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Sonoma Raceway

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 29 min
Sonoma Raceway
Sears Point


Location29355 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, California, US[1]
Time zoneUTC-08:00 (UTC-07:00 DST)
Coordinates38°09′39″N 122°27′18″W / 38.16083°N 122.45500°W / 38.16083; -122.45500
Capacity47,000
FIA Grade2
OwnerSpeedway Motorsports (1996–present)
OperatorSpeedway Motorsports (1996–present)
Broke groundAugust 1968; 56 years ago (1968-08)
Opened1 December 1968; 55 years ago (1968-12-01)
Construction costUS$70 million
Former names
  • Sears Point International Raceway
  • (1968–1979, 1982–1992)
  • Sears Point Raceway (1993-2001)
  • Golden State International Raceway (1980-1981)
  • Infineon Raceway
  • (2002–2011)
Major eventsCurrent:

Future:
Trans-Am Series
(1969, 1978, 1981–1993, 1995, 2001, 2003–2004, 2022, 2025)

Former:
FIA WTCC Race of the United States (2012–2013)
IndyCar Series
Indycar Grand Prix of Sonoma (1970, 2005–2018)
American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Sonoma (1976–1990, 1995–1997, 1999–2008)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
DoorDash 250 (1995–1998, 2022)
MotoAmerica (1977–1979, 1982–1988, 1993–1999, 2001–2012, 2017–2019)
Can Am Series (1977, 1980, 1984)
Long Circuit (2002–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.520 miles (4.056 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:22.041 (Germany Marco Werner, Audi R8, 2005, LMP1)
IndyCar Circuit (2012–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.385 miles (3.838 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:18.3576 (France Simon Pagenaud, Dallara DW12, 2017, IndyCar)
WTCC Circuit (2012–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.505 miles (4.032 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:27.691 (Netherlands Daniël de Jong, Lola B05/52, 2012, Auto GP)
Club Circuit (2001–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length1.990 miles (3.203 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:13.629 (United States Kyle Larson, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, 2024, NASCAR)
Alternative Motorcycle Circuit (2008–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.300 miles (3.701 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:35.067 (United States Cameron Beaubier, Yamaha YZF-R1, 2018, SBK)
IndyCar Circuit (2008–2011)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.303 miles (3.706 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:18.6320 (Brazil Hélio Castroneves, Dallara IR-05, 2008, IndyCar)
IndyCar Circuit (2005–2007)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.385 miles (3.838 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:17.5524 (Brazil Tony Kanaan, Dallara IR-05, 2007, IndyCar)
Long Circuit (1998–2001)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.520 miles (4.056 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:22.863 (United Kingdom Allan McNish, Audi R8, 2000, LMP900)
Original Long Circuit (1968–1997)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.523 miles (4.060 km)
Turns12
Race lap record1:25.057 (Australia Geoff Brabham, Nissan NPT-90, 1990, IMSA GTP)

Sonoma Raceway (originally known as Sears Point Raceway, Golden State International Raceway and Infineon Raceway) is a road course and dragstrip located at Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains of Sonoma County, California.[1] The road course features 12 turns on a hilly course with 160 ft (49 m) of total elevation change.[2] It is host to one of the few NASCAR Cup Series races each year that are run on road courses. It has also played host to the IndyCar Series, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, and several other auto races and motorcycle races such as the American Federation of Motorcyclists series. Sonoma Raceway continues to host amateur, or club racing events with some open to the public. The largest such car club is the Sports Car Club of America. The track is 30 mi (48 km) north of San Francisco and Oakland.

With the closure of Riverside International Raceway in Moreno Valley, California after the 1988 season, NASCAR wanted a West Coast road course event to replace it, and chose the Sears Point facility. Riverside Raceway was razed for the Moreno Valley Mall.

