Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the world-renowned race track and Google Maps, the #1 online mapping site in the world will launch the first race track to be filmed for Street View on March 26.

Street View is an interactive feature of Google Maps that allows the viewer to experience a location as if they are viewing it from street-level. For Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, viewers will experience the track as if they are driving and leading an American Le Mans Series race. It was the first race track filmed for Street View and Google captured the action at the 2008 season finale race.

“In racing the goal is to be first,” said Scott Atherton President and CEO, American Le Mans Series. “The American Le Mans Series is the first race to be filmed for Street View and this project with Google once again demonstrates how we align with leaders in innovative technology.”

“This technology gives our fans a real personal view and experience of what it is like to race with the pros,” said Gill Campbell CEO/general manager, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Street View was first launched in May 2007 with just five cities and Google has since expanded to cover over 200 cities in the U.S. as well cities in eight additional countries. With this launch, Google Maps will now provide Street View for tourist attractions and popular destinations around the world and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was the first race track photographed to be included in Street View. This is a very innovative, unique way of allowing users all around the world to experience the raceway just as a driver would.

How was it filmed? Street View imagery is captured by a vehicle with a multi-lens spherical camera taking digital pictures in every direction. GPS and other Geospatial data were collected simultaneously with the photographic imagery. Street View features state of the art technology to blur faces and license plates as well as ground-filling to show the ground of the track instead of the roof of the car that is actually below the camera.

The imagery is then integrated into Google Maps, combining with its other features such as satellite and terrain views to give an immersive interactive experience, as if you were driving on the track."

Street View is available without downloading a program. Just go to maps.google.com, search for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, then click and drag the little yellow man to the area viewers wish to experience. Street View is even available on mobile phones, allowing you to see places all around the world in the palm of your hand.