By Andrea Stuart | Photos by Griff Medel
Adrenaline rushed through veins and scenery passed in a blur as attendees of the 2021 Hypercar Invitational at WeatherTech® Raceway Laguna Seca—a three-day extravaganza held in June—experienced high-performance vehicles like few others have.
In addition to offering an intimate environment in which guests engaged with distinguished professionals in the racing industry, the event provided ride-along experiences with professional high performance sports car drivers, including Randy Pobst, the record holder “King of Laguna Seca,” and C. J. Wilson. By doing so, the event’s organizers curated a way for brands to enhance relationships and create direct feedback loops with existing and future customers.
“While riskier and resource intensive, this allows [car manufacturers] to connect with top customers and prospects in a ‘show’ versus ‘tell’ experience, by offering high-level car collectors an opportunity to experience different cars up close and really feel what an engine or steering system feels like,” says Hypercar Invitational Founder Alessandro Borroni.
Collectors were able to participate in one-and-one conversations with manufacturers and panel discussions with industry leaders, including Kevin Czinger, CEO of Czinger and an accomplished engineer who created software and automotive production systems that employ artificial intelligence; Cedric Davy—COO of Bugatti North America—who spoke about overcoming technological hurdles; Stephan Baral—head of Porsche Ventures USA—who discussed the start-ups in which Porsche Ventures is investing; founder of DeTomaso Automobili Ryan de Barris, who talked about the intricacies of starting a small sports car company; Stefano Sbettega—of Pagani—who spoke of the passion and detail behind Pagani automobiles; and Pobst, who spoke about the complexities of the track.
The event was also a fundraiser for Make-A-Wish® foundation and raised $50,000 for the organization. Borroni and his team believe that it’s important to do something good for the community while having fun. “We chose Make-a-Wish® Greater Bay Area because we wanted a local, reputable charity. Donations made from guests went directly to [the organization].”
For more information, visit: hypercarinvitational.com.