In 2002, Sears Point Raceway was renamed after a corporate sponsor, Infineon Technologies. On March 7, 2012, it was announced that Infineon would not renew their contract for naming rights when the deal expired in May 2012.[3]

History

[edit]

1968–1979

[edit]

The 2.520 mi (4.056 km) road racing course was constructed on 720 acres (2.9 km2) by Marin County owners Robert Marshall Jr., an attorney from Point Reyes, and land developer Jim Coleman of Kentfield. The two conceived of the idea of a race track while on a hunting trip. Ground was broken in August 1968 and paving of the race surface was completed in November. The first official event at Sears Point was an SCCA Enduro, held on December 1, 1968.

In 1969 the track was sold to Filmways Corp., a Los Angeles-based entertainment company for $4.5 million. In May 1970 the track was closed and became a tax shelter for Filmways after losses of $300,000 were reported. Hugh Harn of Belvedere and Parker Archer of Napa arranged to lease the track from Filmways in 1973. Bob Bondurant, owner and operator of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, and partner Bill Benck took over management and control of the leased raceway from Parker Archer and Hugh Harn in 1974. A few years later a group calling itself Black Mountain Inc., which included Bondurant, William J. Kolb of Del Mar and Howard Meister of Newport Beach, purchased the track from Filmways for a reported $1.5 million.

American Motorcycle Association national motocross races in the hills north of Turn 7 became popular with Bay Area fans, but were phased out by the end of the decade because of rising insurance costs.

1980–2000

[edit]

In 1981 Filmways regained ownership of the track after a financial dispute with Black Mountain group. Jack Williams, the 1964 NHRA top-fuel drag racing champion, Rick Betts and John Andersen purchased the track from Filmways at an auction for $800,000. The track was renamed Sears Point International Raceway. In 1985 the track was completely repaved, in part with funds donated from the "Pave the Point" fund raising campaign. The first shop spaces (buildings A, B, C, and D in the main paddock area) were built.

Tony Stewart at Infineon in 2005

In 1986 Harvey "Skip" Berg of Tiburon, CA took control of the track and became a major stockholder in Brenda Raceway Corp., which controlled the track until 1996. Additional buildings constructed on the property brought shop space to more than 700,000 sq ft (65,000 m2) during 1987. In addition, a five-year contract was signed with the National Hot Rod Association for the California Nationals. The NASCAR Winston Cup Series debuted at the raceway in 1989.

In 1994 more than $1 million was spent on a beautification project and construction of a 62 ft (19 m)-high, four-sided electronic lap leader board in the center of the road course. In the following years a major $3 million renovation plan included VIP suites and a two-story driver's lounge/emergency medical facility. In 1995 Trans-Am and SportsCar races returned to Sears Point and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was added to the major-events schedule. Owner "Skip" Berg sold the track to O. Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. in November 1996.

NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race cars at Sonoma Raceway in June 2005

Major renovations began at Sears Point Raceway in 1998 with the creation of "the Chute", an 890 ft (270 m) high-speed stretch. The first-ever running of the American Le Mans Series took place at Sears Point in July 1999. In 2000 Sears Point Raceway gained unanimous approval from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors by a 5–0 vote to begin work on a $35 million Modernization Plan that included 64,000 Hillside Terrace seats, repaving of both the road course and drag strip and increased run-off around the entire track.

Since 2000

[edit]
Sonoma Raceway Back Side of NASCAR track, 2005

After the turn of the millennium, Infineon Technologies bought the naming rights, and on June 22, 2002, the course was renamed Infineon Raceway. In 2006, the Grand Prix of Sonoma was transferred to the Rolex Sports Car Series, who would limit it to Daytona Prototypes only for 2007–2008 before the event was discontinued altogether. Since 2010, however, the course has seen a mild resurgence, with the circuit becoming a sponsor for various events as well as hosting an increasing amount of lesser series, including the WTCC and the return of the SCCA World Challenge. The year 2012 saw the end of Infineon as the corporate sponsor, with the track being renamed Sonoma Raceway.

Layouts

[edit]

Full circuit

[edit]
Pit road at Infineon in 2005

The standard, full length road course at Sonoma Raceway is a 2.520 mi (4.056 km) 12-turn course. This course was utilized by all competition through 1997. Most races, including the Grand Prix of Sonoma, use the full course. The course is noted for turns two and three, which are negative-camber ("off-camber") turns, with the inside of the turn higher than the outside. This provides a challenge for the driver, as turn two would normally have the drivers moving to the left side of the track.

