Mazda Raceway!
6:30am, Tom Stahler appears in my room at my Mountain house yelling “WAKE THE !*&*&^^%!$#@!! UP-WE GOTTA GO! He scared the hell out of me because I forgot that I’d left the front door open the night before.
Off to Monterey to help cover the “Road to Indy” event at Laguna Seca/Mazda Raceway over the weekend, helping Tom do what he does best. Give the Race Public the “Show on a Silver Platter” as only Stahler can deliver it. Stahler didn’t really need help, being the pro that he is but included me anyways. His new gig at Turnology Publications began earlier this week. Tom is the “Editor at Large” there now. Our Press/Media credentials and the Mazda gig itself gave us Carte Blanche and we were treated like kings all day. We were literally on the track shooting, and it was amazing! Stahler knew everybody and was really well received. Obviously, he is highly respected in his field of automotive journalism. We had access to every part of that track, the Racers Paddocks and Suites therein. I felt like a rock star! (Mazda comp’d a really bitchen Suite @ the Hilton as well !)
On the way up north this morning, we had to stop to honor James Dean and the site where he met his final turn at the wheel in his 550 Spyder. That “stop” in itself was heavy and unearthing. Dean reportedly was actually on his way to Salinas to Race when tragedy struck. In the final analysis, I still think he somehow knew what was around “that” turn. He always had an almost eery “knowing” when it came to death/life/and those related mysteries that most of us don’t even try to understand. He talked about that stuff a lot, it’s said.
Stahler and I tag-teamed fun “Facebook Live” episodic “Back-n-forth’s” for the race fans, along with serious really cool full coverage of the Day. Was great to see my friend and Mazda Raceway’s CEO Gill Campbell hang out for a minute during all the frenzy. As always with Tom, was an ego-less BBBLLLAASSTT!!
NEXT WEEK THE U27/ A2Z show goes to the Coronado Festival of Speed. Gonna knock the dust off her! Enjoy some pictures and stay tuned for tomorrow’s cool stuff!
Written & Photos by:
Jonathan Sieger