Almost Monterey Time again…

I’ve posted a few times about heading down to the Monterey area for the big Pebble Beach week in August just once in your life. Yes, there can be a level of snottiness from the crowd, it is incredibly expensive to attend overall, and many of the events are over-crowded… But if you plan it out and play your cards right, there is plenty to see and do on the cheap as well. Here’s my recommended hit list for a low-buck Pebble week, when your ready to go:

1. Check out the Carmel Mission Classic car blessing & show on Wednesday for a reasonable admission price, and take in some very nice hot rods and customs.
2. Hang out in downtown Carmel on Thursday. Show up around 11am when your free to walk around and check out the Concours vehicles driving on the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance. You’ll see a decent chunk the good stuff going to the lawn on Sunday.
3. Go to the local car auctions as a ‘guest’. You don’t need a bidders badge just to look at the hundreds of rides for sale, as the auctions aren’t sticklers about credentials like the shows are. I usually walk around the back lot where the iron is parked and never go inside anyway! Can we talk about this 1935 Miller Ford V-8 Indy car that Mecum is selling?
4. Hit the Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca. You say you want more action than just staring at chrome barges on the lawn? How about open wheel racers, vintage Indy cars, Allards, Millers, and many more trading paint around an awesome track? There’s even a “Pre-Reunion” series of races the weekend before for even cheaper.
5. Show up for the Concours super early on Sunday… Like ‘pre-dawn’ early. If you get to the Pebble Beach lawn before sunrise on Sunday there are two benefits: No traffic or crowds yet, and you can be part of the ‘dawn patrol’ that watches all the entrants drive in. You’ll take the best possible pictures without that ‘mouth-breather’ or stroller in the background, and then leave before the event gets crowded. One class worth noting this year: Two-Man Indianapolis Race Cars 1930–1937.