View source for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#333333; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |[[Image:11-LagunaSeca.gif|240px]]
|- style="color:#fff; background:darkred; font-size:larger;"
! colspan=2 |'''Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca'''
|-
|  Nicknames          ||   Laguna Seca 
|-
|  Location           ||   {{flagiconUSA}} [[Monterey, California|Monterey]], [[California]], [[United States|USA]]
|-
|  Time               ||   [[UTC]][[UTC-8|-8]] (UTC[[UTC-7|-7]] [[Daylight  saving  time|DST]])
|-
|  Opened             ||   1957 
|-
|  Events             ||   
'''[[MotoGP]]'''<br>[[United States motorcycle Grand Prix|United States Grand Prix]]<br><br>
'''[[American Le Mans Series]]'''
Monterey Sports Car Championships<br><br>
'''[[Rolex Sports Car Series|Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series]]'''
Monterey Festival of Speed<br><br>
'''[[Monterey Historic Automobile Races]]'''
|-
|  Surface            ||   Paved 
|-
|  Miles  first        ||   True 
|-
|  Length  km          ||   3.602 
|-
|  Length  mi          ||   2.238 
|-
|  Turns              ||   11 
|-
|  Record  driver      ||   Helio Castroneves 
|-
|  Record  time        ||   1:07.722
|-
|  Record  team        ||   Penske 
|-
|  Record  class       ||   Champ Car 
|-
|  Record  year        ||   2000 
|}


'''Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca''' is a paved road racing track (used for both [[auto racing]] and [[Motorcycle sport|motorcycle racing]]) originally built in 1957 near [[Monterey, California|Monterey]], [[California]], [[United States|USA]].  

The current racetrack is 2.238 miles in length (3.58 kilometers), has eleven turns, including the famous (and gut-wrenching) "Corkscrew" at Turns 8 and 8A, and a 300 foot elevation change. 
A variety of racing, exhibition and entertainment events are held at the raceway, ranging from [[superkart]]s to [[American Le Mans]] racing to music festivals. 

== History ==
 
The earliest development of the local area occurred in 1867 with the founding of the nearby [[Laguna Seca Ranch]], which has operated continuously for 140 years with [[grazing]] and [[Equestrianism|equestrian]] uses.

The track was built in 1957 at a cost of $1.5 million raised from local businesses and individuals on part of the US Army's [[Fort Ord]] (a maneuver area and field artillery target range) after the nearby [[Pebble Beach Road Races]] were abandoned for being too dangerous. In 1974, the property was deeded over to the [[Monterey County]] Parks Department and continues to be part of the park system to this day.

The first race, held on [[November 9]], [[1957]], was won by [[Pete Lovely]] (who still races vintage cars to this day) driving a [[Ferrari]]. In the intervening years, the track has hosted USRRC, [[Can Am]], [[Trans-Am]], [[Formula 5000]], [[IMSA GT Championship|IMSA GT]], [[Champ Car]], [[American Le Mans Series]], [[Grand American]], [[Monterey Historic Automobile Races]], and AMA ([[American Motorcyclist Association]]) and [[MotoGP]] motorcycle races.

The day-to-day operations of the track, along with the management and promotion of major racing events, are handled by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a non-profit organization. With oversight by a board of local residents, SCRAMP operates with a professional staff on-site with the goal of generating income through the operations of the racetrack which is then redistributed to local charities.

