Sensory Overload: Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion
Once a year we make a three hour drive down to the Monterey Peninsula to partake in what’s known these days as “Car Week,” which currently encapsulates more than 40 automotive enthusiast focused events roughly beginning on August 8th and ending with the announcement of the Best of Show winner of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday (August 17th this year). Over the last 3 decades, we’ve been lucky enough to partake in many Car Week events from launch parties to auctions, meetups and other happenings, and even the aforementioned Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Every year’s adventure is a little different, and we do our best to schedule-shift to afford time for as many experiences as we can take in, giving consideration for time, expense, and logistics. But regardless of what’s on offer though, we always prioritize a visit to the famed WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to get in a full day at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (RMMR). It’s the reason we started making the trip to Car Week in the first, before there were over 40 events, before said events spanned an entire week, and before the term, “carspotting” was an actual thing.
Over 400 cars were on display in the paddock, with most going out on track into one of the multiple racing groups for the weekend bringing to life motorsport history from the 1900s the early 2000s. As usual, it was clear to us that if there is one event you should experience during Car Week, it is the RMMR.
Formula 1 at 75…
Seventy-five years of F1 history came alive at Laguna Seca during the Reunion, where the paddock transformed into a living museum of Grand Prix icons. Curated with care and passion by Ellen Bireley, the collection assembled more than two dozen rarely seen F1 legends, stretching from the pioneering 1950s to the ground-effects revolution of the 1980s..and a whole lot more.
The display was figuratively bookended by the 1956 Maserati 250F that was propelled to victory in Monza all the way to the 2024 Constructors' Championship winning McLaren MCL38/02. McLaren contributed several cars to the display, including Niki Lauda’s legendary 1984 McLaren MP4/2, which was piloted for demonstration laps by McLaren CEO Zak Brown. The Reunion hosted over 55 F1 cars, with over 30 historic F1 cars in the paddock’s featured display.
The Mario Andretti Trophy group (Tyrrels, Lotuses, Ferraris and Brabhams) in particular turned the weekend into a time machine, the smell of vintage F1 racing and the scream of Cosworth DFVs carrying spectators back to an age when surviving the drive was nearly as difficult as achieving a podium.
Several of the F1 cars in the paddock would find their way to the famed 18th fairway at Pebble Beach on Sunday for the Concours d’Elegance.
IROC
If F1’s anniversary display was a study in evolution, the International Race of Champions (IROC) tribute was all about raw thunder and horsepower. For the first time in history, all seven generations of IROC cars were assembled and unleashed, marking the series’ first west coast appearance since 2002. The sight was unforgettable: 26 vividly liveried machines lined up on the grid, their rumbling V8s shaking the ground, their purpose clear—to honor one of racing’s most democratic and daring concepts.
The magic of IROC was never about manufacturers or technology—it was about drivers. Legends from every discipline faced off in identical machinery, settling debates about talent in the most visceral way possible. That spirit was alive again in Monterey. Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Bobby Labonte, Danny Sullivan, Scott Pruett, Kurt Busch, and others strapped into the very cars they once raced, adding a layer of authenticity and nostalgia that elevated the tribute into something more than a historic demonstration. When the field thundered into the Corkscrew with a sound so rich it was as if it had texture, during the Unser Family Cup, every fan around the track had their phones and cameras out to record this historic and ground-rumbling group.
We want to give the event organizers, especially Ray Evernham, a lot of props for putting this group together. It was impossible not to notice how many NASCAR shirts and hats were in the crowd this year. Despite the number of cup car fans in this country, we feel that RMMR hasn’t always featured a representative number of those cars. Though these were not NASCAR series cars, it was clear that there were a lot of new blood at this event who were there to meet their NASCAR heroes and see what those heroes did you a side hustle.
Porsche 963 RSP
Porsche nerds we’re treated to something special in the paddock. Just a few feet from the F1 cars, in its own non-descript garage was a thing that we’ve been reading about for months, but never imagined seeing in the flesh….er, carbon fiber, despite appearances earlier this year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and at the Le Mans 24 hour race, where the car was revealed to the world after numerous social media teases by Porsche.
