Monterey Historics preview, schedule

Four of Racing's Greatest Names to Be Featured at 31st Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races
Gurney, Moss, Hill, Ferrari at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Aug. 13-15

MONTEREY, Calif. (July 22, 2004) - Four of the most revered names in racing - Dan Gurney, Sir Stirling Moss, Phil Hill and Ferrari - will be together at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Aug. 13-15 for the 31st Annual Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Chrysler.

With Ferrari as the featured marque for this year's event, organizer Steve Earle has made a special effort to turn out the finest collection of racing "prancing horses" ever gathered, and he thinks the fans will appreciate the result.

Moss will be running the 1954 Osca MT-4 which he drove to victory with Bill Lloyd at the 12 Hours of Sebring 50 years ago. Phil Hill, America's first World Champion when he drove a Ferrari to the 1961 Formula 1 title, will join Gurney as Rolex's honored guests.

"Nearly a quarter of the 400 entries this year are Ferraris, with more than 30 of the classic 250 Testa Rosas and 250 GTOs alone featured in Saturday's race groups," said Earle, who founded the Monterey Historics in 1974. "Also, to celebrate its success in Formula 1, the Ferrari factory is bringing a current Michael Schumacher F1 car to complement the five to eight Ferrari Formula 1 cars representing the 1997-2001 era, as well as the historic F1 cars running in the three-liter class - all part of Sunday's events. The sound of these cars is unique and this is the only time they can be heard in this part of the country!"

Nearly every make that ever sported an entry number on its side is represented at the Rolex Monterey Historics. Famous names such as Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche, Bugatti, Shelby, Lotus, Aston Martin, Maserati and Mustang are among those well represented, as are some of the more obscure names such as Mercer, Allard, Devin, Talbot Lago, Morgan and Jowett Jupiter.

This year marks the 31st 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.

In addition to watching the racing, fans have complete access to the cars, drivers, owners and crews in the "open" paddock. Prominent in the paddock area will be the Rolex Moments in Time display, which again features some of the most significant race cars in history. This year's lineup includes the 1953 Ferrari 375MM driven to second place in the last great Mexican road race, the Carrera Pan Americana; the 1962 Porsche 804 F1 driven to victory in the Dutch Grand Prix by Gurney and the 1975 BMW CSL that won the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring.

Tickets to the 31st Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Chrysler are on sale now at www.laguna-seca.com or www.ticketmaster.com, and by calling 1-800-327-SECA.

Log onto www.montereyhistoric.com for more information, including a 2004 participant list with photos of the cars.

<pre> SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The 31st Annual Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races Presented by Chrysler August 13-15, 2004

FRIDAY, AUGUST 13 7:00am Spectator Gates Open 8:45am - 12:15pm Practice Groups 7A, 1A - 6A 12:15pm - 1:15pm Lunch Break 1:20pm - 4:55pm Practice Groups 1B - 8B

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14 All races are 10 laps 7:00am Spectator Gates Open 9:00am - 11:55am Warm-Up Sessions by Group 1A-7A 11:55am - 12:55pm Lunch Break 11:55am - 12:05am Rolex VIP Laps 12:05pm - 12:25pm Ferrari Parade 12:30pm - 12:45pm Ferrari Demonstration Laps 12:45pm - 12:55pm Chrysler Ceremonial Laps 1:00pm Race 1A Group 1A Pre-1931 Sports & Touring Cars 1:30pm Race 2A Group 2A 1927-1946 Racing Cars & Indy Roadster 2:00pm Race 3A Group 3A 1947-1957 Sports Racing Cars over 2500cc 2:25pm - 2:40pm Special Exhibition Laps 2:45pm Race 4A Group 4A 1947-1955 Sports Racing Cars under 2000cc & GT Cars 3:15pm Race 5A Group 5A 1957-1962 Sports Racing Cars over 2500cc Break 3:45pm Race 6 Group 6A 1957-1964 Formula Cars (F1, F2, F-Jr) 4:15pm Race 7 Group 7A 1961-1964 Ferrari FIA GT Race

SUNDAY, AUGUST 15 All races are 10 laps 7:00 am Spectator Gates Open 9:00am - 11:55am Warm-Up Sessions by Group 1B-7B 11:55am - 12:55pm Lunch Break 11:55pm - 12:15pm Parade Laps 12:25pm - 12:45pm Demonstration Laps 1:00pm Race 1 Group 1B 1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars under 2500cc 1:30pm Race 2 Group 2B 1955-1961 GT Cars under 2200cc 2:00pm Race 3 Group 3B 1955-1961 GT Cars over 2200cc Break 2:30pm Race 4 Group 4B 1962-1966 SCCA GT Cars 2:55pm Race 5 Group 5B 1967-1980 Historic Formula One Cars 3:20pm Race 6 Group 6B 1962-1965 Sports Race Cars Break 3:50pm Race 7 Group 7B 1965-1974 FIA Prototypes & GT Cars

This schedule is subject to change without prior notice.

-mrls-