WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Kicks-Off Monterey Car Week - Speedway Digest

After a one-year hiatus along the Peninsula, Monterey Car Week returns to the Central Coast with the singular goal of bringing smiles and a sense of normalcy to the community.

Starting the highly anticipated week off is WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca’s Kick-Off Car Show, which will display authentic race cars actively participating in the Monterey Pre-Reunion on Downtown Monterey’s famed Alvarado Street. Attendees are both able and encouraged to meet with drivers and connect with history up close and personal – something few other race tracks offer to fans.

The show, which is free for everyone, will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, August 6, with all 24 roaring high-octane cars being escorted to Alvarado Street by the California Highway Patrol. Cibo Italiano Ristorante will be offering drink specials with a DJ playing, and tickets for Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will be raffled off. The event will conclude at 7 p.m., when the cars rev up and return to the fabled circuit to prepare for the weekend’s event.

The Monterey Pre-Reunion, premiering August 7-8, serves as a chance for drivers and teams to get additional track time before the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which takes place the following weekend. Both events are exciting ways to watch vintage race cars thrive in their natural habitat. With eight different run groups crossing the checkered line, there’s plenty of racing for everyone to enjoy.

Since 2010, the coastal road course commences Monterey Car Week with the car show to give locals a sample of the thrill WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca brings to the Peninsula. Races during the week feature cars ranging from new race cars to vintage race cars from pre-1920 – and the Kick-Off Car Show embraces the vintage aura of such a historic track.

Among those on display will be a 1966 Bizzarrini 5300 GT America housing a 327 cubic inch Corvette engine – one of 114 ever built, and this special car is the only one racing in the United States. For added flair, a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 will be proudly shown, as well as a 1973 BMW CSL. Many other jaw-dropping cars will be parked, with model years varying from 1958 to 1988.

Come this weekend, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will keep up the tradition as children under 15 are granted free entry with a ticketed adult. Encompassing fans of all ages, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will have a Ferris wheel within the Kid-Zone. Go-Karts, for the first time since 2019, will be active on Saturday, August 14, for anyone seeking a thrill in a set and challenging course. For race fans 21 and older, a Beer Garden featuring local beers will be set up, accompanied by local wines to sample and tasty sides.

For tickets to either the Monterey Pre-Reunion or the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, click here.

(Courtesy of WeatherTech raceway)

Author
Recent Posts

Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.