Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Encyclopedia : M : MA : MAZ : Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved roadracing track (for both auto racing and motorcycle racing) built in 1957 near Monterey, California, USA.
The racetrack is 2.238 miles in length (3.58 kilometers), and has eleven turns, including the famous (and gut-wrenching) "Corkscrew" at turn 8. A variety of racing and exhibition events are held at the raceway, ranging from superkarts to American Le Mans racing to car shows.
History
The track was built in 1957 after the nearby Pebble Beach Road Races were abandoned for being too dangerous. It has undergone significant changes over the past two decades to meet evolving safety homologation requirements of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and other sanctioning bodies. Changes include the addition of the entire infield area (present day turns 3, 4, and 5), relocation of pedestrian bridges and embankments, and expansion of gravel pits outside turns for run off. Bridiges have been built for the huge increase in attendence to the return of MotoGP to the track. Laguna is the only track in the United States to hold this Elite event. Laguna is only allowed one international event a year, so currently that spot is given to motoGP. It was taken away from FIM and AMA who used to hold a joint event weekend at Laguna pre-2005.
Turn 9 has been renamed 'Rainey Curve' in honor of 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion Wayne Rainey, a resident of nearby Salinas, California.
The famous, or infamous, corkscrew, depending on who you are, is considered one of the motorsport world's most challenging turns.
There are camping facilities located at the raceway, which are used year-round as part of the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, the county park in which the racetrack is set.
The raceway's primary corporate sponsor is Mazda, who hold some of their own events there and display their products at major racing events.
Other use
The track is featured in video games, most notably the Gran Turismo series (including the bike version Tourist Trophy) for Playstation 2 and Forza Motorsport for Xbox. Jeremy Clarkson of the British automotive show Top Gear attempted to beat his GT4 time of 1:41.148 seconds in a Acura NSX in 2005, but reality prevailed and he managed to get a 1:57 on the real course.
Also at Laguna Seca is a branch of the Skip Barber Racing School.
Laguna Seca and part of the old Fort Ord that is now BLM land annually host the Sea Otter Classic "Celebration of Cycling". As the first major event of the year - typically held in April - it kicks off both the road bike and mountain bike seasons.
Racing
Major events each year include the U.S. Sports car Invitational featuring the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series , Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring a four-hour endurance race for the ALMS, Monterey Historics for classic race-cars, The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix featuring both the MotoGP World Championship and the U.S. AMA Superbike Series. Starting in 2006, the A1 Grand Prix brings prominent international open-wheel racing back to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. A Champ Car World Series weekend has been a prominent event in the past.
Race Winners
| Season | Winning Driver | Chassis | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Teo Fabi | March | Cosworth |
| 1984 | Bobby Rahal | March | Cosworth |
| 1985 | Bobby Rahal | March | Cosworth |
| 1986 | Bobby Rahal | March | Cosworth |
| 1987 | Bobby Rahal | Lola | Cosworth |
| 1988 | Danny Sullivan | Penske | Chevrolet-Ilmor |
| 1989 | Rick Mears | Penske | Chevrolet-Ilmor |
| 1990 | Danny Sullivan | Penske | Chevrolet-Ilmor |
| 1991 | Michael Andretti | Lola | Chevrolet-Ilmor |
| 1992 | Michael Andretti | Lola | Ford-Cosworth |
| 1993 | Paul Tracy | Penske | Chevrolet-Ilmor |
| 1994 | Paul Tracy | Penske | Mercedes Benz-Ilmor |
| 1995 | Gil de Ferran | Reynard | Mercedes Benz-Ilmor |
| 1996 | Alex Zanardi | Reynard | Honda |
| 1997 | Jimmy Vasser | Reynard | Honda |
| 1998 | Bryan Herta | Reynard | Ford-Cosworth |
| 1999 | Bryan Herta | Reynard | Ford-Cosworth |
| 2000 | Helio Castroneves | Reynard | Honda |
| 2001 | Max Papis | Lola | Ford-Cosworth |
| 2002 | Cristiano da Matta | Lola | Toyota |
| 2003 | Patrick Carpentier | Lola | Ford-Cosworth |
| 2004 | Patrick Carpentier | Lola | Ford-Cosworth |
| Season | Sprint Race Winner | Feature Race Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2005-2006 | Salvador Duran | Salvador Duran |
Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda RC-211V
External links
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.