PEBBLE BEACH – Picture it. Some 170 classic cars queue up at the starting line in Pebble Beach, ignite their engines and drive down an exceptionally scenic route nearly 70 miles along Highway 1 and back to home base. How difficult can it be to arrange that? Considerably.
Particularly when some of the older cars run out of steam, while others malfunction. Or when gale-force winds threaten the stability of a vintage vehicle, or a chunk of highway along the coast breaks off and slips into the sea. Fortunately, after 25 years of putting on this pageant, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance crew has learned how to predict conditions, pivot and put on a successful parade.
The set up and execution of Thursday’s Tour d’Elegance “requires a lot of communication among the Pebble Beach Company, California Highway Patrol, Big Sur partners and other members of the community throughout the year,” said Tour d’Elegance Director Sean Jacobs, who also serves as vice president of Business Development for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. “We have a strong relationship with the CHP. We work closely with them, along with local authorities and nearby communities to map out the best route for spectator and traffic safety, along with participant enjoyment. We also rely heavily on our large team of amazing volunteers to help organize the Tour.”
Certainly several factors have influenced the Tour route over time, says Jacobs, in particular the closures of Highway 1 during recent years.
(Graphic by Arianna Nalbach)
“Taking the Tour down to Big Sur has always been a priority,” said Jacobs, “yet in years when Big Sur has not been an option, we’ve gotten creative, taking advantage of additional roads through Pebble Beach and the 17 Mile Drive, along with scenic routes through Monterey. Still, we have had cars malfunction, requiring assistance from our support vehicles that bring them back to home base. We avoided much of that last year by streamlining the route.”
On March 30, a large chunk of southbound Highway 1 just past Rocky Creek Bridge collapsed, cutting off the Big Sur community from the northern reaches of the county.
“Immediately following the Highway 1 road closure,” said Jacobs, “we started looking at the best options to reroute the Tour. At this time, we are planning to replicate last year’s Tour route, which will involve heading down to Big Sur’s Ripplewood Resort, our annual turnaround point and back. They are a very gracious and welcoming Tour partner.”
Return to the route
Both Sean Jacobs and Tour participants acknowledge what they consider the luxury and privilege of organizing a driving tour in one of the most beautiful places in the world, with Pebble Beach as the anchor and the craggy coastline and cerulean sea as the backdrop.
“In addition, with arterial road access throughout the Monterey Peninsula” said Jacobs, “there are many great options to choose among when planning a Tour d’Elegance route that is both scenic and inspiring, plus navigable for classic cars.”
The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance Presented by Rolex, was established in 1998 by Craig Davis, who had fielded questions about whether Concours d’Elegance contestants were road worthy.
“Basically ‘trailer queens,’ these cars are, in a way, art,” said Davis, “but not static art; they should be able to run. So I said, ‘Why don’t we start a tour, put the cars out on the road, and show that they are mechanical pieces that can and should run.’”
Historic vehicles roll through Big Sur during the Pebble Beach Tour dÕElegance on Thursday August 12, 2021. (David Royal/ Monterey Herald Correspondent)
In addition to the pageantry, there also is a strong incentive for owners to take part in the Tour. If two cars tie in class competition during the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, and one car was part of the tour while the other was not, the tour participant will win.
Now, 26 years later, the Tour is an integral part of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, offering a rare opportunity to see many of these classic cars in motion. The Tour will begin in Pebble Beach and head down The 17 Mile Drive, passing in front of The Lodge at Pebble Beach. It then will make its way down the Big Sur coastline and back, returning to Pebble Beach, where participants will enjoy a luncheon hosted by Mercedes-Benz.
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“We love sharing the Tour,” said Jacobs, “which is an open event, with no ticket required to witness this mobile museum, truly some of the rarest, most beautiful, most historical cars driving by, which makes for a very special moment.”
This year, the Thursday event will depart, unlike previous years, at 9:30 a.m., with a noon return to Pebble Beach. “In working with the CHP and relying on their knowledge of the route,” said Jacobs, “we accepted their recommendation to streamline the route and to start a half-hour later to help alleviate commuter traffic issues, which will be a benefit to all.”
