Friends of Laguna Seca and A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC today jointly announced that the Management Agreement between the parties will terminate on Dec. 31, 2024. “Since 2020, A&D Narigi, LLC has done a great service to Monterey County and Laguna Seca …
Friends of Laguna Seca and A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC today jointly announced that the Management Agreement between the parties will terminate on Dec. 31, 2024.
“Since 2020, A&D Narigi, LLC has done a great service to Monterey County and Laguna Seca Recreation Area, including WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in returning the operations of the facility to profitability and in the many improvements made to the park during the past few years, including the new racing surface and Mission Foods Bridge,” said Ross Merrill, president of the Friends of Laguna Seca. “Friends will take over management of Laguna Seca while retaining all existing employees. We are looking forward to a bright future for Laguna Seca under our new operating structure.”
“I have put a lot of time and effort into Laguna Seca Recreation Area and WeatherTech Raceway, and I am extremely proud of my teams’ efforts, which have yielded impressive results, as well as my personal and professional commitment to its future these past five years,” said John Narigi, president of A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC.
Ribbon cutting and passing of the keys ceremony at the 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Photo by Lisa Watt
A&D Narigi, LLC decided that the termination of the management agreement is the best step forward for Laguna Seca and for Friends to execute its long-term vision for the facility.
It was announced this past April that Friends of Laguna Seca would assume a long-term agreement to take over operation of the Laguna Seca Recreation Area and its signature WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The non-profit group is developing a long-term master plan that aims to enhance fan experiences and elevate the raceway and park while aiming to preserve its historic charm.
RACER’s Marshall Pruett speaks with “Friends of Laguna Seca” Vice President Bruce Canepa, President Ross Merrill and CEO Lauri Eberhart about their ambitious collective vision for the future of the Laguna Seca Recreational area under their 55-year …
RACER’s Marshall Pruett speaks with “Friends of Laguna Seca” Vice President Bruce Canepa, President Ross Merrill and CEO Lauri Eberhart about their ambitious collective vision for the future of the Laguna Seca Recreational area under their 55-year agreement with Monterey County to manage and develop the facility to its fullest potential.
Stream all the vintage racing action from the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca here at RACER.com. You can watch either via our home page video player or the following links at the times shown below. Click here to …
Stream all the vintage racing action from the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca here at RACER.com.
You can watch either via our home page video player or the following links at the times shown below. Click here to view the full event schedule.
The 2024 edition of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 14-17, has a special significance as it marks 50 years of historic racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. As the oldest continuously-run historic auto racing event in the U.S., it …
The 2024 edition of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 14-17, has a special significance as it marks 50 years of historic racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. As the oldest continuously-run historic auto racing event in the U.S., it could also be said that this year’s event marks the start of a whole category of racing.
Pinning down exactly when it started or what constitutes vintage racing would be difficult. Founded in 1974 by Steve Earle as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, it set itself apart with an insistence on provenance and period correctness. Apart from modifications made for safety, ensuring every car entered adhered to the standards of the era in which it originally raced set the original event apart and still does today. It also set the stage for others to follow.
Steve Earle (at left) with restoration ace Stephen Griswold at 1974’s inaugural races. Earle’s efforts built the Monterey Reunion into a truly world-class event.
Held on a warm and sunny August 10 day, Earle had handpicked the whole of the field from among a cache of car owners he was friendly with. Until then, many of the race cars sat idle in collections, garages or museums without a safe environment to enjoy them. Earle provided a venue that launched an entire and still burgeoning cottage industry of race car preservation and restoration.
Ultimately, Earle gathered 70 entries spread across eight run groups. Even in year one, the field oozed with high quality cars, among them a 1927 MG Le Mans, a 1966 Ford GT Mk 2 and a bevy of luscious Ferraris highlighted by a 1952 212 Export.
Most participants had come from California, and hardly any had competition experience.
“The whole process was very relaxed,” says Ralph Borelli, who’d entered in ’74 with a 1915 Ford Racer. “In fact, my Racer was actually from ’26, but we’d swapped out the radiator for an old brass one, so we were admitted as a 1915.”
