It seems that despite efforts by Monterey County to entice International Speedway Corporation (ISC) into running Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the France Family business will not submit a proposal to the county regarding the operations and management of Laguna Seca, after all.
The news is a win for the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), which has operated Laguna Seca for the past 58 years, as a non-profit operation.
Fans of Laguna Raceway are certainly aware that the coastal Californian track could be set for a swap in operators, as International Speedway Corporation (ISC) is currently in a 90-day due diligence process with Monterey County about taking over operations the historic track.
The name ISC may not be familiar to two-wheeled racing fans, but in the four-wheeled world it’s known as another part of NASCAR’s business operations, as the company was founded by the France family (the same founder as NASCAR), and it owns and operates many of the tracks on NASCAR’s calendar.
Motorcycling racing fans are of course more familiar with the Daytona Motorsports Group, another France family creation, which ran AMA Pro Road Racing into the ground, and is currently managing AMA Pro Flat Track.
With Monterey County likely wooing ISC’s deep pocketbook to make needed repairs and modifications to Laguna Seca, the track’s current operator SCRAMP is crying foul on the looming change in control.
As such, SCRAMP has begun a “Keep Laguna Seca Local” campaign, and is asking Monterey County to allow the non-profit organization, which has operated Laguna Seeca for nearly 60 years, the opportunity to have an equal and open proceeding for the right to operate Laguna Seca.
An open letter from Gregg Curry, SCRAMP’s Board President, is attached after the jump.