Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/856465
C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 7 163 T hree-time 500cc World Champ- ion and current MotoAmerica president Wayne Rainey remem- bers his first motorcycle race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, back in 1982. The dirt track-trained rider had joined the road rac- ing circuit, and his AMA Superbike colleagues talked up the venue's speed, technicality and iconic corkscrew turn. "The riders were always telling me, 'Wait until you get to Laguna Seca…' I had this vision of it being a crazy-amazing track, and it didn't disappoint," says Rainey, who now lives in Carmel Valley. He won several United States Grand Prix races at the Highway 68 facility, and track officials named turn nine—his favorite corner—the "Rainey Curve" after an accident ended his racing career in 1993. "From a rider's perspective, Laguna Seca has a little bit of everything: blind turns, big corners, it's a little off-camber," Rainey says. "When you win at Laguna Seca on a motorcycle, you really feel like you have an edge. Everybody knows how difficult it is to win here." Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca continues to challenge drivers at all levels, six decades after Monterey County business leaders teamed up to construct the track. It also captivates both motorsports enthusiasts and casual fans. More than 1.2 million visitors attend annual races, driving clinics and other events at the facility. "People are passionate about this venue. We have dedicated fans in all corners of the world," says Gill Campbell, CEO and general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. "It is the ultimate in a race track. It has soul, spirit and history." The facility's first race took place in November 1957, just three months after the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) negotiated a lease for Photo: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca