Fairway to Heaven The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
(August 17, 2015) – For motorsport enthusiasts and collectors, this one-day, Rolex-sponsored event has become the place on the West Coast to view the ultimate in automotive design and engineering. Now in its 13th year, the breathtaking beauty of the course at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California offered the ideal backdrop for this rare gathering.
The Peninsula Signature Events is the organizer of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. An unmatched selection of over 200 motorcars from elite collections around the world were on display along the course’s fairways…interspersed with international luxury marques and new lifestyle elements like the new Quail Fairway Lounge – where enthusiasts, collectors and motorsports personalities mingled and enjoyed Champagne, caviar and oysters. Six gourmet culinary pavilions offered delicacies from the cities that are home to The Peninsula Hotels around the world: Chicago, New York, Beverly Hills, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Paris.
Faces in the Crowd: Jay Leno, Jim Gianopulos (Chairman and CEO, 20th Century Fox), Adam Carolla, Josh Altman (Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing personality) and the Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie (Chairman of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited).
An Announcement: William E. Connor and Christian Philippsen – seminal figures in the automotive world – opened the day by detailing plans for a new international motoring accolade: The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award (beginning in 2016). This new award will bring together the best of show winners from six of the top concourse events from around the globe to The Quail stage, to compete for the title of the most exceptional car in the world.
This year’s Best of Show: A 1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale claimed the win duing the Rolex Circle of Champions awards. Owned by Mouse Motors of Illinois – with only ten of its kind known to exist – the Tipo 33 Stradale is a rare sports racing prototype regularly voted one of the best looking motorcars in history.
Happenings:
Lamborghini presented the world debut of their Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Roadster
The high performance two-seater 1/1 Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 futuristic concept design, made its west coast debut.
Engineered and hand-crafted in Britain, David Brown Automotive’s Speedback GT was launched in the American market.
Infiniti offered the Oculus Rift DK2 headset and simulator for an interactive experience of the Q60 Convertible Sport in addition to the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Show Car and Q50 Sedan on display.
Maserati’s show-stopping special editions included the 100th Anniversary Neiman Marcus Limited-Edition Maserati Ghibli S Q4; The GranTurismo Convertible MC Centennial Edition in celebration of Maserati’s Centennial; and the 2015 Quattroporte S Q4 range.
The celebrated classes this year included Coachbuilt Ferraris, Long Tail Cars of Le Mans and Iconic Pre-1965 Porsches. The traditional classes of cars on display included Pre-War Sports and Racing, Post-War Racing, Post-War Sports, Sports and Racing Motorcycles, The Great Ferraris and Supercars.
As part of The Quail’s signature Fireside Chat Series, celebrated motoring luminaries Jochen Mass (German Formula One Champion), Derek Bell (British Sports Car Racing Champion) and his son, Justin Bell (renowned U.S.-based media personality) spoke of their accomplishments
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The always popular Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction offered an impressive selection of consignment Ferraris. The highly anticipated 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Competizione Alloy Berlinetta sold for $8,525,000. Another crowd pleaser, the 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder sold for $2,640,000.
The Rolex Circle of Champions
Rolex, the world’s leading Swiss watchmaker and brand with great appreciation for motorsports, has been the Official Timekeeper of The Quail since its inception in 2003. Rolex Circle of Champion winners are uniquely selected by the same collectors entering their fine vehicles in the competition. Participants subjectively choose the vehicle that has achieved what they believed to be its design goal, performance expectations and overall impact on automotive history and soul in its class. The 2015 category awards and winners included:
The Rolex Circle of Champions
“Best of Show”
1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale
Owner: Mouse Motors – Illinois
Spirit of The Quail
1961 Moto Guzzi Falcone Carozzeria
Owner: Mark Leonard – California
FIVA
1967 Ferrari 330 GTC
Owner: David W. Donner – Colorado
Coachbuilt Ferraris
1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico
Owner: Brian & Kim Ross – Ohio
Long Tail Cars of Le Mans
1984 Jaguar XJR-5
Owner: Randall Smalley – Florida
Iconic Pre-1965 Porsches
1962 Porsche 356B T-6 Roadster
Owner: Chris & Pat Roman – California
The Great Ferraris
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
Owner: Bob & Michele Cohen – California
Supercars
2014 Ferrari LaFerrari
Owner: Ken & Dayle Roath – California
Octane Editor’s Choice
1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Competizione
Owner: Len & MaryBeth Rusiewicz – Pennsylvania
Pre-War Sports and Racing
1937 Delahaye V12
Owner: Peter & Merle Mullin, Peter Mullin
Automotive Museum – California
Post-War Sports 1945-1960
1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS 3 Window Coupe
Owner: Paul Colony – California
Post-War Sports 1961-1975
1964 Bizzarrini A3/C Corsa
Owner: Peter Goodwin – North Carolina
Post-War Racing
1965 Ghia-de Tomaso P70
Owner: Mark Moshayedi – California
Sports and Racing Motorcycles
1925 Brough Superior SS100 Alpine Grand Sport
Owner: Bowman Motors – California