18 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com added conveniences like designated rideshare drop-off and pickup areas. “That’s the vision,” Eberhart says. “We have a lot of opportunities.” In many ways, Laguna Seca has been left as a blank slate. The community layout addresses all aspects of the fan experience. What she refers to as “the downtown” includes dining, bars, shopping and entertainment. The “neighborhoods” are mixed use, with pavilions, luxury hospitality and seating around parts of the track where spectators tend to gravitate. Many of these would also be served by video screens, so those sitting in Turn 4, say, could catch action from the Corkscrew. Yet the Friends team is mindful of Laguna Seca’s unique appeal. It is one of the few natural terrain tracks in the world used by major race series. The undulating layout is a favorite of drivers, both on track and on video screen, where the 11-turn, 2.23-mile course is the most popular among gamers. The Corkscrew, twisting sharply left and right as it plunges five stories down a steep slope, ranks as one of the most famous corners anywhere. It is a proper old-school track. Even the open paddock, where fans mingle with race teams and peer into garages as they work, is unique. “We’re committed to keeping that flavor,” Eberhart says. “We want to capture the essence of the park in the master plan. We have to be intentional about that.” Friends of Laguna Seca is an ambitious group, but also one that is well-connected. They speak with confidence of raising and spending $50 million on the recreation area. Its board president, Ross Merrill, operates Merrill Farms in the Salinas Valley; he is a fourth-generation vegetable producer with a deep interest in Laguna Seca and auto racing. His son, Thomas, won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2023 and finished second at LeMans that year. Vice President Bruce Canepa is a former professional racer and owner of a classic sports car restoration company in Scotts Valley. He served on previous raceway boards and is behind the annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Also serving on the board are Salinas attorney Jason Retterer, an expert on land use and environmental law, venture capitalist Jonathan Feiber, real estate developer Ned Spieker and Gordon McCall, who puts together the annual events The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering and The Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Eberhart is one of the more important figures in motorsports. She acted as legal counsel for Charlotte Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports. The latter owns and operates 11 major race facilities across the country. Eberhart is also co-founder of Apollo Sports & Entertainment Law Group, a firm that advises sports leagues, sanctioning bodies, facilities and athletes— not only on legal issues, but also negotiating 10-digit financial transactions. As Eberhart tells the story, she was unfamiliar with Canepa. But Humpy Wheeler, legendary promoter and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the hub of NASCAR, said she should takes Canepa’s call. “He had me at ‘Laguna Seca,’” she recalls. That was in 2016. As concerns over SCRAMP’s ability to properly manage the park grew, the county began courting other options. According to statements made at this time, SCRAMP officials said the organization had sunk $50 million into the facility since it opened in 1957, including a pit and garage upgrade in 2003. It formed an associated foundation, hoping to raise $50 million toward future work. At the same time, however, there were indications of trouble. A mismanaged promotion contract reportedly left SCRAMP temporarily teetering on bankruptcy. IndyCar racing—a fixture since 1983—abandoned the track in 2004. The world’s top motorcycle racing series, MotoGP, came and went. A 2016 lawsuit alleged that the organization used millions of dollars donated for track improvements on general operating expenses, instead. An assessment of SCRAMP’s accounting practices by the firm Hayashi Wayland three years later revealed “significant operational inefficiencies,” “numerous financial reporting and accounting weaknesses,” and “non-compliance with required audit reporting.” The report also cited cash management issues susceptible to fraud and, alarmingly, that SCRAMP “had significantly underreported an outstanding debt.” In 2019, according to county documents, the organization spent only $40,000 of the $150,000 required by contract and budgeted for by the county to market the IMSA race weekend. By then, then-Assistant County Administrative Officer DeWayne Woods and the supervisors had enough. They had negotiated with International Speedway Corporation and then Friends of Laguna Seca to replace SCRAMP without coming to an agreement. In 2019, the county turned to a new firm, A&D Narigi, to manage the track on a three-year contract, later extended to five. At the time, it was widely seen as a backroom deal. John Narigi, former general manager of Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, as well as a key figure in the hospitality industry, had close ties to Woods (now CFO at Central Coast Community Energy) and other officials. He also knew little about motorsports. The company was put together in response to the county’s request for proposals. “I of course was the hotel guy and was not supposed to be slated for run1996 In the final lap of the PPG IndyCar World Series race, Alex Zanardi gets by Bryan Herta in the Corkscrew to win. The move is so spectacular and improbable, it becomes known as “The Pass.” 1999 During a practice session, the throttle of Gonzalo Rodriguez’s Lola sticks at the entry to the Corkscrew. His car flips over the wall, killing him instantly. 2004 IndyCar—then known as CART—drops its Laguna Seca race in favor of San Jose. 2005 MotoGP, the world’s top motorcycle racing series, starts a memorable run. Nicky Hayden wins. The series leaves Laguna Seca in 2013. 2015 MotoAmerica riders Dani Rivas and Bernat Martinez are involved in a racing accident. Both die as a result. 2019 IndyCar returns to Laguna Seca. Colton Herta wins the race, while Josef Newgarden is crowned series champion. 2020 A&D Narigi, under the leadership of local hospitality legend John Narigi, takes over management from SCRAMP. • During the height of Covid, Carmel and Pacific Grove high schools hold mobile graduation ceremonies at the track. TIMELINE The new, ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge under construction in April of 2023, replacing a decades-old structure. That year also saw the track repaved for the first time since 2007. Friends of Laguna Seca President Ross Merrill, CEO Lauri Eberhart and Vice President Bruce Canepa (left to right) pose during a ceremony in August 2024 when the keys to the facility were handed over. Drivers await the start of the 1967 Monterey Grand Prix, a race won by Bruce McLaren. Courtesy of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna SEca Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
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