Miatas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca 2013
 

The date for Miatas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca 2013 has been set! Mazda has given us the track on April 27-28 for the fourth running of our Miata-only track event. Preliminary details can be found on the event website: MiatasAtMRLS.com.

Registration is set to open on December 15th. Some of the popular run groups fill up quickly, so don't procrastinate.

Costs will be the same as previous years: $250/day for the track and $45 for non-driver participants. The banquet will be an extra-cost option this year so we can give a better experience for everyone - last year we simply got overwhelmed with numbers and the food and space suffered for it.

Yes, there is still a risk of rain on that weekend. We have to fight for track time with some pretty high-profile and established events, and Mazda did a fantastic job of getting us a full weekend. The area only gets about half an inch of rain on average in May, so the odds are on our side.


There's another event in the Monterey area that weekend: the Big Sur marathon. This has a lot of the local hotels booked solid, but we are working on a special deal with a hotel close to the track that will be probably the best price available - don't book your rooms yet. We'll release that information as soon as it's locked down.

We're working hard to make this the best event yet, keeping the best of previous years and adding in a number of new aspects that we think you'll really enjoy. Keep your eyes peeled.

I've done this event the last couple of years and its a BLAST! If you guys are in the area, or can make it, its worth the drive. It's not cheap, but track time at Laguna never is.

The rain last year was... interesting, but not entirely a bad thing. It made for some slow runs in the early AM really wet beginner groups and some really interesting automotive ballet. :rofl: I believe it was Trackmasters that officiated for the on-track portion last year? They did a great job keeping everything straight and running on time.

Laguna Seca is in my back yard, so SUCKS TO YOU ALL trying to find hotels AND compete with the Big Sur Marathon. Being a local, I can tell you that Highway 1 WILL BE CLOSED south of Carmel for pretty much the entire weekend, so plan accordingly. I recommend you GET ON IT as soon as they post a hotel and a group rate on the event website.

Protip: If you want to see how bad a driver you actually are, find the vendors that are doing ride-alongs (FM/949/GoodWin/FCM/TSE) and get on the list early. :facepalm:

Yup, Trackmasters will be running a lot of the track portion again. If it ain't broke, right? We do get a lot of feedback every year, and that'll be taken into account as we plan this year. We've got more time this year than we have in some other years, so that helps.

Highway 1 is only closed on Sunday morning for the race. It should be fully open by 1 pm. There aren't any closures before then.

I lived in Big Sur for 4 years so I have a little experience with this ;) However will I admit I should have said "Highway 1 will be EFFECTIVELY closed all weekend." :giggle: Don't expect to get a room at Esselen/Ventana Inn/Big Sur Lodge/Post Ranch/Deetjen's/Treebones/etc AND be able to move freely to and from the track.

What cars and goodies will you guys be bringing along this year?

Fair enough, I'm only going off official announcements. Good to know about the road access.

(FM hat on) We haven't decided on cars yet. The Targa Miata will be there, no question, as that's my own toy. But we're open to suggestion for the others. Possibly the V8-powered NC if we get that done.

We'll be there. The ST2 version of Crusher will be up and running by then so it, an enduro car and the 95R.

Go catless. :fael:

I'd love to go, but I have to budget for more drugs/6ULs.

The Targa Miata doesn't have cats at the moment, actually - I needed the ground clearance...

What's the point of 6ULs if they never get a chance to play?

We'll be there with Rover giving rides, and possibly with Theseus as well (if I get my act together).

If Theseus is running we'd have to round up Hogan, Fertig, Jennings and see if Rick will give us a standing start 3 lap trophy dash.

Super will have a pax seat for rides as will the 95R. I'll have to try to not miss the 3-4 upshift and zing it to 9200 like I did this year :bang:

FYI, registration opened up on Saturday!

I would love to go but I'm strapped for cash..... someone needs to take video and pics during the event

Definitely gonna try and make this.

Do it - just pretend your practicing for the 25hrs - solo - twice in a week :eek4:

Miatas at Mazda Raceway
 

Great event professionally run by Trackmasters, perfect weather, safe driving and great Miata people. Emilio Cervantes and Keith Tanner must have taken half the paddock out on rides, and the guys at Fat Cat and Trackspeed were more than helpful when the Catfish decided that it didn't want to play at the track. It looks like an MSD box chose this weekend to fail, on top of a series of smaller issues. Oh well. At least I got to eat some great seafood at Fisherman's Wharf.

Rick Weldon who coordinated the event said that they've secured the race track for the 25th anniversary of the Miata next year on the same weekend, and that he and Mazda are already planning something special.

I'm trying to start the rumor that Mazda will give away a new ND next year. It's not true, but maybe if the rumor gets spread around enough they'll give in...

Also, thanks to Rocky at Good-Win Racing for the use of your multi-meter. I could have sworn that it said "don't buy MSD" in an electronic voice while we were testing...

Thanks for an amazing event!

I has a sad, this is the first one of these I've missed. I was unable to attend due to missing registration deadline. Its literally 11.8 miles from my front door to the paddock :loser: