I'll admit it. I took a bit of heat from some readers in response to my "What We Do for Your $3.00" editorial in the August '96 issue. You may have read some of those incoming chides in last month's Letters column and perhaps wrongly formed an opinion that we were grumbling about having to get up before dawn to photograph those Ferraris or stay at the test track an extra hour to eke out the fastest acceleration run in the Viper GTS. Well, that isn't the case at all, friends. I merely wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce this magazine each month. We're here for you, and we never forget it. Not every car mag works like this, and I wanted you to know that.
Admittedly, there are some special trips, unforgettable times, and great cars that only come around once in a blue moon-and the recent Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca Raceway in Central California delivered just such a thrill. Sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, the Monterey Historics bring a phenomenal display of seven decades of automobiles together at one place, at one time, and with the express purpose of racing them as God and those original engineers intended.
Each year the event selects a featured marque, and this annum's honoree was BMW. Milling about the lavish BMW display arena were such potentates as Vic Doolan, president of BMW North America; Graf Goertz, designer of the '56 BMW 507 (the styling precursor to today's Z3); Nelson Piquet, three-time Formula One Champion and co-driver of this year's BMW/McLaren entry at LeMans; and my pal Jack Pitney, BMW's manager of corporate communications.
BMW's heritage stretches back to 1917, but in those early days Bayerische Motoren Werke was only a producer of airplane engines and fast motorcycles; it didn't occur to them to build cars until 1928. Once accustomed to four wheels, however, BMW's engineers were hellbent for racing championships. And this particular weekend, many of those classic Bimmers were tearing around Laguna Seca at full battle speed. Among the regalia were machines such as the gorgeous open-air 328s from 1937-39, three superfast '79 M1s, and more '60s and '70s 2002s than you could count. At the nearby Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance was enough other classic iron to keep you drooling for a fortnight. This is perhaps the nation's premier racing/concours event, and you owe it to yourself to attend. Next year's honored marque is Porsche.
Aah, but isn't getting there half the fun? This year it certainly was. MT's founder (and Petersen Publishing's chairman), Robert E. Petersen, invited me to accompany him and his lifelong buddy, Carroll Shelby, to Monterey on Mr. Petersen's new Gulfstream IV 14-place execujet. Uh, did I say lavish? From the moment I set foot in the regal Petersen Aviation terminal at Van Nuys Airport in Southern California until we touched down in Monterey, I felt like someone had mistaken me for Microsoft's Bill Gates. I couldn't resist posing for a tourist photo with our beloved Carrera 4 in front of the jet, and I imagine you wouldn't have been able to, either. Adding to the royal treatment was a shiny Z3 left by BMW's public-relations staff for me to use while in Monterey, and an equally breathtaking pin-you-in-your-seat takeoff climb on the way back home in the G-IV. Why can't every weekend be like this?
You'll be happy to know that bitter reality has set in once again. Mr. Petersen and his jet are in Europe, and I've returned to mortal life. As I write this it's nearing midnight, and I have to get up before dawn tomorrow for the third photo shoot this week. Not that I'm complaining, mind you....
Vice President, Executive PublisherLee KelleyPublisher Doug HamlinEditorial Director Leonard Emanuelson
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