Dreams of Monaco

This weekend is one of The Big Daddies in motorsport. I speak not of the IRL race in Indianapolis, but the Grand Prix of Monaco. I love motor racing, and Formula 1 is undoubtly the highest level of competition. And Monaco! A place full of history, tradition, charm and - snif, snif .. what's that smell? Oh yes - Money (Monaco has the highest concentration of millionaires of any other place).

But to race a 750 Hp car at 150+ mph in the tight two-lane streets through such a place, light going down in the tunnel under the hotel then blinding sunlight exiting the tunnel towards the chicane, deafening roar of the engines revving to 20,000 rpm, all in such a storied place is both absolute madness and incredible fun.

Hopefully I will make it there one year. Those of you who know me understand that I don't normally like gravitate towards such things, but this is an exception. Perhaps I'll make the trifecta motorsport tour of the Monaco GP, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Daytona 24. Maybe throw in the bizarrely fun rally-cum-roadtrip that is the Targa Newfoundland as well (now that looks like fun. Pete? Road trip? Let's take the Volvo).

Oh, and the price tag for Monaco? Figure $3,500 just for a few nights hotel, transportation and tickets for the race weekend. Perhaps staying home and enjoying it on DirecTV doesn't look so bad for this year (if only we could get SPEED in High-Def).