The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering should be in your bucket list

PHOTOS BY KEN L. UY

THE Quail, A Motorsport Gathering is indeed one of the top concours events that should be in one’s bucket list. For years The Quail has been held at the Peninsula Quail Lodge & Golf Club in stunningly beautiful Carmel Valley, California. With these much providence and excitement building up to the Monterey Car Week, this event is a must for all car enthusiasts and a playground for the rich and famous; expect to be rubbing elbows with them.

Starting off with a serene morning coming down California 1, we made our way down to Carmel Valley (Okay, I was so excited I didn’t eat breakfast). We parked at Lot C, which was conveniently located at the entrance. A short walk brought us to the hospitality suite of Porsche. It was hard to resist not to check the brand out as it had a 1997 993 Turbo S in Arctic Silver and a Carrera RS on display. As I made it into the main hall I got to check out the 2020 991 Speedster in Guards Red. Basically a GT3 without a roof, this car is really a keeper; it is so limited you would wish you have one in your garage.

After chatting with some friends at the Porsche booth and having a good meal, we headed toward The Quail. There were so many cars displayed I didn’t know where to start, but decided to just go dive in.

The Mclaren F1 was there celebrating its 25th year. Bugatti, Mclaren, Lotus, Koenigsegg, Pagani, Acura, Bentley, Audi, Rimac, W Motors were all present at the event.

I would let the photos speak for themselves as you don’t want me to geek out over a car. The Quail with all its glam and exclusivity has one of the best things in life — people. It was all about the people. A gathering of cars to bring forth people of every nation of every race who share a passion for cars, food and life in general.

With the numerous car shows I have attended worldwide, it’s The Quail which hits all the right spots. Yes, car manufacturers want to make a sale. It’s really seeing people living life to the fullest that appeals to me.

I had the chance to chat with the bureau chief of Automobile Magazine over lunch — we sat together, sipping at sauvignon blanc. He and his wife shared how they have brought an Alpine A110 to the south of France and just enjoyed the drive. In the end, a great friend of mine, Drew of 911 Cooled, reminded me that owning cool cars are exciting, but having a set of friends you can enjoy these with is what really matters.