We’re used to seeing Laguna Seca records these days, with everything from a Taycan Turbo GT to a McLaren P1 taking to the iconic Californian track in recent years. The Laguna Seca hillclimb, however, is rather less well known; incorporated into the Monterey car week festivities in 2022, it runs the track in reverse, beginning on the start grid and climbing to the top of the Corkscrew. It’s not very far, but think about the gradient - it’s a proper hillclimb alright.
Everything from a Bugatti Type 35 to a Mini Cooper, a Ruf Yellowbird to a Lotus Elan, and Doc Hudson from Cars to a Case IH Steiger 620 Quadtrac tractor has competed since 2022, and it’s gaining popularity every single year. Nice to have a break from perfectly presented hypercars for a bit of competition sometimes. For 2024 McMurtry brought a Spéirling to California and, wouldn’t you know, it absolutely monstered all comers (and the previous record) with a 21.958-second run.
Indeed, ‘monstered’ sells it short - decimated might be more appropriate. The second placed car was a 1967 Ford Falcon, which was more than eight seconds slower at 29.004. Think about that - on a run that took less than half a minute, the McMurtry was EIGHT SECONDS faster than anything else that entered. Third was a Ferrari SF90 Stradale - you know, the 1,000hp Ferrari flagship - that managed a 29.822. It’s honestly hard to imagine a car available to the public being capable of such spectacular speed. The previous record was held by a 1976 Lotus Type 77 F1 car, which went around last year in 34.690 seconds. The McMurtry time will probably stick around at the top for a little longer.
Max Chilton was again behind the wheel of the Spéirling - he’s probably not tired of setting more records, either. It was trackside champagne and pizza for the victors, then presumably off to The Quail for McMurtry. There’s surely nothing like being faster than every single other hypercar out there to draw a crowd…
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