The 2009 Monterey Historic Automobile Races were held August 15th and 16th at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.
Held annually at the 2.238-mile and 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the Monterey Historics celebrated its 36th anniversary in 2009. Sunday at the Monterey Historics included the earth-shaking Can-Am class, FIA Mfg. Championship Cars, IMSA GT, the predominantly American muscle 1963-1967 GT Cars over 2500cc, among others.
“The field of cars is really extraordinary and not just the Porsches but all of them,” said Steve Earle of General Racing, which produces the event. “The racing (for 15 different race groups) was excellent – pretty darn clean – and as long as everybody is having a good time, then I am happy.”
Earle drove his own C-Type Jaguar in Group 1B. “It’s just sort of an old family friend now…its old reliable,” he said about the car, which he has had for 25 years. “It’s the last race for us here, so we’ll be at the back of the grid having a nice time,” he added, referring to the fact that General Racing will no longer be producing the event after this year. (Later that evening, at the Rolex Awards Ceremony, Earle was presented with a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss by Doug Meine, Executive Vice President Rolex Watch U.S.A., after delivering an emotional farewell speech.)
Sports Car Digest was fortunate to have photographer Dennis Gray at the track the entire weekend to document the Monterey Historics. To see more of Gray’s work, visit www.dennisgrayphotographer.com.
(Click here for Saturday’s results and photos)
2009 Monterey Historics Sunday Results and Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture)
Group 1B – 1947-1955 Sports Racing and GT Cars over 1500cc
1. 1952 Schaghticoke Manning Special, Robert Manson, Barcelona, Spain
2. 1949 Parkinson-Jaguar Special, John Buddenbaum, Sunnyvale, CA
3. 1949 Baldwin Mercury Special, Jim Herlinger, Woodside, CA
Steve Marx - 1954 Mercedes Benz 300SL
Steve Earle - 1953 Jaguar C-Type
Alex Curtis - 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL
Group 2B – 1971-1976 FIA Mfg. Championship Cars
1. 1973 Lola T294, Jamey Mazzotta, Newport Coast, CA
2. 1972 Lola T290, Keith Frieser, Nisku, Alberta, Canada
3. 1975 Sauber C4, Brian Groza, Salinas, CA
Ernie Prisbe - 1971 Ferrari 312PB
Brian Groza - 1975 Sauber C5
Chris MacAllister - 1972 Mirage M6
Group 3B – 1961-1966 GT Cars Under 2500cc
1. 1964 Lotus 26R, John Hugenholtz, Schilde, Belgium
2. 1964 Lotus 26R, John Delane, Redondo Beach, CA
3. 1964 Ginetta G4, Robert Forbes, Emerald Hills, CA
Class Winner John Hugenholtz - 1964 Lotus 26R
Fred Della Noce - 1964 Porsche 904/6
Ron Bennett - 1965 Lotus S7
Group 4B – 1959-1966 Sports Racing Cars
1. 1963 Huffaker Genie Mk 8, John Harden, Oklahoma City, OK
2. 1964 Lotus 23C, Dave Olson, Tiburon, CA
3. 1964 Huffaker Genie Mk 8, Mike Blackie, Prescott, AZ
Mike Blackie - 1964 Huffaker Genie Mk 8 into turn 8
Jay Embree - 1964 Lotus 30 on top of the corkscrew
Jim Froula - 1962 Huffaker Genie Mk 1 into turn 8
Group 5B – 1963-1967 GT Cars over 2500cc
1. 1965 Chevrolet Corvette, Terry Gough, Reno, NV
2. 1964 Chevrolet Corvette, Tommy Thompson, Phoenix, AZ
3. 1965 Shelby GT350, Thomas Steuer, Bogota
Class Winner Terry Gough's very quick 1965 Chevrolet Corvette
Tommy Thompson comes out of turn 5 in his 1964 Chevrolet Corvette
Tom Claridge - 1964 Griffith 200
Tom Saki - 1965 Sunbeam Tiger
Mark Cane - 1966 Shelby GT350
Stephen Sorenson's 1966 Shelby Notchback leads len Gobel's Shelby GT350 through Turn 5
Steve Park - 1962 Shelby AC Cobra
Len Gobel - 1966 Shelby GT350
Group 6B – 1966-1974 Can-Am Cars
1. 1969 Lola T163, Craig Bennett, Vancouver, B.C.
