DAY 1 THE LONG WAY UP

This year’s field: 6,938 horsepower and a couple Woodrow Wilsons shy of $3 million in sheetmetal and carbon fiber.

I eased the gassed-up BMW M850i into the MotorTrend parking lot just before 7:30 a.m. We weren’t leaving until 8, but with the exception of deadlines, I have a real issue with being late.

Parked sideways across three spots in the back lot sat the $982,816 purple and orange McLaren Senna. I nosed the M850i up to the odd-looking beastie, taking up an additional three spots, and sat for a moment to contemplate the diversity of the 2019 Best Driver’s Car field. A Toyota, a Bentley, a Lamborghini SUV, a Mustang (albeit a Shelby), a pocket rocket BMW, and a great big personal luxury coupe of a BMW. Plus, you know, the Senna.