The track itself has undergone significant changes over the past two decades to meet evolving safety homologation requirements of the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme]] (FIM), [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]](FIA) and other sanctioning bodies. Changes include the addition of the entire infield area in 1988 (present day turns 3, 4, and 5, eliminating the straight that started at present day turn 2 and ended at present day turn 5) extending the track from its original 1.9 mile length to meet the minimum-track-length criteria of the FIM for MotoGp events, plus the more recent relocation of [[pedestrian]] bridges and [[embankments]], and the expansion of [[gravel]] pits outside turns 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 for additional run off. The original media center was demolished in 2006 to make way for additional run-off room in Turn 1. Also in 2006, the 'hump' at the top of the Rahal Straight was flattened to accommodate the MotoGP riders, though some claim that this increases the wind effects that can perturb a race motorcycle.
[[Image:CORKSCREW.JPG|thumb|right|250px|The "Corkscrew" at Turn 8.]]
[[Image:Horag Corkscrew.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A view of the "Corkscrew" from the bottom.]]
The famous Turn 8 and 8A combination, popularly referred to as the Corkscrew, is considered one of the motorsport world's most challenging turns, due to the drop in elevation as well as its blind crest and apex on the uphill approach.

Turn 2, with its difficult and technical double-apex, has been renamed the 'Andretti Hairpin', in honor of former Formula 1 World Champion [[Mario Andretti]], while Turn 9 has been renamed 'Rainey Curve' in honor of 500cc [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing]] World Champion [[Wayne Rainey]], a resident of nearby [[Salinas, California]]. Also the straight that runs between Turn 6 and Turn 7 has been renamed the 'Rahal Straight' after four-time consecutive Champ Car race winner [[Bobby Rahal]].

A [[Champ Car]] World Series weekend had been a prominent event from 1983 through 2004 when its spot on the calendar was shifted to the [[San Jose Grand Prix]]. Perhaps one of the most famous moments of racing took place at Laguna Seca's Corkscrew when [[Alex Zanardi]] passed [[Bryan Herta]] on the inside of the Corkscrew on the last lap of the 1996 CART race to take the victory. Uruguayan driver [[Gonzalo Rodríguez (racing driver)|Gonzalo Rodríguez]] died during the practice session of the 1999 CART race after crashing at the same corner. Champ Car announced on September 11, 2007 that they would be returning the Northern California race to Laguna Seca from San Jose over the May 16-18 weekend in 2008.  But the subsequent merger of Champ Car and [[IndyCar]] resulted in the race being canceled.

The track is also the site of the annual [http://www.montereyhistoric.com Monterey Historics] event sponsored every August by Rolex that sees an extraordinarily eclectic mixture of race cars on the course. Each year features a different marque.  Considered one of the two greatest historic racing events (along with the Goodwood Festival in England), attendance often rivals, or surpasses the professional racing events listed above.

There are many permanent dry and hook-up [[camping]] facilities located at the raceway, which are available year-round as part of the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, the county park in which the racetrack is set.

The track's primary corporate sponsor is [[Mazda]], who hold some of their own events there and display their products at major racing events. As part of the sponsorship, the track is now officially referred to as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The official track record for the 2.238 mile course is 1 minute, 07.722 seconds, set in 2000 by Helio Castroneves while qualifying his Marlboro Team Penske Honda/Reynard for the CART/FedEx Championship Series Honda Grand Prix of Monterey. 

The all-time unofficial lap record around the current configuration is 1 minute, 5.880 seconds, set on [[March 10]], [[2007]] by [[Sébastien Bourdais]] in a Panoz DP01 Champ Car, beating the previous unofficial record of 1 minute, 6.309 seconds, set by Ricardo Zonta in a Toyota TF106 Formula 1 car during the Historics on [[August 20]], [[2006]].


== Other use ==
When not being used by the major events the track can be rented.  Approximately twice a year the [[Sports Car Club of America]] holds regional club races for the San Francisco Region.  Various clubs rent the track throughout the year for informal high performance driving schools that allow the public to drive their own cars at speed.  

