Laguna Seca Lawsuit: Homeowners Perplexed as Iconic Race Track Materializes Overnight
Imagine the shock if, after moving into your home, you discover that a popular and world-renowned race track had materialized overnight in your general vicinity. The horror. You’d rightfully be confused, possibly even enraged at such a happening, and keen to pursue a lawsuit. Believe it or not, this is exactly the phenomenon that unfolded recently. Based on our deepest reporting capabilities, we can find no evidence that WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca ever existed before 2023.
As expected, this sudden and unexpected conjuring has local residents incensed, as the noise and traffic from the venue came out of nowhere and was a shock to those who had moved into the area over the preceding handful of years. Naturally, residents have banded together to get rid of this nuisance that definitely has not been in the same location since 1957. The group, the Highway 68 Coalition, filed suit against Monterey County, which operates the fledgling track, on December 12, 2023, seeking to curtail racing at the venue.
The lawsuit hopes to target the track by calling into question the track’s zoning laws and lack of explicit racing use being in the track’s permits. The County of Monterey owns the track and spent more than $18M renovating the track surface and installing a new bridge over the front straight in 2023. The track is credited with bringing in about a quarter of a billion in local revenue each year, but the Highway 68 Commission makes a good point, noting that they have, “suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable injury as a result of the continued violation of the Respondents’ zoning laws.”
When reached for comment*, the Highway 68 Coalition was shocked—outraged even—that its mobile phone plan included the possibility of incoming calls.
The appearance of said track, which is suddenly very popular and definitely hasn’t been a staple of the area for almost seven decades, has taken a massive toll on local residents. “I can’t believe it,” said an unnamed real estate agent who recently listed a property just a stone’s throw from the track. “This house sold for $2.5 million seven years ago, long before the race track was there. Today it’s listed for just $4.25 million, we’ll be lucky to sell it for $4.2M.”
It’s almost impossible to imagine such a tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with those unfortunate souls who, through no fault of their own, live just minutes away from the Monterey Car Week festivities.
*We didn’t really call them and don’t much care what those jabronis think.
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“No evidence it existed before 2023” it was built in the 50s how’d you miss that evidence?
I am still looking for evidence that Nick existed before 2023.
This Laguna seca piece is trash. The track has been immensely popular for decades. I have lived near the track for over 30 years. They continued to build these high rent projects right near the track for years… Pasedera and more recently on the old fort ord property. These people bought these homes knowing the proximity to the track. The track was built out in what was the boonies. So much great revenue for the community that funnels down to much needed funding for very specific organizations. Cry me a river and let’s hope this lawsuit goes nowhere.
I do not know how Hagerty Media writers get rated, but if it has anything to do with “how many comments an article gets in the shortest amount of time”, every staff member needs to give Mr. Gillogly the “we’re not worthy” salute.
I second the motion! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed an article and especially the comments more. Three days later and they are still coming in! Looks like a little satire is what’s needed to draw attention to (what I think is) a serious issue afflicting many places, not just California. Who was there first?
Well I can tell you first hand ✋️ that laguna Seca since at least 2012 which is when I first moved to Monterey which is next door to Salinas which is where Laguna Seca is and you can look at it and see it ain’t new. So your deepest journalistic reporting skills do not go very deep.
I lived in Monterey County from 1981 until 1999 when I left for college. I went to Cherry’s Jubilee, volunteered as security for races, and rode down the Corkscrew on my mountian bike as a teenager. Since then I’ve ridden and driven the track in a handful of cars and photographed half a dozen Rolex Motorsport Reunions. Someone should really school the author about the history of Laguna Seca!
🤣😂🤣😂😁
I love to read about false reports! Perhaps this IS Satire and THAT I can accept ! Most interesting satire, to say the least.
Since I have been to Laguna Seca back in 1970 watching Trans-Am racing, and Laguna Seca had been there for many years at that time ! The author of this facade and wrong piece should perhaps learn how to better accomplish Google searches and full Library searches!
Surely this lost and somewhat confused group of neighbors will understand that this circuit has been in use for over 60 years, and they should immediately fire their silly attorney !
Feel free to check the history books of Northern California. I suppose we should smile and call it satire, but with all the lies and falsehoods spread by electronic media, this is not funny !
Bruce Mabrito
Hey, if you do not like noise, don’t get married !!!
