Icons of Japanese Motorsport at 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
Next year's annual reunion of classic race cars at Monterey Car Week will celebrate the racing heritage of Japanese cars & motorcycles…
On the heels of the 2025 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has announced that it will celebrate icons of Japanese motorsports as the featured marque for its 2026 gathering.
Next year’s event, slated for Aug. 12-15, 2026, promises dozens of legendary machines from Japanese motor racing history, featuring iconic vehicles from Mazda, Toyota, Yamaha, Honda, Nissan, Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, Mitsubishi and more. The celebration will embrace the rich diversity of all forms of motorsport where Japanese brands have excelled, including INDYCAR, NASCAR, Formula 1, Formula E, endurance racing, sportscar racing, off-road, rally, motorcycle, drifting and more, event officials stated in a press release.
“As a Japanese driver, it is an honor to see Japan’s racing heritage recognized as the featured marque at Monterey’s historic reunion. Japanese cars and motorcycles have long carried the spirit of innovation and passion onto racetracks worldwide, and I am proud to see this legacy celebrated on such a prestigious stage,” said two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato, who was on hand for the announcement at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca after piloting Nigel Mansell’s 1986 Williams FW11 for on-track demonstration laps. “It reflects how far our motorsport culture has come, and it inspires the next generation of Japanese drivers and riders to carry this legacy forward on the world stage.”
“Japanese racers and car makers have helped deliver some of the most memorable cars and moments in motorsports history. We can’t wait to celebrate these iconic machines and their incredible stories next year,” said April Henderson, director of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. “This featured marque gives us an opportunity to explore so many new and exciting elements of motorsports history, as well as the present and future of automotive innovation, and we know it will deliver unforgettable moments for our guests.”
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is an annual high-speed exhibition featuring authentic and period-correct racing machines. For more than 50 years, this gathering has offered a tribute to motorsport history.
