Pebble Beach, 13 August 2009.
The Tour de Pebble Beach is a scenic touring rally for the
participants in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and takes
place during the Thursday preceding the main event. As entries
are kept a closely guarded secret, this is the first opportunity that
aficionados get to see most of the spectacular offerings that will
delight their eyes on the lawn on Sunday. The early, usually
misty, start from the Equestrian Centre at Pebble Beach doesn't
always show them in their best light, but as the day warms up
they can be seen in their full glory.
Unfortunately an early start for the FCA Pacific Region Concours,
precluded attendance of the start, but by making a hasty exit
from the concours at lunchtime, it was possible to catch them at
their lunch stop in Carmel, where for the second time in three
days, after the Concours On The Avenue on the Tuesday, Ocean
Avenue was a sea of people amidst which were some delectable
examples of the automobile art form. The featured marque for
2009 was Bentley, and their was a wide selection of
predominantly pre-war models gathered, ranging from a 1922 3
litre Park Ward Tourer, through the famous “Blowers” from the
thirties, the Derby models to the swooping post-war Continentals.
The Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta was another feature for 2009, as
were the centenaries of Audi, Bugatti and Morgan, with a fine
selection of their products present. As mentioned the enormous
crowds virtually swamped the cars, but it gave a mouth watering
insight of what to expect when the concours gates opened on
Sunday morning.
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