Join The World's Best Iconic & Vintage Car Community >>

Colorado Grand 2012 – Report and Photos

Randy Reiss and Tom Singer enjoy their 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta over Gore Pass John Waugh, Photographic Images
Randy Reiss and Tom Singer enjoy their 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta over Gore Pass

Report by John Waugh and pictures by the photographers of John Waugh, Photographic Images

The Colorado Grand 2012 was staged September 10-15 on the secondary roads of Colorado, starting and ending in Vail. The 24th annual Colorado Grand was as challenging as it was scenic, as the tour traversed the western slope of Colorado through 1098 miles of magnificent mountain highways in spectacular fall foliage.

The Colorado Grand serves as a charity fundraising tour for multiple organizations throughout the state. Foremost is the Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation, a support organization for the widows and children of officers lost in the line of duty.

The Grand has always prescribed the entrants cars to be pre 1960 with an authentic history and assurance of sound mechanical condition. The first day of the 2012 rally pushed the sound mechanical condition. With a collection of some 100 vintage automobiles from around the world the initial day crossed six mountain passes in 300 miles separating the prepared from the wishful. The day included two crossings of the Continental Divide, Berthoud Pass 11,307 feet above sea level and Loveland Pass 11,990 ft. If that wasn’t enough, thunderstorms accompanied the cars for most of the day.

Eighteen pre-war entries were in attendance that included a 1928 Bentley 4.5 Litre VDP, a 1929 Bentley Le Mans and a 1929 Duesenberg Dual Cowl Phaeton. A 1932 Alvis Speed 20 SA finished the day in a downpour outside of Vail that required extensive bailing to keep her afloat.

In the last two years special consideration has been granted to specific marques of racing distinction that fall slightly outside the parameters and this seasons candidate was the Shelby Cobra. Ten 289 and 427 models participated in the 2012 tour.

Twenty some Ferraris, sixteen Jaguars from 1939 to 1960, ten Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and a remarkable collection of rarities that included Kurtis, Lancia, Maserati, OSCA, Daimler, Alvis, Allard, Atalanta, Cunningham…you get the picture. The Colorado Grand is one of the best rolling car collections in the world for this week.

Day two of the 2012 Colorado Grand was a soggy ride over Tennessee Pass (10,424 ft) through a spectacular color display of aspen and scrub oak that continued over Monarch Pass (11,312 ft) to a lunch gathering in Gunnison. Small town scholarship giving by the Colorado Grand provides a $5,000 grant to the student of the town’s choice for a year at any Colorado Mountain College in exchange for providing a home grown picnic lunch for the eventeurs every day. This year’s stops included Walden, Gunnison, Durango and Hotchkiss. Day two concluded in Telluride as skies cleared and the promise of great fall weather cheered the Granders for the challenging day to come.

The Million Dollar Highway was constructed in the 1870s by Otto Mears as a toll road to transport ore out of these rugged mountains and remains largely unimproved by modern standards. Blasted through the Ouray Box Canyon, this narrow two-lane road is largely without guard rails and the white line at the edge is often the last surface before 100-foot cliffs to the Uncompagre River below. Beautiful as well as thrilling, the San Juan Skyway is a 227-mile sports car driver’s dream come true through the heart of the San Juan Mountains, the Switzerland of America.

Durango, Colorado hosted lunch at the historic depot of the Durango Silverton Railroad in downtown, refreshing the drivers before the tour turned towards Mancos on the edge of Mesa Verde National Park, Dolores and Lizard Head Pass (10,222 ft), before finally returning to Telluride once again. The evening festivities were highlighted by a cocktail reception at the Peaks Lodge complete with the award-winning 1937 MG TA (courtesy of Grand participants Bill and Greg Bollendonk) in the lobby followed by scotch and cigars after dinner on the patio under the stars.

Leaving Telluride on the final driving day of the the tour navigated the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. A winding, narrow two-lane that twists along the rim of 2,700 ft deep canyon offering a workout to even the most fit drivers. Lunch under the cottonwoods at the Delta County Fairgrounds in Hotchkiss is a welcome respite for everyone. A group portrait of the twenty Ferrari entrants was a thrill to see. The final afternoon crossed McClure Pass (8763 ft) and on to Glenwood Springs, the gateway to Glenwood Canyon of the Colorado River on the return to Vail.

The Concours d’Non-Elegance in the Lionshead Plaza in Vail marked the traditional ending to the Colorado Grand 2012 with many of the participant’s automobiles being exhibited complete with grasshoppers, butterflies, mud and road grime that testify to the rigors of “The Grand”.

