California 8 Hours

{{Short description|Auto race}}

{{Infobox motor race

|Race title = California 8 Hours

|Logo =

|Track map = Image:Laguna Seca.svg

|Series long = Intercontinental GT Challenge

|Series short = IGTC

|Venue = WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

|Sponsor =

|First race = 2017

|Last race = 2019

|Distance =

|Laps =

|Duration = 8 Hours

|Previous names =

|Most wins driver = Kelvin van der Linde (2)

|Most wins team =

|Most wins manufacturer = Audi (2)

}}

The California 8 Hours was a sports car endurance race held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, United States from 2017 to 2019 as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.{{cite web|last1=Karis|first1=Tony|title=Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca preps for California 8 Hours, the longest race in track history|url=http://www.montereyherald.com/article/NF/20171012/SPORTS/171019908|website=Monterey Herald|accessdate=30 January 2018}}

The inaugural edition was open to GT3 and GT4 cars. TCR Touring Cars were added for 2018.{{Cite web|last=James|first=Richard S.|date=October 25, 2018|title=Double the grid, double the spectacle at California 8 Hours|url=https://racer.com/2018/10/25/driver-manufacturer-titles-to-be-decided-at-california-8-hours/|access-date=January 31, 2022|website=Racer}}

For the first two years, the California 8 Hours served as the season finale of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. In 2019, the date was brought forward to fill the second race of the season. The event was replaced as the American leg of IGTC by the newly created Indianapolis 8 Hours event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 2020 Intercontinental GT Challenge.{{cite news |last1=Coch |first1=Mat |title=Indianapolis joins Bathurst on IGTC calendar |url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/07/27/indianapolis-joins-bathurst-on-igtc-calendar/ |accessdate=26 August 2019 |work=Speedcafe |date=26 July 2019}}

Over the three editions of the event, it was broadcast in part on television by CBS Sports Network, and streamed live across the internet.{{Cite web|last=Kish|first=Ryan|date=March 30, 2019|title=California 8H: Pre-Race Notes|url=http://www.dailysportscar.com/2019/03/30/calfornia-8h-pre-race-notes.html|access-date=January 31, 2021|publisher=DailySportsCar}}{{Cite web|date=September 22, 2017|title=CBS Sports Network to Broadcast California 8H|url=https://sportscar365.com/sro/gtwc/world-challenge-america/cbs-sports-network-to-broadcast-california-8h/|access-date=January 31, 2022|publisher=SportsCar365}}{{Cite web|date=October 28, 2018|title=Stream the California 8 Hours live|url=https://racer.com/2018/10/28/stream-the-california-8-hours-live/|access-date=January 31, 2022|website=Racer}}