WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca at a glance
- Location
- Salinas, California
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 2.238 mi (3.602 km)
- Turns
- 11
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Elevation change
- 180 ft
- Opened
- 1957
- Owner
- Monterey County
- Address
- 1021 Monterey-Salinas Hwy
- Phone
- +1 831-242-8201
- Website
- weathertechraceway.com
Track map and layout
At just 2.238 miles, Laguna Seca packs more elevation change and character into its 11 corners than almost any other US road course. The lap climbs hard out of the pits toward the Andretti Hairpin, sweeps through a fast, uphill esses section, then arrives at the track's defining feature: the Corkscrew, where the road drops 59 feet through a blind, off-camber double-apex left-right in a matter of seconds. From there the circuit drops down through Rainey Curve and a long, sweeping run back toward the front straight. The compact footprint, big elevation swings, and the pure adrenaline of committing to the Corkscrew blind make Laguna Seca a bucket-list track for drivers and riders alike, even though it is shorter and less technical in raw corner count than many modern circuits.
Named corners and sections
- Andretti Hairpin (Turn 2). A tight, off-camber hairpin named for Mario Andretti, one of the few real braking zones on the lap.
- The Corkscrew (Turns 8/8A). The track's signature feature: a blind, downhill double-apex left-right combination that drops roughly 59 feet in elevation, famous for the leap-of-faith entry.
- Rainey Curve (Turn 9). A fast, sweeping right-hander named for motorcycle champion Wayne Rainey, exited at speed after the Corkscrew drop.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full Grand Prix Circuit | 2.238 mi | 11-turn configuration used for all major professional racing |
Events and race weekends
Laguna Seca's calendar centers on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the spring and the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey (IndyCar) around Labor Day weekend, which for years has served as the IndyCar season finale. MotoAmerica Superbikes bring domestic motorcycle racing each summer. The circuit is equally famous for its historic events: the Monterey Motorsports Reunion and, in alternating years, the Rolex Motorsports Reunion, celebrate vintage racing during Monterey Car Week, drawing some of the most valuable historic race cars in the world.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship | IMSA | May | |
| MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest | MotoAmerica | July | |
| Monterey Motorsports Reunion | Vintage racing | August | part of Monterey Car Week |
| Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey | IndyCar | September | long-time IndyCar season finale |
Getting there and parking
Laguna Seca sits in the hills above Salinas and Monterey, roughly 8 miles from downtown Monterey and about 80 miles south of San Jose. Most visitors fly into San Jose or Monterey Regional Airport and drive in via Highway 68. Race weekends, especially the IndyCar finale and Car Week events, bring heavy traffic on the two-lane approach roads.
- Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) · about 20 min drive
- San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) · about 75 min drive
Parking
General parking is included with most event tickets; premium and RV parking areas sell out ahead of major weekends, particularly during Car Week.
Book accommodation and campsites for Car Week and the IndyCar finale many months in advance, as the entire Monterey Peninsula fills up during those weekends.
Hotels and camping near WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
The Laguna Seca Recreation Area itself is one of the most popular trackside camping destinations in American motorsport, with hundreds of campsites overlooking the circuit. Visitors who prefer hotels typically base themselves in Monterey, Salinas, or Seaside, though rooms across the entire Peninsula sell out and prices spike heavily during Car Week in August.
Where to look
Monterey, Salinas, Seaside, and Marina are the main hotel bases; Carmel-by-the-Sea offers a higher-end alternative a short drive away.
Camping
Laguna Seca Recreation Area offers over 250 campsites, many with direct views into the track, available for both race weekends and year-round recreational camping.
RV
Dry camping and RV sites with hookups are available within the Recreation Area; sites for major events are reserved well in advance.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Laguna Seca hosts a busy calendar of open-lapping days and structured HPDE events run by third-party organizers, alongside professional racing schools that use the circuit as a home base. The Corkscrew and the blind uphill esses make it one of the more intimidating tracks to learn, so most providers strongly recommend instructed novice groups for first-timers.
