Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
Two auction houses swapped venues for Monterey 2026. Full dates, viewing times, admission costs and headline consignments for all five Car Week sales.
Read moreBMW debuts the M Concept Neue Klasse and Vision BMW ALPINA at Monterey Car Week 2026, plus 40 years of M3 and the 473-hp M3 CS Handschalter.
Read moreMonterey Car Week 2026 runs August 7 to 16 with 35+ events and the 75th Pebble Beach Concours. Full schedule by day, city, price, and auction house.
Read moreThe Automobilia Collectors Expo, held from August 11–13, 2025, during Monterey Car Week, marks a new chapter in automotive culture, blending rare collectibles, community, and a live auction that has quickly become a must-attend event for enthusiasts and industry leaders alike. Located at Embassy Suites Monterey Bay in Seaside, CA, the Expo is one of the largest event of its kind in North America, drawing collectors and vendors from around the world for an immersive celebration of automotive history and memorabilia. The Expo features more than 425 rare lots, ranging from vintage posters and scale models to original artwork, period rally plates, badges, and showroom displays. Over 27 top-tier dealers guarantee an authentic and eclectic mix curated for both seasoned
Read moreLAGUNA SECA – The Velocity Invitational, a motorsports festival held Oct. 14-16 at WeatherTech Raceway, was a nod to the adage that good things come in threes. First, there was living legend Mario Andretti, 82, behind the wheel of a modern Formula 1 car for the first time. Second was exciting split-second race finishes that thrilled the crowd of more than 15,000. Third was the tens of millions of dollars worth of vintage race and hypercars gracing the track. It made the Velocity Invitational one of the country’s more unique motorsports experiences. While the three-day event featured hundreds of vehicles across 10 different groups and classifications, it wasn’t hard to argue Andretti’s turn on the raceway was the highlight for
Read morePodcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:36 — 44.8MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreVisiting a grandparent as a youngster often includes affection, treats and wisdom, all offered for free. It leads to buying a Bugatti in parts for $150,000 less frequently. Nathanael Greene’s childhood visits to New Hampshire resulted in his 65-year history with the iconic automobile introduced by Italian-French carmaker Ettore Bugatti in 1924. Greene owns three, including the 1925 Bugatti Type 35 he’s competed in at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for many years beginning in 1997. The former investment executive was my recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast during this year’s automotive gathering, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. He participated for five straight days
Read moreLike many automotive enthusiasts, Alessandro Borroni has a passion for automobiles that extends past his appreciation for fast cars and iconic carmakers. He’s giving back to the community while the inviting like-minded to mingle among peers, drive iconic machines and raise money. The result is the Hypercar Invitational. The fourth-year event will be held June 9-12 headquartered at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway. Borroni, the founder of the event, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Borroni, the genesis of the event, how it’s expanded and what’s planned for this summer’s event. But just what is the Hypercar Invitational? The exclusive offers an opportunity to not only preview a
Read morePodcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:31 — 43.3MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More Colton Herta is 21 years old and he’s been behind one steering or another since he was age six. Go-karts to Indy cars and several racing classes between, Herta is now competing at his best as the NTT IndyCar Series concludes this week in Long Beach, California. Herta (Andretti-Autosport), the youngest driver to win an IndyCar race, successfully defended the Grand Prix of Monterey title he won two years ago on Sept. 19. He completed the 212.61-mile race at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 32 seconds and at an average speed of 104.114 miles per hour. Herta’s season
Read moreJust like any business relying on visitors, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca had it tough during 2020. Events were rescheduled and canceled. But management did its best to offer recreation opportunities when it could. One unheralded but important track use is the facility’s access to non-competitive racing clubs and performance driving programs. Members rent or bring their vehicle to the racetrack and experience the famous layout. Barry Toepke, the director of heritage racing at the WeatherTech Raceway, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Toepke the upcoming 2021 season and the varied competitive events on the horizon. Improve Your Driving But we also talk about programs available to the
Read moreFollowing a 15-year absence, the IndyCar Series returned to Laguna Seca in 2019 with Colton Herta winning. Bryan Herta, Colton's father, was victorious at the raceway in 1998 and 1999.
Read more(At the top of this post is an encore presentation of our recent podcast with Barry Toepke, the marketing and communications director at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Several changes for the 2020 season were announced after the original podcast broadcast April 14, 2020.) Like all businesses, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has altered its plans several times this year as the COVID-19 pandemic situation remains ever-evolving. When the multi-disciple racing season finally begins this summer, visitors to the Monterey Peninsula may wish to taste a new cocktail, created to celebrate the delayed-but still-scheduled season. To commemorative the start of the unique season, Estéban restaurant in downtown Monterey has created the Corkscrew Paradise. It celebrates the iconic corkscrew turn 8 on the
Read moreWithout one vehicle negotiating its 18 percent devilish descent on turn 8 or even one engine starting, WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway has negotiated a lot of racing in recent weeks. But it’s all been behind the scenes and against the calendar clock and uncertainty of the coronavirus. Joining the ever-lengthening list of sports teams and venues, the raceway and recreation area has amended its yearly calendar with a series of rapid-fire announcements. Barry Toepke, director of marketing and communications for the raceway, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. He discusses with co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia how the famous raceway has adjusted its season in conjunction with various national series calendars. WeatherTech Raceway season
Read moreMary McGee arrived on the Monterey Peninsula in 1962 ready to compete at Laguna Seca Raceway. With five friends, including another rider, the group was also abruptly asked to leave a restaurant because they were “motorcycle people.” McGee, now 82, and her dining companions complied and they ate elsewhere without issue. The Hall of Fame rider also competed and she continued to do for many decades around the country and in several disciplines, as a pioneering woman motorsports athlete. McGee, who lives in Gardnerville, Nev., was a guest in July at the World Superbike Championships at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. With her career of memories, she also carried two copies of black-and-white images of her race 57 years ago. It
Read moreThe Monterey Peninsula is among the country’s most popular travel destinations, particularly for automotive enthusiasts. It’s a hub for car shows, competitions and special events: the Concours d’Elegance to the return of IndyCar racing in 2019. Enthusiasts and collectors from around the world flood the area, notably during Classic Car Week in August and at the end of September at the Rennsport vintage Porsche weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. But new and vintage cars and motorcycle races are held throughout the year. Public and private automotive museums and a rental company specializing in exotics get plenty of business. There’s a gallery specializing in automotive art in Carmel, a race driving school in Salinas and a healthy corps of classic
Read moreJoey Hand is among the country’s most versatile race car drivers. He’s competed as a solo driver on more than a half-dozen series through the years, the American LeMans Series to Formula BMW and Toyota Atlantic to Star Mazda. Like his father, Hand began his career in kart racing. Hand’s son is now the family’s third generation in racing and is also involved in kart racing. Hand, 39, from Sacramento, currently a Ford Factory driver, is our guest on Episode 52 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Hand his versatile victories in the 24-Hour of LeMans, Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. We also discuss Hand’s current successful season and
Read moreAfter a 15-year absence, IndyCar racing will return to the Monterey Peninsula in 2019 with the series finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas. A three-year agreement was approved July 16 by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, which oversees the operation of the facility. Next year’s race will be held Sept. 22 and succeed the current season-ending event in Sonoma Raceway. It will end a 14-year run. Dates for the remainder of the 2019 IndyCar season were not announced. Laguna Seca hosted CART Indy cars from 1983 through 2004. The famed track opened in 1957, but Indy cars didn’t race on the course until 1983 when Teo Fabi was victorious. Bobby Rahal won at Laguna Seca the next
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