Right from the start, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion has insisted that all the cars that appear are original and period correct. (TOP) Ferraris featured strongly in 1974’s first event; (ABOVE) Ralph Borelli launches down the Corkscrew.
Another original competitor, Marnix Dillenius, who drove a 1963 Alfa Romeo GTZ at the 1974 event, has entered again for this coming August and remembers that there was no formal process for proving your racing credentials back then. He laughs as he recalls there was a four-minute inspection from a “Dr. Lee,” who checked the driver’s eyesight and then sent them out on the track.
“Today is a lot more professional and a lot more serious,” says Dillenius, “but there’s still a lot of guys who do it for the chuckle.”
Entry lists in recent years have topped 400 cars in number, a figure the 50th anniversary gathering will easily exceed.
“The advisory council’s number one goal is to select the very best significant and authentic historic race cars, including their passionate owners who bring vast amounts of race experience to provide the fans with the greatest historic racing show in North America,” says Advisory Council co-chair Bruce Canepa.
Illustrious cars such as the Williams FW07B that Alan Jones drove to win his 1980 Formula 1 World Championship and the dominant 1991-93 AAR/Toyota Eagle MkIII GTP car that Juan Manuel Fangio II raced to wins in 16 of 27 starts are among the many to look out for.
A thoughtfully curated Motul Golden Anniversary Display will tell the event’s story since the beginning. A slew of marques, along with individuals the likes of Dan Gurney, Juan Manuel Fangio and Carroll Shelby, who were all closely tied to the event, will feature in the display.
“Never before has such a display been assembled,” says Barry Toepke, Director of Heritage Events for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “Cars are coming from private collectors, automakers and museums for a once-in-a-lifetime tribute to this remarkable event founded by Steve Earle.”
Act now if you want to be a part of the 50-year celebration of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 14-17 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Not only will this year’s event have extra special meaning, it also continues to be the cornerstone of Monterey Car Week, with events held across the Monterey Bay Peninsula.
The whole scene is a car lover’s paradise and time is running out to be a part of it.
Hotel rooms close by are getting scarcer by the day, but tickets to the event are still available, including a number of premier hospitality options, as well as general admission and camping.
Friends of Laguna Seca has announced that it has satisfied all conditions required by the concession agreement with the County of Monterey and will now formally assume its long-term commitment to Laguna Seca Raceway and Recreation Area. Today marks …
Friends of Laguna Seca has announced that it has satisfied all conditions required by the concession agreement with the County of Monterey and will now formally assume its long-term commitment to Laguna Seca Raceway and Recreation Area.
Today marks a significant milestone for the local non-profit, as Friends of Laguna Seca officially begins its 55-year operational plan of the Laguna Seca Raceway and Recreation Area, with the mission of providing the leadership and resources required to restore, revitalize and reinvent Laguna Seca.
“The Friends team has been squarely focused on reaching this important milestone and providing a smooth transition of operations,” said Friends CEO Lauri Eberhart. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our volunteer board of directors, passionate donors, and the entire staff at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca. We now begin the next chapter in the amazing future of this iconic facility for the benefit of our local community and the motorsports world.”
Friends will continue to work collaboratively with the staff and volunteers of the Laguna Seca Raceway and Recreation Area, A&D Narigi Consulting, and the County of Monterey to promote the long-term growth and success of this community asset, while maintaining and enhancing the facility’s long history of volunteerism and community engagement.
Friends of Laguna Seca has received a $500,000 donation from the Laguna Seca Raceway Foundation (LSRF) in partnership with the Monterey County Parks Foundation (MCPF). This significant donation comes with the full endorsement from both the LSRF and …
Friends of Laguna Seca has received a $500,000 donation from the Laguna Seca Raceway Foundation (LSRF) in partnership with the Monterey County Parks Foundation (MCPF). This significant donation comes with the full endorsement from both the LSRF and MCPF as Friends begins its appointed stewardship of the Laguna Seca Recreation Area for the next 55 years.
“We are encouraged by the longstanding support of both the Laguna Seca Raceway Foundation and the Monterey County Parks Foundation,” said Friends of Laguna Seca CEO Lauri Eberhart. “These two local foundations share our unwavering passion to honor our local history, culture, youth and industry by prioritizing community access and further development of the Laguna Seca Raceway and Recreation Area. We value their mutual vote of confidence as our team takes on the task of facility upgrades and improvements outlined in our agreement with the County.”