The track is featured in [[video games]] such as the [[Gran Turismo (series)|Gran Turismo]] series (including the bike version [[Tourist Trophy (video game)|Tourist Trophy]]), [[Forza Motorsport]], and the [[MotoGP '07|MotoGP]] series.  In a bid to compare real life versus video games, [[Jeremy Clarkson]] of the British automotive show ''[[Top Gear (current format)|Top Gear]]'' attempted to beat his [[Gran Turismo 4|GT4]] time of 1:41.148 in a [[Honda NSX|Honda NSX]] by racing the real track in the same car in 2005.  During the trials, Clarkson determined that the game omitted a few details of the track, and the game's physics allowed him to brake later when coming into turns than he could in real life.  As a consequence, reality prevailed and he managed a best time of only 1:57 on the real course.  However, both he and the track instructor agreed that it is possible to complete the course 1:41 if the driver were sufficiently experienced and talented.

Laguna Seca is home to a branch of the [[Skip Barber Racing School]], which conducts race and street driver training in the paddock area and on the circuit itself on a year-round basis.
[[Image:TGLagunaSecaNSX.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Clarkson attempts to beat his Gran Turismo time against the real Laguna Seca.]]
Laguna Seca and the part of the old [[Fort Ord]] that is now [[Bureau of Land Management]] land annually host the Sea Otter Classic "Celebration of Cycling". As the first major event of the year - typically held in April - it kicks off both the [[road bike]] and [[mountain bike]] seasons.

On [[September 17]], [[1987]], [[Pope John Paul II]] celebrated mass at Laguna Seca Raceway, where 50,000 people had gathered to see him.

In addition, each summer the track and its environs are given over to a large outdoor Christian music festival, [[Spirit West Coast]].

In 2006 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca hosted the world's first all-female Formula racing team, which was put together by producer, [[Todd Baker]]. The group was an assemblage of drivers from different racing disciplines, and formed for an [[MTV]] [[reality television]] pilot.

Parts of the 1977 [[Disney]] film ''[[Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo]]'' were filmed at the track, particularly during the practice and qualifying scenes.

The German automobile maker BMW named one of its colors for the E46 M3 (production years 2001-2006, although this particular color was only offered as a standard option from 2001-2004) Laguna Seca Blue, in honor of the Laguna Seca raceway.


===Race Winners===
====Champ Car/CART====
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Season
! Date
! Winning Driver
! Chassis
! Engine
! Team
|-
| 1983
| [[October 23]]
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Teo Fabi]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]
| [[Cosworth]]
| [[Forsythe Racing]]
|-
| 1984
| [[October 21]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Bobby Rahal]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]
| [[Cosworth]]
| [[TrueSports]]
|-
| 1985
| [[October 6]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Bobby Rahal]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]
| [[Cosworth]]
| [[TrueSports]]
|-
| 1986
| [[October 12]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Bobby Rahal]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]
| [[Cosworth]]
| [[TrueSports]]
|-
| 1987
| [[October 11]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Bobby Rahal]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Cosworth]]
| [[TrueSports]]
|-
| 1988
| [[October 16]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Danny Sullivan]]
| [[Penske Racing|Penske]]
| [[Chevrolet]]-[[Ilmor]]
| [[Penske Racing]]
|-
| 1989
| [[October 15]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Rick Mears]]
| [[Penske Racing|Penske]]
| [[Chevrolet]]-[[Ilmor]]
| [[Penske Racing]]
|-
| 1990
| [[October 21]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Danny Sullivan]]
| [[Penske Racing|Penske]]
| [[Chevrolet]]-[[Ilmor]]
| [[Penske Racing]]
|-
| 1991
| [[October 20]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Michael Andretti]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Chevrolet]]-[[Ilmor]]
| [[Newman/Haas Racing]]
|-
| 1992
| [[October 18]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} Michael Andretti
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Ford-Cosworth]]
| [[Newman/Haas Racing]]
|-
| 1993
| [[October 3]]
| {{flagiconCAN}} [[Paul Tracy]]
| [[Penske Racing|Penske]]
| [[Chevrolet]]-[[Ilmor]]
| [[Penske Racing]]
|-
| 1994
| [[October 2]]
| {{flagiconCAN}} Paul Tracy
| [[Penske Racing|Penske]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz]]-[[Ilmor]]
| [[Penske Racing]]
|-
| 1995
| [[September 9]]
| {{flagiconBRA}} [[Gil de Ferran]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz]]-[[Ilmor]]
| [[Jim Hall (race car driver)|Jim Hall Racing]]
|-
| 1996
| [[September 8]]
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Alex Zanardi]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]
| [[Honda]]
| [[Chip Ganassi Racing]]
|-
| 1997
| [[September 7]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Jimmy Vasser]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]
| [[Honda]]
| [[Chip Ganassi Racing]]
|-
| 1998
| [[September 13]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Bryan Herta]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]
| [[Ford-Cosworth]]
| [[Team Rahal]]
|-
| 1999
| [[September 12]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} Bryan Herta
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]
| [[Ford-Cosworth]]
| [[Team Rahal]]
|-
| 2000
| [[September 10]]
| {{flagiconBRA}} [[Helio Castroneves]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]
| [[Honda]]
| [[Penske Racing]]
|-
| 2001
| [[October 14]]
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Max Papis]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Ford-Cosworth]]
| [[Team Rahal]]
|-
| 2002
| [[June 9]]
| {{flagiconBRA}} [[Cristiano da Matta]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Toyota]]
| [[Newman/Haas Racing]]
|-
| 2003
| [[June 15]]
| {{flagiconCAN}} [[Patrick Carpentier]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Ford-Cosworth]]
| [[Forsythe Racing]]
|-
| 2004
| [[September 12]]
| {{flagiconCAN}} Patrick Carpentier
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Ford-Cosworth]]
| [[Forsythe Racing]]
|}


