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Dominic Taylor/Vail Valley Magazine
For car enthusiasts, Eagle County is a driver’s paradise. But only if you ignore the traffic and year-round construction on our beloved interstates. Located off Interstate 70, Vail Valley has some of the best scenic curving highways in the country, uncrowded, and four-wheeled magic during the all-too-short summer months. You might feel like you’re in an episode of “Top Gear” as you run along Red Mountain Pass or cruise down Highway 131 to the State Bridge.
It’s the perfect environment for the local car community, with dedicated gearheads and certified car nuts, and established collectors and even a certain part-time Bachelor Gulch-based F1 champion quietly thrown into the mix . And the warm weather means a variety of opportunities to glimpse thoroughbred automobiles, including this September’s Vail Concours event and a hidden spectacle with the Colorado 1000 and his $20 million-plus legion. Cars from the 1960s and earlier.
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Vail Concours organizer Mark Bergman, who spearheads the informal Cars and Coffee gatherings that take place once a month here and in Summit County, says there’s something absolutely unique about Vail’s car culture. He says there is something.
“Vail car collectors are rather private and reserved, so we would appreciate the opportunity to see some of these great cars that they own,” Bergman said. “He has 16 Porsches in his collection, he has two Maseratis that he might use as a daily driver. He just loves driving cars. But there aren’t many people who are flashy and want to show off themselves.”
“Vail car collectors are rather private and reserved, so we appreciate the opportunity to see these amazing cars that they own.” – Mark Bergman
The Concours is a free public car show on September 17th from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It’s one of the best opportunities to experience the automotive treasures of a semi-secret local collection .
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For those who view cars as household appliances, it may still be a stretch to understand their intrinsic appeal, but for die-hard car enthusiasts, cars can evoke profound emotions. there is.
Take, for example, local legend Bob Ruder and his infamous “brown car,” an unused 1973 Porsche 911S finished in a distinctive sepia brown. Ruder, whose family settled in the upper Gore Creek Valley in the 1880s and who was born at Gilman Hospital, has been driving in Vail for more than 60 years. His vintage Porsche, his red-clad, slightly modern whale-tailed 1996 993 twin, his Turbo, a concours predecessor, and his striking Guards Vail Automotive His Classics and Eagles have always been a staple with his Wheels and Wings.
Ruder’s immaculate 1970s long-bonnet 911 speaks to the legend of a classic sports car that was hand-built long before EVs and seemingly identical giant SUVs filled parking lots. As Ruder says, anyone can walk into a Denver car dealership and see a new, expensive supercar. Real enthusiast cars are a completely different story and have a much more natural appeal. That’s one reason he likes to take his Porsche out instead of storing it away.
“The brown car has 99,000 miles on it, which is not bad for a 50-year-old car,” he says. “This is a great, great, very fast car from an era before emissions controls and safety bumpers. And the 993 was the top of the food chain, marking the end of the era of air-cooled cars.”
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Craig Haydon, a well-known local car enthusiast, is also passionate about spreading the joy of cars. The Australian native’s car collection spans two continents, but when he’s at home in the valley he drives around in his 1979 Magnum PI-style Ferrari 308, which he bought 20 years ago. He often shares stories about GTB. He also likes to display his supercharged Lotus Elise. The Lotus Elise is a small, fierce sports car that requires yoga-like dexterity to get in and out of.
“I think we have a great automotive culture here that covers all areas,” Haydon said. “At our Cars & Coffee gatherings, we see a lot of young people driving new Japanese cars, and we are trying to cultivate that next generation. We welcome everyone to our local events. do my best.”
Mr Haydon, who includes his wife Julie, is encouraged by the number of female car enthusiasts in the valley and the growing number of women taking part in concours and other events in Audi and McLaren sports cars. says.
“The good thing about these events is that it doesn’t really matter what you bring; you don’t have to brag about it,” he says. “Some people come with old Mazda RX-7s, others with new Porsche GT3 RSs worth $280,000.”
Bergman, who came to the Valley in 2016 as CEO of real estate agency Vail Board of Directors, drives a 3 Series BMW but has channeled his personal enthusiast energy into a turbocharged 2006 Mazda Miata. is.
“It’s not ridiculously fast, but we’ve more than doubled the horsepower. So it’s perfect for those summer drives we’re doing with our Cars Group or Coffee Group. Whether we’re driving through Fremont Pass to Frisco or a group of eight… The 10 of us take another long drive over Guanella Pass and end up at our next location: Georgetown.”
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A highlight of the Vail Concours event, organized in partnership with both Vail Resort and the City of Vail, is a one-day show alongside the Eagle Barn Gondola, featuring everything from World War II Jeeps to classic 1960s Everything from muscle cars will be on display. The competition features his three-day driving and social event for registered participants, many of whom are currently attending from out of state. This is also a fundraiser, with proceeds going to his Vail Valley Foundation Community Fund and Epic Promise Employee Foundation.
“We named the competition 2022 to increase national awareness, but we are not a white-glove style competition event like you see elsewhere,” Bergman said. . “Whether it’s a lovingly restored Chevrolet Blazer or a classic motorcycle, anyone can register and display their vehicle.”
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Meanwhile, eagle-eyed car enthusiasts will get a brief glimpse of the tail end of this year’s Colorado 1000 as it passes through Lions Head on the afternoon of September 15th, before drivers are loaded onto transport trucks. This private road event begins and ends in Vail, traversing the state’s back roads in the world’s most expensive classic cars.