EASTERN SWING

Dispatches from a Trio of 356-Friendly Events

Part 2: The Bridge 2019

Words & photos by Kobus Reyneke

From the November / December 2019 Registry Magazine - With Bonus Photos

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When I first heard of “The Bridge” in Bridgehampton on Long Island, New York, I immediately thought of the vintage race that I attended on the old Bridgehampton Race Circuit roughly 30 years ago. Little did I know that ex-Wall Streeter Bob Rubin had replaced the track with a world class, members-only golf course, with an accompanying out-of-reach initiation fee of more than $1 million.

The iconic setting overlooking Long Island sound is hallowed ground for auto racing, as it was once one of the country’s most legendary and challenging tracks. Thankfully Rubin, a car enthusiast, had thoughtfully preserved the track’s straight, including its weathered Chevron bridge. His one regret is that he didn’t preserve the entire track.

The Bridge is a one-day, invitation-only event that was held on September 14. Rubin, Jeffrey Einhorn, and luxury brand consultant Shamin Abas have curated the event to precision, surpassing the Quail in many ways. The event is primarily focused on vehicles from 1957–1974 that raced, or would have been eligible to race, at the Bridgehampton Race Circuit during its glory years. Jeffrey has garnered quite the following with his CarParkNYC events such Attack of the Racks covered here.

Spread across two greens, the entire 18th-hole fairway and the grounds around the stunning modern clubhouse, 250 hand-picked cars provided endless photo opportunities until sunset. Add gourmet food, wine, and beer and it is the ultimate lawn party for car lovers. No cost was spared, and it was all free for invitees. (Rumor has it a limited number of tickets will be sold for future editions.)

Upon an invitation to display our 1959 Porsche 356A cabriolet, my wife Susie and I accepted with enthusiasm and booked a hotel for the weekend. Anyone who knows the New York metro area steers clear of the afternoon traffic on the Long Island Expressway, but we had no choice. Our three-hour drive on Friday became four hours of torture. The owner’s reception that evening made us quickly forget the trek, though. Beautiful cars surrounded the clubhouse, a fantastic jazz band provided just the right atmosphere, the food and drink were amazing, good friends were everywhere, and the spectacular sunset added the icing to the cake.

Saturday’s weather forecast looked promising. While Susie stayed in bed, I sneaked out well before sunrise for dawn-light photo opportunities as the cars arrived for display. A beautiful sunrise signaled that a great day was in store for the lucky attendees.

I went back to pick up Susie, and by noon we had our tub parked adjacent to the 18th green. As a spoof of The Bridge logo (a bow-tied skull with bunny ears), we dressed up a skeleton with checkered bowtie and bunny ears and perched it in our cabriolet’s driver’s seat. It quickly became known as “the original owner,” and could be seen in numerous Instagram postings.

By 1 p.m., the 250 gorgeous contemporary and vintage vehicles were in place—meticulously arranged according to detailed plans. Owners milled around, admiring the spectacle that had unfolded in front of them, without the distraction of formal judging; this was just for fun. By mid-afternoon the grounds were filled with well-heeled guests, some with dogs in tow. A few actually plodded around the golf course in high heels. People watching was almost as fun as exploring the great cars on course.

At the top of the 18th hole, a band and a pop-up bar lured attendees into an elaborate art fair, mostly in decorated shipping containers featuring 10 carefully curated collections of work from top-tier artists. Around the clubhouse, sponsors exhibited their wares, while a jazz ensemble added just the right ambiance. Drinks flowed freely and you could even pick up a free bouquet of flowers.

Gourmet bites, from fresh tuna ceviche to lamb skewers and mini lobster rolls, were on offer from Smorgasburg vendors (Smorgasburg is an open-air food market that originated in Brooklyn) scattered around the greens. Fine wine, spirits, branded water, and ice cream rounded things off nicely.

Of course the cars were the centerpieces, ranging from a selection of Lane Museum microcars, Stuart Parr one-off design specials, American muscle cars, to some of the rarest vintage and modern European sports and racing cars. There was something for everyone.

The Porsche contingent was vast, and eight 356s were on hand. On the straight, near the iconic Chevron bridge, stood two noteworthy 356s. Both were freshly restored by Bobby Singh. Lake Underwood’s historic Speedster, extensively raced during the 1960s by his father, made a triumphant homecoming. Named by the PCA as one of four “giant killer” drivers from the early days of Porsche racing in the US, Lake Sr. rubbed shoulders with greats like Briggs Cunningham in their jointly owned 904.

As the sun was setting in a blaze, the cars slowly started rolling off the fairways, along the preserved race circuit straight, and out under the Chevron bridge, providing amazing photo opportunities. It was a long but incredibly enjoyable day.

Sunday brought yet another cool event, as many of The Bridge cars attended a cars & coffee at the Bridgehampton Historical Society. The afternoon drive back to New Jersey turned into another nightmare, the Long Island Expressway packed with weekenders returning from the far reaches of Long Island. But in the final analysis, it was a small price to pay for an amazing event. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for an invitation to The Bridge 2020 (which never happen due to you-know-what.)