Nearly eight hundred spectators and drivers attended the 2019 season opener of Sonoma Drags and Drift, powered by Universal Technical Institute at Sonoma Raceway, Wednesday, March 13. Throughout the evening, more than 180 Northern California drag racers battled on the quarter-mile drag strip for a spot in winner's circle while 65 drifters heated up the skid pad and road course.
Entering its 32nd season, the Wednesday Night Drags program has given local drivers a safe, legal and controlled environment to race their cars on the raceway's world-famous 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 or back-county roads.
Racing is featured in six classes. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. with racing spanning from 4-10 p.m. Eliminations start at 6:30 p.m. allowing more track time for the racers. Anyone with a driver's license can compete, providing their vehicle or motorcycle passes a simple technical inspection.
Wednesday's class winners included Santa Rosa's Craig Love (Gear Jammer); Hayward's Joe Sisk (Motorcycle); Novato's Joe Piazza (Comp Rod); Cotati's Nick Bublitz (Sport Street); Rohnert Park's Spencer Marcil (Street) and Petaluma's Jessica Rue (High School).
Wednesday Night Drags will resume next Wednesday, March 20. For more information, call the Drag Racing Hotline at 800-870-7223 ext. 209, as drag racing is weather permitting, or visit sonomaraceway.com/schedule for full schedules. Follow the action on the Sonoma Raceway Drag Racing Facebook page and the Sonoma Drift Facebook page. Drifting runs rain or shine.
