US Sportscar Invitational Races at Laguna Seca - 4/30

[sameerrao]

Today, I drove down to Laguna Seca (near Monterey, CA) to see the the US Sports Car Invitational featuring the Rolex Grand American Sports Car series.

I am also headed there tomorrow for the final race. Let me know if you want more pics of some of the cars - Ill see what I can do :)

The various types of cars featured were:
1. Formula BMW
2. Mazdaspeed Miata Cup
3. Rolex Sports Car Series - GT
4. Rolex Sports Car Series - Daytona Prototype (DP)
5. Grand Am Cup

A. The drive there and the parking lot:
A Titanium Lotus Elise
http://img116.echo.cx/img116/1783/lagunaseca0033vi.th.jpg (http://img116.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0033vi.jpg)

Gruppe R meet - this is a Porsche group comprising the earlier racing versions of the Porsche - R types... Also happened upon a CGT in this group.
http://img192.echo.cx/img192/3091/lagunaseca0135gq.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0135gq.jpg)http://img192.echo.cx/img192/7927/lagunaseca0142kf.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0142kf.jpg)http://img181.echo.cx/img181/4083/lagunaseca0123gu.th.jpg (http://img181.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0123gu.jpg)http://img247.echo.cx/img247/4245/lagunaseca0079dg.th.jpg (http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0079dg.jpg)http://img111.echo.cx/img111/2196/lagunaseca0068hv.th.jpg (http://img111.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0068hv.jpg)http://img111.echo.cx/img111/2431/lagunaseca0048us.th.jpg (http://img111.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0048us.jpg)http://img111.echo.cx/img111/2243/lagunaseca0054vt.th.jpg (http://img111.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0054vt.jpg)http://img181.echo.cx/img181/6466/lagunaseca0082kc.th.jpg (http://img181.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0082kc.jpg)http://img181.echo.cx/img181/8201/lagunaseca0090xw.th.jpg (http://img181.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0090xw.jpg)http://img181.echo.cx/img181/7384/lagunaseca0108qb.th.jpg (http://img181.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0108qb.jpg)

Porsche 911 GT2, AM Vanquish, Porsche 997
http://img258.echo.cx/img258/7425/lagunaseca1164cf.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1164cf.jpg)http://img241.echo.cx/img241/9440/lagunaseca1152yb.th.jpg (http://img241.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1152yb.jpg)http://img241.echo.cx/img241/9963/lagunaseca1137ee.th.jpg (http://img241.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1137ee.jpg)http://img241.echo.cx/img241/8125/lagunaseca1149mw.th.jpg (http://img241.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1149mw.jpg)http://img146.echo.cx/img146/4686/lagunaseca2135uh.th.jpg (http://img146.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2135uh.jpg)


B. The cars in the pits
- I love the freedom of roaming just about anywhere and taking pics - friendly people all around. Very un-Formula One :)

JMB Racing Ferrari 360 Challenge - These guys race 550M,575M,360M in Europe. Here they only race the 360 Challenge.
http://img49.echo.cx/img49/2035/lagunaseca2104xx.th.jpg (http://img49.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2104xx.jpg)http://img146.echo.cx/img146/424/lagunaseca2125yr.th.jpg (http://img146.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2125yr.jpg)http://img49.echo.cx/img49/4893/lagunaseca2086je.th.jpg (http://img49.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2086je.jpg)http://img49.echo.cx/img49/8839/lagunaseca2071oj.th.jpg (http://img49.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2071oj.jpg)http://img49.echo.cx/img49/2892/lagunaseca2068gs.th.jpg (http://img49.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2068gs.jpg)http://img49.echo.cx/img49/8092/lagunaseca2055pe.th.jpg (http://img49.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2055pe.jpg)

BMWs - Went into the tent of Turner Motorsports and Air Force Reserve. Saw the legends car - Bill Auberlen. I noticed that the front and rear brakes were different - the mechanic told me that the fronts were massive Stoptech slotted rotors while the rears were stock BMW M3 drilled rotors.
http://img251.echo.cx/img251/6329/lagunaseca0744du.th.jpg (http://img251.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0744du.jpg)http://img84.echo.cx/img84/1456/lagunaseca0843at.th.jpg (http://img84.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0843at.jpg)http://img45.echo.cx/img45/2914/lagunaseca0821ur.th.jpg (http://img45.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0821ur.jpg)

Formula BMW
http://img167.echo.cx/img167/6632/lagunaseca2033wa.th.jpg (http://img167.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2033wa.jpg)

