Dear Tam,  Congratulations on your fine website and photographs!  I was excited to be asked by the Collier Museum to drive their Scarab at Monterey.

Predictably, you have to very careful with the throttle, not to break the back wheels away. In several corners, it's better to go through in a gear higher than the correct gear for the turn, again, due to the power. At the "Cork- screw", which is really 2nd gear, I used third, at very low revs but still with enough torque to break the tires loose. 

I managed to qualify 2nd., just a touch slower than Rob Walton in his Scarab and close behind was Paul Brown, a young semi-pro driver driving Tom Holfelder's Chaparral. Like the Scarab, this car was also built by Troutman and Barnes, is three years newer, over 200lbs lighter, and has disc brakes (Scarab's are drum). 

At the start of the race, Rob and I were pretty well side by side down into Turn 1. I made an over-ambitious move and tried to drive round the outside of Rob, gave it too much throttle and went sideways. This allowed Paul to get alongside me, but the next turn is a right hander which gave me the inside line. 

After four laps or so, Rob, who was driving extremely well never putting a wheel wrong, was about 1 second ahead of Paul & I and I couldn't figure out what to do to get past! Anyway, we came up behind 80 year old Norman Dewis (Ex Jaguar factory test driver) driving a D-type, Rob (and Paul) went to the left to pass him, and I went to the right. Luckily, Norman saw me, but not Rob & Paul, and moved over to the left causing an exciting moment for Rob & Paul - and relief for me as I went in to the lead! 

However, things were not over and Paul put in a great effort to finish just half a car's length behind! It was a really great race, between three fantastic cars. The Collier Museum, Rob Walton and Tom Holfelder should all be congratulated for bringing these very valuable race cars "out to play"! 

Brian Redman