In the motorsport world, there are champions and then there are champions. Today the world lost a great American champion; Phil Hill. Mr. Hill was the only American born driver to win a Grand Prix title. We salute Phil Hill-World Champion, American racing legend and a true icon of the sport.

 O.C.C.E

Photo: www.grandprix.com

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The week of the Pebble Beach Concours d’elegance in Monterey Ca. may just be the largest gathering of automotive junkies in the world.

Having just arrived home after a rather long, tiring, but, incredible week on the beautiful Monterey peninsula; I had to sit down and make an attempt at describing just how much happens there and how grand it really is. There is so much to write about, so many stories to tell, so many events taken part of and great people that I visited with- it is all such an incredible blur.

Where to start???? It all started last Tuesday with a quick drive to Indian Wells Ca. to have a look at a very nicely restored Jaguar XK120 and to pick up my traveling partner Paul Merrigan, who by-the-way, is the founder of the Desert Classic Concours d’elegance held March 1st. He and his lovely wife Holly invited me into their amazing home so we could get an early [sic] start on Wednesday. We drove up to Paso Robles and were invited to stay at the truly magnificent home of one of Paul and Holly’s friends. There is no adjective for this home; pictures do not tell the full story. Amazing- simply amazing! Thanks Mrs. “J”!!!

An early start on Thursday found us arriving at Laguna Seca Raceway for practice. The first year of the Monterey historic races yielded a field of just 60 cars. This weekend there were more than 400 participants!

A quick drive to Carmel to view the cars that had participated in the tour drive for the Concours; packed, Carmel was packed! I was also to meet up with Rhet and Chet Andrews who had acquired a car from me just a week earlier; they had a spare ticket for Quail Lodge! Rumor had it that Quail tickets were selling for as much as $2,000 a pair. Thanks guys!!!!!. Then a quick gathering at Mike Lynch’s house, a Ferrari 166 Barchetta in the garage-restoration in progress. Nice Folks; and our great friend Tony a2z was there as well. Thanks Mike! A quick clean up and we were off to the Pebble Beach Club having been invited to a Land Rover reception by a truly remarkable fellow; one Doug Lee. Doug is a talent scout and is the president of California models & Talent in Monterey Ca. He is a great deal of fun- most certainly too quick witted for me, but, most of you know me; it don’t take much

Friday morning came way too early, but, we had to get to Quail before the crowds would make it impossible to photograph the cars. So, up at 5:00 am and out the door by 5:30. Was it worth it? Oh god yes; some of the world’s greatest cars and in an ideal setting. Admission also covers everything that you may want, coffee, (good coffee) great food, wine, cocktails; you name it. Well worth the price! Perhaps the most amazing display at Quail were the 14 Gurney Eagles, yes, fourteen of them. Doug Magnon had brought four of them from his private collection. It was the first time in automotive history that this many Gurney Eagles were at one place and at one time. Then it got better- Dan Gurney showed up; holy smokes! And, our good friend Tony a2z was there as well. Tony won the 1969 F5000 championship driving a Gurney Eagle. The expression on Dan’s face was worth the price of admission alone. I think it was all he could do to contain his absolute joy in seeing his all his babies in one place and at one time. Cars that were driven by racers like; Bobby Unser, James Hunt, Denis Hulme, Jerry Grant, Vern Schuppan-oh my goodness!

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