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47-602: The track originally opened August 3, 1957, and was created by a group of men using a bulldozer. The track had been closed from 1974 prior to its reopening in March 2000. The track was reopened in 2000 by New Yorker Harvey Siegel and Connie Nyholm using a "country club" model. Memberships to the track are sold. Each member of the VIR Club receives track time on member days, tickets to all spectator events, and other benefits. VIR's membership model has since been followed by other racetracks across

94-515: A mod for Kunos Simulazioni's racing simulation Assetto Corsa. SCCA National Sports Car Championship The SCCA National Sports Car Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Sports Car Club of America from 1951 until 1964. It was the first post- World War II sports car series organized in the United States . An amateur championship, it was eventually replaced by

141-500: A resident of nearby Salinas, California . Also, the straight that runs between Turn 6 and Turn 7 has been renamed the 'Rahal Straight' after four-time consecutive Champ Car race winner Bobby Rahal . A Champ Car World Series weekend had been a prominent event from 1983 through 2004, when its spot on the calendar was shifted to the San Jose Grand Prix . On the last lap of the 1996 CART race, Alex Zanardi passed Bryan Herta on

188-569: A special episode of the British television show Top Gear was filmed at the raceway and aired later that year as a part of season 16 . Country music superstar Reba McEntire visited the raceway in 2012 when her son took part in the race. In early October 2013 actor Patrick Dempsey , a star of Grey's Anatomy , and former athlete and reality-TV star Caitlyn Jenner raced at the track. All six configurations are featured in racing simulators Automobilista , rFactor 2 , and iRacing . VIR

235-598: Is $ 10 per bicycle rider. Laguna Seca served as the finish line for Stage 4 of the 2016 Amgen Tour of California and Stage 3 of the 2018 Amgen Tour of California bicycle races. The raceway has been occasionally as a venue for concerts and other non-sporting events. The Grateful Dead performed on the racetrack in May 1987; later that night, the band filmed their music video for " Touch of Grey " there. On September 17, 1987, Pope John Paul II celebrated mass at Laguna Seca Raceway, where 72,000 people had gathered to see him. In

282-469: Is 3.270 mi (5.263 km) in length while the "Patriot Course" stretches for 1.100 mi (1.770 km) entirely inside the Full Course. The "North Course" is 2.250 mi (3.621 km) long and the "South Course" covers a distance of 1.650 mi (2.655 km). Both consist of a portion of the "Full Course" and short connecting sections that connect to portions of the "Patriot Course" to produce

329-479: Is a paved road racing track in central California used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing , built in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California , United States. The racetrack is 2.238 mi (3.602 km) long, with a 180 ft (55 m) elevation change. Its eleven turns are highlighted by the circuit's signature turn, the downhill-plunging "Corkscrew" at Turns 8 and 8A. A variety of racing, exhibition, and entertainment events are held at

376-471: Is also another, seldom run, long configuration called the "Grand West Course" that uses the other two short connecting sections between the "Full Course" and the "Patriot Course." Car and Driver magazine has an annual test of fast cars called "The Lightning Lap" using the "Grand West Course". Since the Patriot course is contained completely inside the Full Course, they can be run simultaneously. The "Full Course"

423-669: Is featured in Forza Motorsport 6 as part of the Porsche Expansion Pack released on March 1, 2016. The track is featured with all six of its layouts, as well as daytime, nighttime, dry, and wet conditions. It is also featured in Forza Motorsport 7, released in October 2017. VIR's North Course is featured in the video games Supercar Challenge and Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli . All layouts of VIR were scratch built as

470-551: Is frequently used for test sessions by NASCAR teams. The teams use the road course to test their road course cars for the Watkins Glen International and Sonoma Raceway races. Since the track is not currently active on the principal NASCAR circuit (Trucks, Xfinity and Cup), a practice session is not charged against their allotment. The track is also used by various manufacturers in testing of new or updated vehicles. Several celebrities have visited VIR. In 2010, part of

517-460: Is multiplied by the incredible entry speed because of a straight section leading into the Climbing Esses. This is followed by a cresting blind left hand turn (T10), "South Bend", that finishes in a steep downward slope. Another signature section is the "Roller Coaster" (T14) which is a scaled-down mirror image to the famed "Corkscrew" at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca . There are two main straights on

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564-404: Is the most common configuration. One of the most notable sections of the course, second only to "Oak Tree" (T11), are the "Climbing Esses" which consist of an initial left up-hill (T7), followed by a right which crests at the apex then dropping slightly into a left (T8) which again crests at the apex dropping slightly, and then up into a final right (T9). The complexity and difficulty of this section