====Champ Car Marlboro Challenge====
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Season
! Date
! Winning Driver
! Chassis
! Engine
! Team
|-
| 1989
| [[October 14]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Al Unser, Jr.]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Chevrolet]]
| [[Galles Racing]]
|-
| 1991
| [[October 19]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Michael Andretti]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]
| [[Chevrolet]]
| [[Newman/Haas Racing]]
|}


====American Le Mans Series====
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred

! Season
! Class
! Winning Drivers
! Platform
|-
! rowspan="3" | 1999
| LMP
| {{flagiconFIN}} [[JJ Lehto]] / {{flagiconGBR}} [[Steve Soper]]
| [[BMW V12 LMR]]
|-
| GTS
| {{flagiconMonaco}} [[Olivier Beretta]] / {{flagiconAUT}} [[Karl Wendlinger]]
| [[Dodge Viper GTS-R]]
|-
| GT
| {{flagiconGBR}} [[Johnny Mowlem]] / {{flagiconUSA}} [[David Murry]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3]]-RSR
|-
! rowspan="3"| 2000
| LMP
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Rinaldo Capello]] / {{flagiconGBR}} [[Allan McNish]]
| [[Audi R8 (race car)|Audi R8]]
|-
| GTS
| {{flagiconMonaco}} [[Olivier Beretta]] / {{flagiconAUT}} [[Karl Wendlinger]]
| [[Dodge Viper GTS]]-R
|- 
| GT
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Hans Joachim Stuck]] / {{flagiconUSA}} [[Boris Said]]
| [[BMW M3|BMW M3 GT]] 
|-
! rowspan="4" | [[2001 Monterey Sports Car Championships|2001]]
| LMP900
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Frank Biela]] / {{flagiconITA}} [[Emanuele Pirro]]
| [[Audi R8 (race car)|Audi R8]]
|-
| LMP675
| {{flagiconVEN}} [[Milka Duno]] / {{flagiconBEL}} [[Didier de Radigues]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]] 01Q-[[Judd (engine)|Judd]]
|-
| GTS
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Terry Borcheller]] / {{flagiconAUT}} [[Franz Konrad]]
| [[Saleen S7]]-R
|-
| GT
| {{flagiconFIN}} [[JJ Lehto]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Jörg Müller]]
| [[BMW M3 GTR]]
|-
! rowspan="4" | [[2002 Monterey Sports Car Championships|2002]]
| LMP900
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Emanuele Pirro]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Frank Biela]]
| [[Audi R8 (race car)|Audi R8]]
|-
| LMP675
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Chad Block]] / {{flagiconUSA}} [[Steve Knight]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Claudia Hürtgen]]
| [[MG-Lola EX257]]
|-
| GTS
| {{flagiconCZE}} [[Tomáš Enge]] / {{flagiconNetherlands}} [[Peter Kox]]
| [[Ferrari 550 Maranello]]
|-
| GT
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Lucas Luhr]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Sascha Maassen]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3]]-RS
|-
! rowspan="4" | [[2003 Monterey Sports Car Championships|2003]]
| LMP900
