HISTORICS: SCRAMP Takes Over Event, Names 2010 Date
Written by: Marshall Pruett 08/17/2009

Monterey, CA The vintage racing community received a bit of a shock on Sunday when Steve Earle, founder of the famed Monterey Historics, and his General Racing organization that administers the event, will be replaced in 2010 with oversight from the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), directors of the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

The track's press release announcing the change on Sunday evening was met with a frank rebuttal by Earle on Monday. Despite the contentious nature of the event's shift from General Racing to SCRAMP, the 37th edition of the Monterey Historics will be held over the weekend August 13th-15th in 2010.

SCRAMP's Announcement:

The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) announced that it will be producing the historic races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2010, and that General Racing, Ltd., the creator and producer of the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races® for the last 36 years, will no longer be producing the event.

SCRAMP will produce an event that reflects the prestige, integrity and quality that fans and participants expect of the vintage automobile races held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. SCRAMP has contracted for the use of the trademark Monterey Historic Automobile Races® for 2010 and General Racing will assist SCRAMP for this transitional year.

"This has certainly been a long and rewarding relationship with Steve Earle and General Racing," said Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. "SCRAMP has always admired Mr. Earle's creation, which has brought historic car racing to the enthusiast on such a level. We look forward to our 2010 event, scheduled from August 13-15, and beyond with the mission of continuing the tradition of historic automobile racing here while enhancing the enjoyment factor for the fans, participants and sponsors."

SCRAMP has operated Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the site of the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, for more than 50 years and, as a not-for-profit organization, has donated more than $12 million to the communities in and around the Monterey Peninsula.

"SCRAMP is proud to continue the legacy General
Racing began," Campbell added, "And we are excited about the prospect of opening a new chapter in historic racing at America's premier road racing circuit."

Earle's swift response to the announcement clarified a few items and also reiterated his commitment to vintage racing:

In response to the press release issued by SCRAMP on August 16, 2009 (dated August 17) regarding the future of the Monterey Historic Automobile Races® at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Steve Earle, President of General Racing, Ltd., has issued the following statement:

General Racing, which has created and produced the Monterey Historic Automobile Races® for 36 years, will no longer be doing so. In the future SCRAMP, the Sports Car Racing Association of Monterey Peninsula, will organize a new event.

On September 5, 2008, I was advised that the economic terms for the agreement between General Racing and SCRAMP were no longer commercially viable for SCRAMP. I’m disappointed that we were not able to come to an agreement that would allow our event to remain in Monterey. General Racing will allow SCRAMP a one-time use of the name Monterey Historic Automobile Races® for the 2010 event.

General Racing will continue the tradition of the Monterey Historics at the Wine Country Classic at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., in early June 2010.

We are very proud of all that we have accomplished with the Monterey Historic Automobile Races®, and I truly believe that we have brought something special to the community of Monterey as an event of world renown and the generator of substantial revenue for the local economy and the charities to which SCRAMP contributes.

The purpose of General Racing, Ltd., is and always has been to encourage the restoration, preservation and use of historic, sports and racing cars. General Racing events and races are for the enjoyment of participants and enthusiasts alike.

Fans of the sport will be interested to see how the Historics will look without Earle, just as entrants and enthusiasts will be keen to see how General Racing's Infineon Raceway event will grow and expand.