In just his first year in the NBA, Patrick Baldwin Jr. has become an important member of the Golden State Warriors this season, ultimately making him a cherished member of the Northern California community as well. While he normally shows his skills at Chase Center, on Saturday, June 10, Baldwin Jr., or as the fans affectionately call him, “PBJ”, will give the command to start the Door Dash 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race.
It is fitting that Baldwin, in his rookie year in the NBA will be the Grand Marshal for a race that is also making its debut this year at Sonoma Raceway. This unique collaboration combines the prowess of professional basketball and the thrill of high-speed racing in one historic place.
“We are thrilled to have such an outstanding athlete and representative of the Bay Area serve as this year’s Grand Marshal,” said Sonoma Raceway Executive Vice President and General Manager Jill Gregory. “Collaborating with other area sports organizations is an exciting way to introduce new audiences to the exhilaration of NASCAR.”
Prior to joining the NBA, Baldwin Jr. was a standout 5 star high school recruit, McDonald’s All American and gold medalist at the 2021 U19 World Cup. In his sophomore year of high school, Baldwin was the youngest person ever to receive an offer to play at Duke. He chose to not accept the offer and instead went to play college basketball for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee basketball team under his father's coaching and became an integral part of the Milwaukee team.
Baldwin will be recognized in front of the fans during the pre-race show before giving the start command. Sonoma Raceway’s annual NASCAR weekend begins with the General Tire 200 ARCA Menards Series West race on Friday June 9, followed by the DoorDash 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, June 10. The weekend concludes with the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on Sunday, June 11. For tickets or more information on the DoorDash 250, visit SonomaRaceway.com or call 800-870-RACE (7223). Weekend and single-day tickets are available; kids 12 and under are free with the advance purchase of an adult ticket.