The raceway also has a 440 yd (400 m) dragstrip used for NHRA drag racing events. The drag strip was originally located on part of the front straightaway of the course. Track changes completed in 2002 separated the road course from the drag strip.[4]

The Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival, an annual classic car racing event, uses the full circuit.

NASCAR returned to using the full circuit in 2019 as a part of the tracks 50th anniversary.[5] The full circuit was used in 2019 & 2021 (event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic), but in 2022 they will return to the modified layout instead of running the original.

The track was closed in 2020 because of government regulations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All national events were removed from the schedule.

The Chute

[edit]

The track was modified in 1998,[6] adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6 (the Carousel), shortening the course to 1.949 mi (3.137 km). The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as the Toyota/Save Mart 350, and was criticized by many drivers, who prefer the full layout. In 2001, it was replaced with the 70° turn, 4A bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.990 mi (3.203 km).[7]

The Chute was built primarily for spectator visibility, to increase speeds, and improve competition for the stock cars, which are not necessarily groomed well for road course racing. However, it has been criticized for taking away a primary passing point, and some INDYCAR drivers believe eliminating the Chute and replacing it with a new hairpin at Turn 4A, then rejoining the track at Turn 5, would create a circuit with three passing zones (Turn 4, Turn 7, and Turn 11). Furthermore, the speeds of the current layout with the Chute have been slower than if the full configuration was used.

The layout is now used as a Club circuit with options, as at the end of 2018 season, NASCAR returned to the full circuit in 2019. In 2022, NASCAR returned to the Chute layout.[8][5]

Gilligan's Island

[edit]

From 1989 to 2001, the pit road could only accommodate 34 pit stalls. So, during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Cup Series race, some teams were required to share pit stalls while other teams were forced to pit inside the garage area. When cars dropped out of the race, their pit stalls were reassigned to cars who were sharing.

Before the 1994 NASCAR race, a makeshift auxiliary pit road was constructed inside the hairpin (turn 11) nicknamed Gilligan's Island. Cars that had the nine slowest qualifying speeds were relegated to these pit stalls. Pitting in this area was considered an inconvenience and a competitive disadvantage, more so than even the disadvantages one would experience pitting on the backstretch at a short track at the time.[9]

Since the length of the auxiliary pit road was significantly shorter than the main pit road, the cars that pitted there were held from 15 to 20 seconds to make up for the time that would have been spent if the cars had traveled the entire main pit road.[10]

Pitting on Gilligan's Island had several other inconveniences. The location (the staging area for drag races) was landlocked by the race course, and crew members were unable to leave once the race began. Teams sent only the primary pit crew to Gilligan's Island, and once they were there, they could not access the garage area or their transporters to collect spare parts/tools. The only repairs that could be made were routine tire changes and refueling, as well as only minor repairs. Other auxiliary pit crew members, who were not part of the main crew, were staged in the garage area, and would have to service the car if it required major repairs. If a team pitting on Gilligan's Island dropped out of the race, the crew was unable to pack up their supplies and prepare to leave (a common practice at other tracks) until the race was over.

Before the 2002 NASCAR track renovations were completed which extended the main pit road, up to the start-finish straight, which removed the need for Gilligan's Island and it has not reappeared in any NASCAR race at the track since.

Modified course

[edit]

Variations of Sonoma's circuits are often used. Motorcycles use a 2.320 mi (3.734 km), 12-turn course. It is based on the full layout, and does not include the Chute. This layout, opened in 2003, skips the later section of the Esses (8A and 9) and the run from Turn 10 to Turn 11 (the hairpin), using instead Turn 11a as Turn 11 has no runoff. This hairpin is located just past the drag strip control tower and offers a fairly straight run to the start-finish line. It was used by INDYCAR from 2006 to 2011.

Another factor in removing the hairpin is the fact that the turn is only visible from the garages or the bleachers behind the esses. This is due to grandstands built along the front straight that serve also as the drag strip's grandstands.

