2004 Bridgestone Grand Prix of Monterey

The Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey is an IndyCar Series race held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California. The event dates back to 1960, and became an American open wheel race in 1983. The race was part of the CART/Champ Car series from 1983 through 2004. After a fifteen-year hiatus, the event returned in 2019 as part of the IndyCar Series, replacing Sonoma.Since its inception as an Indy car race in 1983, for nearly it entire existence, it has been held at or very near the end of the season. From 1989 to 1996, it served as the CART season finale. It was once again the season finale when it returned in 2019. Due to its placement near the end of the season, the race has often been pivotal to the points championship. Several drivers have clinched the Indy car title at Laguna Seca. In addition, Laguna Seca was the site of the final Indy car race for legend Mario Andretti, who retired at the end of the 1994 season. Laguna Seca is perhaps best-remembered as the site of one of the most legendary moments in the history of CART. On the final lap of the 1996 Monterey Grand Prix, Alex Zanardi executed a daring, diving pass inside of Bryan Herta through the difficult "Corkscrew" turns. Zanardi bounced wildly through the dirt and over the curbing, sliding across the track, narrowly missing a collision, and astonishingly made the pass stick for the win. The spectacular overtaking maneuver by Zanardi later became known in racing circles simply as "The Pass". The driver with the most wins is Bobby Rahal, who won the CART series race four years in a row from 1984 to 1987, and three additional times as an owner (1998, 1999, 2001). Rahal also won the race in 1979 when it was a Can-Am series event.

The 2008 United States motorcycle Grand Prix was the eleventh round of the 2008 MotoGP championship. It took place on the weekend of July 18–20, 2008, at the Laguna Seca circuit. It was an eventful race between Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner where the lead was hotly contested between the two. On lap 23, with Rossi leading after a controversial pass down the corkscrew, Stoner entered into the last corner too deep and ended up in the gravel trap. Rossi retained his lead for the remainder of the race while Stoner managed to finish in second place despite his mistake. Rossi won for the first time at Laguna Seca and Stoner set a new lap record with a time of 1:21.488. As usual, only the MotoGP class was permitted to race at Laguna Seca due to the Californian air pollution law prohibiting two-stroke engines in the state.

The 2001 Honda Grand Prix of Monterey was a CART motor race held on October 14, 2001 at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, United States. It was the 19th round of the 2001 CART season.

Laguna Seca Raceway (branded as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and previously Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for sponsorship reasons) is a paved road racing track in central California used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, built in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, United States. The racetrack is 2.238 mi (3.602 km) long, with a 180 ft (55 m) elevation change. Its eleven turns are highlighted by the circuit's signature turn, the downhill-plunging "Corkscrew" at Turns 8 and 8A. A variety of racing, exhibition, and entertainment events are held at the raceway, ranging from superkarts to sports car racing to music festivals. Laguna Seca is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit.The name Laguna Seca is Spanish for dry lagoon: the area where the track now lies was once a lake, and the course was built around the dry lake bed. After the course was reconfigured, two artificial ponds were added.

Corral de Tierra (Spanish for "Pen of Earth") is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It is located in the Corral de Tierra Valley, on the former land grant of Rancho Corral de Tierra, at an elevation of 404 feet (123 m).

Rancho Laguna Seca was a 2,179-acre (8.82 km2) Mexican land grant in present-day Monterey County, California given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa to Catalina M. Munrás. "Laguna Seca" means "Dry Lake" in Spanish, referring to the seasonal lake, Laguna Seca. The grant was east of present-day Monterey.

Rancho El Toro was a 5,668-acre (22.94 km2) Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Ramón Estrada. The grant extended along Toro Creek south of Hill Town on the Salinas River.

Rancho Chamisal was a 2,737-acre (11.08 km2) Mexican land grant in the Salinas Valley, in present day Monterey County, California given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to Felipe Vasquez. The grant was located east of Monterey and extended along Pilarcitos Canyon, south of the Salinas River (opposite Rancho Nacional). The grant was bounded by Rancho El Toro on the east.

Rancho Corral de Tierra was a 4,435-acre (17.95 km2) Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1836 by Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez to Francisco Figueroa for his daughter, Guadalupe Figueroa. The name means "earthen corral" in Spanish. The grant was south of in the upper Carmel Valley along Calera Canyon, between Rancho El Toro, and adjoined the northern boundary of Rancho Los Laureles.

San Benancio is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It is located in the San Benancio Canyon.

KARW (97.9 FM) is a non-commercial radio station in Salinas, California, broadcasting to the Santa Cruz-Monterey-Salinas, California, area. KARW is owned by Prunedale Educational Foundation for Central California, Inc., and airs Educational Media Foundation's Air1 Christian Worship format.

KCDU is a commercial radio station in Carmel, California, broadcasting to the Santa Cruz-Monterey-Salinas, California, area on 101.7 FM. Its studios are in Monterey while its transmitter is located east of the city. KCDU airs a Top 40 (CHR) music format branded as "The Beach". It has been owned by Stephens Media Group since October 2019.