Bonhams Car Week auction to move from The Quail to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

During Car Week, The Quail is a haven of relative serenity, even during its luxurious Motorsports Gathering. On the other hand, the snarl of vintage race cars is almost constant at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

After decades residing in plush surroundings, Bonhams—the elite international auction house—decided that asphalt would be more inviting grounds for its annual auction.

On Thursday, Feb. 5, the company announced a multi-year agreement with the iconic raceway, relocating its auction of rare collectible vehicles to Laguna Seca. The 2026 Bonhams auction will take place on Thursday, Aug. 13, kicking off the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

“Monterey is one of our flagship global sales in the calendar, and the location of the auction is hugely important,” said Whitney Maxwell, Bonhams’ global managing director, in making the announcement, calling the track an “outstanding venue” and noting improvements made by Friends of Laguna Seca, the nonprofit responsible for its day-to-day operations. The Reunion was recognized as Motorsports Event of the Year for 2025 at the International Historic Motoring Awards.

This is the first venue change for the auction since it first set up at The Quail in 2003. The auction was a tandem event with The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.

According to the international classic car publication Magneto, the popularity of gathering prompted the change. The event has become a signature of Car Week—an upscale cocktail party with unveilings and photo opportunities. “The Bonhams sale has increasingly missed out on visitor attention,” Magneto editor David Lillywhite wrote.

Meanwhile, Bonhams has been a Laguna Seca partner for over a decade, supporting several trackside amenities.

The annual Reunion at Laguna Seca is already an institution. But the raceway’s president and general manager, Mel Harder, is not content to rest on awards. 

“Their global reputation and deep roots in the collector car world add a new dimension to the event,” he says. “This collaboration underscores our mutual passion for automotive history and our commitment to delivering an unforgettable Monterey Car Week experience for fans and collectors alike.”