Quiet Riot

In the Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai makes the case that an EV can tamp down racetrack noise without sacrificing capability.

- MATT FARAH

 

ONE OF AMERICA’S  great racetracks, if not its greatest, is threatened. Some believe the courts will save it. Others hope self-interest and capitalism will. After all, the track pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy annually. If the Highway 68 Coalition had its way, racing at Laguna Seca would be more restricted and exclusive. But what if law and money both fail? Then, what might save Laguna Seca is electric sports cars. No, wait, don’t leave. Hear me out.

Laguna Seca is iconic for a reason. For reasons. There’s the topography—180 feet between the highest and lowest points, about the biggest difference at any North American racetrack. Elevation changes aren’t just great for driving; they make for an awesome spectator experience too. Then there’s the location. Most racetracks are remote and surrounded by nothingness, whereas the nearby Carmel Valley is among the most beautiful places on earth. Homes here often sell for seven figures. The rich and connected have the resources for fighting to keep loud things out.

In the spirit of accuracy, let’s dispatch with the notion that the Highway 68 Coalition wants to shut down the track entirely. But the coalition claimed, in a now-settled lawsuit, that racing and loud- decibel days have increased in recent years, along with music festivals and other events that draw large crowds and clog the two-lane Highway 68 in both directions. They want to reduce environmental impact, noise, and traffic. It takes no convincing to get me to a track day at Laguna Seca. The course is such a treat, even if the car isn’t any good.