The Great Monterey Hat Swap

The Great Monterey Hat Swap

Steve Earle thinks he knows how the whole thing started...he's wrong.

Let me start over. If you thought this blog was going to be in chronological order you will be disappointed. Things just come into my head from nowhere and, as they do, I will jot them down.

I first met Steve through the old Ferrari Owners Club (FOC), about the time he got the bright idea that instead of just playing with old race cars it might be possible to open race events to the general public and sell tickets. After creating HMSA and General Racing he did just that...though the first couple of Monterey Historic races could hardly be distinguished from an FOC track meet in terms of spectators.

My introduction did not exactly go well. I was put in charge of the starting line at one of the Virginia City Hillclimb events, though I don't recall if it was the same year I won my class. That's a bit of a tease as I am not going to say much more about the topic or the car I was driving until some other day.

Memory Hughes was actually the head honcho for the event, though I am not sure she was President of the club at the time. Memory was born and raised in what was then called Rhodesia and spoke with a pronounced British accent. In that way the Brits have with language she made clear to me in no uncertain terms that I was not to allow rolling jump starts...that as each car left the start line the next car was to put it's nose right on the line and wait for my flag before leaping off on the four plus mile course with its cliffs, dangers, 1200 foot elevation gain, and 17+ turns. In retrospect it was by far the most dangerous racing I ever did even though it was just against the clock.

For some reason Steve was driving Lou Sellei's Ferrari 250LM (I've likely made hash out of spelling his name). Lou was an eye doctor in Reno and in those years I only remember him racing a pontoon fendered 250TR Testa Rossa wearing number 46...but I do know he always had quite a stable, called “Intrepid Motors.” 

250LM

Anyway, the car ahead rolled off, and Steve just sat there, 20 feet behind the start line. When I motioned him forward he snarled something about “racing clutches” and their touchiness. I asked him to not “shoot the messenger” and to take it up with Memory, but either pull out of line or move the car forward. He complied but was not exactly happy about it.

Over the years my relationship with him was cordial but I remain ambivalent about him. However, he deserves all the credit in the world for putting what is now the Monterey Week on the map and making the Historics one of the very top vintage racing events in the world. Also to his credit was his recognition about telling the full story of the development of sports car racing from its very start, and therefore honoring me more than 20 times by accepting my car and me in his events...but again, that is another story.

The hat caper started with Al Moss and Ernie Mendicki. Al was the founder of Moss Motors, to this day one of the “go to” sources for parts for British sports cars. Al had sold the business and went vintage racing...in those days with the ex-John Von Neumann MGTD Special wearing #11 as all his cars did. The car has been owned since 1989 by Don Martine, though it is presently retired and on display at his Pacific Grove Inn. Look for its story here: Martine Motor Sports. Don developed and drove it with a lot more verve than Al...who was just out for a good time...always. In fact one of the first racing photos of my car after I restored it the first time (yet another story) is me passing Al going uphill to the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca.

Anyway.....the first Monterey Historic in 1974 featured Ferrari, and it then became a tradition to honor the marque every ten years. In 1984 it came round again, and the invited guests included a couple of senior executives of Ferrari. Ernie and Al cooked up the bright idea of gently spoofing the SoCal “gold chain” crowd by wearing their own versions. In Ernie's case this was a length of hardware store chain painted gold and wrapped around his suede cowboy hat.

At the end of the weekend there is a gathering of racers to wind down and somewhat gently party. While awards were given in those days they were not for winning, but did honor presentation and performance. One of these, for small bore cars, was a graphic of Ken Miles MG specials- R1 and the “Flying Shingle,” and this year the award went to Al.

Ken Miles at Torrey Pines
From Tams Old Race Car Site
Pretty Obvious Nickname, wot?

The ceremony was held in a small, outdoor amphitheater up on the hill overlooking the end of the main straight on the opposite side of the track from the pits. The location and setup facilitated a real feeling of “family” and intimacy for the racers, their families, friends, and crew. Of course it was later torn down and replaced with a rather cold and personality-less “media center.” Progress?

As Al picked his way down the steps of the amphitheater and passed Ernie he totally spontaneously grabbed the hat (but not the chains, as Ernie had draped them around his neck by that point) and, as Steve handed him the award, deftly swiped the ballcap off his head and replaced it with the cowboy chapeau.

That was it...off to the races. From then on, perhaps to the present day though I have not participated in a race since Steve was unceremoniously ousted, the cry of “hat” and ever increasingly wild headgear graced every award ceremony. No one escaped...not even Carroll Shelby. But THAT testy episode's tale will wait for another day.