10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 2-8, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 The great Mario Andretti logged almost 1,140 race laps around WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Bobby Rahal—equally legendary—turned 1,550. With practice and qualifying laps, it’s likely both drivers tacked on another 1,000 to their career tallies. It’s no wonder sections of the track honor their exploits. Turn 3 has been dubbed the Andretti Hairpin. The steep climb between Turn 6 and the Corkscrew is known as the Rahal Straight. But there is nothing at the iconic tangle of asphalt to tell about Greg Garneau—even though the Carmel Valley native has made the loop about 15,000 times on race weekends. He would certainly chuckle at the comparison. He laughs recalling his most recent win at the track. Last year at the Rennsport Reunion, Garneau took the checkered flag during the Porsche tractor race, a whimsical and popular event. “The German family that restored the tractor were cheering me on,” he says, beaming. Most of Garneau’s time at the track is devoted to more serious tasks. He serves as a pace car driver at Laguna Seca. At major racing events he is often leading cars around the course as they line up for the green flag or slowing them to a safe speed under caution. During the annual MotoAmerica Superbike weekend, his purpose is even more important. For that event, Garneau drives the medical car. He must keep the car behind the motorcycles for the opening lap as they rip into corners and threaten to disappear down straights. First-lap chaos is common in motorcycle racing and he keeps the doctor close, just in case. If riders go down, the doctor makes an immediate decision on whether to stop and provide aid. If not, Garneau must keep up with the pack—while dodging downed riders and machines. During a race, the pace car sits in pit lane. The only action Garneau typically sees is vehicles whizzing past. Yet he does get to have a bit of fun, tearing around Laguna Seca at 120 miles per hour with VIP guests strapped in the Hyundai Elantra N for a few hot laps. “For a lot of people, they’ve never been in a car on the track,” Garneau says. “You’re building memories for them.” And while the pace car may not reach the speed of a Trans Am series Dodge Challenger or an IMSA prototype, Garneau doesn’t tread lightly. “The Hyundais are a blast—they slide around,” he adds. “We abuse the daylights out of them.” Garneau began filling in as a pace car driver in 2008, eventually leading the program. When he’s not behind the wheel at Laguna Seca, however, Garneau pampers cars. His Monterey company, Revival Road, not only maintains the track’s stock of pace cars, but also the classic car collections of a number of clients. Revival Road offers concierge services. They keep vehicles garaged, do maintenance work and exercise them on occasion to make sure the cars are road-worthy. “Our clients are—how should I put it?—money is no object,” he explains. “This is the lane we found that works the best.” Garneau has not always worked with classic cars. After graduating from Chico State in 1992 with a degree in business, he took a job at his father’s company, which oversees private water systems at resorts and residential developments, making sure they remain in compliance. Garneau now helps his brother operate the company. But Garneau is first and foremost a car guy. His great-grandfather opened the first Chevrolet dealership on the Peninsula. His father ran the original Flying A service station in Carmel Valley. Garneau has competed in club racing and in 1995 opened a classic car restoration shop, Greg Garneau Autoworks, in the Village. He moved the shop to Monterey in 2009. Eight years later, Garneau grew tired of restoration work and transformed the shop into Revival Road. He still tends to his own collection, which includes a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT350 and a number of classic Alfa Romeos. “I’m always fixing something,” he says. “A workaholic, for sure.” Track Record Laguna Seca’s pace car driver, Greg Garneau, doesn’t mind taking a few hot laps. By Dave Faries Greg Garneau says he misses “to some extent” restoring classic cars, but not the stress and countless hours that come with it. “By the time you’re done, you want them to go away.” “We abuse the daylights out of them.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS The Chamber Connects At the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, we are connectors, providing our members with valuable introductions to new customers and referral sources. If you're looking for a platform to initiate important conversations and grow your business, we invite you to join our business association on the Monterey Peninsula! Join Today! • montereychamber.com • info@montereychamber.com • 831.648.5350
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