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Monterey Historic Automobile Races preview

RACING LEGENDS RETURN TO THE TRACK AT 32ND ROLEX MONTEREY HISTORIC AUTOMOBILE RACES Hall, Rahal, Hill, Moss and Elford Among the Sport's Legends Participating MONTEREY, Calif. (August 10, 2005) -- Some of racing history's brightest superstars ...

RACING LEGENDS RETURN TO THE TRACK AT 32ND ROLEX MONTEREY HISTORIC AUTOMOBILE RACES

Hall, Rahal, Hill, Moss and Elford Among the Sport's Legends Participating

MONTEREY, Calif. (August 10, 2005) -- Some of racing history's brightest superstars will gather to race and turn exhibition laps at the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, August 19-21. Racing legends Phil Hill, Bobby Rahal, Sir Stirling Moss, Jim Hall and Vic Elford will each make appearances on-track during the event weekend. The weekend features "Great American Specials", including Chaparral.

Jim Hall's Chaparrals are the "stars" of the weekend as the featured marque of the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Hall is revered throughout the racing community as the innovator of the movable wing, His ground effects and lightweight construction material transformed motorsports forever.

Vic Elford became part of the Chaparral racing legacy driving the Chaparral 2J "sucker" car during the 1970 Can-Am season, and also competing for Jim Hall during the 1970 Trans-Am season.

3-time Le Mans winner and 1961 World Champion Phil Hill will also be participating in the Chaparral parade. Hill was the first (and only) American-born driver to win a Formula One driver's championship.

Hall, Elford and Hill will take the Chaparrals from the Chaparral display area in the paddock and run exhibition laps on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Moss will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his Mille Miglia win in 1955 with laps in the same Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR used to capture that historic race win.

Bobby Rahal will have the honor of once again racing his namesake "Rahal Straight", competing in three classes during the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, driving a #3 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, a #3 1978 BMW 320 Turbo, and the #9 1972 Lola T-290.

In addition, Toyota will be exhibiting their race cars on the track at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. Juan Fangio II will be driving the 1992 IMSA Championship-winning Toyota Eagle Mk III. Fangio and the Eagle Mk III won the 1992 race at Laguna Seca over teammate P.J. Jones. In addition, the 600 horsepower 1999 Toyota GT-1 Le Mans car, among others, will take to the track with Fangio.

Many of these legends will be available for autographs throughout the weekend. Jim Hall and others from Chaparral will sign autographs at the Rolex Tent, located in the paddock, from 10 a.m. -- 11 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. -- noon on Sunday. Sir Stirling Moss will be signing autographs from 1 p.m. -- 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, also at the Rolex Tent.

Nearly every make that ever sported an entry number on its side is represented at the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Famous names such as Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche, Bugatti, Shelby, Lotus, Aston Martin, Maserati and Mustang are among the many well-represented race cars.

This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Monterey Historics at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The event pays tribute to motor racing history, historic automobiles and the people who made them. Each year, hundreds of the finest historic sports and racing cars, spanning nearly every era of motorsports history, are entered in 15 separate races over two days. More than 40,000 visitors from around the world attend the Historic Races, which support the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula's (SCRAMP) contribution to local charities.

Tickets to the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Chrysler are on sale now at www.laguna-seca.com and by calling 1-800-327-SECA.

Log onto www.montereyhistoric.com for more information, including a 2005 participant list and weekend schedule.

-mrlc-

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