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Press Release Published MB/RM Jan 7, 2017

The Del Monte Trophy Race Group
for 1947 – 1955 Sports Racing and Production GT Race Cars and the 1947-1955 Transatlantic sports racing car challenge

Invitation to Race at the 60th celebrations of the Pebble Beach Road Races and the Laguna Seca Raceway

Following the first appearances, last year, of Rob Manson’s 1949 Baldwin V8 Mercury Special and his 1950 Streets Manning V8 Mercury Special alongside Ernie Nagamatsu’s Old Yeller II at race and hill-climb events in the UK, the tables are turned. UK and European based sports racing and production GT cars from the period 1947 to 1955 are invited to race in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca 16-20 August 2017 and/or to participate in the concurrent Monterey Car Week. Drivers not only get 2 qualifying sessions and 2 races at Laguna Seca, but also the opportunity to get the same amount of track time just one weekend before, at the Historic Pre-Meeting on the same track.

The 1947–1955 Sports Racing and Production GT Race Cars, also known as the Del Monte Trophy Group, includes early production sports cars that arrived in the US after WWII including Jaguar XK-120s, MG T-types, Allards, Kurtises, early Porsche 356s, other European exotics of the day and numerous USA-built Specials … typically based on scrap yard or war surplus-sourced components… known as the hot rod road racers.

Carmel-Monterey-based Rob Manson is working to ensure that these cars remain a prominent and exciting feature at major vintage car road racing events across the US. The Group’s focus for 2017 is Monterey / Laguna Seca in August. These cars would have competed at the Pebble Beach Sports Car Road Race and other venues held in parks, public roads, airports and military bases when the national series included over 30 events nationally.

2017 is the 60th Anniversary of Laguna Seca Raceway, the permanent track built nearby in response to the public demand created by the Pebble Beach Road Races and the 60th Anniversary of the last of the Pebble Beach Sports Car Road Races. A number of activities will be organized for the Del Monte Trophy Group during the Monterey Car Week in mid-August … emphasizing the cars’ significance to the introduction and popularization of sports car racing in the Western US. We are working with The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and Laguna Seca Raceway in support of these Anniversaries. Our focus regarding this announcement is racers, owners, historians, media, organizers, marque clubs and several event venues.

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