Amid the craziness of Monterey Car Week, there’s one place where you can truly immerse yourself in motorsports history.
Every late summer at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, automotive legends come to life and race around the iconic track for four days during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
There aren’t many places where you can admire the sights and sounds of legendary race cars like Niki Lauda’s 1976 Ferrari 312, plus Ford Mustangs from the 60s and 70s, GT machines, just about every vintage Porsche and even the McMurty Spéirling. as they run laps around the track. But these cars and more – 400 in all – were lined up to take part in this year’s event.
Each car 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, supplemented with drivers and teams dressed in historical clothing. The atmosphere is very similar to a grassroots racing event; you can watch the cars on track for their sessions, then head into the pits to get a closer look and even strike up conversations with the crews.
There’s something magical about standing at the bottom of the famous Laguna Seca Corkscrew and watching these legendary machines thunder lap after lap.
The bountiful crowd fills the viewing areas with chairs and coolers, enjoying every moment.
The unmistakable sounds of Mazda 4-rotor racing engines downshifting into corkscrew and accelerating again puts a smile on my face every time.
Seeing this ex-American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Saleen S7R – a car I read about in high school – speeding around this track was a childhood dream come true. Until then, I had only seen an S7 in street car form at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
Watching these cars compete against their contemporaries is an experience in itself. Despite their collector status, they are driven hard from wheel to wheel, giving the Reunion participants a stunning show.
Nostalgia flows for those who remember these cars from their era, while younger visitors can learn and appreciate the rich history of motorsport at one of the world’s most famous race tracks. There really is nothing like the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
Daniel Baxter
Instagram: danielhasacamera
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