Racing Through The Forest - Where A Place And Time Came Together At The Petersen

Movie Night at The Petersen Automotive Museum brought out a record crowd since it started this movie night practice as per the Sr. Executive Director of the museum, Terry Karges. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2016)

Racing Through The Forest - Where A Place And Time Came Together At The Petersen

On Friday, November 4th, 2016, The Petersen Automotive Museum hosted a movie night featuring the Southern California Premiere and pre-release screening of the documentary style Racing Through The Forest. From 1950 through 1956 The "Del Monte Trophy" road race was held on the twisty, leafy, and very narrow town roads in Pebble Beach, California, and serves as the main series of personal testimonies in Racing Through The Forest.

Bill Pollack, Dean Kirkland, & Rick Knoop sign DVD and Blu-ray movie formats for folks who attended Movie Night at The Petersen Automotive Museum. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2016)

The event was attended by over 330 motor culture enthusiasts, the largest such movie event hosted by the recently renovated Petersen Automotive Museum as per Terry Karges, Sr. Executive Director of the museum.

Over 330 dedicated motor culture enthusiasts get ready to capture a place and time at The Petersen Museum. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2016)

Racing Through The Forest captures the beginning of the modern post World War II era of sport car racing in Northern California where men (and a woman or two) began to focus on the enjoyment of living their lives in freedom with newly discovered automobiles from their experiences in Europe that could be imported, were somewhat inexpensive, smaller, lighter, and were very fun to drive in competition.

The movie Racing Through The Forest began as the idea of 24 Hours Of Le Mans and Daytona winning sports car driver Rick Knoop, who became a race car driver the honest way ... by being born into a racing family who's history includes this very important time and place through the life experiences of Rick's father, Fred 'Frosty' Knoop.

Knowing that the lives of those who participated in this era - that has now spawned, over a half a century later, what has become known as this 'rite of summer' week long series of events, Monterey Car Week - were at the sunset, Rick set about interviewing drivers and historians in order to be able to hold on to this very important formative period of time in road racing motor culture.

Monterey Car Week events, that happen annually in the middle of the month of August, feature the world infamous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and historic era car races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, and include specialised high-profile automobile auctions, began it's storied history captured artfully in the woven frames of Racing Through The Forest with the experiences and testimonies of those who lived it.

Featured reflections (over 50) and participation by people that are highlighted in Racing Through The Forest, many who have since gone on to everlasting peace - Frosty Knoop, Bill Pollack, Ernie McAfee, Mick Martson, Jim Hall, Rex McAfee, Phil Remington, Carroll Shelby, Chuck Tatum, Phil Hill, Tam McPartland, Gordy Glyer, Bill Kerrigan, Walter Kieckhefer, Gary Laughlin, Tony Settember, Patti Settember, Liz Coppel, Dr. Dick Thompson, Bob Wenz, Lou Brero, Jr., John Buddonbaum, Stu Carpenter, Bob Casey, Joseph Cavaglieri, Chris Cord, Don Dickey, William Edgar, Hammond Edgar, Art Evans, Gary Horstkorta, Simon Jensen, Allen Bishop, Derek Hill, Peter Miles, Bob Koons, Terry Larson, Bill Marriott, Don Martine, Timothy P McGrane, Sir Stirling Moss, Mary Shaw, Peter Miles, Todd Morigi, Lou Pavesi, Elad Shraga, Larry Soletti, Bruce Qvale, Phil Remington, Bob Whitmer, Joe Breeze, Rick Knoop, and Peter Brock to name a few.

For Sale ... and would make perfect Christmas 'stocking stuffers' for any motor culture nut in anyone's family. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2016)

Movie Night at The Petersen Automotive Museum featuring the Southern California Premiere and pre-release screening of the documentary style Racing Through The Forest for the better part of 75 minutes proved to be an environment where "A Place" and "A Time" actually came together.

