Driving up the iconic windy entrance road and over the hill, I was greeted with the sight of hundreds upon hundreds of motorsports fans who had arrived with an assortment of RV's, passenger cars, show cars and race cars. Even from the parking lot, the race track is visible and it's hot with historic mid-1900s era Formula 1 cars blasting down the track, filling the air with a roaring Internal Combustion Engine symphony.
The short hike down to the paddock was overflowing with racing vibes and random sights as a sneak peek of the main event.
This Shelby Cobra was the first of many historic sports cars we'd find as part of the Rolex Motorsports Reunion at the famed Laguna Seca Racway. Each time I see one of these I wonder, is it a kit car? Simply because of how rare they are.
A thin fence separates the race cars in the paddock from live racing ongoing on the course. My eardrums rattle and I question my decision to show up without earplugs, as the loud brap-brap of unmuffled idling race cars in the paddock is overpowered by screaming F1 engines flying by on track just yards away. All these sensations and I've only been inside the main paddock for about 5 minutes.
There's much left to see. Something tells me these are real Cobra's.
As we stroll through the paddock, this loud-mouthed Porsche racecar catches my attention, with someone revving it repetitively. I'm not sure if it's being rev'd automatically by the ECU or manually by the driver on the throttle pedal. Either way, the sound is illustrious.
Inspect the disc brake closely to appreciate what a massive block of metal that is.
This racer gives off some strong go-kart vibes.
I turn to find a historic Lotus rolling in for a rest, hot from the track. Looking at this vehicle really gives perspective to the term 'open-wheeled' racing.
We continue our stroll down the aisles uncovering gems left and right. Flash-forward to the future, this Ford GT has full carbon fiber wheels, not unlike a Koenigsegg. An impressive feat of engineering to roll out from the lot who built the Model T.
One very interesting feature of this car are those massive rear arches. Next to the rear intake scoop is a wing or a web of bodywork that leaves a huge, empty void underneath it.
Here's a better look at those arches
There were bits of JDM sprinkled throughout the event. Here's a 240SX racecar which shares little with any typical S13, but is still eye catching for Nissan enthusiasts nonetheless.
Nestled next to it was this absolutely mint Datsun 240Z
An unmistakeably JDM highlight was this R32 GTR, in Nissan's gorgeous AH3 color (Cherry Red Pearl). It was the first of several RHD Nissans that were sprinkled throughout this event.
Here's one that made my jaw drop. A CLK-GTR. I often chose this car in Need For Speed, and I've had toy models of this car, so it was stunning to see in person. Just look at how the intake scoop above the cockpit dumps straight into the manifold.
The mandrel bends in the exhaust are pure artwork. A race mechanic tells us this car is valued at 8-figures.
Continuing along the paddock, we find some more 240Z's including a RHD variety.
Along with this rare Ferrari Testarossa. This car has such a timeless design which embodies the essence of Ferrari. The slats along the doors, wide rear end with black slats on the taillights, and a slow slung, wedge cutting shape.
This car screams Ferrari, unlike some newer Ferrari's which can be mistaken for a variety of standard cars.
Walking along, I see a set of BMW racers, two M3's accompanied by an M4.
This M4 makes the M3's look tame in comparison.
This 962C simply screams speed while standing still.
As we inch closer to the track's main straight, getting to witness the historic cars running live laps becomes too hard to resist, so we head up the bridge to cross over the main straight up the stands. The bridge is fully enclosed, and each car blasting down the main straight underneath is both heard and felt. At this point the sound is just barely tolerable, and we continue across.
Upon reaching the stands before even glancing at the track, we immediately cover our ears to protect them from the assault of historic race engine sounds, flying down at Wide Open Throttle.
One after another they go by as we stand there with our ears covered, and notice that many folks were wise enough to be wearing propper ear protection. Wise, indeed.
We turn back for the paddock in no time, and go straight for the Ford booth which has an eye catching array of Ford GT/40's surrounding it.
We swing around and find the all new Ford Bronco parked next to a Mustang Mach E and discuss the absurdity of the naming with a fellow enthusiast. Neither of us can believe it's called a Mustang. It's polarizing, it's nonsense, and it's gotten us talking about it. As annoying as it is, I think the folks at Ford are getting the attention they wanted.
Over another bridge, we find a section just for Bring A Trailer, and inside there's a hidden gem waiting.
The Top Secret R32 GTR with an engine service plate signed by 'Smoky' himself. The owner tells us that this specific vehicle was featured in a commercial to debut the OZ Racing Wheels it's wearing.
I'm told that the front aero splitter was prototyped by Top Secret on this very car, and the engine selected for this build was a personal RB, built to 5-600HP that Smokey had been keeping, but ended up using specifically to meet the owners requirements for this build.
Next to this, was yet another R32 GTR, this time in nismo R1 trim. The LMGT4's and nismo Omori decals tell me this is a throwback (or throw forward?) to the nismo R-Tune R34 GTR. I dont think any original R32 had this livery.
The "Pagani Island" was a another highlight of the event. An entire section of the paddock dedicated exclusively to, well you guessed it. While the thought of seeing some Huyara's was alluring, I stopped in my tracks when I entered the island and found a Zonda R casually resting there.
Ever since I saw the video released, where this is heard rumbling down some narrow alley streets near the production facility, I have been enamored by the Zonda R. A full carbon fiber body, LeMans-esque curves, and a thunderous exhaust sound, this car is a true work of art. Even more so, than a "typical" Huyara or Zonda.
Out in the aftermarket section we find Toyo Tires with this beautifully carbon fibered RX-7 and a deep green Porsche with some serious RWB vibes.
There's no mark of Nakai-san here as far as I can tell, but you can't blame me for wondering if RWB had something to do with this Porsche.
Here's another wide-bodied Porsche that looks modest in comparison
This new eye-catching Audi EV reminds helps keep things in perspective as we walk around appreciating all these internal combustion engine vehicles.
This truck looked like a giant car battery on wheels. Perhaps what they were going for? Nailed it.
The stunning new Corvette prowls behind the T-topped MR-2. This Mid-Rear Duo is a glance at 30 years of automotive progress on the Mid-Rear layout. One is already a classic, and the next is bound to become one.
The automotive landscape is changing fast, as you can see with the growing rift between the new 6.2L V8 Mid-rear Corvette and the new Mustang Mach-E. No matter where it goes from here, folks will remain eager to hang on to the heritage, passion, and enthusiasm that led to this inflection point in automotive history, which is evident at the Rolex Reunion. Who knows, maybe a few years from now, this event will have just a handful of non-EV's remaining. One thing is for certain, however, that regardless of what happens between internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles, motorsports enthusiasts will continue.
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