Drop-Dead Drophead; Pebble thins the field and cranks up the drama.

Byline: MARK VAUGHN

Yes, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is all about the most beautiful cars in the world driven by the most passionate car lovers, presented in the most beautiful setting, blah, blah, blah.

What is often overlooked in all that hyperbole is that this is a competition-a hard-fought, very expensive competition. There's nothing more focused than a car owner during the couple of minutes his car is being judged on the 18th fairway at Pebble.

Hundreds of large, wealthy capitalists spend millions of dollars to beat out all the other large, wealthy capitalists for nothing more than "The Trophee'' by Lalique and a year's worth of respect. The short, skinny capitalists are in it just as deep, too. It's like the America's Cup.

But if there wasn't all that competitiveness, there wouldn't be all the other stuff-the world's most beautiful cars, the most passionate car lovers, the most beautiful setting, etc. So it all works to our benefit.

And since it's a competition, you never know who's going to win. Most people don't even know who's entered; even guys we spoke to on the selection committee can't give you a read on the contenders for Best of Show until just about show day morning.

Sure, they can guess. The winner is usually, though not always, from the featured marque. This year that gave Delahaye and Voisin an edge. In the last 10 years that French swoopy coupe look has won seven times, thus dashing the hopes of all entrants from the Brass Era.