LEGENDARY DRIVERS AND THRILLING AUTOMOBILE RACES WRAPS UP 35TH YEAR AT ROLEX MONTEREY HISTORIC AUTOMOBILE RACES

MONTEREY, Calif. - August 18, 2008 - The third and final day of the 35th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Toyota rounded out a special weekend of vintage car races, celebrity guests, expansive consumer expo, historical auto displays and more. The day was kicked off with a parade of Alfa Romeos followed by individual races between sport racing and production cars, Historic F1 cars and Historic IMSA Cars. Race winners were honored at a sunset prize ceremony Sunday evening with the Monterey Cup awarded to George Wingard of Eugene, Ore. Wingard, who lent the 1908 Grand Prix Mercedes to this year’s event, won the flagship award for being the ultimate enthusiast and embodying the spirit of the Rolex Monterey Historics.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the centennial of the 1908 Grand Prix Mercedes then by allowing some of the most enthusiastic car collectors and fans to view and enjoy it at the Rolex Monterey Historics,” Wingard said after accepting the Monterey Cup. “This weekend not only allows us to enjoy some of the best cars in the world, but also some of the most fantastic people. It’s an event I never want to miss, and I’m already looking forward to next year.”

Current F1 driver Timo Glock performed demonstration laps in the afternoon in a Toyota GTP. On Saturday, Glock defeated legendary F1 drivers including Danny Sullivan, Derek Bell, John Watson, Eddie Cheever, Johnny Herbert, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Alain de Cadenet, Alan Jones and Patrick Tambay in the Toyota Race of Legends.

Along with the numerous historic auto races, fans witnessed the Rolex “Moments in Time” display which was highlighted by a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Mille Miglia Spyder and Wingard’s 1908 Grand Prix Mercedes. Fans also enjoyed an enhanced consumer expo complete with interactive exhibits and a light-sport aircraft prototype.

“It was an action-packed weekend both on and off the track. With Mario Andretti as the guest of honor, Timo Glock and the stellar lineup of F1 legends, plus all the amazing cars and people, I couldn’t have imagined a better way to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Rolex Monterey Historics,” said Steve Earle, the founder of the event and president of General Racing, the official race organizer. “Rolex and Toyota had an amazing setup and added a new dynamic to the event that took it to the next level.”

Earle was presented with a special award of appreciation for his 35 years of dedication to the event by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association. The award was presented by Gil Bouffard.

Several celebrities were on hand to enjoy the action such as Patrick Dempsey, star of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” Adam Corolla, host of the syndicated Adam Corolla Radio Show, and long time Rolex Monterey Historics participant Jay Leno, host of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Dempsey hit the track on Saturday for a few laps in a 1931 Chrysler CD-8 LM driven by San Francisco native David Swig.