Laguna Seca Raceway

Laguna Seca Raceway
1021 Monterey Hwy
Salinas, CA 93942
(831) 648-5111 (voice)
(831) 373-0533 (fax)
www.laguna-seca.com
race@laguna-seca.com

Comments:

Located about near Monterey, the weather at Laguna Seca is subject to the normal northern California coastal weird weather. It could be sunny and warm one minute, overcast and raining the next. The paddock area is pretty large, so there should be no problem getting the space you need for your pit. The gates are open 24 hours and although the AMA advised that there was no motorhome camping allowed in the paddock, for a $90 it was allowed at the 1999 event. There are also a number of motorhome campsites dotting the hills around the track. Call ahead and reserve one if you plan to stay there. Electricity is available along the hot pit wall, canopies are allowed there as well.

Racing notes:

Grab a track map off of Laguna's home page and come along with Bob for a lap:

The keys to Laguna are late apexes, corner speed, using all the track, a light hand on the brakes, and most important, reference points. Many areas of the track are blind - you can't see the track ahead until you're there.

Head up the front straight fast and hard. I noticed some telephone poles off-track that I used as aiming points to carry a worry-free line over the rise and through the kink of T1. Stay on the gas down the backside of the hill until it's time to brake for T2.

Drop three gears and tip it through T2. There are a few different lines through here. Swoop the whole thing as one big curve, single apex deep in the middle, or double apex it on a wide line. Take your pick, run out to the right side of the track on the exit and get on the gas for the drive to T3.

Swing over to the left side of the track and set up for T3. Depending on your gearing and speed, you might need to grab a gear, then drop a gear before tipping it in. I ran 3.0 gearing in 1999 and was just nudging red-line as I rolled off to settle the front and tip it into the turn. Wait, wait, wait for the apex, knee over the curb and roll it through. This corner lowsides a lot of bikes - get comfortable with it before pushing too hard.

Grab a gear on the short straight before T4, wait for the apex, carry the speed, knee over the curb, and haul ass to T5. Grab two gears on the way. Set up for T5 on the right side of the track. There are braking markers there, I used #3 drop two gears, brake lightly and tip it into the turn.

Don't be alarmed if the front end wiggles a bit as you head up the hill to T6. Grab two gears on the way up. As you come under the bridge, brake a bit, drop a gear, and power through the turn all the way to the outside of the track. There's a drainage dip at the apex, a lot like the one in T9 at Willow. If your suspension is set up correctly you should be able to power right through it.

Get on the gas hard to make the drive up the hill to T7, grabbing a couple of gears on the way. T7 is more of a kink than a turn, but the track levels out there for just a bit. If you like to nail power wheelies, this is the place. The front end gets very light as you come through there - grab a gear as the track levels out and you'll be doing stand-up wheelies like a pro! Otherwise, keep your weight up front to keep the front end down. Work your way to the left of the track to set up for the top of the hill and the Corkscrew.

Roll off the throttle a bit as you crest the top of the track. Brake moderately hard, drop two gears, and look hard to the left for your reference point. I usually use some part of the hay bails / tire wall lining the outside of the track. Wait too late to turn in and you'll run up the curbing on the right side as you drop down the Corkscrew. You can't see the right curbing until you head down the track, so watch it until you're comfortable with your reference point.

As you reach the bottom of the Corkscrew the bike's suspension will compress. Use that to help your drive down to T9. Grab a gear before tipping it over for T9. The inside line through T9 is a great passing zone. The fast line is to run it wide, wide apex, giving it as much gas as you dare. Wait for the apex, stay on the gas, use all the track and head for T10.

Grab another gear before T10, drop it back down before setting up of the turn. Set up on the left side of the track for your entrance. There are two brake markers on the left side of the track - I used them more as turn-in markers than brake markers. You need to carry your speed through the turn. Watch the apex for a couple of hard dips that will compress the front end and pound it down. Gas it out to the left side of the track, grab a gear, and get ready for T11.

Like most slow 90-degree turns, throttle control is important in T11. You can't get on the gas if the bike is bobbing and weaving from getting hard on the brakes, off, then back on the throttle. T11 leads onto the front straight, so a smooth, quick line is essential to getting a good drive up the straight. Run it out wide, all the way up on the rumple strip on the exit and haul ass for you next lap.

Bob