The official FIA Grade 2 variant, the Grand Prix layout, was used by INDYCAR from 2012 to 2018 and others. This version uses the end of the dragstrip (instead of the Keyhole) to create a Magny Cours-style hairpin that joints the drag strip to Turn 7 to open an overtaking opportunity. The circuit also modified Turn 9A (the chicane similar to Spa's new Bus Stop) by widening it by 10 ft (3.0 m) to allow for more room. A new Turn 11B has been made, moving further past the drag strip tower (Motorcycle Turn 11), being lengthened by 200 ft (61 m) to create a passing zone (it is located just before the race logos painted in Turn 11), and is located where the drag strip staging area is located.

During the World Touring Car races, the course used most of the Grand Prix layout except for the full Turn 11 hairpin.

Layout configurations

[edit]
  • Club Circuit (2001–present)
    Club Circuit (2001–present)
  • Long Circuit (2002–present)
    Long Circuit (2002–present)
  • IndyCar Circuit (2005–2007)
    IndyCar Circuit (2005–2007)
  • WTCC Circuit (2012–present)
    WTCC Circuit (2012–present)
  • IndyCar Circuit (2012–present)
    IndyCar Circuit (2012–present)

Events

[edit]
Current
Future
  • Trans-Am Series (1969, 1978, 1981–1993, 1995, 2001, 2003–2004, 2022, 2025)
Former

All-time lap records

[edit]
Driver Car Date Speed Time Layout
Formula One (Unofficial) Spain Marc Gene Ferrari F2004 May 7, 2019 1:21.004 4.05 km (Full)[11][12][13]
Fastest qualifying lap United Kingdom Allan McNish Audi R8 July 23, 2000 1:20.683 4.05 km (Full)
Fastest racing lap (Official) Germany Marco Werner Audi R8 July 17, 2005 110.641 mph (178.06 km/h) 1:22.041 4.05 km (Full)
Trans-Am qualifying United States Brian Simo Qvale Mangusta July 22, 2001 1:35.727 4.05 km (Full)
NASCAR qualifying United States Kyle Larson Chevrolet Camaro June 22, 2019 95.901 mph (154.34 km/h) 1:34.598 4.05 km (Full)
NASCAR race United States William Byron Chevrolet Camaro June 23, 2019 93.339 mph (150.21 km/h) 1:37.194 4.05 km (Full)
IndyCar qualifying United States Josef Newgarden Dallara DW12-Chevrolet September 16, 2017 113.691 mph (182.97 km/h) 1:15.5205 3.838 km (Indy)[14]
IndyCar race France Simon Pagenaud Dallara DW12-Chevrolet September 17, 2017 109.575 mph (176.34 km/h) 1:18:3576 3.838 km (Indy)[15]
WTCC qualifying Switzerland Alain Menu Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T September 22, 2012 86.206 mph (138.74 km/h) 1:45.235 4.032 km (WTCC)
WTCC race Portugal Tiago Monteiro Honda Civic WTCC September 10, 2013 84.206 mph (135.52 km/h) 1:46.905 4.032 km (WTCC)
AMA Pro Superbike United States Ben Spies Suzuki GSXR-1000 May 17, 2008 1:34.731 3.57 km (Motorcycle)
Pirelli World Challenge GTS Race United States Jack Baldwin Porsche Cayman S PWC August 23, 2013 69.583 mph (111.98 km/h) 1:42.558 km (PWC)
Electric Vehicle Track Record United States Matt Cresci Tesla Model 3 Performance June 26, 2022 84.968 mph

(136.76 km/h)

1:46.769 4.05 km (Full)
Formula One (Unofficial) Mexico Esteban Gutiérrez Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid 27 September 2019 113.827 mph (183.187 km/h) 1:15.430 3.838 km[17]

NOTE: NASCAR records based on full course.

