There is another difference: A race car, given proper maintenance, can last a lot longer than its human pilots. Which brings up an interesting situation: while the cars can function for a long time, they are not needed because newer designs are much faster and going faster is what it is all about.

But old race cars still have the ability to excite race fans even though time has passed them by. People, still enjoy the sounds, sights and smells older race cars offer. And they offer the same thrills to their drivers and owners.

It was under these circumstances that vintage racing was born. The phenomena started in the mid 1970s, took off in the 80s, and today draws the same crowds as current racing series.

Held on the third weekend in August, the Monterey Historic Races is one of the premier vintage racing events in the world. The crowd it draws is world-class and admission for a car to participate is by invitation only.

Attending the Monterey Historic races: Crowds are huge as they are at all events during the big car weekend. In the case of the Historic races, this will be a significant factor in how you plan things, as access to the racetrack is limited. This means that you MUST get an early start when you leave, especially on Saturday and Sunday.

The featured marque car and their corresponding popularity will affect traffic levels. In 1998 (Porsche) and in 1994 (Ferrari) were the featured cars and the crowds were huge. But in 2001, when it was Bentley's turn, things were more manageable. With Corvette as the featured car in 2002, you can expect things to be very crowded.