Story By: BARRY TOEPKE / WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA – MONTEREY, CA – For some Monterey participants, it’s going to be a 3,000 mile, five-day drive across the United States during the warm days and nights of August. For the nomad band of automotive enthusiasts, affectionately known as “The Rolling Bones” to arrive in Monterey in time for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, it’s as much about the journey as it is the destination.
The Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop located in Greenfield Center, New York, has meticulously built more than 20 unique cars for customers from New York to California. Tom McIntyre was an early Rolling Bones customer who flew from his California home to pick up his completed 1932 Ford coupe in 2013. His “break-in” period consisted of a stretch from New York to Bonneville for some good-natured speed testing before heading home.
McIntyre is a longtime Rolex Reunion participant in the historic Trans-Am class with his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. The same car that owner Roger Penske and driver Mark Donohue won 9 of11 races to capture the 1968 Trans-Am championship. McIntyre maintains his youthful enthusiasm when speaking of “The Rolling Bones.”
“The Rolling Bones Hot Rods are probably the coolest cars on the highway today, and so are the people that own them. We have a real dedicated group who travel together, race together and hang out together. Crisscrossing the United States in these cars is not uncommon for the Rolling Bones gang. Some of the cars have gone back and forth a dozen times or more. We are really excited to bring the cars to Monterey for all the speed lovers to see them,” says McIntyre.
The term “Hot Rod” means many things to many people. For this group, it’s about using many of the same parts and building hot rods the way they were when they were simple hotrods. The Rolling Bones tries to capture the look, the feel and the soul of a late forties and early fifties hot rod with a story to tell. The group holds that hot rods are a work of art.
“Like a romantic painting when you look at it, a great hot rod will tell you just enough of its story to grab your emotions and let your imagination take you as fast and far as you want to go,” said founder Ken Schmidt. “That’s what we build…stories…in the Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop. One story at a time.”
More than a dozen Rolling Bones cars will appear at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca each day from August 16-19, as well as taking several exhibition laps to exercise their hot rods for the enjoyment of the fans.
“We don’t trailer our cars, we drive them and enjoy them,” added McIntyre. “Sure, one of us may get a ticket from time to time, but most everyone who sees us coming will grin with enjoyment. That’s what makes the Rolling Bones a fun-loving and eclectic group.”
VIP ticket packages for the limited Legends Club, with breakfast and lunch catered by local favorite Baja Cantina and Turn 12, as well as advanced pricing on general admission tickets are available by calling 831-242-8200..