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Sonoma Raceway readies for 2013

Pre-sale tickets packages still available

Today’s start of “New Year 2013” mixes memories of an exhilarating  “rock ‘n’ roll” 2012 Sonoma Raceway season with excited anticipation for another action-packed year of motorsports in the Valley, highlighted by the “big three” of major events – NASCAR, NHRA and INDYCAR.

Looking back at Sonoma Raceway’s three featured race weekends in 2012, Clint Bowyer held off two-time champion Tony Stewart (2001, ’05), and defending champion Kurt Busch, to win his first NASCAR road race and become the eighth-straight different driver to claim the Toyota/Save Mart 350 title in June.

It was a sizzling National Hot Rod Association weekend in July that marked the NHRA’s 25th straight year of racing on the Valley’s world-famous drag strip and it produced one of the fastest and quickest days in the history of the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in Sonoma, with 10 NHRA track records being set.

In the NHRA’s featured Sonoma Nationals, Eddie Krawiec, Allen Johnson, Antron Brown and Johnny Gray all raced to final-elimination victories.

Then at the INDYCAR event in August, it looked like Will Power and his Penske Racing team was going to win their third straight GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

But Power was denied his “three-peat” when his Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe held him off en route to his first Indy Grand Prix victory in Sonoma and becoming the seventh different winner in the eight years Indy has come to the Valley.

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Sonoma Raceway continues to offer an opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2013 Big O Tires racing season before they go on sale to the general public in mid-January.

Anyone making pre-sale ticket purchases will receive the best possible seat locations for all main events on the Valley schedule – including NASCAR, NHRA and INDYCAR – for a $20.13 deposit.

Sonoma Raceway’s best ticket package is the 2013 Track Pass, with more than $600 of tickets and premium passes for $249, more than a $350 savings, which includes tickets to all major events, plus a choice of one ticket package for either NASCAR pre-race pit and track passes; IndyCar garage and pit passes; an NHRA Thunder Alley pass; or the World Touring Car Championships garage pit-pass.

The Track Pass also offers personalized tickets; additional ticket discounts; and two free bonus tickets.

Also available for the Valley raceway is a Summer Fun Family Pass for $95, which is good for an entire family all season long.

The Summer Fun Family Pass includes either Friday or Saturday admission to any of the Historic Sports Car Racing; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; NHRA Division 7 Drag Races; INDYCAR Racing; and World Touring Car (sports cars) Racing.

Sonoma Raceway’s 2013 Big O Tires major events schedule features the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival on May 18 and 19; the 25th annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, which is the Valley raceway’s largest attended motorsports weekend, from June 21 through 23; the NHRA Division 7 Drag Races from July 19 to 21; the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Sonoma Nationals weekend from July 26 through 28; the INDYCAR GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend on Aug. 23 through 25; the second-annual FIA World Touring Car event on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7 and 8; and the Classic Sports Racing Group Charity Challenge on Saturday, Oct. 5, and Sunday, Oct. 6.

To purchase presale tickets for the 2013 Sonoma Raceway main-events season or for more information, call 800-870-RACE (7223), visit racesonoma.com or ticketmaster.com. Camping is also available for all major events.

 

SONOMA RACEWAY 2013 MAIN EVENTS

 

May 18 and 19: Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival

June 21 to 23: Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR weekend

July 19 to 21: NHRA Division 7 Drag Racing

July 26 to 28: NHRA Sonoma Nationals weekend

Aug. 23 to 25: Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend

Sept. 7 and 8: FIA World Touring Car Championship

Oct. 5 and 6: Classic Sports Racing Group Charity Challenge