Amid the craziness of Monterey Automobile Week, there’s one place where you possibly can truly immerse yourself in motorsports history.
Every late summer at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, automotive legends come to life, racing around the long-lasting circuit for 4 days on the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
There aren’t many places where you possibly can absorb the sights and sounds of legendary race cars like Niki Lauda’s 1976 Ferrari 312, plus ’60s and ’70s Ford Mustangs, GT machines, nearly every vintage Porsche, and even the McMurty Spéirling, as they run laps across the track. But those cars and more – 400 in total – lined as much as compete at this 12 months’s event.
Every automobile has a storied past, from the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Formula 1 to other international and domestic racing series.
The paddock resembles a living museum, enhanced by drivers and teams wearing period-correct attire. The vibe feels very much like a grassroots racing event; you possibly can watch the cars on target for his or her sessions, after which walk into the pits for a better look and even strike up conversations with the crews.
There’s something magical about standing at the underside of the famed Laguna Seca Corkscrew, watching these legendary machines thunder by lap after lap.
The plentiful crowd fills the vantage points with chairs and coolers, savoring every moment.
The unmistakable sounds of Mazda 4-rotor racing engines downshifting into the Corkscrew and accelerating out bring a smile to my face each time.
Seeing this ex-American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Saleen S7R – a automobile I examine in middle school – driven hard on this track was a childhood dream come true. Until then, I had only ever seen an S7 in road automobile form on the Petersen Automotive Museum.
Watching these cars compete against their contemporaries is an experience unto itself. Despite their collector status, they’re driven wheel-to-wheel hard, giving Reunion attendees a surprising show.
Nostalgia flows for individuals who remember these cars of their era, while younger visitors can learn and appreciate the wealthy history of motor racing at considered one of the world’s most famous racetracks. There really is nothing quite just like the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
Daniel Baxter
Instagram: danielhasacamera
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