Who runs days here
- Skip Barber Racing Schoolcar
- Hooked on Drivingcar
- LightSpeed Track Eventscar
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndyCar (outright) | 1:08.4168 | Alex Palou | Dallara IR-18 | 2023 |
| IMSA GTP (qualifying) | 1:12.445 | Sebastien Bourdais | — | 2024 |
| MotoGP | 1:21.539 | Marc Marquez | — | 2013 |
Spectator guide
The natural hillside terrain at Laguna Seca gives spectators unusually good sightlines for a US road course, especially around the Corkscrew, where crowds gather to watch cars drop into the blind downhill section. General admission hillside viewing is included with most tickets, while grandstands line the front straight and start/finish area for a closer view of the racing action.
Seating
Grandstands along the front straight and start/finish; general-admission hillsides around the Corkscrew and Turn 5 are the most popular free-roam viewing areas.
Best places to watch
The hill above the Corkscrew is the single most iconic vantage point in American motorsport, offering a view of cars committing to the blind drop.
Weather
- May: mild coastal weather, highs around 65-70°F with morning fog common
- August-September: warmer and drier, highs in the 70s-80s°F, cool mornings and evenings
History of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
From a dry lake to a world-famous circuit
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca opened in November 1957, built on land above a seasonal dry lake bed (laguna seca in Spanish) after the popular but dangerous public-road Pebble Beach Road Races were shut down following a fatal accident. Monterey County developed the new permanent circuit specifically to give sports car racing a safer home on the Peninsula, and it has been owned by the county ever since, operated for decades by the nonprofit SCRAMP and, more recently, Friends of Laguna Seca.
The Corkscrew and motorsport folklore
The track's compact, hilly footprint produced one of racing's most famous corners, the Corkscrew, a blind, plunging double-apex sequence that has generated some of the sport's most replayed moments, including Alex Zanardi's audacious inside pass on Bryan Herta at the 1996 CART race. Laguna Seca hosted the United States motorcycle Grand Prix at various points and became a fixture on the IMSA sports car calendar and a long-running host of the IndyCar season finale around Labor Day weekend.
Reunion and present day
Beyond modern professional racing, Laguna Seca is equally celebrated for its historic events during Monterey Car Week, when the Monterey Motorsports Reunion (and, in alternating years, the Porsche-affiliated Rolex Reunion) brings together priceless vintage race cars for genuine on-track competition rather than parade laps. The track was known as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from 2013 until WeatherTech took over title sponsorship in 2019. Today it remains one of the most demanding and beloved short circuits in the world, balancing a full professional racing calendar with trackside camping, club racing, and driving schools that keep the Corkscrew busy year-round.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Laguna Seca?+
The Grand Prix circuit is 2.238 miles (3.602 km) with 11 turns, one of the shortest tracks on the major US racing calendar.
What is the Corkscrew?+
The Corkscrew is Laguna Seca's signature turn, a blind, downhill double-apex left-right combination (Turns 8 and 8A) that drops about 59 feet in elevation.
Can the public drive Laguna Seca?+
Yes. Organizers such as Hooked on Driving and LightSpeed Track Events run regular HPDE and open track days, and Skip Barber Racing School bases driving instruction there.
Is there camping at Laguna Seca?+
Yes, the Laguna Seca Recreation Area has over 250 campsites, including RV hookup sites, many with views into the circuit.
What is the Monterey Motorsports Reunion?+
It is Laguna Seca's historic racing event held during Monterey Car Week each August, featuring genuine on-track competition among vintage race cars.
What racing series visit Laguna Seca each year?+
IMSA, IndyCar, and MotoAmerica are the main professional series, alongside vintage racing during Car Week.
Other tracks nearby
- Sonoma Raceway · 116 mi · road course
- Thunderhill Raceway Park · 207 mi · road course
- Willow Springs International Raceway · 229 mi · road course
- Grand Prix of Long Beach · 280 mi · street circuit
- Auto Club Speedway / California Speedway · 295 mi · oval
- Fox Raceway at Pala · 346 mi · motocross
Facts checked against 6 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.