Laguna Seca - It's Time

[Flatspot]

I just got home from work and was pleasantly surprised when opening the mail and WOOHOO there was my camp pass and tickets to Laguna Seca.

Yes, I realize that we are a month out but I thought it a good idea to ask who's going and spearhead the organization of a 10/10ths BBQ for Saturday evening at the track starting maybe 30 mins. after the cars finish for the day. That means a 6:00pm start so those that aren't camping can still attend and those that are can party 'til the sun comes up. If enough people want to do it we could make it pot luck or something and have one fantastic bash and take advantage of a great opportunity to get to know each other in person.

If your going to be there and are interested in such a thing or in the alternative think it is a crackpot idea, post your thoughts or drop me a PM and we'll get things figured out.

[cartpix]

My wife & I will be there. A BBQ sounds like fun.

Jeff

[gomick]

would luv too - only problem is i hate this track & i live in the wrong neck of the woods - hope you all have a great time , shall be watching from down under

[Stephen Green]

I have promised myself to ventue to Laguna Seca one year to see the track and meet a few US Marshals (no, not the gun toting, horse riding, Matt Dillon types) but alas, not this year. Have fun everyone and spare a thought for your British friends...

[Mags]

IF I am giving up on the ALMS PLM (which I think I may) I've been giving serious thought to driving down there. It's my fav track on the planet - next to Mont Tremblant.

[racinthestreets]

I will be at the Race Flatspot. Have to meet you on Sunday morning though. Part of the deal is I write it off as a business expense, and I will be entertaining on Saturday night in San Francisco. Sounds like a great idea, if I did not have dinner plans I would love to be there. For those of you that are thinking of going someday, you may want to think extra hard - Laguna's future hosting CCWS is not guarntee after this year.

[racinthestreets]

Hey Flatspot you PM mailbox has been full for three days.

[Flatspot]

Thanks, should have known there was a limit.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by Mags
IF I am giving up on the ALMS PLM (which I think I may) I've been giving serious thought to driving down there. It's my fav track on the planet - next to Mont Tremblant.

Why, Mags????

PLM is going to have the Zytek, the Courage C65, and if you read my sig below....

AutoCon is Back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and that "Black Beauty" will have a competitive engine this time...

If I didn't coach football in the fall, Road Atlanta for PLM would be where I would be....in a heartbeat...

and besides, Laguna will have the sportscars and run at dusk a few weeks after PLM...so you're still seeing good racing on a great track...

as a talented shooter, you'd have plenty of glowing brake rotors and flames from tailpipes to capture in action...

[BobbyB]

Semi related news...
I was at Laguna Seca last weekend (Aug 14) for the Historics Racing. The place is as good as ever! A nice cool breeze...it was heaven! Watched WW1 era cars hit it hard and put on a great race. There were scads of Ferraris in different races throughout the day, as they were one of the featured manufacturers there for the weekend. Later on Saturday, I saw Ferrari factory test driver Andrea Bortolini drive Michael Schumacher's 2003 F1 car on some exhibition laps. This very car had won 5 races and 3 poles in 2003. The scream of the V10 at speed was unlike anything I've ever heard!

The next day, Sunday, was his effort to set a new speed record for the track. I was at a different event on that day, but I read later that he didn't quite surpass Helio Castroneves' CART record from about 1999 or so. He fell short by 1.4 seconds, which means that Castroneves must have really been hauling ass!

To anyone headed there for the the CCWS race- you're in for a treat! Enjoy! Can't speak for the corkscrew, but we found some good viewing on the hillside just before the Mario Andretti Hairpin (think it is called Turn 1 perhaps). Good overall view of much of the track there- you might consider binoculars too.

[Dov]

While the speed/lap record set by Helio in '99 was a great lap, the Ferrari factory test driver could have easily topped it if he had pushed the Ferrari F1 car to it's limit. Nothing against our beloved ChampCar beasts, but as everybody knows F1 cars are lighter, more nimble and they would beat a CC on any road/street course in the world.

[BobbyB]

Dov,
There was an F1 "parade" around noon on Saturday, with cars from the early 80's to present day participating. One of them went off at a turn just before the corkscrew, ran down the hillside a bit and really tore up the front end. Driver was OK, but it black flagged the event. Bortolini was in the running, but newspaper reports later stated that he really had to hold back on the throttle, because he was the only professional driver running with a bunch of private owners of the other historic cars. The article said that his fear was to come over the top of the hill on the straightaway and suddenly come upon a driver slowing too soon for the Andretti hairpin that lays at the end of the straight.

In fairness to Andrea, he had never been to Laguna before, so he had to learn the course in short order. He said he enjoyed the track a great deal as it was quite different from tracks he is accustomed to in Europe. In true CCWS fashion, the pits were pretty much open to spectators in the F1 garages as long as the crews were able to do their work. It was awesome!

By the way.. the historic races are held each year in conjunction with the Concours d' Elegance at Pebble Beach- a world-class vintage car exposition. This year featured Hispano-Suiza, Rolls Royce, and Ferrari. By Sunday night, I was levitating (as well as salivating)!