A Look at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, 2015- Sponsored by Rolex

This is the much-anticipated action-packed automotive weekend of the year – taking place in Monterey, California, since Thursday and culminating in the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance tomorrow.

On Thursday, The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex took place, as did the practice sessions for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. You can read more about that Tour in our post here. Yesterday, the practice sessions continued and, concurrently, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, took place. Today sees the top racing moments at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and tomorrow the judging of the most famous car presentation in the world: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – with Awards presentations and ceremonies at both events.

We have been privileged to attend this event multiple times and find the weekend one of the most exhilarating and enlightening for car lovers. It is a blend of speed, history, design and passion that is incomparable.

These are the same ideals shared by Rolex, a brand highly involved as California’s Monterey Peninsula transforms into a hub of vintage automobile excellence for Monterey Classic Car Week. In fact, Rolex has been deeply involved since 1997. Out of the weeklong events, Rolex is associated with four.

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the ultimate litmus test for true preservation and precise restoration of the world’s most elegant and historic vehicles. The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, has dedicated itself to bringing together the most inspiring cars and motorcycles in an exclusive, garden party environment, while the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion offers an alternative expression of automotive art, with a weekend of wheel-to-wheel action.

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Practices started on Thursday and continued into Friday for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Racing takes place today and tomorrow in this incredible display of history in action, as more than 500 cars roar to life on the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit – one of the most famed race tracks in America thanks to its hairpin down-hill turns. Established in 1957, the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit is as demanding for drivers as it is thrilling for spectators. The 3.602km, 11-turn road course features over 90 meters in elevation changes and a notorious 18-metre drop experienced in the infamous Corkscrew turn. Competing vehicles are selected from over 800 applicants for their historical significance, authenticity and adherence to their period. At this event, Rolex Awards of Excellence are presented to all group winners, but only one will receive a highly prized Rolex timepiece and the “Spirit of Monterey” honor, which goes to the driver who “excels in the spirit of the weekend.” We will bring you more news about who that winner is in the days to come.

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, Photo: Rolex, Tom O’Neal

Yesterday, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, also took place at The Quail Lodge & Golf Club, which lies beneath the Santa Lucia mountain range just off the Peninsula. The original concept was to create a garden party ambiance where guests would feel welcome and enjoy exceptional hospitality. The desire has always been to display the finest in automotive design and engineering with the primary focus on sporting and racing machinery, rather than the grand classics. Although prizes are awarded, The Quail is designed to offer respite from the competitive atmosphere of the other events Rolex is associated with during Monterey Classic Car Week. Rolex has been a sponsor of The Quail since 2005. This year’s categories include Pre and Post-War Sports and Racing cars largely dating from pre-1975, The Great Ferraris, Long Tail Cars of Le Mans – the most notable of which is the Porsche 917 that gave the marque its first ever win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 – and Iconic Pre-1965 Porsches.

 

“Among the many facets of the Monterey Classic Car Week,The Quail is the most exclusive, taking, as it does, the form of a very grand private garden party,” says Rolex Watch USA President and CEO, Stewart Wicht. “Guests have the chance to view at leisure some of the finest examples classic race and road cars, whose values again echo those of the Rolex brand.”

 

1963 FERRARI 400 SUPERAMERICA COUPE AERODINAMICO Photo: Rolex, Tom O’Neal

Tomorrow marks the defining moment of the long week, with the final races of the Motorsports Reunion and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. We will bring you more about that in our daily coverage of the event. Stay tuned.