It had a natural amphitheatre, good fencing for crowd control, and isolation from. Sonoma raceway launches 50th anniversary book news media. The chaos of altamont and the murder of meredith hunter the. Fifty years in the books for sonoma raceway timesherald. However, it partially exited bankruptcy by selling a few of its previously acquired assets. Yearbyyear look at nascars history in sonoma the mercury. This case describes the history, operations, and economics of infineon raceway sears point. Texas motor speedway opens and hosts largest sporting event in texas history.
This hill is the southernmost peak of the sonoma mountains and forms the southwestern ridge above tolay lake. Bristol motor speedway and sears point raceway are acquired. The sears point raceway was renamed when a group from florida bought it and did not respect local history. The home page for our summer and winter racing series.
Battling the flu and laryngitis, jeff gordon won the save martkragen 350 on the road course at sears point raceway for the second consecutive year sunday. Original k3 which is lemans winner was donated to the indy museum. Make offer large sears point raceway vintage original racing sticker decal imsa scca vintage original south bend region scca sports. Sears point is a prominent landform that juts into the san pablo bay in sonoma county, california, united states. Everything you need to be ready to step out prepared. William and franklin bought the house and its acres from major beck and about 600 more acres from vallejo to enlarge the whole area for the plan of cattle raising. Jun 19, 20 yearbyyear look at nascars history in sonoma. Aircheck recording of kya san francisco april 18, 1969. Recorded off the air by mike schweizer, these airchecks include commercials, songs, and dj. You are looking at a original, never used sears point international raceway sticker decal from the 60s70s80s. Highlights of sonoma raceway as it marks its 50th anniversary. To honor 50 years of racing history in the sonoma valley, sonoma raceway has released its limitededition 50th anniversary book. Recordbreaking speeds and sellout crowds have been sonoma signatures ever since. Jun 21, 2019 fifty years in the books for sonoma raceway.
The late late show with james corden recommended for you. Starting with european settlement of this area in the mid19th century considerable modification. How sonoma raceway plans to honor incredible history. Because of an editors error, this story did not appear in its entirety in yesterdays late editions.
The yearround motorsports complex offers a slate of full slate of annual events, highlighted by two of the top racing series in the country the monster energy nascar cup series and nhra mello yello drag racing series. The entry list for the inaugural event included the likes of big daddy don garlits, jim davis and big john mazmanian. The racetracks most important race is a nascar sprint cup event. This was done when whittingtons were having trouble with the feds. If you have a need for speed, but arent looking for a career in racing, we also offer shorter racing experiences in our f3 race cars, top end. This case describes the history, operations, and economics of infineon raceway sears point raceway in sonoma, california, and the challenges facing the racetrack as a result of the economic recession of 20089. Be here as we celebrate our history at the nhra sonoma nationals, july 2628. Sonoma raceway has released a limitededition 50th anniversary book. Nascar has been racing at sonoma raceway since 1989 when ricky rudd won the inaugural race in wine country but the track had been. Theres a big advantage to going to a big name track like the sonoma raceway, formerly called sears point raceway, on an off weekend like this. Its not something im as comfortable with as going to charlotte motor speedway, say, he said. Steven castoldi obituary park city, ut the park record. Steven francis castoldi 1937 2015 born in walla walla, washington, july 30, 1937. Sears point raceway aka sonoma raceway randy lewis.
Steve died peacefully at home after a prolonged respiratory illness on may 14, 2015. Simraceway performance driving center sears point racing. Mar 28, 2019 sears point raceway, in sonoma, was suggested as an alternative, but that site was owned by a company called filmways, which had just lost money over a tour date that the stones cancelled. Buy books, tools, case studies, and articles on leadership, strategy. Nascar returns to sonoma raceway as part of the toyotasave mart 350. The berms on the turns of the road course are painted blue and gold at the suggestion of raceway president and general manager steve page, who attended uc berkeley. Combined auction wins will create shipping discounts. It also hosts indycar, nhra drag races, and other events. As it celebrates 50 years of racing this season, sonoma raceway is looking back to honor its storied motorsports history but also looking. Sears point raceway historic road racing public group. Sears point raceway historic road racing public group facebook. In 1985 he won the scca northern california region rookie of the year award and a year later he won the scca gt3 regional road racing championship. Up to 90 days of daily highs, lows, and precipitation chances. The sonoma raceway road course features more than 160 feet of elevation change from its highest point turn 3a, 174 feet to its lowest point turn 10, 14 feet.
Singleseat canam series if you fender them, they will comeat least thats what the scca hoped. Honoring the raceways history and memorable moments will be at the heart of the. Sonoma raceway news newspapers books scholar jstor october 2012 learn how and when to. Lester participated in his first professional race in 1989 for the international motor sports association imsa at the sears point raceway in sonoma, california. Gritty sears point victory puts gordon back on road to. Aug 12, 2009 the first one they picked was the sears point raceway, and autoracing track wellknown in northern california. The road course features 12 turns on a hilly course with 160 feet 49 m of total elevation change. Professional drag racing made its sonoma valley debut 50 years ago, as thensears point raceway hosted its first drag racing event, the san francisco open, on a freshlypaved quartermile drag strip, march 89, 1969.
