Laguna Seca responds to lawsuit over noise complaints, track usage

The track management of Laguna Seca has responded to the lawsuit filed by a group of disgruntled locals, which is seeking a reduction in its usage and noise levels.

The 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course – which was constructed in 1957 – is owned by Monterey County, which signed a long-term concession agreement with the non-profit organisation Friends of Laguna Seca (FLS) in July last year to secure its long-term financial future.

The Californian venue, famed for its Corkscrew sequence of corners, is scheduled to run seven major racing events in 2024, including the IMSA SportsCar Championship in April and IndyCar Series in June, and was resurfaced last year.

On 12 December, a group called the Highway 68 Coalition filed a lawsuit against Monterey County, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and the Friends of Laguna Seca, alleging nuisance issues for local residents, including increased noise and traffic, during its use on race weekends and track days.

Friends of Laguna Seca counters that the Highway 68 Coalition is ‘attempting to interrupt its stewardship and improvements of the Laguna Seca Recreational Area’.

“We live here too and share the same concerns as our neighbours about noise and traffic,” said Ross Merrill, President of FLS.

Source: Autosport