Bruce Canepa Motorsport MuseumJust a few hours south from San Francisco Airport, in a little village called Scotts Valley you can find a fantastic museum.Most people driving by just don’t even know the fact that they passed a museum withholding a fantastic collection of motorsport carsand bicycles. Cars that made history in the American motor sport.
Bruce Canepa has been fascinated with automobiles, motorcycles, and trucks since his childhood. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, he grew up living any California kids dream racing dirt bikes and go-karts. By age twelve, his father had taught him how to drive almost everything, from his first car, a 1929 “Model A” Ford, to a “ten wheel” diesel truck. He worked in the family dealership every spare moment, learning mechanical, fabrication, body and paint.
He started racing as soon as the rules allowed, first in quarter midgets and go-karts, then in super modifieds and sprint cars. In addition to numerous wins in all types of racing cars, he was awarded consecutive “Rookie of the Year” and “Most Improved Driver” in three different race categories. In 1978 he ventured into sports car racing, IMSA and Trans-Am. He finished third overall with co-drivers Rick Mears and Monte Shelton in his first Daytona 24 hour effort. Porsche AG provided him a new factory 935 for the ’79 season, and in 1980-81 he co-drove with Gianpiero Moretti in the famous MOMO team Porsche 935. In 1982 he was back at the Daytona 24 hour co-driving with Bobby Rahal and Jim Trueman in the first MARCH GTP “Ground Effects” Prototype.
Up for any challenge, in 1981 Bruce competed at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, qualifying first and finishing second overall in a Porsche turbo powered open wheeler. He was asked to revisit the mountain nineteen years later in a slightly larger vehicle, a CFI Kenworth tandem axle big rig. He proceeded to set the course record in 2000 and 2001. As a finale in 2002 Bruce drove the 7-ton race truck up to the 14,110-foot summit in 13 minute 57 seconds, a record that still stands today.
Today Bruce travels the country competing in historic race events in cars ranging from Trans-Am to IMSA, F1 to Can-Am, and is a passionate, hands-on CEO involved in all aspects of his companies; Canepa Design, Canepa Motorsport, and Concept Transporters. He can often be seen driving one of his marvellous cars at the Laguna Seca Raceway, just over an hour south of Scotts Valley.
Being a race enthusiast, Bruce decided soon to keep the cars he was racing, and to buy cars that were important in the American race history.Some of the most iconic cars can be found in the Museum that’s located above the shop where you should be if you want to add a iconic sport car to your own collection. You can find both vintage and recent cars, they have one thing in common : they’re like new. The vintage carsare restored up to a point they seem to be better than at the moment they were leaving the factory. The more recent cars usually are low-mileage cars and taken care of by the previous owners as if it were they’re own children.
In the shop on the first floor, the cars displayed are for sale, however even this showroom can be considered a museum. Porsche 959, Porsche 962, an ultra rare Porsche 911 RUF CTR3 next to a Bugatti Veyron or an one-owner and low-mileage early 70’s Porsche 911…
Beter make sure you make some hours free to visit this wonderfull place.