NASCAR Cup Series records

[edit]
Jeff Gordon at the 2005 race

(As of June 12, 2023)

Most wins 5 Jeff Gordon
Most top-5s 14 Jeff Gordon
Most top-10s 18 Jeff Gordon
Most starts 22 Jeff Gordon
Most poles 5 Jeff Gordon
Kyle Larson
Most laps completed 2,390 Kevin Harvick
Most laps led 457 Jeff Gordon
Avg. start (active) 3.7 Kyle Larson
Avg. finish (active) 12.1 Chase Elliott
Source:[18]

Race lap records

[edit]

The fastest official all-time track record set during a race weekend on the original Long Grand Prix Road Course is 1:20.683, set by Allan McNish in an Audi R8 during qualifying for the 2000 Grand Prix of Sonoma.[19] As of August 2024, the fastest official race lap records at Sonoma Raceway for different classes are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Grand Prix Circuit: 4.056 km (2002–present)[20][21]
LMP1 1:22.041[22] Marco Werner Audi R8 2005 Grand Prix of Sonoma
LMP675 1:24.229[23] James Weaver MG-Lola EX257 2003 Grand Prix of Sonoma
LMP2 1:26.349[22] Clint Field Lola B05/40 2005 Grand Prix of Sonoma
Daytona Prototype 1:27.051[24] Max Angelelli Dallara DP01 2008 Armed Forces 250
GT1 (GTS) 1:28.934[22] Oliver Gavin Chevrolet Corvette C6.R 2005 Grand Prix of Sonoma
TA1 1:34.883[25] Chris Dyson Ford Mustang Trans-Am 2021 Sonoma Trans-Am West Coast round
GT2 1:35.112[22] Timo Bernhard Porsche 911 (996) GT3-RSR 2005 Grand Prix of Sonoma
TA2 1:35.694[26] Gio Ruggiero Ford Mustang Trans-Am 2024 Sonoma Trans-Am West Coast round
GT3 1:37.099[27] Daniel Morad Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo 2023 Sonoma GT World Challenge America round
NASCAR Cup 1:37.194[28] William Byron Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 2019 Toyota/Save Mart 350
GT4 1:46.124[29] Stevan McAleer Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport 2022 Sonoma GT4 America round
TCR Touring Car 1:49.023[30] Tyler Maxson Hyundai Veloster N TCR 2020 Sonoma TC America round
Toyota GR Cup 1:54.637[31] Spike Kohlbecker Toyota GR86 2023 Sonoma Toyota GR Cup North America round
Alternative Long Circuit: 4.077 km (2002–present)[20]
GT3 1:32.119[32] Colin Braun Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo 2024 Sonoma GT World Challenge America round
Ferrari Challenge 1:33.274[33] Roberto Perrina Ferrari 296 Challenge 2024 Sonoma Ferrari Challenge North America round
SRO GT2 1:39.946[34] Brent Holden Mercedes-AMG GT2 2024 Sonoma GT America round
GT4 1:41.208[35] Matheus Leist Mercedes-AMG GT4 2024 Sonoma GT4 America round
Porsche Carrera Cup 1:42.384[36][37] James Sofronas Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup 2023 Sonoma Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West round
Toyota GR Cup 1:50.650[38] Gresham Wagner Toyota GR86 2024 Sonoma Toyota GR Cup North America round
WTCC Circuit: 4.032 km (2012–present)[20]
Auto GP 1:27.691[39] Daniël de Jong Lola B05/52 2012 Sonoma Auto GP round
Ferrari Challenge 1:41.549[40] Cooper MacNeil Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo 2021 Sonoma Ferrari Challenge North America round
Super 2000 1:46.905 Tiago Monteiro Honda Civic WTCC 2013 FIA WTCC Race of the United States
IndyCar Circuit: 3.838 km (2012–present)[20]
IndyCar 1:18:3576 Simon Pagenaud Dallara DW12 2017 GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma
Indy Lights 1:28.9075[41] Jack Harvey Dallara IPS 2014 Grand Prix of Sonoma
Pro Mazda 1:33.5571[42] Scott Hargrove Star Formula Mazda 'Pro' 2014 Sonoma Pro Mazda round
