A 1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200C Spider on Aug. 24 entered the Rolex Circle of Champions in The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, one of the highlight events of the Monterey Classic Car Week.
The Aurelia won The Quail’s Best of Show award, besting 235 internationally acclaimed entries. The Pininfarina-penned car, voted for its futuristic styling marked by a grille resembling a jet engine, is owned by Anne Brockinton Lee. Ms. Lee received an engraved, two-tone Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust for the honors.
Rolex has been recognizing the excellence of the cars entered — as well as the dedication of their owners — in The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering since 2005 as the Swiss brand serves as Official Timepiece.
“I’m so excited to have won and to have received a Rolex watch — this is in memory of my late husband, who was a big car collector. I have a great team who have worked very hard on this outstanding car and I’m very proud,” Ms. Lee said.
Held in California’s Santa Lucia mountain range, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering combines notable vehicles with global cuisine, drawing more than 6,000 classic car collectors and gourmets every year. In the last edition, The Quail highlighted Porsche’s 70th anniversary by honoring the Porsche 356 (the brand’s first production car), and by holding the Alois Ruf Reunion in which the star was the high-performance CTR Yellowbird, based on a Porsche 911.
“While celebrating the rich history of the automobile, every year The Quail offers something new and exciting. Seeing these wonderful cars and hearing their unique stories always gives me a sense of nostalgia and allows me to reflect on my journey, especially this year as I celebrate 50 years with Rolex. Cars and watches go hand in hand and both have played — and continue to play — an incredibly important part in my life,” said Rolex Testimonee, or brand ambassador, and three-time Formula One champion Jackie Stewart.
