SONOMA, Calif. (April 27, 2016) — The 22nd 3J's Motorcycle Day raised more than $27,000 for charity on Wednesday at Sonoma Raceway.
Nearly 100 riders converged on the raceway for a day of recreational riding around the 12-turn, 2.28-mile road course, which also featured a catered lunch, commemorative 3J's T-shirt, charity raffle and an evening reception. In total, the event raised $27,250, and all proceeds will go to qualified youth groups in Sonoma County through Speedway Children's Charities, the charitable arm of Sonoma Raceway.
"I have taken part in different track days, but this is my first time participating in a 3J's event," said Oakland's Michael Grin. "This is really about the track time and riding for me, but supporting the charity is like icing on the cake."
3J's Motorcycle Days have generated more than $506,000 for worthy causes since 2003. Jere Starks, vice president of facilities at Sonoma Raceway, along with Jenah Smith, operations logistics manager at Sonoma Raceway, and Santa Rosa's Jim Randolph, run the 3J's program. For more information, visit 3Jsmotorcycledays.com.
"Everyone was in great spirits today, and we raised a lot of money for charity," said Starks. "You get to ride your motorcycle, with friends, on a race track, and all the money goes to charity. It's a winning combination."
The event was a featured element of this week's Sonomafest motorcycle extravaganza, which continues through the week with the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA), April 28-29, and American Federation of Motorcycle (AFM) racing, April 30-May 1. Tickets can be purchased at the gate each day.