Daytona Prototypes
http://img84.echo.cx/img84/1483/lagunaseca1010nw.th.jpg (http://img84.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1010nw.jpg)http://img84.echo.cx/img84/7967/lagunaseca1001ml.th.jpg (http://img84.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1001ml.jpg)http://img84.echo.cx/img84/5295/lagunaseca0859vm.th.jpg (http://img84.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0859vm.jpg)http://img251.echo.cx/img251/3572/lagunaseca0768se.th.jpg (http://img251.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0768se.jpg)http://img251.echo.cx/img251/7694/lagunaseca0759wr.th.jpg (http://img251.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0759wr.jpg)

Porsche 911s - there were cars participating in the Grand Am Cup and the Rolex Sports Cars series with multiple levels of tuning. Note the rev counter in the hood of the car - this is meant for the mechanics when tending to the car
http://img251.echo.cx/img251/3762/lagunaseca0561qo.th.jpg (http://img251.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0561qo.jpg)

Mazda Miata
http://img258.echo.cx/img258/4273/lagunaseca1234un.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1234un.jpg)

Ford Mustang
http://img84.echo.cx/img84/2705/lagunaseca0871uq.th.jpg (http://img84.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0871uq.jpg)

The official pace car - GTO
http://img84.echo.cx/img84/575/lagunaseca0930hv.th.jpg (http://img84.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca0930hv.jpg)


B. The Action on the race track
Laguna Seca is one of the most beautiful circuits in the world with technical corners, elevation changes, and one the best vantage points for spectator viewing. There are several places here where you can racing at multiple points of the track sitting in one spot. An unforgettable experience.

The Mustang was really fast but got overtaken by the BMWs eventually
http://img167.echo.cx/img167/2972/lagunaseca2008ao.th.jpg (http://img167.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca2008ao.jpg)

Turn 8 - The famous Corkscrew - The Gulf look-alike DP and the Martini Porsche were my favorites ....
http://img167.echo.cx/img167/4899/lagunaseca1971mc.th.jpg (http://img167.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1971mc.jpg)http://img167.echo.cx/img167/8323/lagunaseca1896rn.th.jpg (http://img167.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1896rn.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/3802/lagunaseca1431gg.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1431gg.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/2159/lagunaseca1421zg.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1421zg.jpg)

Between Turn 8 and 9
http://img258.echo.cx/img258/4397/lagunaseca1770ur.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1770ur.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/3350/lagunaseca1765um.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1765um.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/1545/lagunaseca1742xi.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1742xi.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/655/lagunaseca1733br.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1733br.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/5589/lagunaseca1569he.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1569he.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/1896/lagunaseca1556la.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1556la.jpg)

Turns 10 and 11 - my attempt at an artsy shot :)
http://img167.echo.cx/img167/8776/lagunaseca1880lt.th.jpg (http://img167.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1880lt.jpg)http://img167.echo.cx/img167/3461/lagunaseca1876eo.th.jpg (http://img167.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1876eo.jpg)http://img258.echo.cx/img258/1228/lagunaseca1823fo.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1823fo.jpg)

Turn 2 from across the hill
http://img258.echo.cx/img258/1407/lagunaseca1843us.th.jpg (http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=lagunaseca1843us.jpg)

Turn 2 from up close
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The Pits area - I sneaked in here and spent a blissfull 30 minutes clicking away before I was ejected by the officials
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[dingo]

haha.....I love the plates on the CGT :lol: And the answer to that question would be 'yes' for most people :P That Vanquish just looks sinister, I quite like it actually :D
The sound of those Ferrari racers must have been insane :shock: - thanks for all the pics :D

[Wutputt]

^^^^
That CGT license plate is idd great :lol:
And of course we want you to post more pics ;)

Must be awesome you could sneak into the pits to take some marvellous pics. The Porsche R meet is an impressive sighting. I like those older 911 Carrera RS. Do you have more pics of them? The black Vanquish looks impressive but those wheels are horrible.

[sameerrao]

The sound of those Ferrari racers must have been insane :shock: - thanks for all the pics :D

They sound is awesome as you might expect. But the other cars also sound incredible - particularly the Porsche 911 GT3s and the Ford Mustang.

The difference in sound between the road going F360 and F360 Challenge is not that much as compared to that between the road and race Mustang.

To hear these cars, you need to go to the corkscrew section - thats where all the sound reverberates from side to side and magnifies itself...

Wuttputt, if I see any more Porsche RSs today, I will take some pics for you...

[TT]

Nice pics! I love the CGT and "GT2" the most, but the GT2 could actually be as often, an improved Turbo (rear whiper).. having the roll cage, for sure it doesn't have the rear seats anymore, but again, not many owners ask for an optional rear whiper on their GT2/GT3.. not even sure it is in the option lists.. I think you must ask for a custom job if you want it..
And well, the front bumper is probably Techart.. I saw two techart 996TT lately, and both looked like GT2 from far away but weren't actually ;)

Hell, who cares, it is totally awesome!

[Stikz]

THe VANQUISH!!!! Wow. All the other pics are great as well. Thanks.