Battle to keep Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca management local

In an open letter to the public, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is asking for support in maintaining its relationship with the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP).

This request comes after Laguna Seca claimed the Monterey County Board of Supervisors conducted closed-session meetings to discuss a new concession agreement with International Speedway Corporation (ISC). SCRAMP is requesting a fair and open process for equal consideration and public input.

Laguna Seca said ISC, a for-profit, publicly traded corporation, primarily manages NASCAR race tracks and wouldn’t hold the same loyalty as SCRAMP. SCRAMP is a non-profit organization that’s been working with Laguna Seca for nearly 60 years, bringing in $200 million from major events.

On Thursday, Monterey County responded with a statement, saying the county conducted an informal national canvassing of companies qualified to manage racing venues, before entering a 90-day due diligence period with ISC. The county explained on-going infrastructure and capital improvement needs are a concern at the Raceway.

The county also said any action on a new concession or track management will be subject to a full public process.