m
MOTORSPORTS
The
Quail
I
’ll start by confessing that when I arrived in Pebble last August, I had no idea what the Quail was, though I thought the
name was certainly interesting.
Held annually during Monterey Classic Car Week, the
Quail is a second concourse taking place at the Quail Lodge and
Golf Club in Antioch, California, a short drive from Pebble Beach.
While Pebble is a very buttoned down and conservative affair, the
Quail is a bit more carefree and fun, referring to itself not as a Concourse at all but merely as a gathering.
Indeed, that is precisely how the Quail got its start: as a loosely
formed get together of like-minded car collectors who were in town
for the main event at Pebble Beach. A number of them happened to
be staying at the Quail’s hotel and decided that it would be a a fine
venue to show a handful of cars. In time, the Quail grew to become
an essential stop for anyone making the trip to Monterey for a week
of classic cars.
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WRISTWATCH | 2016
In addition to its car gathering, the Quail also hosts a gathering of fine and collectible motorcycles. And both the car gathering and the motorcycle gathering also feature tours on the roads
around Monterey.
The atmosphere of the Quail is further reflected in the cars on
display: many of them feature interpretive restorations that Pebble’s
Concourse might not allow. But the cars themselves are every bit
worth the visit. This year featured a focus on coach-built Ferraris,
the long-tailed cars of Le Mans, and a large selection of pre-1965
Porsches. The best of show went to a 1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33
Stradale owned by Mouse Motors.