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Frank Biela]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Marco Werner]]
| [[Audi R8 (race car)|Audi R8]]
|-
| LMP675
| {{flagiconGBR}} [[James Weaver (racing driver)|James Weaver]] / {{flagiconUSA}} [[Butch Leitzinger]]
| [[MG-Lola EX257]]
|-
| GTS
| {{flagiconDEN}} [[Jan Magnussen]] / {{flagiconAUS}} [[David Brabham]]
| [[Ferrari 550 Maranello]]
|-
| GT
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Sascha Maassen]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Lucas Luhr]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3]]-RSR
|-
! rowspan="4" | [[2004 Monterey Sports Car Championships|2004]]
| LMP1
| {{flagiconGBR}} [[Johnny Herbert]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Pierre Kaffer]]
| [[Audi R8 (race car)|Audi R8]]
|-
| LMP2
| {{flagiconGBR}} [[Ian James]] / {{flagiconUSA}} [[James Gue]]
| [[Courage Compétition|Courage]] C65-[[Advanced Engine Research|AER]]
|-
| GT1
| {{flagiconMonaco}} [[Olivier Beretta]] / {{flagiconGBR}} [[Oliver Gavin]]
| [[Chevrolet Corvette C5-R]]
|-
| GT2
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Timo Bernhard]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Jörg Bergmeister]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3]]-RSR
|-
! rowspan="4" | [[2005 Monterey Sports Car Championships|2005]]
| LMP1
| {{flagiconGBR}} [[Tom Chilton]] / {{flagiconJPN}} [[Hayanari Shimoda]]
| [[Zytek 04S]]
|-
| LMP2
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Sascha Maassen]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Lucas Luhr]]
| [[Porsche RS Spyder]]
|-
| GT1
| {{flagiconMonaco}} [[Olivier Beretta]] / {{flagiconGBR}} [[Oliver Gavin]]
| [[Chevrolet Corvette C6.R]]
|-
| GT2
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Patrick Long]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Jörg Bergmeister]]
| [[Porsche 911 GT3]]-RSR
|-
! rowspan="4" | [[2006 Monterey Sports Car Championships|2006]]
| LMP1
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Rinaldo Capello]] / {{flagiconGBR}} [[Allan McNish]]
| [[Audi R10]]
|-
| LMP2
| {{flagiconFRA}} [[Romain Dumas]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Lucas Luhr]]
| [[Porsche RS Spyder]]
|-
| GT1
| {{flagiconFRA}} [[Stephane Sarrazin]] / {{flagiconPOR}} [[Pedro Lamy]]
| [[Aston Martin DBR9]]
|-
| GT2
| {{flagiconFIN}} [[Mika Salo]] / {{flagiconMonaco}} [[Stéphane Ortelli]]
| [[Ferrari 430]]GT
|-
! rowspan=4 | [[2007 Monterey Sports Car Championships|2007]]
| LMP1
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Rinaldo Capello]] / {{flagiconGBR}} [[Allan McNish]]
| [[Audi R10]]
|-
| LMP2
| {{flagiconFRA}} [[Romain Dumas]] / {{flagiconGER}} [[Timo Bernhard]]
| [[Porsche RS Spyder]] Evo
|-
| GT1
| {{flagiconGBR}} [[Oliver Gavin]] / {{flagiconMON}} [[Olivier Beretta]]
| [[Chevrolet Corvette C6.R]]
|-
| GT2
| {{flagiconFIN}} [[Mika Salo]] / {{flagiconBRA}} [[Jaime Melo]]
| [[Ferrari F430]]GT
|}