The 963 RSP is the product of a collaboration between Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche AG, Porsche Cars North America, and Roger Penske himself. This road legal version of Porsche’s current IMSA/WEC prototype racer is a tip of the hat to the Porsche 917 inspired by Rossi (of Martini e Rossi) distilling company heir Gregorio Rossi di Montelera’s (“Count Rossi”) yearning in 1975 to modify a Porsche 917 so that it could be driven on public roads. That car, a test mule used for racing development, was minimally modified from racing spec and trimmed in brown leather for the Count, who then drove the car from the Porsche factory to Paris. That car still remains with the Rossi family.
Penske’s 963, also trimmed in leather and painted in Martini Silver, is a much tamed version of the current, world beating, 963 endurance racer. This car has significant aerodynamic changes, softer suspension, raised ride height, different electronics and engine management, and even a much ballyhoo’d cup holder!
One might argue that both the 963 and the 917 50 years before are ridiculous novelties with no real purpose or practical use….and one would probably be correct. That said, we don’t care about practicality in cars and racing, and we’re glad that the powers that be built both of these amazing machines for no purpose other than absolute flex.
The personalities…
The Reunion consistently attracts some of the greatest names in motorsport, and this year was no exception. Legends from across a wide range of racing disciplines took part, with the IROC class featuring icons such as Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, and Scott Pruett, among others.
Adding to the star power, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button served as Grand Marshal for the weekend. Beyond his ceremonial role, Button hit the track himself, piloting an array of cars that reflected his passion for racing history, including his 1967 Alfa Romeo GT Jr., a 2011 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup, and a 1996 IROC Pontiac Firebird in the Unser Family Cup IROC group.
Rag Time Racers
A fan favorite every year and one of the most distinctive groups at the Reunion was the Ragtime Racers, a living tribute to motorsport’s earliest era. This traveling troupe brings pre-World War I race cars back to life, showcasing machines over a century old that once competed on dirt tracks and speedways. With open cockpits, exposed engine internals, and chain-driven wheels, these cars embody the raw spirit of racing’s beginnings. Totally analog!
The Ragtime Racers not only put these antique machines on display but also take them onto the track, giving fans a rare chance to see and hear the sights and sounds of early American racing history in motion. Their presence is a reminder of how far the sport has evolved, while honoring the daring pioneers who first defined speed and competition. Unlike the garages and factories you might see on Drive to Survive, the RTR paddock is a warts and all affair with the obligatory oil leaks, wooden spokes, lots of steam, brass everywhere, and lots of funny glasses/goggles and physics defying waxed mustaches. Good clean/dirty fun and a place we can all learn something from.
Corrals and Parking Lots
One thing we look forward to during Car Week is car spotting. No parking lot on the peninsula is immune from our stalking…not a single one. Though the corrals and lots at WRLS were a light on talent this year (and we miss you, Bring a Trailer), it was still worth the expenditure of our precious and limited middle-aged energy to make our way across much of the sprawling campus to find its gems. Please enjoy this gallery.
Thirsty snakes???
Before we conclude, there’s just one more picture we want to share. One of the best things to do at RMMR is hang out by the VP Racing Fuels "gas station,” positioned right in the heart of the paddock are. Over the years we’ve shared shots of what you might see, pulling up for some high octane. This year, our favorite moment was this…
Fill em up!
As is the case, pretty much every year, the RMMR delivered the goods…all the goods. A stroll through the paddock or around the sprawling acrage hits you from all angles, stimulating all the nerves in your eyes, your ears, and your brain. Seeing the new talent and displays keeps things fresh. Seeing a lot of these cars is like getting together with old friends. Running into old friends we only see once or twice a years is, er, also like getting together with old friends.?.? All in all, it consistently remains the best thing about Car Week. If for some reason you’ve been to Car Week but never attended RMMR, we pray for (pity , rather) you. Maybe next year you hit the track and see one of the events that started Car Week in the first place. If you have any questios about RMMR, any other event, or about Car Week in general, hit us on our socials or at loudpedalblog@gmail.com.
As usual, we feel that our photographic skills far outshine out abilities with the english language, so we’ve included a juicy mega-gallery for your pleasure…enjoy!
-The Loud Pedal
