{"product_id":"2026ccf-heroes-of-the-forest","title":"Heroes of the Forest: Revisiting the Pebble Beach Road Races","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThursday, August 13, 2026 4:00PM\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModerated by Ken Gross with Rob Manson, Mark Brinker, and Simon Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 1950 to 1956, the best sports car drivers in America raced through Del Monte Forest—on the very roads that are used today to access the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Competition was intense and exciting, the narrow course was very dangerous, and the races stopped abruptly in 1956 after Ernie McAfee was tragically killed driving a Ferrari. But racing didn’t end — the track at Laguna Seca was built and competition resumed on a much safer circuit. Join Dr. Mark Brinker, author of a new book on the Pebble Beach Road Races; Rob Manson, who owns several racing specials, including the Willis Baldwin Mercury; Simon Taylor, Editor-at-large of Britain’s Classic and Sports Car Magazine and owner of the “Stovebolt Special,” along with award-winning writer Ken Gross for a spirited discussion about the early days of racing in California and the stories behind the legendary Pebble Beach Road Races.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKen Gross – \u003cem\u003eModerator\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKen Gross served as Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles from 1997 to 2000. His 15 critically acclaimed automobile exhibitions have appeared at major Fine Art Museums across the United States. This is Ken’s 36th consecutive year as a Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Chief Class Judge, and he is a member of the Selection Committee. Ken is a founding member of ICIAG (the International Chief Judges’ Advisory Group), the Chief Judge for the Greenwich (Connecticut) Concours, and he judges at many other North American and European concours. The author of 25 books, and countless magazine articles, Ken has received the Automotive Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Citation, The International Motor Press Association Ken W. Prudy Award, The Motor Press Guild Dean Bachelor Award, and the Lee Iacocca award. He lived with his wife, Trish Serratore, in Hamilton, Virginia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRob Manson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRob Manson’s career in hospital management took him and his family to many places in the world; he built and operated private hospitals in the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe. Rob collects and races late 1940s and early 1950s California road racing Specials, in particular, those that raced at the Pebble Beach Road Races. He founded the nonprofit Del Monte Trophy Race Group and its Foundation. The groups promote, both on the racetrack and in the paddock, the historic significance of the cars and the individuals that created West Coast, post–World War II era road racing. The Group’s 1947–1950 era sports cars are regular participants at many major events. Their participation at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion in August is the link between the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and Laguna Seca Raceway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMark R. Brinker\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMark R. Brinker is a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon with a lifelong passion for the automobile. He collects postwar sports cars and spent a decade vintage racing at Steve Earle’s Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Brinker is also a land speed racer and has set eight sports car records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. He enjoys a second career writing, and his automotive work includes four books and countless magazine articles. In 2023 he received the Historic Motoring Award for Publication of the Year. A member of the Writers Guild of America, Brinker cowrote the screenplay for \u003cem\u003eUntraceable\u003c\/em\u003e, a 2008 feature film starring Diane Lane. During his time vintage racing at Laguna Seca, Brinker became acquainted with several of the original Pebble Beach Road Race drivers, and this association stimulated a true passion for this historic event. In collaboration with the Pebble Beach Concours and the Pebble Beach Company, Brinker has recently published a four-volume book on the subject entitled, \u003cem\u003eHeroes of the Forest: The Complete History of the Pebble Beach Road Race.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSimon Taylor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimon Taylor has been a motor-racing journalist, magazine publisher, and commentator all his working life. He was the editor of the weekly Autosport at the age of 23, and as a publisher launched several more car magazines, including \u003cem\u003eClassic \u0026amp; Sports Car, F1 Racing, and What Car?\u003c\/em\u003e He was BBC Radio’s motor sport commentator for Formula 1 and Le Mans for 20 years, as well as an F1 summarizer and commentator on TV, and a circuit commentator at Goodwood and elsewhere. He is the author and co-author of several books, including\u003cem\u003e The Glory of Goodwood, Team Lotus: My View from the Pit Wall, AC Heritage,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eMotor Sport Greats in Conversation\u003c\/em\u003e. He has owned the famous American road-racer the “Stovebolt Special” for 25 years, and has raced it in California, Australia, France, and all over the UK. His unique Derby Bentley sedanca coupé won the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForum panelists subject to change.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eAttendee expressly assumes all risks incidental to and associated with attendance at the Event. By virtue of attendance at the Event, Attendee acknowledges that they understand all risks incidental to and associated with their attendance, including but not limited to being struck by a golf cart or other vehicle and falls due to unevenness of terrain or surfaces, and hereby waives, releases and discharges PBC, any and all of its respective affiliated companies, and all employees, owners, officers, directors, agents, representatives, and\/or volunteers associated with the Event (“Released Parties”), and agree to hold harmless the Released Parties, from any and all claims for damages for death, personal injury or property loss or damage including all costs and expenses, which result from Attendee’s attendance at the Event or participation in any related activities arranged, promoted and\/or sponsored by the Released Parties, including, without limitation, those claims that arise as a result of the inherent risks associated with attending the Event, without limitation, (i) all claims for personal injuries, wrongful death or exposure to or contraction of COVID-19 or other communicable disease by the Attendee, any accompanying party, or other individuals exposed to COVID-19 by the Attendee of accompanying party; (ii) the application of any health and safety protocols to Attendee or any accompanying party and (iii) all claims based on the negligence of the Released Parties. Attendee further agrees this waiver, release and assumption of risk is binding on Attendee’s heirs and assigns.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eAttendees may not photograph, film, tape, or aid in transmitting, in whole or part, any image or video of this event without the prior written consent of Pebble Beach Company (PBC). Unmanned aerial vehicles are expressly prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted. Attendee acknowledges this is a public event that will be photographed and digitally recorded by PBC and its agents and permanently assigns and releases any rights related to those photographs and recordings (or any manipulations or variations thereof) to PBC and its agents for their commercial, editorial and other uses. Pebble Beach©, Pebble Beach Golf Links®, The Lodge at Pebble Beach™, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® and their respective underlying distinct images and logo designs are trademarks and trade dress of Pebble Beach Company. All rights reserved.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VIP Tickets \u0026 Merchandise","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47310166556834,"sku":"2026-TH-4-CCF","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/3104\/8882\/files\/TH-4_CCF26StoreTemplate900x600v2_1.png?v=1781108503","url":"https:\/\/theconcoursstore.com\/products\/2026ccf-heroes-of-the-forest","provider":"Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance","version":"1.0","type":"link"}