The Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA® Super Tour makes its first-ever visit this weekend, July 26-28, to Laguna Seca’s 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit for an event hosted by SCCA’s San Francisco Region. And while Sports Car Club of America® competitors are no strangers to the facility that hosted a National Championship Runoffs® back in 2014, those who haven’t recently been to the beautiful course just outside Monterey, California, will be greeted by a great deal of change.
First, visitors will notice the track’s name is different. WeatherTech, a U.S.-based company producing a long list of interior and exterior automotive accessories, and the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), the non-profit organization operating the County of Monterey-owned venue, came to an agreement resulting in a new name for the circuit which dominates the 542-acre Laguna Seca Recreation Area in which it sits. Today, the venue is officially known as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
But according to Brad Littlefield, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca’s public relations manager, changes go far beyond the new name and signage. For starters, the tall octagon tower that sat alongside the main straight for years and overlooked the start/finish line has been demolished as part of a multimillion-dollar revitalization program. New restrooms can also now be found in the paddock area, as well as a temporary two-story hospitality structure. Some visitors will notice changes to safety fencing around the facility, and there have been enhancements made to marshal stands that should offer better safety and visibility for drivers and workers alike. Additionally, Lexus has been confirmed as the Official Luxury Vehicle of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Barbara McClellan, a 50-year SCCA member who started visiting the raceway back when it only had nine turns, is the Region Executive for the San Francisco Region and said upgrades to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca are certainly welcomed.
“This is an exciting weekend for the San Francisco Region as we host our very first Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour, and exciting times as we watch WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca undergo change,” McClellan noted. “Our Region conducts about four events each year at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, but we also support many of the annual pro events that occur at the track. Our Region is blessed to have access to multiple, world-class racing facilities in the area and it’s great to know that SCRAMP and Monterey County are working hard to keep WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in tip-top shape for years to come.”
This weekend’s Hoosier Super Tour at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is open to spectators and free of charge for those who want to watch all the excitement trackside at an absolutely beautiful venue. There is a $5 fee per car entering the Laguna Seca Recreation Area where the raceway sits, but that fee will be waived for persons showing SCCA membership cards. Those who can’t make it to Monterey can follow along online with live timing/scoring, video, Super Tour Radio presented by Hoosier Racing Tire and more at www.scca.com/live.