611-549: The 2008 Monterey Sports Car Championships , David Brabham set a pole position time of 1:10.103 in a Le Mans Prototype. At the 2012 United States motorcycle Grand Prix , Jorge Lorenzo set a pole time of 1:20.554 on the Yamaha YZR-M1 . During the 2014 Superbike World Championship season , Tom Sykes set the superbike qualifying record time of 1:21.811 on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R . The 2019 McLaren Senna holds

658-654: The AMA Superbike Championship held races at VIR from 2001 until 2010 on the North Course. The Rolex Sports Car Series utilized the Full Course from 2002 through 2011. The American Le Mans Series used the Full Course configuration for its inaugural event at VIR in September 2012 where a new track record was set by Klaus Graf driving the Muscle Milk LMP1 car. Driving a Maserati 450S , Carroll Shelby won

705-588: The Sea Otter Classic "Celebration of Cycling". The event has now become the largest cycling festival in the United States, bringing in over 10,000 racers and over 100,000 spectators – and is now the first major event of the year, typically held in April – for both the road bike and mountain bike professional seasons. Several times each year, bicycles are permitted on the track for 2 hours. The admission fee

752-548: The 1962 season, the professional USAC Road Racing Championship collapsed, leaving many competitors looking for a series. The SCCA created the United States Road Racing Championship as a professional series in 1963, moving focus away from the amateur National Championship. In 1965, the SCCA dropped the national championship series and awarded national championships to champions from each region. Top drivers from

799-683: The 1990s, the raceway was the venue for the Laguna Seca Daze music festival, which featured performances from music acts in the folk , alternative rock and jam band genres. Artists who performed at the festival include Bob Dylan , Phish , Blues Traveler , 10,000 Maniacs , Big Head Todd and the Monsters , Meat Puppets , 4 Non Blondes , Jeff Healey , The Allman Brothers Band , Gin Blossoms and Shawn Colvin . On June 24, 2011, John Mueller of Muellerized Suspension Systems married Sheila Stone on

846-500: The 2021 Velocity Invitational festival. As of May 2024, the fastest official race lap records at Laguna Seca for different classes are listed as: When not being used by the major events the track can be rented. Approximately twice a year the Sports Car Club of America holds regional club races for the San Francisco Region. Various clubs rent the track throughout the year for informal high-performance driving schools that allow

893-412: The British automotive show Top Gear attempted to beat his Gran Turismo 4 time of 1:41.148 in a Honda NSX by racing the real track in the same car in 2005. During the trials, Clarkson determined that the game omitted a few details of the track, and the game's physics allowed him to brake later when coming into turns than he could in real life. As a consequence, he managed a best time of only 1:57 on

940-583: The United States. There have been at least four deaths in track history, with three fatalities coming since the reopening of the facility. The most recent death was that of 14-year-old Toriano Wilson in a US Rookie Cup motorcycle race in August 2008. The track hosted the SCCA National Sports Car Championship from its opening in 1957 until the series' demise in 1964. The IMSA GT Championship visited VIR in 1971 and 1972. After its re-opening,

987-552: The addition of the entire infield area in 1988 (present-day turns 3, 4, and 5, eliminating the straight that started at present-day turn 2 and ended at present-day turn 5) extending the track from its original 1.9-mile (3.1 km) length to meet the minimum-track-length criteria of the FIM for MotoGP events, plus the more recent relocation of pedestrian bridges and embankments , and the expansion of gravel pits outside turns 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 for additional runoff. The original media center

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1034-453: The county park in which the racetrack is set. The track's primary corporate sponsor is WeatherTech which began in April 2018. As part of the sponsorship, the track is now officially referred to as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Previously, the sponsorship belonged to Mazda for 17 years with the track being known as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. A 2015 study by California State University, Monterey Bay and commissioned by SCRAMP states that

1081-409: The course. Some of the raceway's other named curves include "Oak Tree", "Horse Shoe", " NASCAR Bend" (because NASCAR drivers Richard Petty , David Pearson and Wendell Scott had difficulties there during a 1966 Trans Am race), "Snake", "Spiral", "Fish Hook", and "The Bitch". As of August 2024, the fastest official race lap records at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) are listed as: The track

1128-583: The course. Each year features a different marque. Considered one of the two greatest historic racing events (along with the Goodwood Festival in England), attendance often rivals, or surpasses the professional racing events listed above. There are many permanent dry and hook-up camping facilities located at the raceway, which are available year-round as part of the Laguna Seca Recreation Area,

