The great Pete Brock will headline this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca August 12–15 as Grand Marshal. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.Nor at a better event, as this year’s Reunion will include Japanese cars as one of the featured marques.In case you wandered onto this page by accident and don’t know who Pete Brock is, according to Laguna Seca, which picked him to be Grand Marshal, Brock is “a legendary automotive designer, racer, and motorsports visionary.”He may be best known as the guy who first drew a sketch of what became the 1963 split-window Corvette Stingray when he was working at GM’s design studio, a place that hired him straight out of The ArtCenter College of Design at the young age of 19.Pete Brock and the Datsun 510sHe then went to work for Max Balchowsky and then Carroll Shelby in Los Angeles. At Shelby, he played a key role in shaping the Cobra program and designing the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe that won the FIA GT Championship in 1965. It was after his time at Shelby that he founded Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE), the team that turned compact Japanese sedans into championship-winning race cars. First, it was Hinos (he recorded a win at Riverside in a Hino Contessa), then the better-known Datsun 510s with which he won two Trans-Am championships with John Morton driving.Pete BrockAfter that he designed hang gliders. His company, Ultralight Products (UP), not only became the biggest hang-glider maker in the world but won the world championships six years in a row.Then he took his hang-glider expertise and applied it to race-car trailers. Now Aerovault makes what are arguably the best enclosed vehicle trailers in the world. But it’s the racing for which they’re honoring him at the Motorsports Reunion. gettyimages-2140900188“Peter Brock’s impact on motorsports cannot be overstated,” said Mel Harder, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “His creativity, technical insight, and competitive spirit helped shape a golden era of racing, and his legacy continues to inspire generations of designers, engineers, and drivers. We are honored to welcome him as Grand Marshal of the 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.” “A Salute to Japanese Motorsport: A Tradition of Precision and Heritage” will be the featured marque of the Reunion, a title perfectly befitting Brock’s storied career, said a statement from event organizers.“As a driver, designer, and team owner, Brock not only claimed championship victories on track but also transformed perceptions of Japanese engineering, helping shape American racing culture and fueling the growth of Japanese motorsports internationally. His lasting influence across competition, automotive journalism, and design cements his place among the sport’s most respected innovators.”Brock’s happy with it, too.“I am honored to be invited as the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion’s Grand Marshal this year, celebrating Japanese vehicles,” he said. “The JDM industry in the USA started with our BRE Datsuns and has never been stronger. It’s going to be an amazing event with no doubt the largest number of BRE original and Tribute cars ever gathered in one location, along with hundreds of other impressive entries. How fitting to be involved with such an honor as I turn 90 this year.” gettyimages-150187660As Grand Marshal, Brock will participate in the traditional Grand Marshal pace lap, opening ceremonies, and selected award presentations. He will also lend his voice and perspective to scheduled livestream segments, sharing his expertise, history, and insight with a global audience. Fans will have multiple opportunities to connect with him through dedicated meet-and-greet and autograph sessions, both in the Raceway’s Fan Zone and at the BRE exhibit booth, ensuring event guests can engage directly with one of the sport’s most influential figures, organizers said. You can get tickets at weathertechraceway.com.