THREE DAYS IN MONTEREY

Posted on August 29, 2026August 29, 2026 by MartynL

CGC’s Jim Palam spent THREE DAYS IN MONTEREY, shot almost 3,000 photos & boiled it down to 18 highlights in this special report. You might think that our report's lead photo, above, is of a group of historic racecars charging into the squeeze at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca's infamous Corkscrew during the 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, but this is actually one of the many instances of congestion in Monterey street traffic! And, futile attempts to reach a Car Week destination...

2026 IMSA MONTEREY SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP

Posted on May 11, 2026May 11, 2026 by MartynL

Car Guy Chronicles' Jim Palam goes trackside at the 2026 IMSA MONTEREY SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP for a close-up look at the competitors; Gets "Thrown Back" by nostalgic liveries! There's something about sleek and sexy racecars. They can release neurotransmitters in your brain just by being up close to one in the paddock. Suddenly, you're smiling, and your heart is beating faster as you admire the car's air-weaponized design. You quickly notice details that can and will blast this road rocket by yo...

CARS & COWBOYS 2025

Posted on September 14, 2025September 20, 2025 by MartynL

Car Guy Chronicles' Jim Palam wrangles highlights from CARS & COWBOYS 2025, this year's outstanding car show and fundraiser. The similarities are striking: Their lives are driven by an ethos of character, tradition, purpose, and independence. We're talking about Car Guys and Cowboys, of course, who, along with Car Gals and Cowgirls, trekked up the twisty San Marcus Pass in Santa Barbara County to participate in the 4th Annual Cars & Cowboys 2025 car show and fundraiser. This year's e...

MONTEREY CAR WEEK 2025

Posted on August 27, 2025August 27, 2025 by MartynL

CAR GUY CHRONICLES' JIM PALAM HITS THE LONG PEDAL AND RACES TO THE HIGH-OCTANE EVENTS DURING MONTEREY CAR WEEK 2025. Monterey Car Week is an unapologetic showoff. Heck, its 'week' lasts 10 days! Its calendar crams in over 35 official events. MONTEREY CAR WEEK 2025 attendees – and there were over 100,000 of them – travel from all over the world to the Monterey Peninsula for the privilege of getting stuck in traffic jams and paying three to five times the going rate for hotel and motel rooms – j...

2025 JAVA HOUSE GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY

Posted on August 8, 2025August 8, 2025 by MartynL

Fast cars and coffee pods provide perky stimulation for INDYCAR fans at the 2025 JAVA HOUSE GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY. CGC’s Jim Palam was trackside. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is about a four-hour drive North from my home in Solvang, CA, and a world away from mundane tasks that make up my average days. It's no surprise that we are sometimes called Adrenaline Junkies; our hearts beat faster, and our focus is sharper when we're participating in enthusiast automotive activities. So it was wi...

WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025

Posted on June 7, 2025June 7, 2025 by MartynL

There was low & slow and plenty of go at the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025. CGC’s Jim Palam went along for the fun ride!It was hard to pick just one car that embodied the spirit and essence of the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025, now in its 44th year. But when the 'South of Heaven Filthies car club dropped their audacious Hemi-powered '27 Chrysler 'H-Bomb' hot rod right in the center of the Santa Maria Fairpark, a smile-inducing shockwave spread throughout the park's ...

THE QUAIL MotoFest 2025

Posted on May 27, 2025May 27, 2025 by MartynL

Popular motorcycle gathering changes name, cranks up magic and allure. Jim Palam welcomes you to THE QUAIL MotoFest 2025! For its 15th birthday, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering changed its name to THE QUAIL MotoFest 2025 to attract more people, including those who aren't die-hard motorcycle fans. Early on show day, I took a quick preview zip over the manicured lawns of the Quail Golf Club in Carmel, CA, where the bikes, vendor tents, food courts, stages, and displays were getting their fina...

CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST CAR SHOWS

Posted on November 2, 2024 by MartynL

CGC’s Jim Palam hits four Fall CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST CAR SHOWS, resulting in this colorful Car Guy sampler!Car Guys love zipping along in their cool rides, and metaphorically, on the road of life. We abhor road blocks, detours and obstacles that impede our progress. When my sister and her husband who live up a narrow holler road in the mountains of North Carolina couldn't be reached for over a week during Hurricane Helene, I felt like the gods had ripped the wheels off all of my fun machines....

RODS & ROSES BLOOMS AGAIN IN CARPINTERIA, CA!

Posted on July 18, 2024July 18, 2024 by MartynL

Showcasing classic American hot rods, sports cars and Musclecars, and supporting local charities and non-profit support groups, RODS & ROSES BLOOMS AGAIN IN CARPINTERIA, CA! Since 1912 the small seaside city of Carpinteria on California's Central Coast has promoted its designation as the location of the "World's Safest Beach" – and since 1997 the city has also been touting its Car Guy credentials as the home of the rad Rods & Roses car show. This popular community event has never been t...

CRUISIN’ NATIONALS

Posted on June 4, 2024June 4, 2024 by MartynL

The 43rd Annual West Coast Kustoms Cruisin' Nationals rolls cool rides and party vibes into Santa Maria for a moto-fun Memorial Day weekend! For its first 25 years the West Coast Kustoms Cruisin' Nationals was held in Paso Robles, CA. But then an elixir of politics and pride forced a move of the popular car show from "Paso" down the coast to the city of Santa Maria’s Fairpark event center. With West Coast Kustoms founders Rich and Penny Pichette's indefatigable energy and dedication, the show h...