MotoGP sold out at Laguna

[coolhand]

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca officials announced today that tickets for Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10 of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix are no longer available for purchase through the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca ticket office. A limited number of general admission tickets will be available for sale at the official 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix ticket outlets while their supplies last. Approximately 53,900 tickets have been sold to spectators for each of the weekend days.

General Admission tickets are still available for the Friday, July 8 practice day, the first opportunity for two-wheeled fans to see the MotoGP World Championship in its first appearance in the United States since 1994. Defending champion Valentino Rossi, his Yamaha teammate Colin Edwards and the rest of the MotoGP World Championship competitors will be on-track on Friday from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 2 p.m.-3 p.m. for practice sessions. The sold-out days include Saturday's AMA Superbike Championship race and Sunday's much-anticipated MotoGP World Championship race.

"With almost 150,000 people expected to be here, next week's Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix will be the largest event in the 49-year history of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca," said Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of the historic track. "The combination of MotoGP, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and the Monterey Peninsula has proven irresistible. Our phones have barely stopped ringing since we announced the event last August."

Only once before has a sellout been announced at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. That was the 1998 Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races with Porsche as the event's featured marque. That announcement was not made, however, until after a large walk-up crowd on Sunday of the event. Next weekend's Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix marks the first time a sellout announcement has been made prior to the event weekend in the 49-year history of the world-renowned circuit.
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Man i was still thinking of going, but i might have waited to late :flame:

but Laguna has sold out, nothing is wrong with the place

[Dr. Corkski]

And I thought us bay area folks are incapable of getting to that place. :gomer:

[coolhand]

And I thought us bay area folks are incapable of getting to that place. :gomer:

yeah, heaven forbid they have to drive 1.5 hours to get there. :rolleyes:

nothing is wrong with the product, so we should just bring it to them (even though 2001 was as full as the MotoGP race will be).

People will show up to San Jose for the Interesting street racing concept so few people have heard of, even though i believe Laguna would create a better on track product.

[RusH]

If I still lived there in the left coast, I`d be there too. :cry:

[Ankf00]

costa rica takes precedence, but if I was within 500 miles, in a heartbeat baby...

[eiregosod]

World Superbikes drew a massive crowd to Laguna Seca. The biggest attended LS race was when the WSBk raced there.

What a time for Laguna to host a MotoGP race, especially as motoGP is gaining in popularity everywhere.

[Sean O'Gorman]

:thumbup: for Motogp showing that Americans still like the permanent road courses.

[KLang]

:thumbup: for Motogp showing that Americans still like the permanent road courses.

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say those Americans like MotoGP?

[RTKar]

Did they get rid of all wood picnic tables and porto's?

[oddlycalm]

World Superbikes drew a massive crowd to Laguna Seca. The biggest attended LS race was when the WSBk raced there.

What a time for Laguna to host a MotoGP race, especially as motoGP is gaining in popularity everywhere. Right on both counts. LS has always drawn well for certain events. WSB and the historic races come to mind.

This sellout is perfectly time to send a loud message to those of the four wheel persuasion that their product is out of order. MotoGP is increasing in popularity because it's the most exciting racing out there at the moment IMO. Sooner or later one of the formula car series will figure out that the turbulent aero wake is a series killer and change the cars to do away with it and popularity may return. Until then its' gonna be more processions that the average fan doesn't care to watch.

oc

[FanofMario]

I gotta admit, I watch MotoGP on Speed and love it! Pretty cool racing and I'm not a bike fan at all. It will be a great show.

[coolhand]

even though Valentino dominates, he makes it very fun to watch.

[JohnHKart]

I've never had a chance to watch one of these.....I'm going to this weekend, although sadly on TV, not in person. Can't wait.

John

[Ankf00]

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say those Americans like MotoGP?

interesting, fans of a series showing up at a permanent road course to witness that series in person, picnic tables, portopotties and everything

[High Sided]

best racing on tv.

