PHOTOS: Mille Miglia Tribute Drives into Half Moon Bay

It really wasn't a race — not the kind where drivers put the pedal to the metal and hope for the best.

Instead, classic cars from the 1930s, '40s and '50s downshifted their way along the California coast on a spectacular fall day to pay tribute to Mille Miglia, a race Enzo Ferrari calls the world's "greatest road race."

The group of mostly American drivers carved a leisurely path from Santa Barbara to Stinson Beach, then returned on a trip that took three days.  On Thursday, the Half Moon Bay Golf Links hosted the drivers for lunch, allowing a curious few to see up close cars long gone from the American landscape, but still very prominent in the minds of aficionados.

Patch was there to capture some of the splendor with these photos.  

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