Vintage car weekend on tap at Sonoma Raceway

Nearly 300 vintage racecars will be gracing the Valley's renown 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course in the finale of Sonoma Raceway’s 2014 major event season, with the 11th annual Classic Sports Racing Group’s Charity Challenge weekend ready to take place on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5.

The CSRG's Charity Challenge, with proceeds benefiting the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of the raceway, will feature road-racing cars, spanning Formula 1; prototype sports cars; and production sports cars mainly from the 1950s, '60s and '70s, and some from the ‘30s.

With nine race groups of the fastest road racing cars in the world competing, the vintage event will have qualifying and racing on both Saturday (Oct. 4) and Sunday (Oct. 5), highlighted by the premier historic F1 racing organization, Masters HGP, with more than 20 Formula 1 cars from the ‘60s to the early ‘80s.

Also on tap will be famous machines from Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus, Tyrrell and other companies.

A proven highlight of the CSRG event is the charity rides held midday on both Saturday and Sunday, with sign-ups beginning at 9 a.m.

For a $75 to $500 donation, depending upon the car chosen, fans can take a thrilling, three-lap ride around the road course in one of some 30 different participating race cars. Pace car rides and checkered flag waving opportunities are also available.

Also included in the race weekend will be a charity raffle – proceeds benefiting SCC – with tickets costing $10 each, $25 for three, and $50 for a “stretch” and prizes include racing memorabilia, gift cards and driver-autographed paraphernalia.

Raffle tickets can be purchased in the garages, adjacent to the Panasonic Technology Center.

Charity Challenge tickets can be purchased at the gate and are $25 each day or $40 for a two-day pass. High school and college students as well as military and veterans are admitted free with appropriate identification.

For more information on the Classic Sports Racing Group, visit www.csrgracing.org or visit CSRG's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/csrgracing. For ticket deals, check Groupon, Living Social & Amazon Local.

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Sonoma Raceway’s popular Wednesday Night Drags program, which includes the motorsport of drifting and the featured “Top the Cops,” continues every Wednesday evening through Nov. 13.

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For more details on the Charity Challenge, the Wednesday Night Drags or for general Sonoma Raceway information, call 800-870-RACE (7223) or visit csrgracing.org, racesonoma.com or ticketmaster.com. Camping is also available for all major events.