“The Laguna Seca Raceway Foundation is proud to support Friends of Laguna Seca as they take over management and operation of the cherished raceway and recreation area,” said Arthur Cook, president of Laguna Seca Raceway Foundation.
Friends of Laguna Seca looks forward to revitalizing and modernizing the Laguna Seca Raceway and Recreation Area for the community to enjoy for decades to come and will work to maintain its vibrant history of volunteerism and dedication to enhancing visitor access and experience.
Discontented sitting on the sidelines, 2009 FIA Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button returns to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Aug. 14-17 not to sit idly by, but to race his 1952 Jaguar C-Type that was originally owned by six-time world …
Discontented sitting on the sidelines, 2009 FIA Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button returns to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Aug. 14-17 not to sit idly by, but to race his 1952 Jaguar C-Type that was originally owned by six-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio.
“I love racing, it doesn’t matter in what form,” said Button. “I’ve raced everything from F1 cars to Trophy Trucks in the desert. What I love about historic racing is how mechanical the cars are, you feel at one with it, and you have to treat it with respect. I’ve only raced my C-Type at Goodwood so far, so I can’t wait to add Laguna Seca to that short list of historic racetracks.”
Button adds, “The Rolex Reunion is such a special event celebrating beautiful machinery and catching up with good friends. I look forward to it.”
According to John Narigi, president of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Button’s participation in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion adds to the spectacle of the gathering. “Mr. Button visited last year to enjoy the racing, and we are very excited to see him hustle his storied Jaguar C-Type around the track and down the Corkscrew,” he said. “Our guests will enjoy meeting the world champion.”
From his debut at the 2000 Australian Grand Prix to his last race at the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, Jenson Button’s F1 career was filled with success: 15 Grand Prix victories, 50 podiums, and the ultimate prize of world drivers’ champion in 2009. The British driver is now applying his skills to endurance and classic races. In 2023, he participated in three NASCAR races and started the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a NASCAR entry.
Button brings a very historic Jaguar C-Type oozing with patina. Sold to its first owner, Fangio, in 1952, this C-Type (commonly referred to by its chassis number XKC 018) was soon after shipped to Argentina where it was sold to Jose Millet. From there Millet campaigned the car extensively at events throughout the 1950s in South America including the 1955 and 1956 1000km of Buenos Aires.
More than 400 historic and period-correct race cars will compete in 13 classes at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of historic racing in Monterey. The racing will be supplemented by an incredible anniversary display that showcases the past featured marques, making it a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition.
Opening practice for the eighth round of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, saw Scott McLaughlin finish on top for Team Penske, with Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay looking strong until engine trouble, and …
Opening practice for the eighth round of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, saw Scott McLaughlin finish on top for Team Penske, with Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay looking strong until engine trouble, and Arrow McLaren’s newest recruit Nolan Siegel turning his first laps for the team.
RACER’s Trackside Report at the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey is presented by Radical Motorsport. As one of the world’s most prolific sports car manufacturers, Radical Motorsport sets out to create a race-bred thrill-a-minute driving experience on the racetrack. Radical Cup North America is the continent’s premier Radical championship offering exhilarating multi-class Le Mans style racing for a fraction of the price. Click to learn more.
The eighth round of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season is at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Current points leader, Verizon Business Team Penske-Chevrolet driver Will Power, and his longtime race engineer Dave Faustino, provided RACER’s David …
The eighth round of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season is at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Current points leader, Verizon Business Team Penske-Chevrolet driver Will Power, and his longtime race engineer Dave Faustino, provided RACER’s David Malsher-Lopez with insights of the unique demands of this iconic 2.238-mile race track.
RACER’s Trackside Report at the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey is presented by Radical Motorsport. As one of the world’s most prolific sports car manufacturers, Radical Motorsport sets out to create a race-bred thrill-a-minute driving experience on the racetrack. Radical Cup North America is the continent’s premier Radical championship offering exhilarating multi-class Le Mans style racing for a fraction of the price. Click to learn more.
