Shelby American Museum)

FIA Cobra Roadster (CSX 2345) – Probably the most significant Cobra. It compiled five FIA wins and was driven by Phil Hill, Bob Bondurant, Roy Salvadori, Sir John Whitmore and others. It is completely original and untouched, including tires, from its last win in 1965 at Rossfeld, Germany. (Courtesy of the Shelby American Museum)

USRRC Cobra Roadster (CSX 2431) – The most recognizable Cobra roadster No. 98 was driven almost exclusively by Ken Miles. (Courtesy of the Shelby American Museum)

Sebring Cobra Roadster (CSX 2128) – Known as the “Hey Little Cobra” roadster, this was driven by Dan Gurney and Ken Miles. (Courtesy of the Shelby American Museum)

Cobra Roadster (CSX 2026) – The first Cobra to ever win a race and a national championship, it was primarily driven by Dave McDonald, Lew Spencer and Bob Johnson. (Courtesy of the Shelby American Museum)

Cobra Roadster (CSX 2002) – The very first Shelby factory race car and the third Cobra ever built, it was driven by Billy Krause and others. (Courtesy of the Shelby American Museum)

Cobra (CSX 2128) – This was one of two Cobras built for the 1963 12 Hours of Sebring. (Courtesy of the Larry H. Miller Auto Museum)

Cobra (CSX 3017) – This was a full competition 427 Cobra. (Courtesy of the Larry H. Miller Auto Museum)

Cobra #1 (CSX 2000) – The very first Shelby Cobra, this car debuted at the 1962 New York Auto Show. (Courtesy of Shelby American)

Cobra (CSX 4000) – This was the first re-creation of the famed Cobra, which has become the most replicated car in history. (Courtesy of Shelby American)

Cobra 289 Dragonsnake (CSX 2427) – This is the only “Stage III” factory Dragonsnake Cobra ever and is also the only original yellow and Weber-inducted Cobra sold to the public. It has undergone a meticulous, multi-year restoration that earned it a nearly perfect score at SAAC’s concourse. The car cost $8,695 in 1964. (Courtesy of Steven Juliano from Pelham Manor, NY)

Advance general admission tickets to the 2012 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion start at $50. A three-day ticket is only $130 and includes a complimentary souvenir magazine. Children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Hospitality options begin at $200 per person.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 800-327-7322 or visit Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

[Source: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca]

[decooney]

Just learned the Fliptop is going to be on display too and its headed to a new museum home back east after. Might be the last time some of us on the US West coast will see it.

[Jamo]

That old thing? Can you imagine what it must be like to drive it?

hehehehe....

[Cobra #3170]

I am disappointed that Dick Smith's car is not part of this display, it certainly should be.

[Jamo]

Yup...agreed. This and the VC hillclimb were his two favorite venues.

[decooney]

Getting closer to one month away - Based on reports so far from all the different racer and club spectator camps, it's going to be a (lifelong) memorable day for all attendees. It will be great for us all to meet up once again!