Information on Sonoma Raceway
Formerly known as Golden State International, Sears Point, and Infineon, Sonoma Raceway is a world-class motorsports facility. After all, NASCAR, IMSA, SRO, Trans Am, and other top-level series have battled it out on its winding, rollercoaster-like tarmac for decades now. You can't deny its ability to not only test a driver and setup with its fast straights, couple of tricky corners, and overall entertaining flow, but also provide all the entertainment for anyone watching from the stands.
Sonoma is located on the far north end of California's Bay Area and is well-connected with this corner of America's major cities, including San Francisco, Vallejo, Oakland, Fremont, San Jose, and every city in between. Several highways run through the area, there are plenty of hotels to choose from towards San Francisco or Vallejo, many food options, and not-too-far-away gas stations.
Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca may come to mind by default when they think of NorCal tracks, but Sonoma's rousing stretch of tarmac carved into the hillside is an epic amount of fun as well.
Track Details
- Address: 29355 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, California
- 12 turns
- 2.5 miles in length
- Fun overall flow, heaving braking zones, off-camber sections, high-speed
- Massive paddock
- Food stand and equipment/gift shop
- Gas pumps on-location
Lodging and Food near Sonoma Raceway
There's an immense amount of independent and chain hotels towards Petaluma and Novato to the West, or, head West and find a great selection in American Canyon and Vallejo. The track has a great food stand, but otherwise, there are tons of food options throughout the area, ranging from fast food to Michelin-Star fare.
Sonoma and the Bay Area
Because it's located on the far northern edge of the Bay Area, Sonoma Raceway is incredibly well-connected with all the activities. There's great hiking in the area towards Novato and San Rafael, and if you're a road- or mountain cyclist, this part of the country offers some of the best of both. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is a quick drive to the East and provides all the entertainment for the family, as are a host of small museums scattered around the area.
Stretching from Santa Rosa down to San Jose, there are so many cool cities and towns to check out, too. Don't let the headlines sway you, San Francisco itself is an icon of West Coast cosmopolitan night life. Make a week or weekend out of it and enjoy what this part of California has to offer!