Laguna Seca - - Salinas, CA Review

Sponsored by Red Bull, with no expenses spared, held at Mazda Raceway,  in the hills of Monterey, California, Laguna Seca is the favorite Road Race of the year. Racers and fans from around the world will be there filling the Monterey Peninsula with motorcycles. The cream of the crop of racers will be competing for Round 11 of the Moto GP season coming directly from the previous week race in Sachsenring, Germany.

Approximately 70,000 plus people per day will be attending.  A large vendor midway loaded with motorcycle accessories, clothing, etc. is right at the track. The food courts are surprisingly good for race track food. There are plenty of vendors for all libations. Weather has been known to be cool, however, unfortunately last year had record hot temperatures. The race is so exciting, weather is never a problem.

Ducati Island is off on its own beside the Midway for all Ducati lovers. It really is a peninsula on water inside the speedway that has numerous Ducati vendors, museum bikes and hundreds of spectators Ducatis. If you will ride your Ducati you are allowed to park on Ducati island. The Ducati people are so generous that showing you Ducati key will provide you with free lunch in the large Ducati tents.  

The race track is only a 20 minute drive from downtown Monterey, a great seaside town full of  great places and good food. It is packed, so reservations are needed early. The nights during the GP in Monterey have thousands of motorcycles converging on Canary Row,  right on the ocean in the old Sardine district. What a great way to view bikes! 

This is the Roadrace to be at. The spectating at Laguna Seca is comparable to no other track in the US, loaded with hills and turns, with one of the most famous turns in racing in the US.  The "Corkscrew Turn" is named because riders crest the hill through a series of switchback turns while dropping approximately four stories in height.

If you could only go to one US Motorcycle Roadrace in a year, this would have to be it. The website for more information www.usgplagunaseca.com.