Legendary Indy Cars will take part in daily exhibitions Aug. 12-15
Motorsports fans will see this 1973 Eagle driven by Gordon Johncock at the Indy 500. (WeatherTech Raceway)
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is staging a new historic motorsport group for the legendary event, held during the annual Monterey Car Week, Aug. 12-15.
For the first time at the Reunion, a historic Indy Car group will run in exhibition all four days at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The motorsport champions originally competed between 1963 and 1978.
The introduction of rear-engine Indy Cars at the 1963 Indianapolis 500 changed the game, Barry Toepke, director of heritage events at WeatherTech Raceway, said in a statement.
“From 1965 on, there would not be another front-engine winner of the Indianapolis 500,” he said.
Motorsports Champions
Indy Car Champion Bobby Rahal will debut his recently restored 1966 Eagle with a 255-cubic-inch four-cam Ford V8. Beginning in 1985, Rahal won three consecutive Indy Car races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. His notoriety is honored at the track with the Rahal Straight.
Indianapolis 500 winners
Three winning Indy 500 cars will be at the track:
- 1964 Watson, driven to victory by A.J. Foyt;
- 1970 Colt, piloted by Al Unser;
- 1973 Eagle driven by Gordon Johncock.
Other Winners
Look for the 1964 Lotus Type 34 driven by Parnelli Jones at the Trenton 200 in 1964. In 1965, A.J. Foyt drove the car to a remarkable seven poles and three victories during the 1965 USAC Championship season.
Johnny Rutherford drove the 1975 McLaren M16E-001, which was raced at three 500-mile superspeedway events. His #2 Gatorade entry had its best finish of second at the 1975 Indianapolis 500.
Joining the McLaren will be a 1968 Eagle Mk IV, which started Team Penske’s Indy Car program 53 years ago.
Also highlighted will be the 1978 Penske PC-6 driven by Tom Sneva in the 1978 USAC Championship season. Sneva posted six second-place finishes and 12 top-five finishes to win the National Championship in 1978 — without winning a single race.
“Fans will be treated to a quality collection of Indy Cars all under one tent,” said Ellen Bireley, who curated the historic Indy Car heritage display.
Single-day tickets range in price from $25 to $120, depending on the day. A three-day general admission pass with paddock admittance is $180.
Learn more at WeatherTechRaceway.com or call (831) 242-8200.
The Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction sold this 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands Raiders Edition for $275,000. Proceeds will benefit the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation and Raiders Foundation. (Barrett-Jackson Auctions)
