It's Laguna Seca once again! | FerrariChat

It's Laguna Seca once again!

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by intrepidcva11, Dec 20, 2017.

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  1. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    Jan 12, 2009
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    Seth
    Mazda has ended its naming sponsorship of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca after seventeen years and the beloved track will once again be known simply as Laguna Seca. It's what I've always called it since attending my first race weekend there in the autumn of 1958 when the track was on federal property, an Army base, Fort Ord. It was known as America's most beautiful Army base. I stayed that weekend at the Fort Ord B.O.Q. for $1./night. Hard to believe it was almost sixty years ago.
     
    wiley355 and paulchua like this.
  2. willrace

    willrace Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 21, 2006
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    Kurt
    Now, if we can get Sears Point back to being Sears Point, we'll be on the right track. <rimshot>
     
    GuyIncognito likes this.
  3. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 30, 2007
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    I still don't understand why they went with Sonoma Raceway instead of reverting to Sears Point after the Infineon sponsorship ended.

    Also, naming rights for racetracks is silly.
     
  4. tervuren

    tervuren Formula 3

    Apr 30, 2006
    2,469
    It seems that is what the sponsors paying for them are concluding.

    If you sign a life time deal at the beginning, I can understand, but if you hop along when a track has history, the fans will still call it by the old name.
     
  5. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    Seth
    Guys, it is all a matter of perceived value. At the outset, Mazda which had gone into racing, even to the point of supporting the Miata spec racing series, believed that the publicity was worth the expense. After these, I think 17 years, they've concluded that it is no longer worth the expense. Very uncomplicated.
     
  6. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 30, 2007
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    Mazda was in racing long before and will be in racing long after their MRLS deal. it didn't make sense to me when it was announced, so why did it take them 17 years to come to that conclusion?

    same with Infineon, Lowes, et al.
     
  7. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Nov 3, 2003
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    Barton Workman
    It's quite likely more related to the naming rights game the that started with stick & ball sports stadiums and
    the tracks figured it would be a good way to earn income a-la NFL, MLB and NBA facilities.

    In stick & ball sports though, there is a real value in it, in race tracks not so much.

    Then, there is the constant political upheaval surrounding Laguna Seca. The SCRAMP organization
    and the mess they've got out there surfaces almost annually, would surely be enough to run any name
    sponsor off.

    BHW
     
  8. F1tommy

    F1tommy F1 World Champ
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    Dec 15, 2007
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    I think this is great. I like the old name a lot better. This is a fun track to visit, but not much shade. I can't believe it has been 25 years since I first visited the place. Loved it when they ran the FIA sportscar races there in the late 1990's along with the historics and ALMS.
     
  9. Turbopanzer

    Turbopanzer F1 World Champ

    Oct 2, 2011
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    Panzer
    Laguna Seca......has a nice ring to it....again. But if the natives continue to attack it, I think Happy Acres resort community may find its way on to the sign.
     
  10. TeamF1Jr

    TeamF1Jr Formula 3
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    Nov 8, 2003
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    Regarding sponsorship in general , are you telling me you guys didn't used to say " Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro" Seriously, I do admit some of the NBA arenas I do tend to say the sponsor name if it's short, like "The Q" which is for Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland or the Staples Center instead of Lakers arena, but when it comes to racing admittedly I think I used to say Marlboro Team Penske back in the 90s and Team Kool Green. I don't ever remember ever saying Texaco Kmart Newman Haas, it was just Newman Haas. I guess it all depends if it's short, if it rolls off the tongue or if it sounds "cooler"
     
  11. Rosso328

    Rosso328 F1 Veteran
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    Dec 11, 2006
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    Paul
    That $600K per year paid for an awful lot of maintenance and improvements over the years. I'm sure Monterey County will step right up and fill that budget gap. Yeah. Right.
     
  12. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    you've got the heart of it, Paul
     
  13. Enzojr

    Enzojr F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2013
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    Tomy
    Flashback ;)
    Summer of 72' I was in basic training at Ft Ord.
    They loaded all of us up in cattle cars, and took us to Laguna Sega for the day to watch motorcycle racing.
    The ONLY fond memory of basic training I have.
     

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