A Highlight This Year: BMW's 100th Anniversary

Dream racing cars roar past right before your eyes. This motorsport festival, offering a profound sense of a time tunnel, was held in California again in 2016. It was called the "Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion." The event, with the Swiss luxury watchmaker as its title sponsor, held its "main race" on August 20th and 21st at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (also known as Laguna Seca in Japan). Fans arrived in their RVs before the practice sessions, enjoying the sight and sound of pre-war and post-war sports cars, as well as American favorites like CANAM and Trans-Am race cars.

The Porsche 910 finished 4th in the 1967 US Sebring 12 Hours race, driven by Hans Herrmann and Jo Schiffer.

BMW, celebrating its 100th anniversary, displayed its legendary pre-war racing car, the 328.

Many OPENERS readers likely appreciate the allure of vintage racing cars. Even if you're not deeply involved, fans of Steve McQueen might recall the captivating shapes of cars like the Shelby Cobra, featured in "Le Mans" (a 1971 American film) or in his private photographs. While McQueen's era was the 70s, sports cars and motorsport remain an essential part of American passion even today.

During the same period, as part of Monterey Car Week, events like the "Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance" andThe Quail, a Motorsport Gatheringare held. While these are events for the ultra-wealthy, the Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca caters to a broader fan base. The cars competing are rare and command prices in the hundreds of millions, yet the venue also hosts numerous used car dealers and parts specialists. Chatting about cars and getting advice on potential purchases is a joy for the car-loving attendees.

The thrill of this race lies not only in seeing a genuine Alfa Romeo 6C2500 (1939) up close but also in witnessing it in motion.

The second-generation Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, introduced in 1970 (equipped with a 455 cubic inch / 7.5-liter V8 at the time).

One of the highlights of 2016 was BMW's centenary celebration, bringing 64 racing models. They set up a large booth, transporting vehicles from their museum and design center in Munich. Although BMW began as an aircraft engine manufacturer, the exhibition clearly demonstrated its long-standing reputation in motorsport since before the war. During actual demonstration runs, conversations could be overheard, such as, "The '328' (released in 1936) had such a pure engine sound."

There are many ways to enjoy the "Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion."

Breathtakingly Intense Driving Scenes Evoking the Era

The "Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion" takes place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive south of San Francisco. Racing began here in 1957, and the circuit became globally renowned for races like the CANAM (Canadian-American Challenge Cup) and Trans-Am races, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The sight of high-displacement CANAM machines from Porsche, McLaren, and Lola hurtling down the track's series of complex curves with a 15-meter elevation change was said to be spectacular. The circuit still hosts the American MotoGP and American Le Mans Series races and is used by many manufacturers as a test track. While the Motorsports Reunion isn't a true race, so the intensity might differ slightly, attendees can still enjoy breathtakingly intense driving scenes that evoke the era. In essence, a piece of history is recreated, while also offering genuine racing spectacle. This is likely the reason for its popularity.

McLaren M6B (1968), competing in the CANAM category.

Alongside the Ford GT40, Shelby Cobra, and Shelby Mustang, one of Carroll Shelby's few unsuccessful ventures (failing to win races) was the King Cobra (1963) for CANAM, of which only eight were built.

Personally, the opportunity to encounter genuine CANAM machines, which seem to push the appeal of large-displacement, high-power cars to their absolute limits, is a major draw. Rare models like the "King Cobra" – built by Carroll Shelby on a Cooper Monaco chassis before the "GT40" – line up alongside the ubiquitous Porsche, McLaren, Lola, and of course, the "Shelby Cobra." The sheer variety of sporty Ford "Mustang" models, racing versions of the Chevrolet "Corvette," and the American-favorite Porsche "356" is akin to a museum.

Mazda acquired the naming rights to Laguna Seca in 2001, renaming it "Mazda Raceway."

The 1950s Porsche 356A is highly popular.

The United States is a vast market for everything, including historic cars. Surprisingly many models that once ran in Japan were seen here, evoking a peculiar sense of nostalgia that they had crossed the ocean to remain in America. It's not a sad feeling, though. Americans buy and drive cars with a deep understanding of their history. And at events like the Motorsports Reunion, historic cars are entered based on their original racing era or class. The preservation of vintage car culture here is something we can greatly learn from.

The idea that a race car must be driven is a good one. While a crash would be disastrous, that's precisely why drivers (presumably) practice diligently. The concept of buying a historic car as a hobby is something that Europeans and Americans alike share a similar understanding of. For instance, it lacks meaning without a purpose, such as racing. It's a mature approach to the hobby.