36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 13-19, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Because Scott Pruett won in almost every type of race car on all kinds of tracks, the numbers are staggering. He claimed the checkered flag 88 times, topping the podium in IMSA sportscars, Trans Am muscle, IndyCar and IROC. Not even the legendary Hurley Heywood can match Pruett’s 60 IMSA victories. Add to those figures five 24 Hours of Daytona titles, an overall win in the 12 Hours of Sebring—a long list that adds up to 12 season championships and induction into three halls of fame. Pruett began racing karts at the age of 8 (winning a championship, naturally) and stepped away from the sport 50 years later. Even after retiring from racing, the Sacramento-area native continues to collect high marks. Wines from Pruett Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills have never dipped below 90 points. And when Pruett and his wife Judy began writing children’s books, over 100,000 copies sold. Not only does Pruett return to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to take part in the IROC race, those participating in the class of 1991-2011 sportscars will compete for the Scott Pruett Legends of Endurance Cup. Weekly: What got you into wine? Pruett: It’s different. It’s been my yin and yang. Racing is in seconds. I can make something happen in the last corner. Winemaking is vintages. That requires patience. We literally started from ground zero—soil study, climate study. I’m the winemaker, my wife is the head of marketing. It’s 100-percent a passion project. It’s such an amazing business. It’s something that is shared. It’s bigger than life—it’s been around since the Egyptians, it will be around after we’re gone. I’m humbled by it, honestly. We are going to announce our legacy project—special labels with my iconic cars. Rolex weekend it goes live. It’s been three years in the making. The wine in the bottles is exceptional. How did you learn winemaking? It’s like everything else. When you surround yourself with talented people, you’ll be successful. I’ve had guidance from incredible people. One is Bill Harlan. He’s a huge car guy. Are you a car guy? I am a car guy. Of those six cars on the legacy wine labels, I own four. I have some hot rods. We have a 1967 VW van. OK—but children’s books? When our kids were young, there were not many books for kids about racing that were authentic. We wanted to rectify that. We’ve written four books over the years—self published. We write them together, but my wife’s the one who brought them to life. Speaking of authenticity, do race car drivers watch racing movies? We have. Whether we make it to the end is another matter. F1 brought attention to motorsports. Not much of it is authentic, but it’s good entertainment. Why vintage racing? Ray Evernham and Rob Kauffman are good friends. They are working hard to bring back the iconic cars of IROC. Think about it—to be invited, you had to be a champion. And it’s hard to say no to Ray Evernham when he says, “Do you want to drive the car you won with at Daytona?” Heck yeah I do. That was a highlight of last year’s Reunion. The fans loved it. There were the cars, but also Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin—we were having a great time. There is no pressure. We were there for the fans. It made for a wonderful weekend. But I noticed a few of you got a little racey—not pointing fingers. [Laughs] Yes, there is that. It’s hard to disconnect the competitiveness that’s within all of us. My car still had a synchromesh four-speed. You had to heeltoe. I hadn’t done that since the ’80s. Holy crap. But it was an amazing time— telling stories, racing wheel to wheel. Was it challenging to race in so many different series? One of my heroes was Dan Gurney. He also raced in IndyCar, NASCAR, sports cars, Formula 1. I didn’t race Formula 1, but I did test. I was hoping to emulate Dan—and Mario [Andretti]. All of the series are challenging, but IMSA is special to me. When people look back after I’m gone, it will be IMSA they remember. As a road racer, I’ve been blessed. You raced Laguna Seca. What stood out? Turn 6, man—especially before they changed the track. After the start-finish line, you didn’t lift again until what is now Turn 6. In IndyCar you entered the corner at 170, which was scarier than—it was scary. I could use a lot of four-letter words. Track and Field Hall of Fame driver Scott Pruett returns to the Motorsports Reunion to race—and to release a new wine. By Dave Faries In retirement, racing legend Scott Pruett continues to stay connected to the sport. He also makes highly rated wine and writes children’s books. “None of what I’m doing now is work,” he says. “It’s all great stuff.” © ROLEX/STEPHAN COOPER Leaf Want to meet Leaf? Please fill out our online adoption questionnaire. Things to love: approx. 7 years old - 13 lbs - female - Chihuahua mix Leaf is a happy-go-lucky girl who cuddles on the couch and keeps you warmer than any blanket. After a good nap she's up for long, fast-paced walks, yard explorations, and squirrel chasing. She does best with small, easygoing dogs and no cats. Loyal, loving, and cheerful, she'd rather be by your side. If you’d like sponsor our next ad, give us a call. 831-718-9122 | www.POMDR.org P.O. Box 51554, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 Ad Sponsored by C & C Repair Inc. German Car Specialist www.CCRepairMonterey.com In Memory of Dirk
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