====A1 Grand Prix====
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Season
! Sprint Race Winner
! Feature Race Winner
|-
| 2005-2006
| {{flagiconMEX}} [[Salvador Durán]]
| {{flagiconMEX}} [[Salvador Durán]]
|}

====500cc/Moto GP====

{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:300px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Year
! Race Winner
! Team/Bike
|-
| 1988
| {{flagiconUnited States}} [[Eddie Lawson]]
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|-
| 1989
| {{flagiconUnited States}} [[Wayne Rainey]]
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|-
| 1990
| {{flagiconUnited States}} [[Wayne Rainey]]
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|-
| 1991
| {{flagiconUnited States}} [[Wayne Rainey]]
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|-
| 1993
| {{flagiconUnited States}}  [[John Kocinski]]
| [[Cagiva]]
|-
| 1994
| {{flagiconItaly}}  [[Luca Cadalora]]
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|-
| 2005
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Nicky Hayden]] 
| [[Repsol YPF|Repsol]] [[Honda RC211V]]
|- 
|2006
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Nicky Hayden]]
| [[Repsol YPF|Repsol]] [[Honda RC211V]]
|-
|2007
| {{flagiconAustralia}} [[Casey Stoner]]
| [[Ducati]] [[Ducati Desmosedici#GP7|Desmosedici GP7]]
|}


=== Formula One ===
In 1989, the year following the last [[United States Grand Prix East|Formula One race in Detroit]], choices for a new location for the United States Grand Prix came down to Laguna Seca and [[Phoenix street circuit|Phoenix]]. The aforementioned 1988 improvements to the track were in part made to lure the race. In the final decision, Laguna Seca was thought to be too small for an F1 crowd and too remote, and Phoenix was granted the Grand Prix (which was highly unsuccessful and only lasted three years).

===Lap records===
On [[August 20]], [[2006]], [[Toyota F1]] test driver [[Ricardo Zonta]] set a new lap record of 1'06.309. The previous record time was 1'07.722, set by [[Helio Castroneves]] in a Penske [[Champ Car]] during the 2000 CART Honda Grand Prix of Monterey. The record was re-taken by a Champ Car on [[March 10]], [[2007]] by [[Sébastien Bourdais]], who lapped in 1'05.880 during Champ Car Spring Training.

Since Zonta's time and Bourdais' times were set during an exhibition and testing (respectively) and official records can only be set in race conditions, either in qualifying or during a race, they are unofficial times.  The official record remains 1:07.722 set by Helio Castroneves in qualifying for the 2000 race.


==External links==
*[http://www.laguna-seca.com/ Laguna Seca Raceway official site]
*[http://www.americanlemans.com/home/index.asp  American Le Mans Series]
*[http://www.seaotterclassic.com/ Sea Otter Classic]
*[http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Mazda_Laguna_Seca Trackpedia guide to Laguna Seca]
*[http://www.mcqueenonline.com/lagunaseca.htm Steve McQueen raced at Leguna Seca in 1959]


{{Champ Car Tracks}}
{{Grand-Am circuits}}
{{ALMS circuits}}
{{A1GP Circuits}}
{{MotoGP circuits}}
{{SBK circuits}}


[[Category:Champ Car race tracks]]
[[Category:A1 Grand Prix venues]]
[[Category:Grand Prix motorcycle racing circuits]]
[[Category:World Superbike racing circuits]]