[TR] 2009 Monterey Historic Races info & photos.

[Alan Myers]

Hi all,



I was fortunate to attend the Monterey Historic Races last Saturday and?couldn't help but take?lots and lots?of photos. 



If interested,?many?edited (quickly) shots?are online for viewing, at:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/15729236@N05/sets/72157621950598061/



A few quick highlights, with a Triumph bias...



- In the first race, Group 1, a 1936 Triumph was announced and?listed, but I never saw it on the track.?Not sure, maybe it?scratched or DNFed. However, I might just have missed it?while?moving around trying to find? a good location for photos (missed the Group 2?race, entirely). 



- There was a?nice 1955 TR2 (#29) in the Group 3 race.?Managed to get?a handful of photos of it in action



- A number of TR-powered Morgans appeared in Group 4 and?one of them?won the race (#711) by one of the largest margins of the day. Greg Solow (TR-powered Morgan tuner/racer and owner of The Engine Room in Santa Cruz) was driving another of the Morgans. 



- A really pretty 1956 Devin-Triumph (#189) ran in the Group 5 race. 



- A?Group 44?1969 GT6+ -?a barn find fully?restored by the?staff of Classic Motorsport magazine?-?was on display in the Paddock on Saturday. It ran on Sunday (I wasn't able to be there both days, so no I got on-track photos of it.)? 



- Porsche was the featured marque and?they took the opportunity to introduce the new Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo (a four door sedan!) which will go on sale in N. America in mid-October. There were numerous Porsches in the races, of course... As well as many more displayed in the Paddock and?around the in-field. 



- Stirling Moss was driving a black Lola (#7) in the?Group 5 race. Derek Bell?in a Porsche 917K and?Brian Redman (who eventually won) in a Porsche 908 competed in Group 7.?Actor Patrick Dempsey drove one of the Mazda champ cars in Group 8 race. Reportedly comedian Jerry Seinfeld drove on Sat., too, but wasn't announced or listed in the program. Apparently it's not uncommon for celebrities to drive under another name and not be announced. 



- There was some minor paint swapping in one or two of the heats. A few mechanical problems sent cars off the road. Average winning speeds ranged from just under 60 mph (Group 1) to nearly 95 mph (Group 8).? 



- Steve Earle/General Racing Ltd. -?the organizer of the Historics for the past 36 years -?is stepping down and handing over the reins of the 2010 event to SCRAMP (Sports?Car Racing Assoc. of?the Monterey Peninsula). ?



Cheers! 


Alan Myers, Photographer
San Jose, California
408 803-5550
amfoto1 at aol.com
www.amfoto1.printroom.com