Northern California drag racers provided tire-melting action on Sonoma Raceway's drag strip during Wednesday Night Drags Powered by Universal Technical Institute, June 26.
The Wednesday Night Drags program, which is in its 31st consecutive year, gives drag racers the opportunity to race on Sonoma Raceway's world-famous quarter-mile drag strip. The objective of the program is to give people, from teenagers to working professionals, a safe, legal and controlled environment in which to race their vehicles, as opposed to using city streets, back-county roads or parking lots.
Racing is featured in seven classes. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. with racing spanning from 4-10 p.m. Eliminations begin at 7 p.m. allowing more track time for the racers. Anyone with a valid driver's license can participate, providing their vehicle or motorcycle passes a simple technical inspection.
Wednesday night's class winners included:
- Jackpot: Pacheco's Bill Taggart
- Gear Jammer: San Francisco's Vince Cardinale
- Motorcycle: Hayward's Joe Sisk
- Comp Rod: Santa Rosa's Mark Scheuer
- Sport Street: Vallejo's Steve Del Buono Jr.
- Street: Napa's Steve Ball
- High School: Sebastopol's Joseph McBurney
The Top the Cops™ program also ran during the evening. Sonoma County Sheriff Jack Neely took home the win against local high school student Johnny Monge while CHP Napa Officer Mark Renspurger beat out high schooler Brian Topete and Fairfield Police Officer J. Lewis proved to be faster than high school student Daniel Bartnicki. Two students were able to outrun the officers, with Antonio Mancilla winning over CHP Napa Officer Mark Martineau and Joseph McBurney racing past Fairfield Police Officer J. Mack.
Winner photos are posted on the Sonoma Raceway Drag Racing Facebook page.
Wednesday Night Drags will resume on Wednesday, July 10. For more information about Wednesday Night Drags, visit SonomaRaceway.com or call 800-870-RACE (7223). For track weather conditions, please call 800-870-RACE ext. 209.
