Hot on the heels of celebrating its 65th anniversary, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca keeps the momentum rolling into the 2023. The venerable track, one of the jewels of the Monterey Bay area, will host an exciting lineup of events, capped off at the end of September with the return of Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7.
Before we get there, back-to-back weekends of sports car racing are on tap.
First up is the Trans Am SpeedFest, May 5-7. Headlining the weekend will be the thundering TA class V8s in the Trans Am presented by Pirelli Western Championship, plus a roaring field in the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series. Those hankering for a dose of Trans Am history will also be treated to some action featuring old school American iron with the SVRA’s Historic Trans Am class, along with the SVRA collector car show to enjoy in between action on the track.
A week later, on May 12-14, the emphasis shifts from the unfettered rawness of Trans Am to the future forward high tech of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Motul Course de Monterey powered by Hyundai N leads with GTP class prototypes from Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche in all their high-power, hybrid glory followed by the delectable manufacturer array of GTD and GTD Pro cars going door-to-door with anyone’s guess as to who’ll win from one race to the next.
Underpinning the events are a number of facility improvements that began at the end of last year. Already in progress is the construction of a new bridge over the front straight that will enable a greater connection between the outfield spectator areas and the infield paddock.
The track itself is also slated for a major overhaul. Drivers from Trans Am and IMSA will be the first to take advantage of improved curbing around each of the track’s 11 turns. Following the Motul Course de Monterey, the entire circuit will be repaved in time to welcome the MotoAmerica Superbike SpeedFest at Monterey, July 7-9.
“We are thrilled to reopen WeatherTech Raceway to teams, our community and international visitors to experience the rebirth of Monterey County’s iconic track,” said John Narigi, the track’s president. “Trans Am and IMSA are ideal partners to lead us into an action-packed 2023 season.”
Springtime along California’s Central Coast can be one of remarkable contrasts. The sea cliffs and pines can be cloaked in a velvety morning fog that gives way to sunny skies and balmy afternoon temperatures. The changing conditions often make car setups tricky, but for spectators it doesn’t get much better. Add in the gamut of sports cars racing and the only difficult choice is which to attend.
Both seems like a great idea.
Advance tickets for the Trans Am SpeedFest, May 5-7, start as low as $10 for Friday General Admission, with a full three-day admission at just $55. On site camping and reserved parking packages are also available.
The Motul Course de Monterey, May 12-14, also has $10 Friday General Admission tickets available, while a three-day ticket starts at $90. Plus, there are a range of VIP Hospitality packages along with camping and reserved parking packages.
In addition to the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Motul Course de Monterey also features the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo on a packed weekend bill.