CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. — The Concours d' Elegance is where it all started over 70 years ago. Now that one car show has grown into more than a week's worth of events, San Diegans were there showing their rolling art.
Concours for a Cause in Carmel by the Sea starts us off, vintage motorcycles, European classic, and American muscle, it was there. Holding court was San Diegan George Alspaugh with his 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster.
"The Speedster car was very unique in the late 50's," Alspaugh says. "It was designed to be raced on the weekends and drive to drive to work after race day."
Back in the day it was the least expensive Porsche.
"It's funny how times have changed," he says. "This was the bottom of the barrel from Porsche in 1957, 58. Today it is one of the most expensive cars."
Rolex Motorsports Reunion was celebrating its 50th anniversary at Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca. Spectators can walk in the pits and be among the race cars. Don Anderson is from San Diego and has been racing his Bobsy Porsche since 1998.
The guy just looks like a race car driver.
"I've raced this car around the country. I've raced it at Daytona, Road America, in Austin, Texas," Anderson says. "The Formula 1 circuit you name it, this car has been everywhere."
And Don is competitive.
"If they pave use it. And if there's asphalt, if there's rumble and more asphalt use it. You go much faster!"
There is everything here. Open wheeled cars parading in through the pits, to American muscle cars rumbling down the straights over 100 mph.
And then there were cars that looked fast standing still. Legends of the Autobahn celebrates three German marques: Mercedes Benz, Audi, and BMW.
Driving up from San Diego was Sarah Nelson with her BMW 2000 CS that she restored. The Porsche Club had WERKs and Porsches lovers were in heaven. Porsche San Diego showed up with this Carrera S convertible that did well and caught a few eyes. One of the original three is Concorso Italiano now in its 39th year.
I spoke with Chief Judge Gary Bobileff.
"This is strictly an Italian car show," Bobileff says. "Whether it's Fiat, Oso, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bizzarini, they are all welcome to be on display."
Bobileff shares what makes Italian cars different.
"The styling of the Italian cars is magnificent," he says. "So many of these cars look fast standing still. They just take your breath away."
The Concours d' Elegance at Pebble Beach is the show that started it all. This is where the finest and rarest cars in the world are selected to show. Hundreds of applications are whittled down to a select few. If your car is picked you know you have something special.
Jonathan Seagal from San Diego knows the feeling. Two of his cars have been here before, and because Maserati is the marque they are returning.
"This is a Maserati A6GCS. They made three of them, this was between the race cars and the street cars. There's only two left in the world," he says. "We also have a coupe that's a Maserati that's a Zagato built Car. Possibly one of the most beautiful closed cars in the world, and I consider this the most beautiful open cars in the world."
Both cars were featured for the event poster. And although both Maserati's can't compete, they could win a design award.
"We're hoping we get back on the podium, because Johnny really likes the podium."
And at the end of the day Johnny was a happy boy winning the Design Award at the most prestigious car show in the world, the Concours d' Elegance.
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