Top 10 Race Cars at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Think all the best car-spotting in Monterey happens on a lawn? Not a chance. The paddock at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (known more commonly as simply "the Historics" in reference to the historic-automobile races) is filled with some of the most famous and most important race cars of the past century and more. Here are the 10 that caught our eye.

1969 Porsche 917K

Designed and built in just nine months, the Porsche 917 had one mission: Win Le Mans. In iconic Gulf Oil livery later immortalized in Steve McQueen's 1971 film "Le Mans," the 917 won the world-famous 24-hour endurance race twice, in 1970 and 1971. This car, a "K" variant with a new tail designed to improve handling, is the first 917 to go a full race distance.

1966 Porsche 306

Also known as the Carrera 6, this car is actually street-legal. Only 50 were built to meet homologation rules, and this one was purchased as a birthday present for a wealthy 21-year-old Italian. He towed it home from the factory with his Fiat 1800, then entered it in the Targa Florio race in Sicily. Despite engine starting trouble and a flat tire (which required the help of six strong Sicilian men because there was no jack), he finished eighth.

1932 Alfa Romeo P3

Also known as the Tipo B, this Alfa Romeo was a force to be reckoned with in the 1932-1935 seasons, especially with Tazio Nuvolari behind the wheel. By the 1935 season, the car was outdated and thought to be uncompetitive against the Silver Arrows of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union (now Audi), but Nuvolari stunned the crowd at the Nurburgring during the 1935 German Grand Prix by recovering from a flat tire early on to win the race against the dominant German teams.

1928 Maserati Tipo 26B

Built in 1926, the Tipo 26 was Maserati's first-ever car. Just 10 cars were made before Maserati moved on to the Tipo 26B, of which just seven were made. The car pictured here is the oldest complete, running Maserati in existence.

1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am

The Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am racing series was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s both with the public and American automakers. Ford got into the action in 1969 and 1970 with the Mustang Boss 302, winning the 1970 season. This car was piloted by George Follmer, while an identical car was piloted by Parnelli Jones.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Trans-Am

Chevrolet got in on the Trans-Am Series action early with the then all-new Camaro in 1967. It won its first race in 1967 before capturing the 1968 championship. The No. 16 car was piloted by Mark Donohue.

1912 Packard

Packard went racing not long after the company was founded in 1899. Its first race car, known as the "Gray Wolf," debuted in 1903. The exact history of this 1912 model isn't known, but it was discovered in Argentina in the 1950s and eventually restored. Today, it is believed to be the oldest Packard race car in existence.

1965 Toyota Sports 800

Before the legendary Toyota 2000GT, there was the Sports 800. Toyota's first sports car, it was one of the first production cars to feature a removable Targa roof. Just more than 3100 were built, with only about 300 left today. It's powered by an air-cooled, horizontally opposed two-cylinder engine making 44 hp.

1990 Mazda 787B

In 1991, Mazda made history at Le Mans: It became the first (and, so far, only) Japanese automaker to win overall at Le Mans and the first (and only) to win with a rotary engine. Despite qualifying and starting near the back of the pack, the cars proved both reliable and fuel-efficient, allowing the No. 55 car to take the overall win and set a new course record for total laps and total distance traveled during the race. This car was the sister car to the race-winner and finished eighth.

1969 McLaren M8B

An improvement over 1968's M8A, the M8B is the car that made Bruce McLaren a legend. With McLaren and teammate Denny Hulme at the wheel, the M8Bs would dominate the 1969 Cam-Am series winning all 11 races. An M8B also started from the pole in all 11 races and in 10 races, the other M8B started in second place. In eight races, the other M8B finished second. The No. 4 car pictured here was driven by Bruce McLaren himself.

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