Jaguar will be the featured marque of the 2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, August 19-21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

 

Roy Salvadori in his Jaguar E-Type (#5) temporarily holds off eventual winner Graham Hill in his Jaguar E-Type (#4) at the 1961 National Open Oulton Park (GT) race. Salvadori went on to finish a close third. Jaguar is the featured marque of the 2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, August 19-21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo Courtesy of Jaguar archives.

Roy Salvadori in his Jaguar E-Type (#5) temporarily holds off eventual winner Graham Hill in
his Jaguar E-Type (#4) at the 1961 National Open Oulton Park (GT) race. Salvadori went on
to finish a close third. Jaguar is the featured marque of the 2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports
Reunion, August 19-21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Photo Courtesy of Jaguar archives.

 

JAGUAR’S RICH RACING HERITAGE TO BE CELEBRATED
AS FEATURED MARQUE AT THE ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION

Reunion to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Jaguar E-Type and 60th Anniversary of Jaguar's First
Le Mans Win

MONTEREY, Calif. (January 18, 2011) —The storied racing heritage of one of Britain’s
legendary motor car companies will be celebrated, as Jaguar will be the featured marque of the
2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Few companies are as synonymous with sports car
racing as Jaguar, and the reunion will highlight the 50th anniversary of the iconic Jaguar E-Type
and 60th anniversary of the remarkable Jaguar C-Type’s win in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is hallowed ground for automotive racing
aficionados, and thus a very meaningful place to celebrate the Jaguar E-Type's 50th
Anniversary," said Richard Beattie, Executive Vice President Marketing and Sales Jaguar North
America. "Today, as much as 50 years ago, hi-performance, racing and stunning design are
integral to the Jaguar brand. At the Reunion we will give enthusiasts a chance to take a look back
and forward at all three of these elements in Jaguar's sensational cars."

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, August 19-21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, will
host approximately 550 authentic and historic race cars from nearly every decade of motorsports
history. The cars are divided into 17 groups according to age, engine size and must be period-
correct in their presentation.

“Jaguar and their many famous drivers represent a time in motorsports where camaraderie
among drivers and works teams was second only to winning,” explained Gill Campbell, CEO/
general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “We look to share Jaguar’s heritage with
fans worldwide. And for the E-Type, it’s hard to argue with what Enzo Ferrari said 50 years
ago upon seeing the sleek E-Type at its introduction, saying it is, ‘The most beautiful car ever
made.’”

For Sir William Lyons, founder of Swallow Sidecar and Coach Building Company which
evolved into Jaguar, winning Le Mans was a crucial goal to demonstrate to the world the
robustness and performance of the XK120-C. Malcolm Sayer’s aerodynamic, lightweight
design was based on his aviation background with wind tunnel testing. The C designation stood
for “competition.”

Three factory C-Types were entered in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans with stunning results. A
22-year-old Stirling Moss recorded the fastest lap, and Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead won
the race. It was the first of seven Le Mans victories for Jaguar.

Jaguar’s American racing roots are firmly planted on the Monterey Peninsula. It was in 1950
at the inaugural Pebble Beach Road Races that Jaguar achieved its first win on American soil.
A 23-year-old American named Phil Hill, who months earlier accompanied the same Jaguar
XK120 aboard the Queen Mary, took the checkered flag, thereby capturing international
accolades for both himself and Jaguar.

This is the third time Jaguar has been the featured marque, having been honored in 1976 and
1992 at the previously named Monterey Historic Automobile Races®.

For additional information and tickets for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, please call
800-327-7322 or visit www.MazdaRaceway.com.

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Comment by Daniel Mensinger on April 27, 2011 at 1:05pm
Can't wait to see what the factory brings out. This should be a great weekend.

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