... notes from The EDJE

DVD/Blu-ray movie formats are for sale now at:
http://racingthroughtheforestmovie.com/store



TAGS: Racing Through The Forest, The Petersen Automotive Museum, Southern California Premiere, pre-release screening, documentary, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Laguna Seca, Fort Ord, 17 Mile Drive, Del Monte Trophy, Del Monte Forest, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, K and K Productions, Rick Knoop, Dean Kirkland 

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Releases 2016 Automotive Week Posters

In 2015, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance featured mark was Ferarri. So on August 16 the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance honored Ferraris that raced in the Del Monte Forest through holding a set of parade laps around the original course. The old Pebble Beach Road Race course includes a closed portion of the original course that was last reopened in 1990 for a reunion of Allards. Image Credit: Copyright © Kimball Studios - Courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Releases 2016 Automotive Week Posters

Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula in California thrive each August as the center of the motoring universe.

The area hosts the convergence of two major events, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, offering an unbeatable combination of beauty and technology. The Concours pays homage to the past with prized collector cars displayed on the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links, while making history with the latest new car debuts.

A tradition of poster art has grown up around the promotion of this grand event and this year's official posters grab the essence of Automotive Week through three releases - from the hands and minds of Ken Eberts, Barry Rowe, and Tim Layzell - that show off this icon of motor culture series of events with strength and grace.

In 1965, as a young designer fresh out of Art Center College of Design, Ken Eberts went to work for Ford Motor Company, helping to design cars like the Ford Econoline, the Ford Falcon, and the Ford Galaxie. But it was the Ford GT40 that Ken dreamed of styling.

“At the time I was a 21-year-old beginning designer,” said Eberts. “Virtually every young designer I knew thought the ultimate assignment was to design a sports car. The icing on the cake was that this Ford was to challenge Ferrari at the 24 Heures du Mans.”

That dream was unfulfilled in 1968 when Ken left Ford to focus on fine art, eventually founding the prestigious Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS). But this spring, nearly five decades later,

Ken finally got his chance to paint the famous sports car when he was asked by Edsel Ford and commissioned by Concours Chairman Sandra Button to create the main event poster for the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—which features the Ford GT40s that finished 1-2-3 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.

“While I didn’t actually work on the design of that American icon at Ford, I am honored to be doing this painting of the three Le Mans winning GT40s now,” said Eberts, who has produced approximately 1,300 automotive fine art paintings in his lifetime.

Barry Rowe, another member of the AFAS, has created the poster for the 2016 Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex. The Tour poster features the BMW 507 once owned by the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.

“In my teens I collected car brochures, and I remember drawing the 507, with its beautiful modern lines, in my sketchbook,” said Rowe. “It’s amazing that I have now painted a poster featuring the BMW 507 on the Pebble Beach Tour!”

The 2016 Pebble Beach RetroAuto poster was painted by respected artist Tim Layzell, whose creations have also gained worldwide recognition. This poster features the elegant stylings of Chapron-bodied Delahayes of the Classic era.

“I paint this style in block color so there is no shading, to give a clean poster finish,” said Layzell. “These Delahayes have such beautiful lines and also such stunning color schemes, which work well with my style. Hopefully I've captured the elegance of it!”

Other automotive events held around the area cater to a variety of interests, whether it is sophisticated German technology that is being featured through the BMW mark at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion races held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - the delightful minis at "The Little Car Show +" in Downtown Pacific Grove on Wednesday 8/17/2016 at 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm - sleek Italian coachwork as exemplified by the Jim Busby "One Of" standout Ferrari 400i GTC which will be a centerpiece at the 25th Anniversary McCall’s Motorworks Revival Monterey Airport party,  Wednesday 8/17/16 - 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm and two days later, featured at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, Friday 8/19/16 - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, or The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance featuring the Ford GT40 that will take place on August 21, 2016.

For a full listing of Automotive Week/Monterey Car Week motor culture events to attend, please find them here and have fun.

