SCRAMP & ISC Looking to Collaborate on Laguna Seca

Things are brewing around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, as SCRAMP and ISC have agreed to seek a deal together from the County of Monterey.

According to RoadRacing World, the proposed idea would see ISC getting the long-term concession agreement from the county, with SCRAMP then being hired by ISC to operate to facility, as the event management company.

This move is an interesting one, as it wasn’t too long ago that SCRAMP and ISC went toe-to-toe over the future operations of Laguna Seca.

Last year it became clear that ISC, the company behind several NASCAR and IndyCar tracks, was looking to takeover operations of the raceway from SCRAMP, since the latter’s long-term contract with the county had expired and was on a month-to-month basis.

ISC ultimately elected not to submit a proposal to Monterey County, after SCRAMP found out about the deal’s movings, and started a “keep Laguna Seca local” campaign.

Now the two entities appear to be allies, and are hoping to offer Monterey County a better deal than either could on its own: the financial backing of ISC, with the operational experience and history of SCRAMP.

SCRAMP and Monterey County have had a contentious relationship in the past, and the future of Laguna Seca will continue to be in jeopardy if SCRAMP and Monterey County keep sparring with each other over the race track’s management and funding.

The reality is that Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca needs a major overhaul to its facilities, if it is to keep its status as a world-class race track.

That issue is compounded by the fact that Laguna Seca is technically a public park, and thus comes with restrictions and bureaucracy that other venues don’t have to contend with, especially when it comes to the money-side of the operation.

With SCRAMP and ISC now allies, hopefully the two parties can bring their individual strengths to the table, and work together to restore Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s premier status among fans, competitors, and racing series. Keep an eye on this space, this story is surely to develop.