Speed News vol. 1 Issue 4-May : Page 45
attending. The oil-cooled wonders were accompanied by a very diverse fi eld that included a gaggle of vintage Alfa Romeos, BMWs and Lotuses; a pair of E-Type Jags; and even some Detroit iron, including a cherry 1969 Camaro Z/28, a Carrera Panamericana-style 1951 Chevrolet, and a 1965 Pontiac Tempest 4-door done up as a GTO tribute. The event began on Thursday morning, April 12, in Thousand Oaks and started off with a quick jaunt through the hills to Mike Taggart’s private car collection in Ojai, where drivers were able to enjoy a stunning display of rare Jaguars, Shelbys, and a retrospective of racing motorcycles. From there, some of the entrants took to the inland mountain roads to reach the evening’s destination of Paso Robles, but a great deal toured to Buttonwillow Raceway Park where track President Les Phillips opened the circuit for lunchtime laps to give the drivers a small taste of the challenging course. The track stalwarts then tackled Parkfi eld Grade, which was turned into a bit of a mud bog by torrential rains, but the fi eld pressed on regardless despite slippery conditions and some bovine chicanes. The self-wash behind the event headquarters hotel did a record business on Thursday evening as dozens of cars lined up to rid themselves of a metric ton of Parkfi eld’s fi nest slop. Friday’s drive also featured a selection of multiple routes for drivers to choose from, with a lunch stop at the famed Baja Cantina just down the road from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 45
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