Pebble Beach Automotive Week/Monterey Car Week truly has something to offer every motor culture enthusiast.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance®, Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance®, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Pebble Beach RetroAuto™, Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum™, Pebble Beach® Auctions presented by Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach®, Pebble Beach Golf Links®, Racing Through The Forest, The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, The Little Car Show +, McCall’s Motorworks Revival Monterey Airport, The EDJE

Dean Kirkland Talks Racing Through The Forest Pre-Release Screening Post AutoMoto Detroit

Dean Kirkland shares a moment with Slot-Mods creator David Beattie and car designer Camilo Pardo about ten minutes before the pre-release screening. Image Credit: AutoMoto Film + Arts Festival

Dean Kirkland Talks Racing Through The Forest Pre-Release Screening 

Post AutoMoto Film + Arts Festival Detroit 

Interview Script:

Dean Kirkland has quickly become a highly accomplished commercial, television and film director by combining his keen visual eye to unusual and powerful subject matter. His unique style and sophisticated approach have allowed him to transition from a-list photographer to well-respected filmmaker with an esteemed client list that includes the Home Depot, Lamborghini, Antonio Tetro, Clint Eastwood and Martin Sheen.

Dean is recognized for his innovative and unique style of automotive photography and is regarded by many high-profile collectors throughout the nation.

In 2012, he combined his talents with the knowledge and racing experience possessed by his production partner, Le Mans winning driver Rick Knoop, and the two men established K&K Productions.

Their first collaborative project is a beautifully engaging look into the Pebble Beach Road Races from 1950 through 1956 titled, 'Racing Through The Forest' which has been scheduled for a Autumn 2016 release.

Illustrating these wonderful stories through documentaries allowed Dean to photograph, interview and film some of the world's greatest cars and drivers.

Dean is currently developing several documentaries which include Parnelli Jones, Bobby and Al Unser, Mario Andretti and Sir Stirling Moss.

The ability to continue capturing and preserving this valuable automotive history in his unique style and aesthetic vision is the goal for K&K Productions and the living dream for Dean Kirkland.

Welcome Dean Kirkland ...

The very first screening of Racing Through The Forest was held in conjunction with the Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach on August 13, 2014 at the Inn at Spanish Bay. When did you first meet Rick Knoop and became involved with and accumulate the materials from which to draw the story that has now become Racing Through The Forest.

After this first screening, what were the impressions received?

In 2015, an interest was expressed to prepare the documentary for broadcast over public television ... how did this shape the documentary?

When did this version air and what were the post airing impressions?

I understand that the latest version of Racing Through The Forest is in its 4th and final revision. You are fresh off a pre-release screening of Racing Through The Forest at the AutoMoto Film + Arts Festival held in Detroit May 12-14, 2016. Tell us a little about how this screening came about, and your impressions as to the size of the attendance and make up of the crowd at the screening.

Every filmmaker is confronted with issues of distribution and broadcast content access - where is K&K Productions on this arc of awareness and access to the Motor Culture and Documentary consuming public?

Are there any future pre-release screenings planned for 2016 before the scheduled Autumn release?
ENDS

A documentary film produced by renowned racecar driver Rick Knoop and filmmaker Dean Kirkland entitled, “Racing Through the Forest – The History of the 1950-56 Pebble Beach Road Races” .

The documentary was filmed over approximately three years and includes 50 interviews of legendary names in road racing such as Fred Knoop, Mick Marston, Bill Pollack, Jim Hall and Phil Remington. It chronicles the events from the first through the last Pebble Beach Road Races, which included legends like Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill and Bill Pollock in 1956. Some of these racers will attend the private screening reception and Q&A session emceed by racer Derek Hill.

Website:
http://racingthroughtheforestmovie.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/racingthrutheforest

Internet Movie DataBase:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4983314/



TAGS: Racing Through The Forest, AutoMoto Film + Arts Festival Detroit, Motor Culture, Documentary, K&K Productions, Dean Kirkland, Rick Knoop, Parnelli Jones, Bobby Unser, Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Sir Stirling Moss, Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Automobile Week