A day at the races: the 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Well, a morning, actually. But even spending just a few hours at The Track is enough to recharge the batteries, enjoying the sight of so many cars seldom seen in Europe tearing round the rolling desert circuit.

The big news is that, since we last visited, Laguna Seca has undergone a programme of improvement and refurbishment in the paddock so it’s a more pleasant place to hang out, drink a coffee or have a snack with friends at tables under shading. If you’ve been there after 11am in the morning, you know how important some protection from the sun is.

There are still some great cars at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, particularly to European eyes, and when the deafening Trans-Am machinery hits the track it’s a visceral experience. However, in common with historic racing worldwide (Goodwood, Le Mans Classic etc), the really rare, valuable cars have almost disappeared. In Europe these have been replaced with replicas, and the argument rumbles on: is it better to have exciting racing with replicas than no historic racing at all? The days of well-heeled owner-drivers running original Alfa 8Cs and P3s, Maserati 250Fs and ‘Birdcages’, ex-works Jaguar D-types and Ferrari 250 GT SWB Comp cars and 250 TRs are over.

Anyway, we spent an enjoyable few hours at The Track today and enjoyed every minute of it. Here is some of the flavour of historic racing, 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion style.

Photos by K500