NASCAR action begins today

NASCAR has arrived with its popular Sprint Cup Series weekend, the Valley’s most attended major motorsports event. It starts with practice sessions today on Sonoma Raceway’s 1.99-mile road course, continues tomorrow, Saturday, June 27, and concludes with the 27th annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 race on Sunday, June 28.

Sonoma Raceway will, for the first time in a decade, host two main events on Sunday with the Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA series, featuring a field of more than 25 Porsche 991, 997 and 996 GT3 Cup cars, following the popular Toyota/Save Mart 350 race.

Drivers will compete for championships in four classes (Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Silver) during doubleheader 45-minute races on Saturday before the 2 p.m. start of the Carneros 200 NASCAR Pro Series West race (64 laps).

Carl Edwards will be defending his Toyota/Save Mart 350 title, while Vallejo native and legendary driver Jeff Gordon, the most successful NASCAR driver ever at Sonoma Raceway with five titles, will attempt to win his sixth championship before retiring after this season as a full-time NASCAR driver.

Today’s action includes the Great Clips Fast Friday NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice from noon to 1:55 p.m.; the NASCAR Pro Series West final practice from 2 to 3 p.m.; and the Great Clips Fast Friday NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice from 3:30 to 4:55 p.m., with TV coverage by Fox Sports 1.       

On Saturday the NASCAR Pro Series West qualifying starts at 9:45 a.m.; followed by Drive for Safety Pole Day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying at 11:15 a.m. – TV coverage by Fox Sports 1; and the Carneros 200 NASCAR Pro Series West race gets under way at 2 p.m.

Sunday will feature the NASCAR Toyota/Save Mart 350 race, which covers 110 laps, and 218.9 miles, beginning at noon. TV coverage will be by Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes.

The NASCAR weekend will also have local radio coverage (provided by PRN) with KNBR 1050 AM (San Francisco) and KHTK 1140 AM (Sacramento) will broadcast NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on Sunday with pre-race at 11 a.m., and the race at noon.

This year’s NASCAR grand marshal is Santa Rosa resident and climber extraordinaire Kevin Jorgeson.

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There are a variety of ticket packages being offered by Sonoma Raceway for the Valley’s major events season, is highlighted by the Buy-Early-and-Save options for NASCAR, NHRA and IndyCar.

Sonoma Raceway’s most inclusive ticket package is the 2015 Track Pass, which includes tickets to all major events, plus season-long VIP parking, a NASCAR pre-race pit and track passes; IndyCar garage and pit passes; and an NHRA Thunder Alley pass.

Also for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 weekend, Sonoma Raceway is offering tickets that start at $45 for race day, and new for 2015, kids ages 12-and-under will be admitted free with the purchase of an adult ticket at Save Mart Supermarkets or Lucky stores.

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For major event tickets and ticket packages, including the all-encompassing Track Pass, for Wednesday Night Drags details, or for general Sonoma Raceway information, call 800-870-RACE (7223) or visit racesonoma.com or ticketmaster.com. Camping is available for all major events.