Historic Pairing Celebrates The Racing Legacy Of Ken Miles At Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA  – Few one-off road racing greats are more recognizable than R2, a MG-based special nicknamed “The Flying Shingle.” Created and raced by the legendary Ken Miles, the innovative car played a role in the earlier days of his career, helping to establish Miles as one of American motorsport’s most talented drivers, engineers and race car builders. 

This year, the Flying Shingle and its predecessor MG R1 return to Pebble Beach when the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—founded in tandem with the Pebble Beach Road Races in 1950—pays tribute to its origins. Two special classes at the event will honor the production racers and the handcrafted specials that once competed on the winding, tree-lined course through Del Monte Forest. 

During his years competing on the Pebble Beach circuit, Miles raced alongside many of the era’s greatest drivers, including Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby and Richie Ginther. He later became one of Ford’s most accomplished development drivers, helping transform the GT40 into a world-class endurance racer and delivering one of the most memorable performances at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, where a controversial 1-2-3 team finish denied him the overall win. 

Born in England in 1918, Ken Miles apprenticed at Wolseley Motors, then served in World War II before moving to California to work for an MG distributor. He rapidly embraced the emerging American road racing scene. A fierce competitor, his determination to win occasionally cost him races; his 1952 U.S. debut at Pebble Beach ended in disqualification after brake failure couldn’t slow his MG TD. But he returned in 1953 with his first special, R1, dominating the field for cars under 1500 cc and winning by what was said to be the largest margin of victory. With a narrow, low-slung body on a steel-tubed frame weighing under 1,230 pounds, R1 went on to record a total of 12 victories before a blown engine ended its career where it began at Pebble Beach in 1954.  

Undeterred, Miles set out to build an even faster car. 

MG R2 had a lightweight space-frame chassis built from one-inch steel tubing, paired with a heavily modified 1466 cc MG TF engine and a streamlined envelope-style body designed by Robert Cumberford, finished in classic British green. 

Because of its unusually low and flat appearance, the car earned the nickname “Flying Shingle,” and it was even more competitive than its predecessor. 

At Pebble Beach in 1955 it raced to victory in the Pebble Beach Cup for modified cars under 1500 cc and then placed third overall in the main race. 

A dozen years later, alongside Carroll Shelby, whose own racing career was closely tied to Pebble Beach, Miles helped spearhead Ford’s challenge to Ferrari in motorsport’s most celebrated rivalries. Starting from the same Pebble Beach Road Racing scene where both men built their reputations, they would eventually find themselves working side by side on the world stage, taking that early California racing grit into endurance racing’s most prestigious arena.

The pairing of MG R1 and MG R2 at the 2026 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, alongside 20 other Pebble Beach Road Racing greats pay tribute to the men and machines who made their mark here and then took on the world. These race cars will be showcased on the 18th fairway in two special classes: near-original factory racers and heavily modified specials. 

For additional information and tickets to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, visit pebblebeachconcours.net.

About Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance – First conducted in 1950, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® (www.pebblebeachconcours.net) has grown to be the world’s premier celebration of the automobile. Only the most beautiful and historic cars are invited to appear on the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links®, and connoisseurs of art and style gather to admire these masterpieces. Charitable donations raised by Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® now total over $45 million. Related events include Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance® presented by Rolex, Pebble Beach RetroAuto, Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum, and Pebble Beach® Auctions presented by Gooding Christie’s. Pebble Beach®, Pebble Beach Golf Links®, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance®, Pebble Beach RetroAuto, Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum, and Pebble Beach® Automotive Week are trademarks, service marks and trade dress of Pebble Beach Company. All rights reserved. For more information, please call 831-622-1700 or visit pebblebeachconcours.net.

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