Legendary Drummer Nigel Olsson Named Pace Car Driver for Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
June 7, 2016 by Rolex Monterey Motorsports ReunionMONTEREY, Calif. June 7, 2016 – Legendary musician Nigel Olsson, a driving force behind the music of superstar entertainer Elton John since the 1970s, has been named a pace car driver for the 2016 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion featuring BMW during its 100th anniversary. Described as a museum springing to life, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 18-21, is the largest event held during the famed Monterey Classic Car Week, and is the only event where cars are doing what they were originally intended to do … race. Approximately 550 race cars are invited to compete in the world's premier motoring event, and are accepted based on the car's authenticity, race provenance and period correctness. Both SCCA Can-Am and Trans-Am race cars will be celebrated classes at the Reunion during their 50th anniversaries. Olsson will provide hot laps for Rolex guests and other VIPs throughout the weekend. He is a longtime motor racing enthusiast and has competed and served as a pace car driver for the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA), which provides the technical scrutineering and on-track coordination for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The Wallasey, Cheshire, England, native played drums and sang backup vocals on many classic Elton John albums, including Honkey Chateau (1972), Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), Caribou (1974), and Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975). Chart-topping songs from those multi-platinum albums include Rocket Man, Crocodile Rock, Candle in the Wind, Saturday's All Right for Fighting, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, and Philadelphia Freedom. Olsson played on John's 2016 album release Wonderful Crazy Night. Olsson has been behind the drum kit for more than 2,000 Elton John concerts, including the 2,000th show in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Nov. 9, 2014. In addition to his long tenure with John, he is a sought after session musician who has also composed, recorded, and produced his own solo albums. Rolex is an avid supporter of the internationally acclaimed Monterey Classic Car Week and has been title sponsor of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion since it was renamed in 2010. Every year a driver from each group is selected for their overall excellence in the race and receives a Rolex Award of Excellence. The event's top honor of a specially engraved 18-karat yellow gold and stainless steel Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona is awarded to the driver who excels in the Spirit of the Weekend. Rolex's involvement with motorsports runs deep, having been associated with the famed Goodwood Revival since 2004 and, most recently, as a Global Partner and Official Timepiece of Formula 1. Tickets for every major event on the 2016 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca calendar are on sale now. About Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Trending News• PVGP Welcomes The Historic Stock Car Racing Association To 2024 Historics At Pitt Race
• Bonhams|Cars Presents An Unmissable Grid For Its Inaugural Miami Auction At The Formula 1 Crypto.Com Miami Grand Prix
• Carlisle Auctions Concludes First Auction of 2024 – Sells More than 50% of Consignments
• RM Sotheby's Announces Further Incredible Competiton And Rally Greats Coming To Monaco On 10 And 11 May
• BONHAMS|CARS SPRING STAFFORD MOTORCYCLE SALE ACHIEVES £3 MILLION WITH AN INDUSTRY-LEADING 95% SELL THROUGH RATE
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was built by and has been managed and operated since its inception in 1957, when it was known as Laguna Seca Raceway, by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP). SCRAMP, a non-profit 501(c)(4) corporation, is the official concessionaire of the world-renowned raceway that is owned by the public via the Parks Department of the County of Monterey since 1974.
