Story By: ALICIA BUSA / WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA – MONTEREY, CA – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca welcomes Mission Foods’ Chief Executive Officer Juan Gonzalez to serve as Grand Marshal of the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.
Mr. Gonzalez will kick off the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing action June 21-23 as the fastest cars in America challenge the iconic track and race under the new Mission Foods Start/Finish bridge.
“I am so excited to be the Grand Marshal of this year’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey,” said an enthusiastic Mr. Gonzalez. “WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a marquee race track sponsorship for Mission Foods and we are proud to be part of every racing moment.”
Among his roles as Grand Marshal, Mr. Gonzalez will be greeting drivers and making the all-important “Drivers, start your engines!” call to commence the racing action on Sunday.
Mr. Gonzalez is a lifelong automotive and motorsports enthusiast. He began racing go karts at the age of six, raced motorcycles for many years, and has been active in Vintage racing series such HSR, SVRA, IGT for over 30 years.
In 2010 he took the win in IMSA, GTC Class at the 12 Hours of Sebring and Long Beach and rose to the podium at Laguna Seca and Miller Park. As a passionate car collector for over 40 years, Mr. Gonzalez has built the Car Amigo Collection, focusing primarily on racing cars and motorcycles.
Beyond the cars, Juan Gonzalez Moreno, is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Board of GRUMA (Mission Foods), the leading manufacturer of tortillas and flatbreads around the world, with operations in Mexico, the United States, Central America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He is also a director and Vice Chairman of the Board of Grupo Financiero Banorte, one of Mexico´s largest financial institution. He is also a Board Member of the internationally acclaimed Petersen Museum in Los Angeles.
For fans wanting to catch the pre-race pageantry on pit lane and the adrenaline-filled moment when the INDYCARS round turn 11 in formation and accelerate toward the green flag, the grandstands on the main straight are the best place to be. Advance ticket pricing ends June 19, and guests may purchase camping, VIP hospitality packages and general admission tickets by calling 831-242-8200