WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a road racing circuit tucked into the hills of Monterey County, California, built in 1957 on land carved from the former Fort Ord Army base. The track hosted its first race on November 9, 1957, after nearby Pebble Beach’s public-road races were judged too dangerous to continue, and it has remained one of North America’s premier motorsports venues ever since.
Owned by Monterey County and operated by the nonprofit Friends of Laguna Seca, the circuit has carried several sponsor names over the decades, most notably a 17-year run as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca before WeatherTech took over the naming rights in 2018. Today the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Grand Prix Circuit hosts IndyCar, IMSA SportsCar Championship, and MotoAmerica events every year, drawing fans from across the country.
Stats at a Glance
- Series Hosted: IndyCar, IMSA SportsCar Championship, MotoAmerica
- Location: Monterey County (Salinas), California
- Opened: November 9, 1957
- Owner/Operator: Monterey County, operated by Friends of Laguna Seca
- Track Length: 2.238 miles (11 turns)
- Elevation Change: About 180 feet
- Capacity: About 120,000 (event grounds)
- Signature Feature: The Corkscrew (Turns 8-8A), a roughly 59-foot elevation drop
The Corkscrew: Racing’s Most Famous Turn
No feature defines Laguna Seca like the Corkscrew, the blind, plunging left-right combination at Turns 8 and 8A. Cars drop an estimated 59 feet in just 450 feet of track, cresting the hill nearly blind before diving downhill through the second apex — a sequence drivers have compared to a roller coaster.
The turn’s most legendary moment came in 1996, when CART driver Alex Zanardi dove inside Bryan Herta through the Corkscrew on the final lap to steal the win, a pass still replayed as one of motorsport’s boldest moves.
A Circuit Shaped by Decades of Racing
The track’s original 1.9-mile layout was extended to its current 2.238-mile configuration in 1988, when a new infield section added the circuit’s present Turns 3, 4, and 5. Over the following decades, Laguna Seca hosted everything from Can-Am and Trans-Am to IMSA Camel GT and CART Indy cars.
After years as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the track adopted its current name in 2018 under a multi-year sponsorship with WeatherTech, while continuing to anchor major weekends for IndyCar, IMSA, and vintage racing through the annual Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
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WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca FAQs
Why is WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca famous?
It’s best known for the Corkscrew, a blind, steeply plunging turn combination (Turns 8 and 8A) widely regarded as one of the most challenging and photographed corners in motorsports.
When did Laguna Seca open?
The circuit opened on November 9, 1957, built on land that was once part of the Fort Ord Army base.
Was it always called WeatherTech Raceway?
No. The track carried various names over the years, including a long run as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, before WeatherTech became the title sponsor in 2018.
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Photo: Gateman1997 (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.