Track
Description (from track web site)
The Monterey Peninsula's love affair with world-class
racing traces its beginning to 1950 and the inaugural running of the
Pebble Beach Road Races. Those sports car events through the winding
roads of the Del Monte Forest became immensely popular and brought
prestige, fans and money to the area. But as the cars got faster and the
crowds grew larger, it was decided that the race was too big for the
open road. Rather than see the event, with its fans and financial impact
go elsewhere, a group of civic-minded business leaders decided to build
a permanent, world-class racing facility.
This was the impetus behind the formation of the
Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) on
November 1, 1956. The non-profit group's mission, which remains
unchanged today, is to benefit local charitable and non-profit
organizations and to promote the economic vitality of Monterey through
motorsports events. The group leased Fort Ord land from the Army, built
the circuit and staged its first race on November 9, 1957.
Since that day, events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
have generated more than $1 billion in revenue for area businesses,
while providing over $10 million for more than 100 charitable and civic
groups. Today, SCRAMP is the most important economic and charitable
organization in Monterey County.
