Ferrari called --- and we answered. It was an opportunity to explore the back roads of California's wine country while driving a shiny new Ferrari F430. Twisty roads with beautiful scenery beckoned. Top down styling, luxury hotels, fine dining - the life I know I was meant to have. If only my parents had thought about being rich.
The ever gracious people at Ferrari of North America recognized that I was cut out for this lifestyle and I'm sure that's why they invited me to take part in one of the Ferrari road rallies they conduct for their owners. Some might scoff at this and say, it was really that they wanted me to shoot this adventure and make it into an episode of our Great Drives TV series. I know better but I'm OK with the jealous naysayers.
Of course, there was a problem - my wife and I were scheduled to shoot another episode in Death Valley. I quickly called our distributor and asked him what we should do. He said, "Are you crazy? Drive the Ferrari in Wine Country." We quickly rearranged the shooting schedule and headed to Sonoma.
Our Cinderella-like experience began at the Infineon Raceway in the Sonoma Valley. While their rally vehicles were being prepped with the appropriate decals, the owners had a chance to watch Ferraris like theirs battle it out on the track in the Ferrari Challenge.
Ferrari and Shell teamed up to create a racing series that provides an outlet for Ferrari owners to compete at some of the best tracks in North America. These races answer the age-old dilemma of what to do with that supercar you just bought.
There are categories for new F430s and for classic Ferraris, Maseratis and Alfa Romeos that give owners an opportunity to rev up their racers.
There's no prize money but you can win a shiny trophy and the bragging rights that go with it.
After being pumped up by the action on the track we were ready to get behind the wheel of our bright coach for the rally. But first a briefing.
Event director, Nigel Evans explained the process to a room full of expectant drivers. He handed out the Route Book and assured everyone that this rather cryptic guide would become clear once we were underway. This is clearly part of the Challenge. There aren't any coordinates you can load into your GPS - you just have to pay attention to the mileage and try to decipher the stick figure like drawings depicting road crossings.
We headed off to the hotel to get ready for the next day's events. The Meadowood Resort in St. Helena hosted the rally. But no one was too interested in using its well-manicured croquet lawn, tennis courts or pool. We were all here to drive.
Up early the next morning we stepped out of the lobby and saw an inflatable Ferrari goal post surrounded by a pack of rally ready, shiny Ferraris lining up to hit the road. After last minute instructions from the officials - the cars were sent off at timed intervals.
We could tell that our fellow drivers were taking this pretty seriously. They were synchronizing their watches and poring over the Route Book. I was beginning to get a little tense and wondering why Ferrari owners come back year-after-year to drive this rally.
"This is just for fun. You buy a Ferrari to drive it. It's a chance to share the time and the experience. Share the passion and to enjoy their cars," said Maria Homann McNeil, Ferrari's Challenge Manager. "You really get to enjoy what makes a Ferrari a Ferrari." I decided to just relax and have some fun.
Finally, it was our turn to test our mettle with the metal and the map.
This is described as "a classic timed/distance event." Competitors are judged on their ability to follow the route and on their elapsed finish times.
Drivers are encouraged to stay within the legal speed limits. If you finish too early it's clear you were speeding and points are deducted.
It's a constant struggle. The scenery is telling you to "slow down" and look while the car's twelve-cylinder engine is performing its "drive me fast" siren song.
Recognizing the often overwhelming desire for participants to see what their cars can do - the organizers set up several autocross courses along the way.
"That's the fun of driving a Ferrari, to go through turns, and very twisty and sharp corners, where you can really balance out, use the physics of a fast race-car," explained Homan.
The whole experience was quite seductive. We forgot about trying to compete and just started to enjoy the drive. Discovering small towns hidden away in the hills was like taking a journey back in time.
We were continuing our journey of discovery across the Napa Valley and on to the coast. This largely rural area is dotted with farms, ranches and rolling hills. It's California at its best.
We stopped before we hit the coast for a long look at the sweeping Russian River.