2. 1970 McLaren M8C, Jay Esterer, Edmonton, Alberta
3. 1968 McLaren M6B, Steve Cook, Yountville, CA
Jay Esterer 1970 McLaren M8C leads Andy Boone's 1968 McLeagle M6B, Don Bell's Lola T-163 and Carl Moore's McLaren M6A
Class Winner Craig Bennett - 1969 Lola T163
Andy Boone - 1968 McLeagle M6B
Brian Blain's 1968 Lola T163 leads Ilja Burkoff in his 1968 McLaren M6B
David Hankin's 1968 McLaren M6B leads Brad Hoyt in his 1966 McLaren M1B down the Corkscrew
Todd Glyer - 1968 Lola T160
Norm Cowdrey - 1967 McKee Mk 10
Steve Hilton in the Corkscrew - 1968 Lola T70 MK III
Patrick Ryan - 1967 Lola T70 MK III into turn 8
Jay Esterer - 1970 McLaren M8C
Patrick Hogan, 1967 Lola T70 MK III
Patrick Ryan - 1967 Lola T70 Mk III
Scott Hughes - 1971 McLaren M8F
Brian Blain - 1968 Lola T163
Don Bell - 1969 Lola T163
Andy Boone on his cool down lap in the corkscrew - 1968 McLeagle M6B
Spencer Trenery - 1970 Lola T163
Fred Ciska - 1974 Shadow DN4
Group 7B – 1973-1980 IMSA GT, GTX, AAGT Cars
1. 1979 Porsche 935, Rusty French, Victoria, Australia
2. 1979 Porsche 935, Bruce Canepa, Scotts Valley, CA
3. 1975 Dekon Monza, Chad Raynal, San Jose, CA
A fast combination: Class Winner Rusty French and his 1979 Porsche 935
Fan favorite Henry Schmitt - 1974 BMW 3.5 CSL 'Batmobile'
Richard Harris - 1979 Porsche 935
Ken Epsman - 1976 Dekon Monza
William Conner - 1980 Porsche 935J
Hurley Haywood - 1979 Porsche 935
Tomy Drissi - 1973 Porsche 911 RSR 3.0 Liter. This car won the 1977 Twelve Hours of Sebring driven by George Dyer and Brad Frisselle.
Jon Norman - 1971 Alfa Romeo GTV. Jon has raced this car since new, even in the original Trans-Am series
[Source: Monterey Historics; picture credit Dennis Gray]
Sometimes the races are totally unfair to certain cars and drivers. Jon Norman should have been running his Alfa GTV with other cars..
I agree, but at least they let him out there.
I remember watching B Sedans outrun Mustangs and Camaros in 1972 and 1973.
Hi! My sister,Judy Bolt Howell, is wondering if this is the Vester Thacker who was in her 3rd grade class many years ago in Ware Shoals, S.C. If you are the one, would you please reply to her email at lhowell@atlanticbb.net ? Thanks!
Great photos. Cannot thank you enough!
What is with the front right wheel on the 1974 Shadow DN4?
Those are forced air induction fans. They blow outside cool over the brakes or maybe they suck out air out. In any event there are fan blades inside those caps.
Thank you Dennis. They were always cutting-edge. Great pictures.
Those wheels had ducting through them, drawing air from the outside of the wheel through veins, and passing the air through the wheel rim onto the brakes for cooling. Similar idea to the vented disc wheels used on the 956 Porsche group C cars.
Thank you Sports Car Digest, Dennis Gray and Steve Earle!
Please do not mess this up SCRAMP!
Well, just like everything else that SCRAMP touches, we’ll have to see what happens.
Thanks for the great picture that you took from my car.
Fred –
Thanks for the note and thank you for racing the car at Laguna. We really appreciate it.
Best,
SCD
Fred,
I’ve been running with you (and your Alfa) for years, so really enjoyed finally meeting you….and running with your beautiful 904. I hope to see you at another Historic race soon.
Thanks,
Garrett
#63 Corvette
Great photos. Thank You
Thanks for the picture of my Lotus Elan.
Any more that you can show????
Thank you , Thank You, Thank You. From all us poor soul who could not attend. Are who will never be able to attend because of health reasons. These pictures are the next best thing. Thanks again for ALL the wonderful pictures.
Second that C.D. Thank you SCD for bringing these to the masses.
Dennis,
Once again, a terrific job!
Thanks!
Is it Fred or Federico della Noce ? John Hugenholz of Spijker fame/blame ?
Not sure if it’s Fred or Federico, but I have raced him in his Alfa GTA many times, and spoke with him about racing and his beautiful 904-6 last weekend at Montery, and he answered to Fred, and said that although he was Rubens Barrichello’s manager when Rubens drove for Ferrari, he is no longer Ruben’s manager.
Great cars, even greater photos of them!!
Thank you
thanks, so much, for these excellent photographs.
i’m grateful to look at them.
i’ve not been to the Historics since 1985 as a teenager; one day i’ll be able to make it back, i hope.
those trips were the highlight of my childhood.
happy holidays to all
Over a period of many years, I attended almost 80 % of all races, including the historics, and each one was better than the last. I am retired, now, and live in Florida, but my heart remains in California. I have just attended my first Concours D’ Elegance at the Amelia Island country club, and saw some of those cars that had raced at Laguna seca. It brought back a lot of memories.