Fifty years in the books for sonoma raceway the mercury news. Know whats coming with accuweathers extended daily forecasts for sears point, ca. Sonoma raceways new sears point racing experience will offer highperformance driving and racing education programs for everyone from beginners to pros. Fresh off his second victory of the season, labonte arrived in northern california for the save martkragen 350 on sunday. Afm round 2 at sears point infineon raceway was washed into the history books as a nonevent, nothing more than a practice day at the track. In 1981, rubyspears productions was sold to taft broadcasting and sears point raceway was sold to speedway motorsports. Ferrari racing in days gone by by don france blurb books. The book does an effective job of telling the tracks history. This year marks the 25th nascar winstonnextelsprint cup race at sears pointinfineonsonoma raceway. In one of the most significant moves in track history, the raceway. A logo which pays tribute to the raceways original name, sears point, was introduced tuesday to commemorate the occasion. The old days of racing motocross at sears point raceway. Thensears point raceway hosted its first national nhra event in 1988, including wins by legends joe amato top fuel and mark oswald funny car. Sears point raceway history, part 2 a thoroughly modern racing facility that grew from the dream of a few.
The carousel had been an iconic feature of sonoma raceway from the time it opened as sears point raceway in 1968. For example, if the stones had agreed to sharing the revenue, they couldve played at the sears point raceway which wouldve been far more conducive to a rock concert than the altamont raceway. Under the ownership and vision of speedway motorsports incorporated, sears point is poised to reach new heights in facility development and in the quality of events it offers fans. It is host to one of only three nascar cup series races each year that are run on road courses. State route 121 sr 121 is a california state highway in the wine country that runs northerly from its junction with state route 37 at sears point, past the tolay lake basin and across tolay creek near infineon raceway, veers east at a junction with state route 116 and bonneau road at schellville, runs eastward through the carneros region of the southern sonoma valley and napa valley.
The firstever running of the american le mans series took place at sears point in july 1999. However, the author of this book shows that altamont did not have to happen. Sears point raceway historic road racing has 524 members. The photographs were taken at sears point raceway near sonoma, california, laguna seca raceway near monterey, california, daytona international raceway in daytona, florida, and road atlanta raceway in braselton, georgia just north of atlanta. Sonoma raceway is a road course and dragstrip located at sears point in the southern sonoma mountains of sonoma, california, united states. The culture and technology of drag racing, 19501990 johns hopkins studies in the history of technology post, professor robert c. Nascar infineon, sonoma, sears point raceway red 4 window. The area was originally settled by franklin sears, who in 1851 purchased the large plot of land in the area that would later be known as sears point.
Located just 30 minutes north of the golden gate bridge, sonoma raceway is a 1,600acre facility with a 2. Sears point international raceway photo gallery by bernd. Here at the sears point racing experience, our aim is to quench your thirst for speed. Jun 22, 2017 06222017 despite not having had a presence at sonoma for 14 years now, pontiac will always be in the sonoma record books thanks to limited, but notable, success at the legendary california road course also known as infineon raceway, sears point international raceway, and sears point raceway. Get the sears point, ca local hourly forecast including temperature, realfeel, and chance of precipitation. As it celebrates 50th anniversary, sonoma raceway looks to the. After a pretty good day of practice on saturday, rain came on sunday just as the riders meeting ended, and didnt stop all day. Vintage scca sports car magazine may 1969 sears point hi. How sonoma raceway plans to honor incredible history with.
Labonte takes show on road driver has right attitude for. Jonathan haswell, author at sears point racing experience. Vintage scca san francisco region magazine may 1969sears point raceway high lighted the wheel no marks or tears on inside pagesminor wear on front back cover as shown in photos add for laguna seca race on back cover see photo. At age 50, sonoma raceway remains an american racing icon. What follows is a brief history of how sears point raceway came to be north americas most complete and versatile motorsports complex. Aimed at racers and experienced racing school graduates, this intense, oneday course is designed to optimize the alreadyproven talents of participants. In the rolling hills of the wine country, sears point raceway is one of just two road courses on the nascar winston cup circuit. Afm race report sears point infineon raceway april 17. If i had come during the nascar monster energy cup weekend thats next weekend. Sonoma raceway president and general manager steve page agreed. Sonoma raceway home to simraceway performance driving center. We offer a top tier racing school that has helped numerous drivers make a name for themselves on the circuit. Jan 18, 2020 sonoma raceway s new sears point racing experience will offer highperformance driving and racing education programs for everyone from beginners to pros.
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