1175-450: The current production car lap record. Driver Randy Pobst piloted the unmodified McLaren to a 1:27.62 lap time during MotorTrend's 2019 best driver car award testing. The 2016 Porsche 911 GT2 RS previously held the current unofficial production car lap record with 1:28.30. The Porsche 918 Spyder held the previous unofficial production car lap record with 1:29.89. A Mission Motors Mission R, ridden by Steve Rapp , previously held

1222-572: The feature race on the track’s inaugural weekend in August 1957. The list of other well-known drivers who raced at VIR during its first incarnation includes Briggs Cunningham , Walt Hansgen , Roger Penske , Mark Donohue , Richard Petty , Bob Holbert, Augie Pabst , Curtis Turner , Dick Thompson , Peter Revson , Wendell Scott , Bob Tullius , Janet Guthrie , Skip Barber , Ricky Rudd , Gene Felton, Denise McCluggage, Hurley Haywood , Brock Yates , Don Yenko , Lance Reventlow , Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones . The track hosts many events throughout

1269-461: The founding of the nearby Laguna Seca Ranch , which has operated continuously for 140 years with grazing and equestrian uses. The track was built in 1957 at a cost of $ 1.5 million raised from local businesses and individuals on part of the US Army's Fort Ord (a maneuver area and field artillery target range) after the nearby Pebble Beach Road Races were abandoned for being too dangerous. In 1974

1316-469: The goal of generating income through the operations of the racetrack which is then redistributed to local charities. The track itself has undergone significant changes over the past two decades to meet evolving safety homologation requirements of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and other sanctioning bodies. Changes include

1363-600: The inside of the Corkscrew to take the victory. Uruguayan driver Gonzalo Rodríguez died during the practice session of the 1999 CART race after crashing at the same corner. Because of the incident, runoff was installed at the end of the Rahal Straight. Champ Car announced on September 11, 2007, that they would be returning the Northern California race to Laguna Seca from San Jose over the May 16–18 weekend in 2008. But

1410-469: The outright EV lap record with a time of 1:31.376. This was set during qualifying for the 2011 FIM e-Power International Championship/ TTXGP World Series race. In 2018, Earl Bamber clocked an unofficial best lap time of 1:07 around Laguna Seca in the Porsche 919 EVO , despite not intentionally trying to set a lap record. A McLaren MP4/13 , driven by Pato O'Ward set an unofficial lap time of 1:10.24 at

1457-601: The parking area for entrant trailers and RVs. The famous Turn 8 and 8A combination, popularly referred to as 'the Corkscrew', is considered one of the motorsport world's most challenging turns, due to the 59 ft (18 m) drop in elevation as well as its blind crest and apex on the uphill approach. Turn 2, with its difficult and technical double-apex, has been renamed the 'Andretti Hairpin', in honor of former Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti , while Turn 9 has been renamed 'Rainey Curve' in honor of 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion Wayne Rainey ,

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1504-493: The professional United States Road Racing Championship and the amateur American Road Race of Champions , which continues to this day as the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. The championship was created in 1951 from existing SCCA events. Until 1953, a single championship was awarded, with points paid based on finishing position within each class. From 1954, champions were named in each class. Following

1551-698: The property was deeded over to the Monterey County Parks Department and continues to be part of the park system. The first race, held on November 9, 1957, was won by Pete Lovely driving a Ferrari . In the intervening years, the track has hosted USRRC, Can-Am , Trans-Am , Formula 5000 , IMSA GT , CART , Indy Car , American Le Mans Series , Grand American , Monterey Historic Automobile Races , Speed World Challenge , AMA ( American Motorcyclist Association ), WSBK Superbike World Championship and MotoGP motorcycle races (but 125/Moto3 and 250/Moto2 are not admitted). The day-to-day operations of

1598-571: The public to drive their own cars at speed. The raceway has also played host to prototype testing of the Nissan GT-R in 2007. The track is featured in video games such as the Gran Turismo series (since the second installment , including the bike version Tourist Trophy ), the Forza Motorsport series, and the MotoGP series. In a bid to compare real life versus video games, Jeremy Clarkson of

1645-463: The raceway generated $ 62.1 million (2015 USD) to the Monterey County economy and $ 5.2 million in state and local taxes. On August 20, 2006, Toyota F1 test driver Ricardo Zonta set an unofficial lap record of 1:06.309. The previous record time was 1:07.722, set by Hélio Castroneves in a Penske Champ Car during qualifying for the 2000 CART Honda Grand Prix of Monterey. The unofficial record

