Sonoma Raceway will again host a slate of Sonoma Drags & Drift events in 2023, offering a safe environment for drivers to fulfill their need for speed. Beginning Wednesday March 1, on-track action will heat up on Wednesday nights for 16 evenings of competition on the Sonoma Raceway drag strip and throughout the road course and paddock drifting areas through November 15.
Sonoma Raceway opens its world-famous quarter mile dragstrip to the public as part of the Sonoma Drags program which enters its 35th season this year. Any vehicle that passes a basic tech and safety inspection is eligible to compete. The same track that produced the current Top Fuel Funny Car speed record is open to everything from Mustangs to minivans. 100+ racers per week compete in the program, which also features local high school students competing against uniformed police officers in their patrol cars, called “Top the Cops.”
Drag racing runs from 4:30 pm -10 p.m. Cost is $35 for advance registration, $40 at the gate, and only $20 for current high school students with ID. Spectators are $15 and kids 12 & under are admitted free.
Sonoma Drift is a showcase for the stylized form of on-track driving which focuses on showmanship and control taken through a set course, rather than competing for time. Sonoma Drift attracts drivers from throughout the Bay Area and will feature a series of different track layouts throughout the evening, showcasing both single car and tandem drifting. Drifting kicks off from 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. on the road course and then shifts to the paddock area behind the main grandstand from 7-10 p.m. There is also a skid pad open to beginners at the Turn 7 runoff area.
Sonoma Raceway will host four special events in conjunction with the Sonoma Drags & Drift program. These events will take place on March 15, May 3, June 28, and October 18 and will include exciting additions to the evening. Special event details will be released at a later date.
Each Sonoma Drift event is limited to 70 participants per week and usually sells out. Cost is $50 to pre-register or $60 at the gate. Cost for spectators is $15 and kids 12 & under are free. Ride-along passes can be purchased for $10 at each event by those 18 and older with valid ID. For those aged 16 and 17, a notarized parental consent waiver, available online, must be presented and once on file is valid throughout the year to purchase ride-along passes.
Sonoma Drift is also scheduled to host Winter Jam, Dec. 16-17, a drifting festival where professional and local drifters battle in competitions along with driving side by side for pure fun.
Sonoma drag racing events can be watched live at SonomaRaceway.com/live. For more information on these programs, schedules and more, visit sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-RACE (7223). Click HERE to purchase entries in advance and for the full Sonoma Drags & Drift schedule.