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery

Robert and Hillary Alpert climbing Loveland Pass in their 1953 Jaguar C-Type
Robert and Hillary Alpert climbing Loveland Pass in their 1953 Jaguar C-Type
1953 Cunningham C3 Coupe
Jimmy and Lisa Dobbs descending Loveland Pass in a 1953 Cunningham C3 Coupe
1931 Bentley 8-Liter
The packed 1931 Bentley 8-Liter of Mark Hyman in the Telluride Forest
Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
Rich Darling and Jon Shirley drive the edge of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park – Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery Page Two

1939 Jaguar SS100
Garrett Bouton and Lana Gafford cross the Red Cliff Bridge in the 1939 Jaguar SS100
Roger Morrison and Collin Comer tour in a 1964 Shelby Cobra 289
Roger Morrison and Collin Comer tour in a 1964 Shelby Cobra 289
Heidi and Jerry Lynch, both long-time participants, enjoy the fall foliage on Red Mountain Pass in their 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Alloy Competition
Heidi and Jerry Lynch, both long-time participants, enjoy the fall foliage on Red Mountain Pass in their 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Alloy Competition
1934 Aston Martin 1.5 Litre Le Mans
1934 Aston Martin 1.5 Litre of Tom Papadopoulos and Antione Crettol

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery Page Three

1954 Maserati A6GCS
1954 Maserati A6GCS of Dean Meiling and Ian Cutler at the rainy summit of Loveland Pass
1956 Jaguar XK 140 OTS MC over Lizard Head Pass near Telluride
1956 Jaguar XK140 OTS MC over Lizard Head Pass near Telluride
1957 Ferrari 500 TRC
Nick Soprano and Jeff Mamorsky running the corners above Paonia in a 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC
Bodied by Touring, the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 of Gordon Barrett and Julia Fitzrov
Bodied by Touring, the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 of Gordon Barrett and Julia Fitzrov

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery Page Four

1964 Alfa Romeo TZ1
Claudio Scalise and Shelby Meyers of sponsor RM Auctions in a 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ1
1937 BMW 328 NSKK
David George II gives Tammy Emslie a real close look at the Uncompagre River 200 feet below – 1937 BMW 328 NSKK
1954 Ferrari 375 Mille Miglia
Tom Shaughnessy and Mark Allen pilot the 1954 Ferrari 375 MM, nicknamed ‘The Firecracker’, up Red Mountain Pass
Bruce and Raylene Meyer enjoy the reception in Durango, Colorado - 1962 Shelby 289 Cobra CSX2001
Bruce and Raylene Meyer enjoy the reception in Durango, Colorado – 1962 Shelby 289 Cobra CSX2001

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery Page Five

1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster of Tammy and Chris Marsico on Gore Pass
1952 Ferrari 225 S Vignale Berlinetta
1952 Ferrari 225 S Vignale Berlinetta of Najeeb Khan and John Breslow traverses the Million Dollar Highway above Ouray
Joel and Kim Laub brought this beautiful 1929 Bentley 4.5-Liter Le Mans
Joel and Kim Laub brought this beautiful 1929 Bentley 4.5-Liter Le Mans
Garrett Bouton and Lana Gaffard enjoying the drive over Lizard Head Pass in their 1939 Jaguar SS100
Garrett Bouton and Lana Gaffard enjoying the drive over Lizard Head Pass in their 1939 Jaguar SS100

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery Page Six

Chris Andrews and Jennifer Moore navigate the curves of Gore Pass in their 1963 Shelby Cobra
Chris Andrews and Jennifer Moore navigate the curves of Gore Pass in their 1963 Shelby Cobra
1953 OSCA MT4 2AD
Anne and Stephen Cortinovis presented another great OSCA at the 2012 Colorado Grand – 1953 OSCA MT4 2AD
Charles Wegner and Chris Dugan in the banked corners near Crawford - 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300
Charles Wegner and Chris Dugan in the banked corners near Crawford – 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300
Glen and Mary Lynn Mounger drive in the sky on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River - 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
Glen and Mary Lynn Mounger drive in the sky on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River – 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery Page Seven

Jaguar XK120 SS
Rick Eagan and Abe Barnett admire Trout lake and the San Juan Mountains from their 1951 Jaguar XK120 SS
1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300
1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 of Gordon Barrett and Julia Fitzrov approaches the Red Cliff Bridge on a rainy morning
1931 Bentley 8-Litre
1931 Bentley 8-Liter of Mark Hyman
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
Randy Reiss and Tony Singer enjoy their 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta over Gore Pass

Colorado Grand 2012 – Photo Gallery Page Eight

1955 Aston Martin DB3S Coupe
Richard and Sue Nash shared their 1955 Aston Martin DB3S Coupe at the Concours d’Non-Elegance (with road dirt) following the Grand
Jack Farland cruises into the Arrabelle Plaza for the closing events - 1961 Ferrari 250 GT PF Cabriolet II
Jack Farland cruises into the Arrabelle Plaza for the closing events – 1961 Ferrari 250 GT PF Cabriolet II
1937 MG TA
Bill and Greg Bollendonk’s 1937 MG TA became the centerpiece for cocktails at the Peaks Lodge in Telluride
1959 Ferrari 250 TR59-60
“Gentleman Jack” Sears stopped by and got a ride with Alex Giamo in the Mozart-driven 1959 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa TR59/60

[Source: John Waugh]