Sage advice, unheeded
The advice came from none other than Jonny Lieberman himself: the secret to a successful Monterey Car Week is “one event a day, followed by dinner with people you like.”
This was only my second Car Week and I promptly threw Mr. Lieberman’s advice right through the proverbial window. Not because it isn’t good guidance—it is. But Jonny’s a Car Week veteran, and, even though we’re about the same age, I’m very much still learning about moderation. For me, Car Week is a drug. Pure and simple, and a drug never hits harder than it does the very first time. My initial Monterey experience was borderline spiritual; eyes wide open, synapses firing, body euphoric. 2024 was one hell of a trip and this year I was going to do all I could to recapture that same high.
The beginning is the end
My first memory of last year—after checking in to my wildly overpriced two-star hotel room in Carmel—was arriving to lunch at local dining establishment Grasing’s and being seated next to James May. Yes, that James May. After a knowing nod in the man’s direction, I tucked into my burger and never looked back. I knew that I’d found my place and my people, and by the end of the week, I was hooked.
Hurts so good
Car Week is a lot of everything. It’s excessive, it’s exhilarating, and it’s exhausting. It also demands a serious commitment of both time and money, but it’s so good and so worth it. Where else can you see a Pagani parked on the street, catch the scent of unburned race fuel from a vintage Maserati and cringe as a Carrera GT scrapes its nose on a curb, all while consuming ground beef next to one-third of the only Top Gear that mattered? It’s a hyperconcentrated dose of everything sacred and holy to car lovers and an irresistible feast for the senses for an addict like me.
Champagne wishes, caviar dreams
This year, I made sure to check off all the usual Car Week boxes. Hagerty’s Motorlux was a great time, just like last year; I ran into lots of old friends and made some new ones along the way. The Quail was a standout—again—with the expected dream cars from personal favorites like RUF and Singer, but also some sensational new unobtainium, like the reimagined Diablos from Eccentrica. The “Motorsports Gathering” that is the Quail is increasingly becoming the must-attend Car Week event and remains a personal highlight, even though I had to shell out $1595 for a wristband, in lieu of press credentials. Timo Resch, the President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, did sit down across from me at lunch, though.
Exotic cats and crypto
Radwood’s pop-up event at The Paddock was fun despite a cool mist that hung in the air. Concorso Italiano, the next day, was a pleasant surprise, but the exotic cars may actually have been outdone by the exotic cats (and possibly crypto) being hawked by a woman from her Ferrari on the lawn.
All tomorrow’s parties
In an effort to act my age, I skipped all the OEM parties this year, save two. Porsche’s gathering is always a must-do with some impressive folks (and the impressive 963) in attendance. The Shake Shack burgers and fries that Czinger passed out again also made up for this year’s disappointing lack of alien theming. It’s worth noting that the Czinger 21C on display had set records at five different tracks in the weeks before it landed in Monterey (and bore the scars to prove it).
Masters of our domain
The good folks at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance were kind enough to provide me with a media pass, and I’d like to think I made the most of it. Pebble is still the crown jewel of Car Week, to be sure, and it knows it. There’s pomp, there’s circumstance, and there’s a certain swagger in the air. The vintage cars on display are some of the best in the world, and they’re also an incredible tribute to the kind of innovation and level of craftsmanship that we’ll never see again. You also simply can’t beat the location. The power move at Pebble is to eventually make your way to the Lodge and lord over it all from the porch of the Mercedes-Benz hospitality suite. Now you know, but don’t forget the secret knock.
Popping my cork
A day at the races is a Car Week must, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca remains one of the world’s great tracks. This year, I finally experienced it properly as a spectator. Photos, videos—and yes, even Gran Turismo—fail to capture the absolute madness of watching cars negotiate the infamous Corkscrew at speed. Last year, I had the terrifying pleasure of actually commentating on one of the Rolex Motorsport Reunion races from the press box, and while friends assured me it went well, I still haven’t worked up the nerve to listen to the recording. This year’s allotment of trackside courage was used instead to say hello to the one and only Chip Connor as he idled into the paddock behind the wheel of his legendary red 250 GTO.
Rough trade
There were lots of heavy hitters on the Car Week auction block, too, and Broad Arrow, Gooding, Christie's, and RM Sotheby’s were the highlights for me. The previews are one of the easiest ways to get up close and personal with some truly remarkable cars during the week and the auctions themselves always provide some drama.
Where everybody knows your name
Each night, my Car Week crew would gather at Brophy’s in downtown Carmel to process what we’d seen that day and talk through plans for the next. Also, a double Macallan 12 Year helps a man compute that, yes, that is in fact a $450,000 Richard Mille watch on the wrist across the table. There are all sorts of addictions, of course, and those evenings over drinks might have been my favorite part of the whole week.
It must be getting early, clocks are running late
I’m writing this the day before I turn fifty years old. By the time you read it, I’ll officially be an old man. For some, 50 isn’t a big number, but for me, it feels like the right moment to pause and take stock. I’ve quickly come to realize that my family is number one, of course, but that memorable experiences shared with friends are surely a close second.
Final thoughts: In my tribe
In a world that feels a little less like the one you’d hoped for as a kid with each passing day, it’s important to live a little now and again. Be with friends. Indulge. Take time to appreciate the awe-inspiring and the sublime. Be reminded that you’re part of a community. Even if it might seem ridiculous to an outsider, Monterey Car Week serves that purpose. It’s a chance to connect with other car people and dive headfirst into our shared passion in a stunning setting with a palpable energy in the air.
At Brophy’s, on our last night in California, I found myself thinking of that scene in Stand By Me, where Richard Dreyfuss’s narrator reflects on the gravity of the adventures that were just had.
“It was more, and we all knew it. Everything was there and around us. We knew exactly who we were and exactly where we were going. It was grand.”
And as I enter into my “old-man” years, that means more than ever.
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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