Re-live an incredible automotive spectacle with Velocity Invitational.
The Velocity Invitational is one of the greatest automotive events in the United States. But, like all great events, you’ll have to wait an entire year to enjoy it again. The team at Velocity Invitational found a brilliant way to split up the year with The Velocity Tour, an extremely well thought out expedition through northern California on some of the best driving roads this country has to offer. Our friends at McLaren North American gave us the keys to a menacing Artura and sent us on our way.
Arrival Day
On the first day we arrived at the Ava Hotel in Paso Robles just in time to check in, get our gift bags, and gather in the lobby for cocktail hour. Following the cocktail hour, we were shuttled to the Sensorio light field, a breathtaking display of lights that takes over the California rolling hills. From there we arrived at the incredible Robert Hall winery where we took a tour of the vineyard and wine cellar and learned about their devotion to sustainability and their exciting work in regenerative organic viticulture. Our education paid off when the wine we learned about was then paired with a delicious private dinner in the dimly-lit cavern. Surrounded by the barrels of wine, we began to connect with the like-minded individuals with whom we would hit the road the following day.
Day 1
This was our first day of driving. After a lovely breakfast and a drivers meeting, we met in the parking garage and fired up our cars. The lineup awaiting us in the garage was incredible: there was everything from a 1960 Ferrari 250 California Spyder to a 2025 Czinger 21C Vmax and a 1994 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2. When we started driving, I quickly realized that these were some of the best driving roads I have ever been on. The coastal backroads featured hairpin turns and lengthy straights to really help test the limits of the McLaren Artura. And each stop along the way was strategically picked and perfectly timed. Whether it was stopping for coffee or gathering for a lovely lunch at The Bernardus, the Velocity team didn’t miss a single thing. From the Bernardus we took the backroads to the iconic Laguna Seca Raceway where we did spirited parade laps in all of our cars with the help of Skip Barber’s team. As if this day couldnt get any better we ended our run at the Intercontinental Monterey and got ready for a private dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This dinner was truly spectacular and offered the participants plenty of time to catch up with one another after an extremely exciting day.
Day 2
This was our longest day of driving, but that’s what we were there for. We departed from Monterey to Scotts Valley to get a tour of the state-of-the-art Canepa facility by Bruce Canepa himself. Canepa is home to some of the rarest automobiles in the world, and we could’ve easily spent the whole day shuttling between the museum, sales floor, and restoration shop. After Canepa, we hit the road headed towards the coastline winding through redwood trees as we climbed and descended mountain after mountain. At one point we were following the 250 California Spyder and had a Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster in the rearview which is, in my opinion, as about as close as you can get to time travel. Watching a 300SL roadster rip through the mountains is something I will never forget. The group reconvened for a photoshoot before heading to a quick lunch. We then raced back to our cars to head over the Golden Gate Bridge towards the Lodge at Sonoma. We ended the day at the incredible Ram’s Gate Winery, another amazing facility.
Day 3
Our final day was filled with spirited drives and more fun automotive activities. After our morning drive, we met and toured the Keller Estate Collection, which is undeniably one of the most impressive collections on the planet. From there we had our final lunch and parted ways.
The Velocity Tour offered the participants an automotive experience that is unmatched by anyone else in the space. Jeff O’Neill and his team were able to give the Velocity Invitational participants access to places most people only ever have the opportunity to read about. I’ve been lucky enough to attend similarly curated events, but this was different. The Velocity Tour brought together the coolest group of people and allowed them to only worry about driving and eating while their team handled the rest. From here on out, I won’t be missing anything else The Velocity Invitational team puts on.
