Laguna Seca Renames Legendary Corkscrew Turn to Honor Alex Zanardi

The most famous corner in North American road racing now carries the name of the man who redefined what was possible on four wheels.

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has officially renamed its legendary Turn 8 and 8A complex as the “Zanardi Corkscrew.” The decision honors Italian racing driver Alex Zanardi, who executed a daring, off-track overtake at the bend on the final lap of the 1996 CART season finale. That maneuver, simply known as “The Pass,” remains one of the most celebrated moments in global motorsports history.

Local officials from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved the naming rights earlier this year. The formal ceremony brought together a gallery of open-wheel racing royalty, including Zanardi’s former team owner Chip Ganassi, his teammate Jimmy Vasser, and the driver he overtook that afternoon, Bryan Herta.

The Heist of 1996

To understand the weight of the dedication, one must go back to September 8, 1996. The sun was hot over the dry hills of Monterey. Bryan Herta, driving for Rahal-Hogan Racing, was leading the race and seemed destined for his first career IndyCar victory. He had led 81 of the 84 laps.

Behind him, Alex Zanardi was hunting. Driving the red-and-white Target Chip Ganassi Racing entry, the Italian had spent the afternoon searching for a weakness in Herta’s defense. As they climbed the steep hill toward the blind crest of Turn 8, Zanardi saw his only opening. It wasn’t on the asphalt.

He threw his car to the inside. He didn’t brake. Instead, Zanardi launched his vehicle over the high curb and into the dirt. The car bounced violently, bottomed out, and slid back onto the track just ahead of a stunned Herta. It was a heist on wheels.

“I was furious,” Herta said during the dedication ceremony. He laughed, looking back at the black-and-white photos of the moment. “For years, I hated talking about it. But over time, you realize you were part of something historic. It changed how we thought about racing.”

An Anatomy of the Descent

The Corkscrew is a physical anomaly in racing. Drivers approach a blind crest at high speeds. Once they reach the apex of Turn 8, the ground simply disappears. The track drops 59 feet in just 450 feet of track length, the equivalent of a five-and-a-half-story building plunge.

Conventional wisdom says you stay on the paved line. Zanardi ignored conventional wisdom. By cutting across the dirt inside the curve, he used the hill’s natural drop to catch his falling car. The move was highly controversial at the time, leading to rules changes that forbade cutting corners in future events. Yet, the audacity of the move captured the imagination of fans worldwide.

“Alex didn’t know the word impossible,” Chip Ganassi told reporters at the track. “He saw a gap that nobody else on earth could see. That move defined his spirit, and it defined our team.”

A Legacy of Pure Will

Zanardi’s story extends far beyond the borders of California. After winning two CART championships in the United States, the Italian returned to Formula One before a horrific 2001 crash at the Lausitzring in Germany changed his life forever. The accident cost him both of his legs and nearly took his life.

His survival was a medical miracle. His return to athletics was even more astonishing. Zanardi refused to let his injuries sideline his competitive drive. He designed his own prosthetic legs, returned to touring car racing, and eventually transitioned to handcycling.

Representing Italy, Zanardi won four Paralympic gold medals and two silver medals across the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro games. His relentless optimism made him an international icon of human resilience.

In 2020, tragedy struck again when Zanardi suffered severe head injuries in a handbike crash in Italy. He survived several neurological surgeries and continues his long, quiet recovery at his home. Though he could not attend the California ceremony in person, his family sent their deep appreciation to the track and the fans.

Bringing the Legends Back

The renaming event served as an impromptu reunion for the golden era of 1990s American open-wheel racing. Dario Franchitti, Bobby Rahal, and Danny Sullivan joined Vasser and Herta on the stage overlooking the newly christened turn.

“When you look at this track, you think of one moment,” said Jimmy Vasser, Zanardi’s teammate in 1996. “Every driver who comes through here tries to emulate what Alex did. None of them can. It’s fitting that his name is permanently etched into these hills.”

The track has installed new signage at the entrance to Turn 8, displaying the “Zanardi Corkscrew” logo alongside a plaque detailing the historic 1996 pass. The monument is expected to become a major attraction for the thousands of motorsport tourists who visit the Monterey Peninsula every year.

For the track’s management, the naming is part of a broader effort to honor the rich history of the facility, which opened in 1957. Laguna Seca has hosted some of the greatest names in racing, from Mario Andretti to Wayne Rainey, but few have left a more physical mark on the dirt and asphalt than the fierce Italian with the wide smile.

“This corner will always be wild,” Herta said, looking up at the steep drop. “But now, it has the perfect name.”

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