The MotoGP will pull its road-show into the beauty and danger of Mazda Raceway Seca Laguna this weekend for the running of one of the most highly anticipated and entertaining races of the MotoGP calendar, the Red Bull US Grand Prix. The MotoGP history of the Mazda Raceway Seca Laguna began anew in 2005, after a decade-long absence the MotoGP finally came back to the United States, and since that time it has hosted some of the most entertaining and energy filled competitions on the MotoGP calendar.
Valentino Rossi wins the 2007 Red Bull US Grand Prix
Part of the history of the MotoGP and Laguna Seca are actually written in the events and outcomes of six previous MotoGP World Championship races at Laguna Seca, which all occurred before the return of the MotoGP to Laguna Seca in 2005. Before these six races at Laguna Seca there had been another gap between races of 22 years, before MotoGP returned to Laguna Seca for the six races in 1988. This year’s competition is going to be the eleventh MotoGP race held at this historic circuit, so, to mark the occasion, were going to talk a bit about the history of MotoGP at Laguna Seca.
1988 was a memorable year for Americans at Laguna Seca, as American Eddie Lawson won the 500cc Grand Prix race at this track, while American Jim Filice won the 250cc race as a replacement for Masahiro Shimizu on a factory Honda. The following year American Wayne Rainey once again won the 500cc race for his home town fans, while John Kocinski won the 250cc competition as a wild card entry. In 1990 the trend of American victory continued as both Wayne Rainey and John Kociniski again took the honors, and then both riders continued on to take the World Championship in their classes. The next three years would see American dominance dissipate a bit and ended with total world dominance at the circuit in 1994.
The MotoGP returned again to Laguna Seca in 2005 and American Nicky Hayden would win the first return-race at this unique venue after an extended absence. He would repeat his performance again in 2006 and in the process become the first American rider to win the Grand Prix World Championship on a four stroke motorcycle. In 2007 Australian Casey Stoner would start on the pole and lead from start to finish, the first victory for Ducati and Bridgestone tires on this historic track. Last year, Valentino Rossi took the flag at Laguna Seca on his way to becoming the Grand Prix World Champion.
“Image: Zuma Press”