When the 2021 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion kicks off for four days on August 12 at Monterey County’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, several driver and fan favorites will be on the grid. Adding to the anticipation will be the first time a dedicated historic Indy Car group, which originally competed between 1963 and 1978, will be racing at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
“The British invasion of America included not only the Beatles, but the introduction of rear engine Indy Cars starting in 1963 at Indianapolis,” commented three-time Indy Car Champion Bobby Rahal, who also won three consecutive Indy Car races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca beginning in 1985. “From 1965 on, there would never again be a front engine winner of the 500.
“From 1963, Lola, BRP, Lotus and other British manufacturers would take the fight to Captain America Dan Gurney’s Eagles, California’s Gerhardts, Huffakers and other U.S. manufacturers,” Rahal added. “And the scream of the iconic Ford 4 Cam would take on Offys and whispering Jet Turbines. I personally look forward to returning to Laguna Seca with my 1966 Eagle-Ford and share this great era with fans from all over the world.”
The Indy Cars will be complemented by two wildly disparate groups: the thundering historic Trans-Am cars from the “pony car” era of 1966 to 1972, and the high-revving historic Formula One cars that competed on the international stage between 1966 and 1985.
The familiar Mustangs, Camaros, Javelins, Challengers and Trans-Ams return to the setting where they once professionally competed in what promises to be a back and forth and side to side race. The owners who are also extremely fan-friendly encourage fans of all ages to sit inside and learn about the cars and their history.
The selected cars will be assembled into the following 14 groups:
Pre-1920 Exhibition race
1966-1985 Masters Historic Formula One
1920-1951 Racing Cars
1947-1955 Sports Racing and GT
1955-1964 GT
1963-1966 GT over 2500cc
1973-1981 FIA, IMSA, GT, GTX, GTU, AAGT
FIA Manufacturers Championship
1981-1991 IMSA GTO, GTP, Trans-Am
1955-1961 Sports Racing under/over 2000cc
1961-1966 GT under 2500cc
1966-1972 Trans-Am
1983-2016 Masters Endurance Legends
1963-1978 IndyCar
Entry invitations and applications will open in October via the online registration portal that will be found on the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion event page on WeatherTechRaceway.com. Each entry will be reviewed to determine the car’s authenticity, provenance and mechanical- and period-correctness to ensure it meets the longstanding strict criteria established for the event.
Historic car racing has been held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca since 1974, which along with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, stimulated the rapid growth of what is known internationally as Monterey Car Week. The Week attracts visitors from around the world who want to immerse themselves into the automotive experience.
Tickets and VIP hospitality packages are planned to go on sale in December. For more information, visit WeatherTechRaceway.com.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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