The aging barns and open fields along the Sonoma Coast stretch of Highway 1 are a welcome contrast to the crowded beach towns of Southern California. This unspoiled coastline is one of the State's most scenic attractions.
The wide sandy beaches below the craggy cliffs are perfect for beachcombing, tidepooling and surf fishing.
Many Sports car lovers covet these roads. We stopped in Bodega Bay to have a look at the schoolhouse featured in Alfred Hitchcock's famous movie, "The Birds." The area has a certain detachment from modern life yet embraces it. There's an interesting blend of attitudes and architecture that's worth exploring.
Once again, we could have stayed here all day. This went on the "must come back" list. But the road was calling and it was time to hit it.
We were wrapping up our first rally day. We hadn't done too badly but we could use a little more practice navigating if we ever wanted to try this again.
Day Two we spent concentrating on shooting our Great Drives episode. We weren't really part of the Rally but we were allowed to drive a Ferrari F430 Spyder. Conspicuous consumption isn't all bad.
As the day drew to a close it was time to temporarily kiss the twisty coastal roads along the coast goodbye. We headed inland as the Challenge Rally rolled toward Monterey.
Michael Rose in the Ferrari F430
Its often fog shrouded waters have inspired writers like Robert Louis Stevenson, John Steinbeck and Jack Keourac; poets like Robinson Jeffers and painters galore.
We left the coast and were soon driving through the sunny hills, lying just inland. We turned off the Bose Premium sound system in favor of the sound of a pack of Ferrari's reverberating off the canyon walls. The twelve-cylinder symphony was the perfect accompaniment to a drive over roads that have been magnets for sports car enthusiasts for years.
While it's easy to become complacent about an average bunch of sports cars on the road this zooming pack of Ferraris turned heads wherever they went. Countless camera phones were hung out of car windows to grab a snap of this motoring parade. At one stop a group of Harley riders wanted their picture taken next to the car. Four wheels trumped two.
After three days of hard driving the cars and drivers still had a glow. We wanted to see if they'd had as much fun as we had.
"We loved it," said a couple from Australian. It was the, "best ride of our lives," said two brothers who teamed up for Rally.
It was one of the best rides of our lives too. A perfect combination - a great car, and a great drive.
If you're a Ferrari owner who thinks driving some of the most beautiful roads in America is a pretty good idea then you should think about signing up for next Fall's trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Ferrari Rally
September 4-8, 2007
Ferrari North America is pleased to announce that this year's annual Rally will feature some of the finest touring roads in the nation. The Ferrari Rally of Virginia will visit no fewer than four states before the grand finale in Washington DC.
For More information:
http://www.ferrarirally.com
If you want to take your Ferrari F430 or historic Ferrari, Maserati or Alfa out on a track and pit your inner Schumacher or Nuvolari against your fellow owners then take a look at the Ferrrari Challenge series.
Ferrari Challenge
The F430 Challenge was created to allow Ferrari customers a chance to enjoy their cars in a structured competitive environment, racing against other Ferrari owners on the most challenging race tracks in North America. Created as a gentlemen's racing series, the emphasis in the series is on fair competition among Ferrari owners with support from dealer teams. The series' goal is to provide a venue for amateur Ferrari drivers who are looking to race the finest and most technologically advanced racing machinery available while perfecting their racecraft in a friendly and collegial atmosphere.
Historic Challenge
The Ferrari Shell Historic Challenge is a racing series for authentic Ferrari, Maserati, and Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo cars, held at race tracks in North America. The Ferrari Shell Historic Challenge was created to offer owners of these historic racers the opportunity to compete against other owners in a controlled racing series. It is a series meant for the enjoyment of all its participants, and the rules are written to support that intention. Ferrari Shell Historic Challenge drivers are expected to compete in a gentlemanly spirit of fair play, with respect for the regulations, their competitors, and the cars.
For More Information on both:
http://www.ferrarichallenge.com
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