Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races

The Rolex "Moments in Time" display at the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races will feature the Gulf Ford GT 40 and the 908LH Porsche that famously exchanged leads in the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans until the GT-40 prevailed, with only four seconds to spare. Photo courtesy of John Horsman, from his book Racing in the Rain, published by David Bull Publishing.

MONTEREY, Calif.--Every year at the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, attendees look forward to indulging in Rolex’s award-winning “Moments in Time” display, which honors six different historic racing cars and their most significant achievements.

This year, at the vintage motorsports event's 36^th edition, which runs from Friday, August 14 through Sunday, August 16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the museum-quality exhibit will be more dramatic than ever, theatrically staging amazing cars from the 1960s and 1970s within the context of the history they made.

Perhaps most extraordinary will be the inclusion of the Gulf Ford GT 40 and the 908LH Porsche that famously exchanged leads in the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans until the GT-40 prevailed, with only four seconds to spare, marking the closest margin of victory ever at Le Mans.

The Gulf 917K that will be displayed is the car driven in the 1970 1000 km race at Spa, Belgium, where it led until it retired. Its teammate won at the amazing average of 149 mph.

The Ferrari 512S that also will be in the display is the car driven at the opening round at Daytona and at Monza and Targa Florio where it finished 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively.

“The cars were as purposeful as their designers and drivers were determined and courageous,” said Steve Earle of General Racing, Ltd., which owns and organizes the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. “The Rolex Moments in Time exhibit brings to life past eras of racing in a way that lets you feel the presence of these cars and their achievements.”

Rounding out the display will be the 1972 McLaren M20, Team McLaren’s last challenger in the Can-Am Series that the team dominated for seven years, and the 1976 Porsche 936/81, winner at Le Mans in 1977, second place in 1978 and 12^th in 1981. This car was the first of the three Porsche 936 cars built and the only one to compete in five Le Mans races. It was driven at different times by Jurgen Barth, Reinhold Joest, Hurley Haywood and Vern Schuppan, all of whom will be at the Rolex Monterey Historics.