Pete Whitehead

ISO RIVOLTA

An impressive array of historic Trans-am machinery packed the paddock at Laguna Seca for this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, but lurking incongruously among the American metal was this rarely seen European racer belonging to Pete Whitehead. “It’s a 1964 Iso Rivolta, number 250 out of around 800 cars built,” explainsd Whitehead. “It’s the only one racing in the United States – and there are maybe half a dozen competing in Europe. It’s got a 327cu in, 450bhp engine and a four-speed transmission, and was originally delivered to California, where it spent its early life in SCCA racing before going to Australia. It was campaigned Down Under in the local historic race series for about 10 years.”

Whitehead discovered the car on the other side of the world 15 years ago, before buying it and bringing it back to California and his Long Beach base: “It was set up basically as it is now, and I’ve been racing it ever since.” But does the Iso have the performance to back up its looks? “The car is competitive, but I’m not,” laughs Whitehead. “Every year I get a little older and a little slower! It’s a unique car. I enjoy Italian classics, but I don’t very much like Italian mechanicals, so this is the perfect compromise.”