US F2000 1:35.7970[43] Florian Latorre Van Diemen DP08 2014 Sonoma US F2000 round
Porsche Carrera Cup 1:38.035[44] Will Hardeman Porsche 911 (991 II) GT3 Cup 2017 Sonoma Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA round
Club Circuit/NASCAR Road Course: 3.203 km (2002–present)[20]
NASCAR Cup 1:13.629[45] Kyle Larson Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 2024 Toyota/Save Mart 350
NASCAR Xfinity 1:16.384[46] Ty Gibbs Toyota Supra NASCAR 2024 Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250
ARCA Menards 1:17.927[47] William Sawalich Toyota Camry 2024 General Tire 200
NASCAR Truck Series 1:20.043[48] Kyle Busch Toyota Tundra 2022 DoorDash 250
Alternative Motorcycle Circuit: 3.701 km (2008–present)[20]
Superbike 1:35.067[49] Cameron Beaubier Yamaha YZF-R1 2018 Sonoma MotoAmerica round
Supersport 1:37.150[50] Garrett Gerloff Yamaha YZF-R6 2017 Sonoma MotoAmerica round
IndyCar Circuit: 3.706 km (2008–2011)[20]
IndyCar 1:18.6320[51] Hélio Castroneves Dallara IR-05 2008 Peak Antifreeze Indy Grand Prix
Indy Lights 1:24.9443[52] Jean-Karl Vernay Dallara IPS 2010 Carneros 100
Star Mazda 1:29.877[53] Tristan Vautier Star Formula Mazda 'Pro' 2011 Sonoma Star Mazda round
IndyCar Circuit: 3.838 km (2005–2007)[20]
IndyCar 1:17.5524[54] Tony Kanaan Dallara IR-05 2007 Motorola Indy 300
Indy Lights 1:24.688[55] Richard Antinucci Dallara IPS 2007 Valley of the Moon 100
Star Mazda 1:30.095[56] Raphael Matos Star Formula Mazda 'Pro' 2005 Sonoma Star Mazda round
Long Circuit: 4.056 km (1998–2001)[20]
LMP900 1:22.863[57] Allan McNish Audi R8 2000 Grand Prix of Sonoma
GT2 (GTS) 1:32.384[58] Olivier Beretta Dodge Viper GTS-R 1999 Grand Prix of Sonoma
GT 1:34.614[59] Bill Auberlen BMW M3 GTR 2001 Grand Prix of Sonoma
NASCAR Circuit: 3.137 km (1998–2001)[20]
NASCAR Truck Series 1:14.842[60] Boris Said Ford F-150 1998 Kragen/Exide 151
Original Long Circuit: 4.060 km (1968–1997)[20]
IMSA GTP 1:25.057[61] Geoff Brabham Nissan NPT-90 1990 Sears Point 300 Kilometers
Can-Am 1:25.810[62] Jacques Villeneuve, Sr. Frissbee GR3 1983 Sears Point Can-Am round
WSC 1:27.411[63] Didier Theys Ferrari 333 SP 1996 California Grand Prix
Formula Atlantic 1:29.510[64] Michael Andretti Ralt RT4 1983 Sears Point Formula Atlantic round
IMSA GTP Lights 1:31.213[61] Dan Marvin Spice SE90P 1990 Sears Point 300 Kilometers
IMSA GTS-1 1:35.156[65] Darin Brassfield Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1995 Apple Computer Inc. California Grand Prix
IMSA GTO 1:35.514[66] Hans-Joachim Stuck Audi 90 Quattro 1989 Sears Point 200 km
GT1 (Prototype) 1:35.589[67] Doc Bundy Panoz Esperante GTR-1 1997 California Grand Prix Sears Point
IMSA GTX 1:35.710[68] Brian Redman Lola T600 1981 Datsun Camel GT Sears Point
F5000 1:37.200[69] Ron Grable Lola T190 1970 Continental 49'er Trophy
IMSA GTU 1:39.357[70] Dorsey Schroeder Dodge Daytona 1988 Lincoln-Mercury California Grand Prix
Group 5 1:40.640[71] David Hobbs BMW 320i Turbo 1977 Executive Motorhome Challenge Series Sears Point
IMSA GTS-2 1:41.606[72] Bill Auberlen Mazda RX-7 1995 Apple Computer Inc. California Grand Prix
Pickup truck racing 1:42.459[73] Dave Rezendes Chevrolet C/K 1997 Kragen/Exide 151
Group 4 1:42.590[68] Dennis Aase BMW M1 1981 Datsun Camel GT Sears Point
IMSA Supercar 1:50.745[74] Shawn Hendricks BMW M5 (E34) 1995 Sears Point IMSA Bridgestone Supercar round