[RichK]

Man, my paddock passes (I paid $25 each) are going for $300/pair on ebay right now! The place is going to be a zoo for sure, but I can't wait. My wife and I are going to drive to Seaside, pull out the mountain bikes and ride the rest of the way. And we're getting there super early.

There has been a ton of bad press about local hotels cancelling long standing reservations and giving the rooms to corporate-types for much more money. The county DA is now looking into it. The worst offenders have been the Embassy Suites, Hyatt and Hilton, but even the cheapOs are getting in on the act.

One local here was told that his hotel (Good Nite Inn, Salinas) had severe water damage from solar cells leaking, so he rode down to the hotel (2 hour ride each way) and took pictures. There were no solar cells on the roof, and only 4 rooms were out of order.....he sent the pics to the DA.

[Dr. Corkski]

There has been a ton of bad press about local hotels cancelling long standing reservations and giving the rooms to corporate-types for much more money. The county DA is now looking into it. The worst offenders have been the Embassy Suites, Hyatt and Hilton, but even the cheapOs are getting in on the act. Funny thing is that seems to be just about the only press about the MotoGP race. The San Jose Mafia has been on a blitz here with their promoting for their auto-x on just about anything to possibly could (ads everywhere, commercials during everything including crapwagon and NASCAR races). In my neighborhood's cable system you can't even get taped delay races of MotoGP unless you have digital cable. People are willing to pay $$$ to drive a long way and probably sit in traffic for this, and they didn't even schedule drifting to go with the event. The track isn't the problem here.

I would love more than anything for the MotoGP race to completely outdraw the SJ Mafia's Auto-x.

[FCYTravis]

I don't even think there's a question of that, Cork. 53,000 tickets sold times three days... that's 159,000 people.

Santa Fe ( :laugh: ) won't come close to half of that.

Oh, I've stayed at that Good Nite Inn. It's a complete dump. Never go near it.

[nrc]

Unless they start running motorcycles at the San Jose race it's rather apples and oranges. The county fairgrounds near my hometown draws 25,000 people to a motorcycle rodeo every year. Must be the picnic tables.

[RichK]

Oh, I've stayed at that Good Nite Inn. It's a complete dump. Never go near it.

The Good Nite Inn is on my S-List, as well. I had my stuff stolen out of my room & my room given away at the Buttonwillow site. Thank God I had my racing gear with me. They only reimbursed me for half of my losses because they didn't believe my list of missing stuff.... :mad:

Nothing like showing up to your room, grimy from the track, at 10pm, to find a big naked guy lying in your bed. :laugh:

[oddlycalm]

It's not all that hard to figure out why MotoGP is such a huge draw wherever it goes. I could write pages about the reasons, but it's easier to simply state that on any given race weekend the MotoGP race will be the best race of the weekend. Even if I know Rossi will eventually reel in the early leaders watching him do it never seems to get old... :D :thumbup:

MotoGP offers old school racing drama with more horsepower than vehicle pounds, no aero downforce, no driver aids. The automotive equivalent would be F1 cars with 1250hp, no aero downforce, hugely wide tires and no driver aids. Tell me that's not a race you would pay to watch. ;)

oc

[coolhand]

It's not all that hard to figure out why MotoGP is such a huge draw wherever it goes. I could write pages about the reasons, but it's easier to simply state that on any given race weekend the MotoGP race will be the best race of the weekend. Even if I know Rossi will eventually reel in the early leaders watching him do it never seems to get old... :D :thumbup:

MotoGP offers old school racing drama with more horsepower than vehicle pounds, no aero downforce, no driver aids. The automotive equivalent would be F1 cars with 1250hp, no aero downforce, hugely wide tires and no driver aids. Tell me that's not a race you would pay to watch. ;)

oc

yep, and i love it

[Dr. Corkski]

Nothing like showing up to your room, grimy from the track, at 10pm, to find a big naked guy lying in your bed. :laugh:Don't worry, I don't think devilmaster's gonna be going this weekend. :D

[oddlycalm]

Nothing like showing up to your room, grimy from the track, at 10pm, to find a big naked guy lying in your bed. :laugh: I'm guessing that was a real short conversation... :rofl:

oc