Porsche and Laguna Seca, like peanut butter and jelly
For a lot of Porsche followers, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the Monterey Peninsula in California has basically served because the German automaker’s unofficial house base. That is due to not simply many Porsche sports activities automotive victories on the observe over the many years but in addition its current position as host for a number of editions of Porsche’s haloed Rennsport Reunion, multi-day gatherings of rabid Porsche followers and astounding Porsche vehicles from across the globe.
Properly, that unofficial marriage simply obtained a bit extra actual, as Porsche Automobiles North America officers introduced on Might 5 that its storied marque is now The Official Automobile of the raceway, which is itself experiencing a renaissance in management and path.
Now you possibly can wring out a brand new Porsche at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
So what does this all really imply? For one, it hyperlinks Porsche to the raceway in a extra formal sponsorship partnership, which can embrace a Porsche (no phrase on which mannequin, however I might vote for a 911 GT3 RS) serving because the official security automotive for the TireRack.com Monterey Sportscar Championship IMSA race weekend, Might Sep 11. The race will probably be broadcast stay on Sunday, Might 11, at midday PDT/3 p.m. EDT on NBC.
However definitely much more thrilling for Porsche-philes is phrase that the observe will play host to a different location for the automaker’s thrill-a-minute Porsche Driving Expertise, which affords homeowners and would-be homeowners alike a bunch of driving faculty choices that vary from suggestions for teen drivers to hardcore on-track tutorials from execs. The prevailing PDE places are on the firm’s HQ in Atlanta as effectively at its Porsche Driving Expertise Los Angeles observe in Carson.
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For longtime Porsche racer, restorer and observe board member Bruce Canepa, the partnership is a pure
“Lots of the biggest moments in motorsport historical past have occurred at Laguna Seca,” Timo Resch, President and CEO of PCNA, stated in a press release. “We’re excited to be a component within the observe’s thrilling plans for the long run and to permit the following technology of fanatics to get behind the wheel of a Porsche.”
The partnership little doubt was inked with the deft stewardship of ex-racer, famous traditional automotive restoration store proprietor and Porsche devotee Bruce Canepa, who helped Invoice Gates and others with the importation of Porsche’s rest-of-the-world supercar, the 959, and at the moment is the only real distributor for Kalmar, a high-end Porsche restomod (assume Singer, however from Europe).
“We’re thrilled to welcome Porsche because the official automotive of Laguna Seca,” stated Canepa, who additionally serves as a Mates of Laguna Seca board member. “I’ve been a fan and proprietor of their vehicles for 5 many years. This partnership brings collectively two iconic manufacturers, and we’re excited to have fun our collective histories and race into the long run collectively.”
Ever heard of The Corkscrew? There’s nothing fairly prefer it in North America
Porsche’s legacy is intensive at this historic observe, which opened in 1957 as a proper location for races that beforehand had wound by means of the Del Monte forests close to Pebble Seaside. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has thus far hosted 4 Rennsport Reunions relationship again 15 years.
In 2023, Rennsport Reunion 7 featured historic and new Porsches, prime Porsche firm officers, and 91,000 followers throughout the four-day occasion. As well as, final 12 months Porsche notched it is 600th and 601st IMSA victories on the observe, whereas final February a Taycan Turbo GT grew to become the quickest series-production EV to lap Laguna with a time of 1:27.87.
For these of you who’ve been to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, you recognize all about The Corkscrew, a sinuous left into a tough proper that drops precipitously on the bottom of the observe, a well-known flip that requires you to purpose the nostril of your automotive not at a cone however fairly a hillside tree, so steep is the dropoff. And so enjoyable.
For those who’ve by no means skilled it, Porsche’s new driving faculty at Laguna Seca will treatment that pronto. This system is slated to open up in 2026. Get in line now.
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