Seating capacity

[edit]
The view from the upper main grandstand at the finish line at Sonoma Raceway

Sonoma Raceway has a permanent seating capacity of 47,000.[75] This includes the grandstands and terraces around the track. During major races, hospitality tents and other stages are erected around the track, which brings the total capacity up to 102,000 seats. The facility underwent a major expansion in 2004 which resulted in 64,000 hillside seats, 10,000 permanent grandstand seats, a wastewater treatment facility, 100 acres (40 ha) of restored wetlands, permanent garages, new retail space, a go-kart track and a new drag strip.

Trans-Am Series

[edit]
Year Category One Driver Category One Vehicle Category Two Driver Category Two Vehicle
1969 Mark Donohue Chevrolet Camaro Don Pike Porsche 911
1978 Gene Bothello Chevrolet Corvette Greg Pickett Chevrolet Corvette
1981 Tom Gloy Ford Mustang
1982 Tom Gloy Toyota F150
1983 Willy Ribbs Chevrolet El Cement
1984 Greg Pickett Mercury Capri
1985 Willy Ribbs Mercury Capri
1985 Willy Ribbs Mercury Capri
1985 Elliott Forbes-Robinson Buick Somerset
1986 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Chevrolet Camaro
1986 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Chevrolet Camaro
1986 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Chevrolet Camaro
1987 Scott Pruett Merkur XR4Ti
1988 Willy Ribbs Chevrolet Camaro
1989 Darin Brassfield Chevrolet Corvette
1990 Darin Brassfield Oldsmobile Cutlass
1991 Darin Brassfield Oldsmobile Cutlass
1992 Darin Brassfield Chevrolet Camaro
1993 Scott Sharp Chevrolet Camaro
1995 Dorsey Schroeder Ford Mustang
2001 Brian Simo Qvale Mangusta
[edit]

In the 1970 motorcycle road racing film Little Fauss and Big Halsy, starring Michael J. Pollard and Robert Redford, Redford's character, Halsy, saw Sears Point as the brass ring in the world of racing, and the film was loosely based around that idea.[citation needed]

Sonoma has been featured in many racing video games, beginning with Papyrus's NASCAR Racing for the PC, released in 1994 and has been a frequent addition to NASCAR based games and more recently road course variations have appeared. Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge included the course released in 1991. It appeared in Gran Turismo 4, and Need For Speed ProStreet as Infineon Raceway, and more recently in Project CARS 2 and recent Forza Motorsport titles. It has also been digitally scanned and used in iRacing.

Scenes from a Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR race were used in the softcore porn series Hotel Erotica in Season 1 Episode 3 The Fast and the Curious[76]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Contact us". Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Raceway Track Facts". Sonoma Raceway website. Speedway Motorsports. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Sonoma Raceway to lose Infineon name". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications Inc. 8 March 2012. p. B-2. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Track History". racesonoma.com. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Sonoma Raceway marks 50th anniversary with return to original NASCAR circuit". ESPN.com. 29 September 2018. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  6. ^ Swan, Gary (May 6, 1998). "Sears Point Gets Straightened Out / Fewer turns mean more speed". San Francisco Chronicle/SFGATE. Archived from the original on March 7, 2019.
  7. ^ "Sears Point breaks ground on modified chute". racingwest.com. 2001-03-22. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011.
  8. ^ Motley, Jeff (January 10, 2022). "Sonoma Raceway bringing back the Chute for 2022 NASCAR Weekend" (Press release). Sonoma Raceway. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  9. ^ "Do You Remember Gilligan's Island?". TheNascarInsiders.com. 2010-06-14. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Jayski's Sears Point/Sonoma Raceway Past News". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Watch a 2004 Ferrari F1 Car Bag the Unofficial Lap Record at Sonoma". 31 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
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