Hagerty’s Celebration of Motorsports highlights the joy of high-performance driving
The second annual Celebration of Motorsports was the ride of a lifetime. Held on one of the world’s most challenging road courses, Weathertech Laguna Seca in Monterey California, participants rode alongside a host of professional drivers who drove the sinewy course at speed.
Those drivers included Formula 1 champion Jensen Button, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Patrick Long, and IndyCar driver Lyn St. James. The Radford driving school supplied a fleet of Lotus Evora GTs and a Dodge Hellcat. Long drove his personal 911.
The riders were a mix of experienced drivers and those who had never been on the track. Laguna is an especially wild experience because of its dramatic hills and the infamous corkscrew complex. That feature begins with an uphill climb followed by a tight left hander and then a steep and blind downhill right turn. “I’ve watched cars on the corkscrew for years,” commented one participant, “But never knew how the drivers can’t really see the downhill until they’re already on it. It’s kind of terrifying but also thrilling.”
Hagerty provided this first-hand experience to further its purpose to preserve driving and car culture for future generations. Hagerty Drivers Club members received a discount off the $150 ticket price.
After two hours on nonstop driving, everyone gathered in the pit lane and swapped stories of their rides. Ant Anstead and Chip Foose stopped by to watch the action. To make sure you don’t miss next year’s event, either enroll in the Drivers Club or sign up to motorsportreg.com.