As a retired airline captain and manager of flight standards for my employer, I had to deal with complaints about noise from airplanes during takeoff. The problems are not the airplanes, but the realtors that sell the properties and extoll the virtues of proximity to the airport. Owners complain and the FAA impose performance limiting procedures during takeoff to reduce the noise. These procedures are steep climbs at reduced power settings that compromise the aircraft capabilities if there is a power loss after takeoff. If the property owners knew that chances of an aircraft crashing in their houses are increased with a reduction in aircraft noise, they would sell/move or not complain. Who was there first? Same thing with racetracks, they existed there before the subdivision and bring revenue and recognition to the area. Who was there first? There are very expensive homes near Silverstone and the Le Mans venues with no complains.
Whoever wrote this article needs to be ashamed and honestly probably needs to look at another line of work. Just like everything else these days with the media, news and everything. You don’t do your homework and you spread false information. First of all, just like everyone else is saying on the comments Laguna seca has been around for a long time we’re not talking about a year, two years, a decade. It was built in the ’50s ,to be exact 1957. I mean honestly the writer of this article would know that if he or she did any bit of research about the track lol. I’ve personally been going to that race track since I was a kid and it’s older than I am and I’m in my 30’s . So the fact this writer is saying that there is no evidence that supports Laguna Seca track being there prior to 2023 is false! Also whoever the real estate agent who bought his or her’s house 7 years ago for 2 million and said he or she can’t sell for 4 million now because he or she said, “magically” all of a sudden there’s a racetrack that was built near the house and is the reason why they can’t sell his or her’s 4 million dollar house now. This is funny because 7 years ago the racetrack they stated wasn’t there was actually in fact there and running in full swing. Correct me if I’m wrong. If there’s anyone out there that knows better than me. Those were the years of when MotoGP came back to Laguna and could of been one of the most popular years in Laguna seca history. Anyways Millions know the track was for sure there 7 years ago. So honestly, from how I’m looking at it, it is all these real estate agents that sold these houses near the racetrack and didn’t disclose to their clients there is a racetrack near the houses or house they were going to be buying and/or moving into.Whose fault is that? The racetrack? The county? or is it the real estate agents who sold these houses near the racetrack that didn’t disclose to these buyers that there is in fact not just a small racetrack next door but an international racetrack next door which has been running and operating since 1957 and has no plans to go anywhere. Oh and also a shooting range lol. This is the last I’m going to say about all this. If you write a story, make sure you know do your homework extensively and you better make sure you are very knowledgeable on what you’re writing about. Doesn’t matter what the subject,circumstance, whatever it may be, you make sure you get your homework right first before publishing or submitting anything.
Max, my man. Pleeeze re-read the article, slowly, which is one of the most eloquently written satirical pieces I’ve seen. The law suit is real. The author is very effectively making fun of all the Jabroskis who think they have a legitimate claim against the track. After that, write another comment to say how funny this article really is!
Riverside Raceway. RIP
Local drift track to me is currently fighting for permitting against rich ***holes who purchased land all around it and complained about the once a month drift events and got their license for hosting drift events pulled. Been like 2 years since they’ve ran an event and the entire NW is itching to get on that track again, Pat’s Acres for those curious.
Same scenario in Portland, OR. Every year, residents complain about the noise from PIR. From a venue that has been there since 1961. Contributes over $30M to the local economy each year and gets $0 tax dollars. Same people still complain about the noise from PDX too – go figure.
I would never complain about PIR – been there many times. Even flew into PDX to attend a few times! Great track and venue.
This is very typical. People build near some long standing facility, then complain about the noise, smell, or some other discomfort. Those of us in the Chi-town area saw the most extreme case of this, when a group of residents, mayors and other politicos tried to get O’Hare Airport shut down. That included the mayor of my town at the time, plus most of our aldermen. I attended the first meeting of these folks, which included mayors and city leaders of Bensenville and Elk Grove. Some of their statements were so absurd that I had to smack my forehead and as myself, “These are the people running my town?” I didn’t bother going to any of the other meetings.
before spending millions of dollars on a house, wouldnt someone do the adeuqate research of where they are exactly buying it? common sense 101 and the first thing on a homeowners checklist #savelagunaseca
Milwaukee airport had issues with neighbors about noise. Airport was paying to have new windows and insulation put in houses that were in flight path. The airport has been there forever. Here’s a tip. Don’t buy a house near an airport. An artist in Milwaukee used to have an old theater in the flight path. He painted Welcome to Cleveland on his flat top roof in large letters. At least someone has a sense of humor Also don’t buy near a freeway then they’ll have to put up noise barriers