1692-428: The raceway, ranging from superkarts to sports car racing to music festivals. Laguna Seca is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit. The name Laguna Seca is Spanish for dry lake : the area where the track now lies was once a lake, and the course was built around the dry lake bed. After the course was reconfigured, two artificial ponds were added. The earliest development of the local area occurred in 1867 with

1739-420: The real course. However, both he and the track instructor agreed that it is possible to complete the course in 1:41 in a Honda NSX if the driver were sufficiently experienced, talented, and most importantly fearless. It was also used in 1976 for the film Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo as a qualifying track. Laguna Seca and the part of the old Fort Ord that is now Bureau of Land Management land annually host

1786-772: The regions were invited to the American Road Race of Champions (today known as the National Championship Runoffs) at the end of the season. For 1966, national championships were awarded only to winners at the ARRC, a system which continues today as the Runoffs has become the most prestigious road racing event for club racers. Shelby Mustang GT350 ‡Tie Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Laguna Seca Raceway (branded as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca , and previously Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for sponsorship reasons)

1833-512: The subsequent merger of Champ Car and IndyCar resulted in the race being canceled. On July 17, 2018, IndyCar announced a return of IndyCars to Laguna Seca, with the event to be held the weekend of September 20–22, 2019. The track is also the site of the annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion , formerly known as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races. The event features an extraordinarily eclectic mixture of race cars on

1880-613: The top of the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca. This is the location where the ashes of Lee Mueller (4-time SCCA National Champion, IMSA GTU Champion, 3-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona , and 12 Hours of Sebring winner), John Mueller's father, were spread. In spring 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic , graduation ceremonies took place at the raceway. Local schools participating included Carmel High School (June 3, 2020) and Pacific Grove High School (May 29, 2020). After collecting diplomas, graduates and their families were able to drive around

1927-571: The track in celebration. In 1989, the year following the last Formula One race in Detroit , choices for a new location for the United States Grand Prix came down to Laguna Seca and Phoenix . The aforementioned 1988 improvements to the track were made in part to lure the F1 race. In the final decision, Laguna Seca was thought to be too remote and too small for an F1 crowd, and so Phoenix was granted

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1974-617: The track, along with the management and promotion of major racing events, are now handled by A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC. John V. Narigi is the General Manager and President. Until January 1, 2020, it was managed by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), which is a non-profit organization. With oversight by a board of local residents, SCRAMP operates with a professional staff on-site with

2021-442: The track. The front straight is approximately 3,000 ft (910 m) long while the back straight is approximately 4,000 ft (1,200 m) long. While the back straight is 33% longer, the front straight is where higher speeds are reached since "Hog Pen" (T17) leads onto it and is a much faster corner than "Oak Tree" (T11), which leads onto the longer back straight. There is 130 ft (40 m) of elevation change throughout

2068-400: The two courses that can run simultaneously. There is a second pit complex that is used only when running the "South Course". The longest configuration, "Grand East Course", is 4.200 mi (6.759 km) long, and combines most of the "Full Course" and most of the "Patriot Course" by means of two of the short sections of connecting track used to make the "South Course" and "North Course". There

2115-592: The year, including the annual Gold Cup Historic Race as well as AMA races, ChampCar Endurance Series , SCCA, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East , NASCAR test days, and local car club events. Various driving training classes are available on the paved and unpaved (off-road) courses. The site also hosts a go kart track. Since 2014, VIR has hosted a GT only race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship . VIR offers five track configurations, of which two can be run simultaneously. The "Full Course"

2162-511: Was demolished in 2006 to make way for additional run-off room in Turn 1. Also in 2006, the 'hump' at the top of the Rahal Straight was flattened to accommodate the MotoGP riders, though some claim that this increases the wind effects that can perturb a race motorcycle. Remnants of the old configuration can still be seen from the parking lot between turns two and five. They are found underneath a road leading to

2209-411: Was re-taken by a Champ Car on March 10, 2007, by Sébastien Bourdais , who lapped in 1:05.880 during Champ Car Spring Training. The unofficial record was again re-taken by a Formula One car on May 19, 2012, by Marc Gené , who lapped in 1:05.786 in a Ferrari F2003-GA during the 2012 Ferrari Racing Days. Christian Lundgaard is the unofficial qualifying record-holder with a lap time of 1:06.4610. At

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