The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will close its 2026 calendar with a three-day motorsport extravaganza that blends the roar of contemporary Trans Am machines, the elegance of historic race cars and the sleek lines of International GT contenders. From October 2 to October 4, Mission Foods Racing America is set to turn the Monterey-side circuit into a showcase of American muscle versus European precision, while a separate partnership puts drag racing’s biggest showdown on a national broadcast platform.
Laguna Seca schedule: every class under one roof
The updated program stitches together the Trans Am Series the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) International GT, Hagerty Cars and the Search for the Ultimate Street Car competition sponsored by Caffeine and Optima. Rather than forcing fans to pick between a vintage sprint, a modern muscle duel or an enthusiast car show, organizers have placed all three disciplines into a single, high-octane weekend. Friday opens the field with practice and qualifying, Saturday launches the first official Trans Am race, and Sunday concludes with a second Trans Am feature alongside an endurance GT battle.
Friday, October 2 – practice and qualifying marathon
The day kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with short-bore production cars and lightweight sports racers. Sessions rotate through sports-cars, sedans, vintage formula machines, International GT entries, dedicated GT-cars, prototypes, muscle-car classes and finally the Trans Am field at 12:05 p.m. After a brief lunch break, qualifying begins at 1:30 p.m., culminating in a 25-minute Trans Am qualifying window from 4:30 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. The final hour of the day showcases the Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car challenge, giving spectators a glimpse of the most inventive street-legal builds.
Saturday, October 3 – first Trans Am showdown
The Saturday agenda starts with SVRA qualifying races at 8:30 a.m., followed by the first International GT sprint at 11:00 a.m. A parade of show cars organized by Hagerty Cars and Caffeine runs from 11:20 a.m. to 12:10 p.m., setting the stage for the headline Trans Am Race 1 at 12:10 p.m. The feature runs 45 laps (approximately 75 minutes) and pits Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers against European contenders from Audi and Mercedes-AMG. The afternoon continues with a rapid succession of SVRA and GT sprint races, wrapping up with another Optima street-car showdown from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 4 – endurance action and final Trans Am
Sunday opens with a second hour of the Optima street-car competition, then moves to a brief Trans Am practice session before the International GT endurance race (65 minutes) at 10:05 a.m. The Trans Am Race 2 begins at 12:15 p.m., mirroring Saturday’s format with 45 laps of pure speed. A unique feature this day is the registered car-show tour, allowing owners to display their vehicles on track from 1:35 p.m. to 2:10 p.m., followed by Make-A-Wish pace laps. The weekend wraps up with final SVRA and GT sprint races before the day’s last Optima contest.
Laguna Seca’s layout amplifies the drama
At 2.238 miles and eleven turns, the circuit climbs and drops roughly 180 feet, delivering an elevation change equivalent to five-and-a-half stories. Its signature Corkscrew – a blind, downhill left-right combo – remains a decisive test of driver skill, often catching those who misjudge braking points. The varied topography ensures that modern electronics and suspension refinements in today’s Trans Am cars meet a very different challenge than the relatively raw vintage machinery, creating a live laboratory for performance comparison.
The CW Network secures exclusive NHRA broadcast rights
In a separate development, The CW Network announced a multi-year agreement with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to become the exclusive multiplatform home for the final seven races of the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Starting in fall 2027, the network will air the world’s biggest drag event – the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park – and the full six-race Countdown to the Championship playoff series.
The partnership will launch on Monday, September 6, 2027, with the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, delivering live eliminations to both broadcast television and streaming via the CW Sports hub on the ESPN App (ESPN Unlimited required). NHRA President Glen Cromwell highlighted the deal as a chance to reach the broadest audience in the sport’s 75-year history, while CW Sports Vice President Mike Perman emphasized the synergy with NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, promising racing fans a packed weekend lineup.
Why the broadcast shift matters
The CW’s sports slate already includes nearly 700 hours of live programming annually, featuring NASCAR, college football and basketball, WWE NXT, professional bull riding, beach volleyball and bowling. Adding NHRA’s playoff races expands the network’s motorsport footprint and offers drag racing a prime-time platform that could attract new fans beyond the traditional enthusiast base. Viewers will be able to follow each elimination round, pit-lane strategies and the dramatic final runs from the comfort of their living rooms, while the league gains heightened exposure for sponsors and drivers alike.
