What do you value? And how is that value determined?
Needing to close out summer on a high note before my son returned to college and the PRI team mashes the accelerator preparing for the PRI Show, our family decided to head to the ultimate car lover’s dream at Monterey Car Week. Once we arrived, we traveled to a variety of events in Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Seaside to view absolutely amazing cars. We were surrounded by the likes of Koenigsegg, Pagani, Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bugatti, and even some obscure hypercar brands that were new to us. We even attended the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction. While many of those same brands crossed the auction block, a few other cars piqued my interest. PRI readers would want to raise their bid card and hear that glorious “Sold!” about the following vehicles: 1960 Lotus Type 18 Formula 1 car (sold for $379,000), 1961 Chaparral Mk 1 (didn’t meet the reserve), 1976 Porsche 935 ($4,295,000), and a 1995 Ferrari 333 SP Evoluzione ($5,120,000).
No trip to Monterey Car Week would be complete without a stop at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. After entering the complex, we headed straight for the Corkscrew, found a shady spot underneath a tree, and enjoyed the sights and sounds of vintage race cars, which included historic F1 cars plus IMSA, SCCA, Trans Am, Formula Ford, and more.
To our delight, this year marked the 50th anniversary of the event, and even more rare race cars were on display. We were greeted by the 1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (chassis: CSX 2286), below, which is one of six coupes and the last constructed since it was used as a template. We were informed that the car has an eight-figure value!
So, how exactly is that value determined? Of course, it comes down to what someone is willing to pay for it. But not everything of value has a price tag. Something that I truly value are the relationships I have made in this industry over the years. I was happy to catch up with Hemmings’ Evan Perkins at Laguna Seca. Another relationship I cherish is with PR phenom Dean Case.
Have you ever played the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?” For those unfamiliar, the game centers around actor Kevin Bacon and how close he is—up to just six degrees of separation—with many other people in the entertainment industry who have worked with him. In the world of motorsports, the game should be retitled the “Six Degrees of Dean Case,” or actually, “Two Degrees of Dean Case.” If you are not familiar with Dean, you no doubt know someone in our industry who is. Dean is absolutely passionate about all things motorsports. His goal is to help people in our industry connect and further advance and prolong our sport. For more on how he is bettering racing, and those of us in it, turn to page 20.