GP stars' charity race

Seven former Grand Prix drivers will be on the grid for the Toyota ‘Race of Legends’, one of the star attractions in the Rolex Monterey Historic at Laguna Seca, California, on August 15-17.

In an event staged for charity, Alan Jones, Johnny Herbert, John Watson, Patrick Tambay, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Eddie Cheever and Danny Sullivan will take on 2007 winner Derek Bell and Alain de Cadanet in a race for production Toyota Scion coupés. The winner will earn a prize of £12,500 for their chosen charity.

Watching the antics of some of his former rivals will be Mario Andretti, the event’s guest of honour to mark the 30th anniversary of his World Championship victory with Lotus.

“Mario is a living legend and we’ll celebrate the anniversary of his World Championship win in 1978,” said event founder Steve Earle.

Andretti will run demonstration laps in the Lotus 79 he drove during ’78. “Laguna Seca has always been one of my favourite tracks,” he said. “For a driver, it’s a truly technical and challenging course.”

Headline races include a fine field of pre-’50 GP cars, with Maseratis for Mark Gillies and Martin Walford, while David Morris will pilot an ERA and Duncan Dayton will drive the Joe Hunt Magneto Special Indycar.