And Who’s Got the Sweetest Ride?

This weekend was Infineon Raceway’s Annual Historic Motorsports Festival. And you know at least half of this family can never pass up anything involving vintage, muscle or any other kind of cool car. So down to the Plaza we went to see a group of vintage race cars do a victory lap around the square and proceed on to the former Sebastiani Vineyards, where we’d be able to get up close and personal with a few dozen of the toys of Andy’s dreams.

But as this is Sonoma, the walk to the Plaza took us past a vintage ride to put a 1914 Bugatti in the shade.

At a time of high gas prices, global warming and oil spills, you can’t really beat a Clydesdale, can you?

First, a selected few dozen of the cars did a victory lap around the Plaza before heading to the Festival.

Pay no attention to that farm vehicle in front. He sneaked in the queue!

Granted, I’m the part of this duo who knows nothing about cars, but I liked the vintage Hippy Volkswagon filled with people in tie-dye flashing peace signs.

I’m not sure what a hippy van had to do with vintage race cars, but they got my vote for costume and attitude.

Once at the Festival, I was pretty much on my own as Andy went into an immediate trance. I passed him every now and then, wandering like a zombie and muttering “Hemi. Maserati. Bugatti. Caaaaaarrrrr.”

Andy dreams of new wheels. This is something called a Lister. But I don’t think it’s made by the Listerine Company.

So I spent my time focussing on some of the the great details and logos. I literally couldn’t see the cars for the hubcaps.

I think I took a record number of pictures of hood ornaments.

Hey, when’s the last time you saw a hood hinged with leather straps?

Then there are the shirt and the logos.

There’s nothing like a car event to bring out the great shirts.

So I guess this would be the car club to join.

Car enthusiasts have told me again and again, I’m focussing on the wrong things. But to me, a car is more interesting with some history. The owner of this car was claiming it was originally bought by Gangster Bugsy Siegel (the guy who built Vegas) for his girlfriend, Virginia Hill AKA The Flamingo, the namesake of the famous Casino.

The owner really should have displayed this car with models costumed as Bugsy and Virginia.

Finally, even Andy’s eyes glazed over with too much car. We left Sebastiani and headed out to the parking area. And there it was: a sleek, streamlined, candy-colored baby — my very own new Prius, Flame.

“Andy”, I asked, “My car looks so great. Do you think people wandered by and thought my Prius was a really cool racing car?”

Andy’s reply: “Probably only if they’d been seriously overserved at the wine kiosks.”