[TomSlick]

The other day while channel surfing, I came across the beginning of "The Love Bug", the original 1968 version with Dean Jones and Michelle Lee. I remember watching that in the theater with my friends way back then. I also remember a lot of cool shots with race cars and actual racing footage at Laguna Seca and Riverside. I recorded it, and am about half through the flick. Gotta say seeing the now classic vintage footage of Laguna Seca (starting going there when I was 6 years old) is very cool. Sports car racing was at its zenith in the 60s and 70s. Huge crowds are camped all around the track at Laguna. You don't see that anymore as road racing, at least, in California is not the draw it once was back then.

Who would have thought that "The Love Bug" is not only a great movie for kids, but contains some fine racing footage from a bygone era. Truth to be told, I find the movie enjoyable even as an oldster.

[Elvis]

I've been to Laguna Seca and Sear's point a couple times when i was in high school. I particularly remember how loud those cars are. (Mufflers are well named.) My dad had a repair shop in Berkeley and one of his mechanics was an amateur driver, used to race MG Midgets. One race i was part of his crew, might've been his whole crew, definitely not qualified but i was his bosses kid. I don't think he ever finished a race. He'd always crash or break down. I do remember swapping out a differential at either Seca or Sears. That was the peak of my race car mechanic career...

[TomSlick]

I've been to Laguna Seca and Sear's point a couple times when i was in high school. I particularly remember how loud those cars are. (Mufflers are well named.) My dad had a repair shop in Berkeley and one of his mechanics was an amateur driver, used to race MG Midgets. One race i was part of his crew, might've been his whole crew, definitely not qualified but i was his bosses kid. I don't think he ever finished a race. He'd always crash or break down. I do remember swapping out a differential at either Seca or Sears. That was the peak of my race car mechanic career...

Those are some fine remembrances, Elvis.

Yeah, Sears Point is a good track...2 hairpins, carousel, elevation changes, straightway, S turns. From its early days, ownership changed numerous times, went into bankruptcy a time or two, owned once by some Hollywood conglomerate, but now is pretty slick with all the money they've put into the facility. Really a top flight race facility with one of the best auto racing stores (Wine Country Motorsports) on site. Lots of businesses on location as well to perform whatever work you want on your car. Some good eats, too.

Over the years both Laguna and Sears have had several name changes, but those newer names were always ignored as they were simply known as Laguna Seca and Sears Point.

[TomSlick]

The name, Sears Point, comes from the original name of a dairy farm that owned the land prior to being sold to the racetrack developer.

(in the words and tone of Paul Harvey)...and NOW you know the rest of the story...G'Day.

[TomSlick]

I forgot to post this late last year. It is an article from Racer magazine discussing the management turnover at Laguna Seca. The whole thing sounds fishy as heck which has led to speculation that Laguna is going the way of Riverside Raceway...that is, demolished and homes built. I'm not willing to go that far for a variety of reasons, but the new owner seems to have bought off the Monterey supervisors and has no staff at all to run the facility. Throw in that he once sued Laguna for the death of one son and the injury of another after they left the facility on a frontage road. I've been all over those frontage roads and they ARE safe. Perhaps the sons were hotdogging?

This 2 page article has all the dirt and is very interesting...
https://racer.com/2019/11/19/insight-mo ... unty-sham/