The following comes from Autoblog’s newest blogger, Frank Filipponio, who is on location at Pebble Beach!
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Although several smaller events are happening around the Monterey Penninsula for days before the publicized festivities get started, Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival at the Jet Center has come to be viewed as the official kickoff party for the Pebble Beach car set. Being wined and dined while surrounded by some of the most choice selections from all of the top-name shows and auctions, rubbing elbows with billionaires and even the less fortunate multi-millionaires at the Monterey Airport is quite an experience, and somehow Autoblog wangled an invite to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the action.
In these days of orange-alerts and airport security hassles, it’s odd
to find yourself wandering freely around hangars amidst fighter jets,
bombers, and helicopters from several eras, not to mention the latest
offerings from some of the world’s top jet manufacturers. Although you
can’t bring chapstick on a commercial flight, the jet set was
gleefully imbibing Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne. Host Gordon
McCall and Lexus (and Bentley and Breitling and Bugatti and…), put
out quite a spread, with several local restaurants and caterers
supplying enough finger food to keep a milipeed busy for hours.
Although the participants include some of the better-known names in
the automotive kingdom (Bobby Rahal, Phil Hill, Bruce Meyer, Steve
Saleen, Reeves Callaway, Jim Glickenhaus, and Danica Patrick, to name
drop a few), the cars are the stars here. The adjacent Christie’s
Auction catalogue is proudly displayed along with a selection of
models from Roush, Hennessey, Bugatti, Bentley, Spyker, Superformance,
and Lexus. In fact, Lexus used this stage to present the new 460 and
460 L as well as the über hybrid 600hL.
Soon the light faded and although the party had just kicked into high
gear, the champagne and sushi had done us in. Time to catch that limo
back to the Lodge, for tomorrow we have a 5 am wake up call for the
Pebble Tour. Can’t wait to see what’s in the swag bag they handed out.