The International Race of Champions (IROC) is headed back to California in 2025.
IROC, which made its triumphant return in 2024 at Lime Rock Park, will take part in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca on August 13-16, 2025. The "Unser Family Cup" exhibition race will feature "an incredible display of authentic IROC race cars, with many being piloted by past IROC competitors from NASCAR, Formula One, IMSA, INDYCAR and Trans-Am" according to the release.
The original IROC series never visited the 2.238-mile facility in Monterey County, California, the series' roots are deeply ingrained in the Golden State.
The inaugural International Race of Champions event took place at Riverside International Raceway on October 27, 1973, won by Mark Donohue. IROC winners at Riverside include Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al and Bobby Unser, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, George Follmer, Peter Gregg and Scott Pruett.
Despite closing in 1988, Riverside hosted 16 IROC events, the third-most of any venue behind Daytona International Speedway and Michigan International Speedway.
IROC returned to California in 1997 at the brand-new California Speedway (later Auto Club Speedway) in Fontana, California. Five-time IROC champion Mark Martin won at Fontana in 1997 and 1998, while Kevin Harvick won the final IROC race at Auto Club Speedway in 2002.
The IROC exhibition will be just one part of the historic weekend, with a focus on the 75th anniversary of Formula One.
General admission tickets, VIP Hospitality packages, parking and camping will go on sale December 4 at WeatherTechRaceway.com or by calling the tickets and accommodations office at 831-242-8200.
-Photo credit: Brian Smith, TobyChristie.com
